Sen. Judy Schwank

Maddy summarySenate Bill 696 amends Pennsylvania's vehicle code regarding special speed limitations in school zones. The bill clarifies that the 15 miles per hour speed limit within a school zone can be enforced during regular school hours. This enforcement is permissible regardless of whether students are allowed to walk to and from the school located within that zone. The change aims to ensure consistent application of school zone speed limits based on a school's operational hours, affecting drivers in those areas.

Maddy summarySR 83 is a resolution from the Pennsylvania Senate urging the U.S. Congress to adopt three specific federal bills: H.R. 1876, H.R. 1877, and S. 770. These bills are aimed at keeping Social Security field offices open, protecting Americans' Social Security data, and expanding Social Security benefits. The resolution also expresses strong opposition to federal cuts to Social Security benefits and the Social Security Administration's plans to close local offices and reduce staff, advocating for robust staffing and local facilities to serve beneficiaries.

Maddy summarySenate Bill 563 proposes to provide a new supplemental annuity for eligible retirees of both the Pennsylvania Public School Employees' Retirement System and the State Employees' Retirement System. Commencing July 1, 2025, individuals receiving a superannuation, withdrawal, or disability annuity who retired prior to July 2, 2001, will receive an additional monthly payment. The amount of this supplement will be a percentage of their July 1, 2025, monthly annuity, ranging from 10% to 20% based on their original retirement date. The Commonwealth will fund the additional liability for these benefits over a 10-year period, starting July 1, 2025.

Maddy summarySenate Bill 564 proposes to provide an additional monthly supplemental annuity to eligible retired public school employees and retired state government employees in Pennsylvania. For retired public school employees, these new payments would begin after July 1, 2025, while for retired state employees, they would commence after January 1, 2025. The amount of this supplement will be a percentage of their current monthly annuity, ranging from 15% to 24.5% based on their retirement date, with older retirees receiving a higher percentage. The bill specifies that eligible recipients must have retired before July 2, 2001, and not have certain service credits. The increased costs for these benefits will be funded by the Commonwealth over a ten-year period.

Maddy summarySB 648 establishes new requirements for hospital-based financial assistance programs for residents of Pennsylvania. It mandates the Department of Health to create uniform application forms, a one-page summary template for hospital eligibility policies, and a brief statement about financial assistance availability. Hospitals must post these forms and their full financial assistance policies online, provide the summary to patients upon intake and discharge, and include the brief statement on all billing and admission paperwork. Additionally, patients are not responsible for bills while their application is under review, and hospitals must submit their policies to the Department of Health for public display.

Maddy summarySR 95 is a resolution that officially recognizes the month of May 2025 as "Older Americans Month" in Pennsylvania. This action acknowledges the contributions of older adults and encourages a positive view of aging within the Commonwealth.

Maddy summarySenate Resolution 96 recognizes May 2025 as "Mental Health Awareness Month" in Pennsylvania. This resolution also states the Senate's intent to pursue policies that promote mental health for all residents, aiming for parity with physical health in resources, education, treatment, and insurance coverage.

Maddy summarySenate Bill 663 amends Pennsylvania's Public School Code to establish education on deaf and hard of hearing topics for public school students. By the 2025-2026 school year, the Department of Education, in consultation with health experts, must develop and post a model curriculum and guidelines. This curriculum will cover topics such as types and causes of hearing loss, prevention, assistive devices, and related stigmas. School entities can use this model curriculum or create their own, ensuring it aligns with the state's guidelines and academic standards.

Maddy summarySenate Resolution 91 designates May 2025 as "Lyme Disease and Tick-Borne Illness Awareness Month" in Pennsylvania. This resolution aims to increase public awareness among Pennsylvania residents about the prevention, causes, effects, and treatment options for Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses.

Maddy summarySenate Bill 674 establishes the Rural Coworking and Innovation Center Grant Program, to be administered by the Department of Community and Economic Development. This program offers competitive grants to eligible entities, such as municipalities, universities, private businesses, and nonprofits. The grants, capped at $500,000, are intended to fund the construction, renovation, utility and broadband improvements, or equipment purchases for coworking and innovation centers in rural counties and municipalities. These centers aim to provide infrastructure and equipment for individuals engaged in online work. Grant recipients must provide matching funds and agree to keep the centers operational for a specified number of years.