Sen. Steve Santarsiero

Maddy summarySR 133 is a symbolic resolution designating July 21-25, 2025, as "Construction Opioid Awareness Week" in Pennsylvania. It directly encourages Pennsylvania's construction industry - including contractors, unions, and organizations like the Keystone Contractors Association - to promote awareness of opioid dangers and facilitate discussions during that week. The resolution references high overdose rates in construction (130.9 deaths per 100,000 workers in 2020) and urges existing efforts like educational toolkits, naloxone access, and "Drug Take Back" events. As a non-binding resolution, it does not create new laws or funding but formally recognizes the industry’s ongoing awareness initiatives.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires health insurance companies in Pennsylvania to send their policyholders a clear, two-page notice twice each year explaining what addiction treatment services are covered under their plans. The notice must detail specific care levels like detoxification and rehabilitation, explain how long stays are available, describe how to access services, and outline appeal processes. Insurers must submit these notices to the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs for review before sending them to customers, and the department has 45 days to approve or request changes. Companies that fail to provide this information as required could face administrative fines or penalties determined by the department.

Maddy summarySB 500 repeals outdated tax credits for Pennsylvania petrochemical and fertilizer manufacturing projects and creates new tax credits for clean energy and advanced manufacturing sectors. It establishes tax credits for reliable energy investments, regional clean hydrogen hubs, semiconductor and biomedical manufacturing/research, geothermal energy, and sustainable aviation fuel. Businesses must meet specific eligibility criteria (like capital investment thresholds and job creation targets) to apply for these credits through the Department of Revenue, with annual funding limits and application deadlines outlined. The bill directly affects qualifying companies in these emerging industries seeking tax incentives for new investments.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a loan forgiveness program in Pennsylvania to help recruit and retain workers in mental health, intellectual disability, and addiction counseling fields. It directly affects full-time employees at county mental health agencies, private providers, and licensed addiction treatment facilities who have student loans and agree to work in these professions for at least four years. Under the program, eligible workers can receive up to $25,000 in loan forgiveness over four years, with a maximum of $6,250 forgiven each year, provided they remain employed in qualifying positions. The Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency is tasked with administering the program and determining compliance with employment requirements.

Maddy summaryThis Pennsylvania bill requires health insurance companies to collect and report detailed statistics on addiction treatment services provided under their plans. Insurers must submit annual reports to the state department by April 30, including data on the number of people receiving treatment, units of service authorized and paid for, average length of stay, and the percentage of treatment requests that were denied or limited. The reported information is broken down by treatment type, such as inpatient rehabilitation, outpatient services, and detoxification, while protecting individual patient privacy. The state Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs will review these reports to check compliance with federal parity laws and Pennsylvania regulations, then share findings with legislative committees.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires health insurance companies in Pennsylvania to annually certify that their mental health and addiction treatment coverage complies with federal and state parity laws. Insurers must submit sworn statements by January 1 each year confirming they have reviewed all their policies and plans for compliance, including those managed by third-party administrators. The law also clarifies which types of insurance policies are covered and establishes specific filing deadlines with the state insurance department. These changes aim to ensure consistent oversight of mental health and substance use disorder benefits across the state's health insurance market.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires healthcare professionals in Pennsylvania to complete continuing education on alcohol and drug addiction as a condition of license renewal starting November 1, 2025. The program applies to physicians, physician assistants, nurses, and nurse practitioners and mandates at least 10 hours of training covering addiction identification, referral procedures, and support group resources. Healthcare licensing boards will enforce this requirement and may grant waivers for individuals facing serious illness, military service, or other hardships. The education must include training on a specific referral protocol called "warm handoff" that connects patients from emergency care to specialty treatment services.

Maddy summarySB 466 modifies Pennsylvania's fire and emergency medical services (EMS) grant programs and training requirements. It requires semiannual reports on grant recipients (including recipient names, amounts, and purposes) for federal disaster, homeland security, and public health funds, submitted to legislative leaders. The bill updates training standards to allow online/lecture/hands-on formats and integrates records into a certification system, while setting a 45-day application window and 60-day approval timeline for grants to fire and EMS companies. Crucially, it sets an expiration date of December 31, 2029, for the grant authority under these programs. The bill was enacted as Act No. 25 of 2025 on June 30, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 889 amends Pennsylvania's Equal Pay Law to strengthen protections against sex-based pay discrimination. It clarifies that "comparable work" requires similar skill, effort, and responsibility under similar conditions, and defines "wages" to include all compensation like bonuses and benefits. The bill prohibits employers from using past salary history to set new pay (except when a worker provides it to request higher pay) and bans retaliation for discussing wages or reporting violations. It also requires employers to justify any pay differences using legitimate, job-related factors like seniority or skills - not sex - and mandates that such factors must fully explain the wage gap. This directly affects workers and employers across Pennsylvania who set or receive wages.

Maddy summarySB 850 amends Pennsylvania's Childhood Blood Lead Test Act to require all children under 72 months to receive at least one blood lead test by age 2 (or by 72 months if never tested), and mandates confirmatory testing if initial results indicate elevated lead levels. It directly affects children under 72 months and pregnant women, ensuring no out-of-pocket costs (like copays or deductibles) for covered blood lead tests. The bill updates testing requirements to be mandatory (replacing "encourage" with "require") and clarifies that health insurance must cover these tests without cost-sharing. These changes aim to improve early detection of lead exposure, a preventable health risk linked to developmental issues in young children.