Rep. Carol Hill-Evans

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the Pennsylvania Maternal and Infant Outcome Measures Survey Program within the Department of Health to collect data on the health experiences of mothers and babies. The program will conduct surveys of individuals who have recently had a live birth to gather information on their behaviors, attitudes, and experiences before, during, and after pregnancy. The Department of Health is authorized to use available funding, including federal money, and may hire outside contractors to run the survey while ensuring all personal data remains confidential. Additionally, the bill allows the department to share de-identified survey results with researchers and publish them in public reports to help improve maternal and child health outcomes.

Maddy summaryThis bill directs Pennsylvania's Human Services department to replace current Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program cards with new chip-enabled versions by January 1, 2028. The new cards will be provided free of charge to eligible recipients and will include security features like tap-to-pay technology to prevent benefit theft. The department must issue regular reports on the transition progress to state legislators and take steps to secure funding, including applying for federal grants.

Maddy summaryHB 2544 updates Pennsylvania's Public School Code to establish a formal framework for negotiating compensation and benefits plans for school administrators, including principals and assistant principals. The bill requires school boards to meet with administrators in good faith to create written agreements covering salary schedules, fringe benefits, and performance evaluation processes. These agreements must remain in effect for at least one school year but no longer than five, and they include a nonbinding mediation step for resolving disputes before potential legal appeals. The legislation applies to all public school entities in the state and maintains existing restrictions on strikes while clarifying the definitions of administrative roles and employer responsibilities.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits Pennsylvania state agencies from using text messages to collect unpaid fines, fees, or tolls or to notify individuals about such charges. It defines a text-based communication as any written message sent on a mobile device, explicitly excluding standard email. The law applies to all Commonwealth agencies as currently defined by state statute and will become effective 60 days after passage.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a new framework for Pennsylvania public utilities to earn a return on their equity investments, directly affecting investor-owned electric, gas, and water companies regulated by the state commission. It creates a competitive auction process where utilities can bid to set their own return rates based on market conditions, while also providing a default rate of the 10-year U.S. Treasury yield plus 2 percent if no auction occurs. To support this system, the legislation requires utilities to separate their services into distinct legal entities and mandates annual reporting to ensure transparency. Ultimately, the law aims to determine how much profit these utility companies can make on their investments while maintaining oversight through the state commission.

Maddy summaryThis bill, known as the Pennsylvania Common Cents Act, requires government agencies, municipalities, and public utilities to round cash payments to the nearest five-cent increment when collecting face-to-face sales. Specifically, totals ending in one, two, six, or seven cents will be rounded down, while those ending in three, four, eight, or nine cents will be rounded up. The rule applies only to physical cash transactions and does not affect payments made by card, check, or other digital methods. It takes effect immediately upon passage.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies how Pennsylvania distributes fees collected from unconventional gas wells, specifically directing 25% of those funds to a state account for bridge improvements. The legislation allows counties and municipalities to use these monies to repair or upgrade bridges regardless of whether they qualify for federal funding assistance. Additionally, it permits larger counties to allocate these funds toward improving bridges owned by public transportation authorities. The changes take effect 60 days after the bill becomes law.

Maddy summaryThis bill removes outdated Pennsylvania laws regarding insurance that are no longer in effect. It specifically repeals the Flood Insurance Education and Information Act of 1996 and certain sections of the Insurance Company Law of 1921. The changes take effect immediately upon passage, streamlining the state's insurance code by eliminating expired provisions.

Maddy summaryHB 2234 creates a tax credit for Pennsylvania breweries that donate spent grain byproduct (leftover grain from brewing) to local farms. Breweries can claim a credit of $0.16 per pound of dry weight donated, up to $30,000 annually or their total tax liability, if the grain is delivered to farms within 100 miles. The credit applies to donations made to "eligible agricultural operations" engaged in normal farming activities under Pennsylvania law. Applications must be submitted by February 1 each year for the prior year's donations, with the Department of Revenue reviewing eligibility and coordinating with the Liquor Control Board. This directly benefits breweries and farms participating in the program by reducing brewery tax bills while repurposing brewing waste.

Maddy summaryHB 2162 amends Pennsylvania's Wholesale Prescription Drug Distributors License Act to clarify definitions and license application requirements. It specifically defines "virtual manufacturer" as a business that doesn't physically handle drugs in Pennsylvania but has FDA approval processes underway, including submitting or planning to submit FDA applications within 12 months. The bill adds new application requirements: manufacturers of unapproved drugs must state they've applied to or plan to apply to the FDA within 12 months, and virtual manufacturers must provide similar documentation. Crucially, it states the state department cannot require FDA approval as a condition for licensure. This directly affects drug distributors operating under the "virtual manufacturer" model and unapproved drug manufacturers seeking state licenses.