Sen. Tina Tartaglione

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 resolution directs Pennsylvania's Joint State Government Commission to study how four healthcare licensure compacts (medical, psychology, physical therapy, and nursing) affect the state. The study will analyze impacts on patient access to care, provider movement between states, licensing efficiency, and patient safety protections, including how complaints from other states are handled. It requires a report within six months with findings and recommendations for the General Assembly. The resolution focuses on evaluating existing compacts' effects on Pennsylvania and other states, not on advocating for policy changes.

Maddy summarySR 135 is a Senate resolution honoring Pennsylvania veterans on Veterans Day, November 11, 2025. It formally recognizes all Pennsylvania veterans who served during wartime and peacetime, acknowledging their contributions to national security. The resolution encourages communities across Pennsylvania to hold ceremonies on that date to honor approximately 700,000 current Pennsylvania residents who have served in the armed forces. As a commemorative resolution, it does not create new laws or policies but serves as a symbolic gesture of appreciation.

Maddy summarySB 699 amends Pennsylvania's Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards Act to add "linear generators" to the definitions of "alternative energy sources" and "tier I alternative energy source." The bill specifically defines linear generators as systems that convert linear motion directly into electricity without flames or sparks, are dispatchable across all power loads, and can operate on multiple fuels including renewable options like hydrogen and biogas. This change directly affects renewable energy producers and distributors who use this technology, expanding the eligible sources under the state's renewable energy requirements. The amendment takes effect 60 days after enactment.

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.

Maddy summarySB 949 creates two main provisions: (1) it excludes sales tax on Pennsylvania-made steel products sold within the state, defined as steel processed in Pennsylvania using PA-sourced materials (requiring 75% of material costs to be PA-origin); and (2) it establishes a new tax credit for steel manufacturers. The credit provides up to 3% of capital investments in facility improvements (with an additional 3% for low-carbon or recycled steel technology), requiring at least $50 million in investments, creation of 100+ new jobs, and $20 million total annual funding. This directly affects steel manufacturers in Pennsylvania that meet the investment, job creation, and facility upgrade criteria. The bill aims to incentivize steel production and modernization within the state through tax incentives.

Maddy summarySB 950 requires pet cremation providers in Pennsylvania to clearly explain service options to pet owners and intermediaries (like veterinarians or pet shops). It mandates written disclosures detailing three cremation types: private (single pet, ashes returned), individual-partitioned (multiple pets separated, ashes returned), and communal (multiple pets, no ashes returned). Providers must also certify returned ashes and maintain records for five years. The law directly affects pet owners, cremation providers, and businesses handling pet remains, aiming to prevent confusion and ensure transparency in pet cremation services.

Maddy summarySB 951 modifies Pennsylvania's community college funding formula to prioritize enrollment in first responder training programs. It adds a new allocation method that counts students in credit first responder programs at 1.5 times their enrollment and noncredit programs at full value, distributing additional funds based on weighted enrollment across all colleges. This directly affects community colleges offering these programs and their students, as funding levels will depend on how many enroll in first responder training (both credit and noncredit courses). The bill changes how existing state funds are distributed rather than creating new funding, with the new formula applying starting in the 2025-2026 fiscal year.

Maddy summarySB 935 (the "PrEP for Pennsylvania Act") mandates that all health insurance policies sold in Pennsylvania must cover the cost of preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) HIV prevention medication. This directly affects insurance providers, who must include PrEP in standard coverage without moving it to a higher-cost specialty tier, and people who rely on insurance for HIV prevention. The law also prohibits requiring unnecessary specialist counseling to access PrEP. It takes effect 60 days after enactment.