Sen. Tina Tartaglione

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 63 amends Pennsylvania's DUI law to clarify that non-commercial drivers using medical marijuana lawfully under the 2016 Medical Marijuana Act are exempt from the prohibition against having Schedule I controlled substances (including medical marijuana) in their blood. However, driving under the influence of medical marijuana or any impairing drug remains illegal, and possessing a medical marijuana card does not by itself justify a chemical test or arrest. The bill defines "medical marijuana" as per the state's Medical Marijuana Act and specifies that legal use of medical marijuana is not a defense against DUI charges. This change directly affects non-commercial drivers with medical marijuana cards and modifies law enforcement procedures for DUI cases involving medical marijuana.

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 29, the Fair Chance for Employment Act, prohibits employers (including government entities and businesses with 5+ employees) from considering an applicant's unemployment status when making hiring or pay decisions. The law explicitly bans using current or recent joblessness as a factor, though it allows employers to require specific licenses, education, or experience as job qualifications. Violations can result in a $500 penalty assessed by the Department of Labor and Industry after an investigation. The bill takes effect 90 days after passage and directly affects job applicants and employers across Pennsylvania.

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 32 amends Pennsylvania's Vehicle Code to set a 10-year limit for collecting fines, penalties, costs, or fees related to traffic citations issued in first-class cities (like Philadelphia or Pittsburgh). It specifically applies to violations from automated red light enforcement systems (under Section 3116) and certain local authority citations (under Section 6109(g)). The bill requires all legal actions to collect these amounts must be filed within 10 years of the citation date. This directly affects residents who receive traffic violations in first-class cities, limiting how long governments can pursue payment for those specific citations.

Maddy summarySB 36 designates a 0.5-mile stretch of Germantown Avenue in Philadelphia (from West Lehigh Avenue to West Somerset Street) as the "Leo Rosenblum Memorial Highway." The bill commemorates Leo Rosenblum, a Holocaust survivor and founder of Leo's Men's and Boy's Apparel, which operated at that location for over 70 years. The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation will install and maintain directional signs for the highway. This is a ceremonial designation with no policy changes or direct impact on residents or businesses beyond the road name.

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.

Maddy summaryThis resolution symbolically recognizes January 27, 2025, as "International Holocaust Remembrance Day" in Pennsylvania. It does not create new laws or affect specific groups; instead, it formally acknowledges the UN-established date honoring Holocaust victims and promoting education about the genocide. The resolution references the historical context of the Holocaust and the UN's 2005 designation of January 27 as a day to honor victims and combat hatred. It serves as a commemorative gesture by the Pennsylvania Senate.

Maddy summarySB 47 amends Pennsylvania law to increase liability for licensed firearm sellers who knowingly transfer weapons they believe will be used in crimes. It makes licensed dealers, importers, or manufacturers criminally liable if they sell firearms they have reason to believe will be used for criminal activity, and subjects them to civil lawsuits for injuries caused by those firearms. The bill overrides existing liability laws to hold sellers accountable for both criminal and civil consequences when sales violate firearm transfer rules. It directly affects licensed firearm businesses by expanding their legal exposure beyond standard criminal penalties. The law takes effect 60 days after enactment.