Rep. Rob Kauffman

Maddy summaryHB 160 amends Pennsylvania's prevailing wage law by raising the cost threshold for public construction projects subject to prevailing wage requirements from $25,000 to $257,000 (adjusted annually for inflation). The new threshold uses the Consumer Price Index for urban wage earners in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, and Maryland to account for inflation each March. This change exempts smaller public projects (under $257,000) from prevailing wage rules, while larger projects remain covered. The amendment applies to contracts entered into 60 days after the law's effective date.

Maddy summaryThis bill (HB 122) prevents Pennsylvania state and local government entities from enforcing any rules, fees, taxes, or mandates issued by the World Health Organization (WHO), United Nations (UN), or World Economic Forum (WEF). It directly affects all Pennsylvania agencies, municipalities, and government bodies by prohibiting them from implementing or enforcing any requirements from these international organizations. The law explicitly states these organizations "shall have no jurisdiction or power" within Pennsylvania, blocking enforcement of their policies by any state or local entity. The bill takes effect 60 days after enactment.

Maddy summaryHB 56 amends Pennsylvania's terroristic threats law (Title 18, §2706) to increase penalties for certain threats. It reclassifies specific terroristic threats as felonies of the third degree instead of misdemeanors if they cause diversion from normal operations (e.g., in buildings or public transit) or target protected locations like schools, churches, government buildings, or community centers. The bill directly affects individuals who make threats against these specific places or disrupt public activities. The key change is upgrading the offense severity for threats against vulnerable locations or causing operational disruptions, without altering the basic definition of terroristic threats.

Maddy summaryHB 90 amends Pennsylvania's Human Services Code to require applicants and recipients of medical assistance for children to cooperate with state departments in securing medical support from non-custodial parents. It prohibits accepting private agreements where custodial parents would provide medical support instead of pursuing the non-custodial parent, ensuring children access available medical support under state law. Exceptions apply if the custodial parent is a domestic violence victim (verified per state standards), interrupting a child's medical care would endanger them, or pursuing support harms the child or custodial parent. If a non-custodial parent withholds required information, they must reimburse the state for medical costs, but this does not make the child ineligible for assistance. Medical aid must continue without delay during verification.

Maddy summaryHB 116 amends Pennsylvania's aggravated assault law to specifically include assaults against individuals with intellectual disabilities or autism spectrum disorder. The bill adds a new provision making it a felony of the second degree to intentionally or knowingly cause bodily injury to such individuals or attempt to do so, regardless of their age. It defines "intellectual disability" as significantly subaverage intellectual functioning with limitations in adaptive skills and "autism spectrum disorder" as defined in existing law. This change directly affects people with these conditions by strengthening legal protections and increases penalties for offenders targeting them.

Maddy summaryHB 91 amends Pennsylvania's Right-to-Know Law (2008) to clarify that records related to noncriminal investigations by state agencies are exempt from public disclosure - except for the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission. This means agencies like police departments or environmental agencies must now disclose such records (unlike the Fish and Boat Commission, which retains exemption). The bill specifically revises Section 708(b)(17) of the law to remove a blanket exemption for all agencies, making the Fish and Boat Commission the sole exception. It directly affects public access to noncriminal investigation records held by state agencies, with no new reporting or procedural requirements. The change takes effect immediately upon passage.

Maddy summaryHB 112 amends Pennsylvania's Automobile Lemon Law to clarify which vehicles are covered under the law. It adds a new definition for "farm equipment" as new, unused vehicles exclusively designed for agricultural use (like planting or harvesting) that are registered in Pennsylvania. This change explicitly includes farm equipment under the definition of "new motor vehicle" in the law, ensuring these vehicles qualify for lemon law protections. The bill directly affects farmers and agricultural businesses purchasing or leasing such vehicles in Pennsylvania. The amendment takes effect 60 days after enactment.

Maddy summaryHB 62, the Social Media Anti-Censorship Act, requires social media platforms with over 50 million active U.S. users to publish clear acceptable use policies explaining content restrictions and appeal processes. If a platform removes content for policy violations, it must immediately notify the user and provide a 14-day appeal option. The bill also mandates biannual transparency reports detailing content moderation decisions. This law directly affects major social media platforms operating in Pennsylvania, aiming to increase transparency in content removal practices.

Maddy summaryThis bill (HB 83) amends Pennsylvania's 1970 law to allow minors aged 16 to 18 to consent independently to mental health treatment (both inpatient and outpatient) without parental permission. It establishes clear rules for when minors or parents can revoke consent and requires courts to hold a hearing within 72 hours if a minor objects to continued treatment, with strict criteria for overriding their wishes. The law explicitly excludes minors with "special needs" (defined as intellectual disabilities with adaptive limitations) from these provisions. It applies specifically to mental health services, not general medical care, and clarifies liability for providers who rely on a minor's consent.

Maddy summaryHB 89 requires Pennsylvania telecom companies to respond to equipment or infrastructure failures within 90 minutes if the failure prompts volunteer firefighters to deploy. If they fail to respond on time, the company must pay the volunteer fire company $1,000 for each hour the firefighters are actively deployed. This applies specifically to volunteer fire departments as defined under Pennsylvania law (35 Pa.C.S. § 7802). The bill creates a direct financial obligation for telecom companies when their failures disrupt emergency response, targeting infrastructure reliability for volunteer fire services.