Sen. Steve Santarsiero

Maddy summarySB 208 increases the waiting period for most firearm transfers between non-licensed individuals from 48 to 72 hours, with exceptions for transfers between spouses, parents and children, or grandparents and grandchildren. It also requires background check records for these sales to be destroyed by the Pennsylvania State Police within 72 hours of the check. This law applies only to specific firearms, including short-barreled pistols (under 15 inches barrel), shotguns (under 18 inches barrel), rifles (under 16 inches barrel), and compact firearms (under 26 inches overall length).

Maddy summarySB 53 requires health insurance policies in Pennsylvania to cover children up to age 26, extending the previous limit of 19. It prohibits insurers from denying or restricting coverage based on factors like marital status, education, employment, or residency. The law applies to standard health insurance policies (excluding dental, disability, hospital indemnity, and similar plans) and mandates continued coverage for adult children meeting specific criteria, such as not being married or having dependents. This directly affects policyholders and their children aged 19-26 who would otherwise lose coverage.

Maddy summarySenate Resolution 13 designates January 27, 2025, as "International Holocaust Remembrance Day" in Pennsylvania. The resolution commemorates the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau on January 27, 1945, and aligns with the United Nations' annual observance of this day. It formally recognizes the Holocaust's historical significance and the importance of remembering its victims. As a symbolic resolution, it does not create new laws or policies but serves as a ceremonial declaration by the Pennsylvania Senate.

Maddy summarySB 178 amends Pennsylvania's investment divestment law to require state retirement funds (like the State Employees' Retirement System) to identify and potentially divest from companies that manufacture assault weapons. It defines "assault weapons" broadly (including certain rifles, pistols, and shotguns) and mandates that funds notify these manufacturers within 180 days if they continue such production, giving them time to commit to stopping. If manufacturers don't cease production, funds must sell all related investments within 26 months. The bill directly affects state pension fund portfolios and aims to align investment policies with firearm safety concerns.

Maddy summarySB 177 amends Pennsylvania's Whistleblower Law by updating the definition of "public body" to explicitly include state courts (like the Supreme Court), the General Assembly, and judicial agencies. This clarifies which government entities are covered under the law, ensuring employees reporting violations can seek protection when working with these specific bodies. The change directly affects state and local government employees who report suspected legal violations, making the scope of protected entities more precise. It is a procedural update to definitions, not a new protection or penalty.

Maddy summarySB 179 amends Pennsylvania's Prevailing Wage Act to strengthen penalties for contractors who intentionally underpay workers on public projects. It establishes tiered debarment periods: 3 years for unpaid wages under $1 million, 5 years for $1-10 million, and 10 years for over $10 million. This directly affects contractors who violate prevailing wage laws, barring them from winning future public contracts during these periods. The bill also authorizes the Secretary of Labor to request the Attorney General to recover penalties for the state. These changes aim to enforce compliance with prevailing wage requirements on public construction projects.

Maddy summaryThis bill bans health insurers in Pennsylvania from setting annual or lifetime dollar limits on essential medical services (like hospital care, surgery, and emergency treatment), affecting both in-network and out-of-network providers. It applies to individual and group health insurance policies, directly protecting enrollees from coverage caps on core benefits. Insurers must comply with these limits, with enforcement including fines up to $5,000 per violation. The law takes effect for policies filed with the Insurance Department after its effective date.

Maddy summarySB 51, the Health Insurance Core Benefits Coverage Act, requires Pennsylvania health insurance companies to cover specific core health benefits in both individual and group plans. It mandates coverage for 10 essential categories, including emergency services, mental health care, prescription drugs, hospitalization, preventive care, and pediatric services (like dental/vision for children). The law ensures plans are at least as comprehensive as those offered in 2018, with the Insurance Department allowed to adjust requirements through regulations. This directly affects insurers and policyholders by standardizing minimum coverage across the state.

Maddy summarySB 50, the Health Insurance Access Protection Act, prohibits Pennsylvania insurers from denying coverage, charging higher premiums, or excluding benefits based on pre-existing conditions or health factors for individuals and small groups (2-50 people). It limits premium variations to age (max 3:1 ratio), location, family size, and tobacco use (max 1.5:1 ratio), requiring insurers to pool all enrollees in the individual and small group markets. The law also mandates that insurers cannot use health status to set rates or deny coverage, directly protecting people with chronic illnesses or past medical issues.

Maddy summarySB 152 establishes Pennsylvania's Intergenerational Poverty Tracking System to monitor poverty trends across generations, requiring the Department of Human Services to collect data on factors like child poverty rates, economic instability, and access to healthcare. It creates an Interagency Workgroup and a Pennsylvania Commission on Poverty Elimination to develop a strategic plan and produce annual reports analyzing poverty drivers. The bill mandates the state to measure poverty using broader metrics beyond income - such as food insecurity, digital access, and regional cost-of-living differences - rather than solely relying on federal poverty thresholds. These entities and reports will directly affect state agencies, including the Department of Human Services and the Secretary of the Budget, by imposing duties to track and address poverty patterns.