Sen. Steve Santarsiero

Maddy summarySB 999 amends Pennsylvania's Public School Code to require school districts to provide training on recognizing seizures and administering first aid for seizure emergencies to appropriate staff. This directly affects school employees, including teachers and nurses, who may respond to student health incidents during school hours. The key provision mandates that this training be integrated into existing school health services programs. The bill aims to improve student safety by ensuring staff are equipped to handle seizure-related emergencies effectively.

Maddy summaryThis resolution (SR 151) formally commemorates the life, military service, and memory of United States Army Air Forces Corporal Glenn Hodak. It is a non-binding ceremonial resolution adopted by the legislature to honor his contributions. The resolution does not create new laws or affect any policies or individuals. It serves solely as a symbolic tribute to Corporal Hodak's service.

Maddy summarySB 461 requires health insurance policies in Pennsylvania to cover specific diagnostic tests and treatments for Lyme disease and related tick-borne illnesses. It directly affects all Pennsylvanians with health insurance, particularly those in the state’s high-risk areas (all 67 counties, per the bill’s findings). The key provision mandates insurers cover clinically appropriate diagnostics and antibiotics, including longer-term treatments that some patients require. The bill aims to improve access to care by eliminating coverage barriers, as Pennsylvania has the highest Lyme disease incidence in the U.S. (over 100,000 cases reported in 2018 alone). This is intended to reduce chronic cases and overall disease burden, aligning with the state’s legislative purpose to promote prevention and treatment access.

Maddy summarySB 983 creates a program to support commercial and industrial businesses in installing solar panels on their rooftops. It directly affects large businesses (such as factories, warehouses, and offices) with suitable roof space. The bill establishes rules for program participation and sets standards for solar installations. The bill is currently pending review by the Consumer Protection & Professional Licensure committee.

Maddy summarySB 11 amends Pennsylvania's Election Code to strengthen transparency in campaign financing. It clarifies definitions for key terms like "expenditure," "independent expenditure," and "corporate political accountability," requiring candidates, committees, and businesses to disclose political spending more clearly. The bill mandates biennial adjustments to contribution limits and adds new reporting rules for corporate political activity, including independent expenditures. These changes directly affect candidates, political committees, and corporations making election-related contributions or spending in Pennsylvania. The law aims to increase transparency around campaign funding to address concerns about corruption.

Maddy summarySB 965 establishes a two-year Maternal Health Monitoring Pilot Program (2026-2027 and 2027-2028) for pregnant individuals in Pennsylvania who have hypertension or diabetes and receive medical assistance or are enrolled in participating managed care plans. The program provides free home monitoring devices (like blood pressure cuffs and glucose meters) and connects participants with clinical teams for health coaching and condition management during pregnancy and up to three months postpartum. Managed care organizations must contract with a vendor to administer the program, serving no more than 300 participants across at least two counties, including one with a maternity care desert. The Department of Health will evaluate outcomes through a report due within 24 months after the pilot ends.

Maddy summarySB 72 strengthens Pennsylvania's Construction Workplace Misclassification Act by increasing penalties for employers who wrongly classify workers as independent contractors. It adds criminal penalties (misdemeanors to felonies based on prior offenses), creates a private right for misclassified employees to sue for triple back pay plus attorney fees, and expands debarment authority to exclude violators from public construction projects for up to five years. The bill directly affects construction employers, workers on public projects, and contractors doing state work, while prohibiting retaliation against those reporting violations. These changes aim to enforce proper worker classification and compensation under the existing 2010 law.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits adoption and foster care agencies from denying services based on protected characteristics like sexual orientation, gender identity, race, religion, HIV status, or disability. It bans extra screenings, delays, or denials for these reasons when placing children or approving caregivers, and prevents religious discrimination in placements. The law applies directly to all county agencies and private providers authorized to offer foster care, kinship care, or adoption services in Pennsylvania. Agencies must follow these rules when making placement decisions or processing applications.

Maddy summaryThis resolution designates the week of August 17-23, 2025, as "Social Media Safety and Parental Awareness Week" in Pennsylvania. It aims to raise awareness about online child exploitation, citing statistics such as a 192% increase in online enticement cases (546,000 in 2024) and 1 in 5 teens experiencing sextortion. The resolution encourages educational programming and public awareness efforts to protect minors from social media risks as students return to school, without creating new laws or enforcement mechanisms. It is a non-binding symbolic gesture focused on community education, not a policy change.

Maddy summarySB 956 creates a new first-degree felony offense called "child torture" in Pennsylvania law for individuals who intentionally commit two or more specific abusive acts against a child under 18. The law defines child torture as causing serious injury, mental anguish in an especially depraved way, unreasonable confinement, forced positioning, or intentional failure to provide care. Conviction does not require expert testimony on mental anguish or proof of pain, though financial inability may be a defense for the care provision. This bill directly affects perpetrators of severe, repeated child abuse by establishing a distinct, serious criminal charge.