Sen. Tracy Pennycuick

Maddy summaryThis bill designates a specific bridge on Pennsylvania Route 72 in Swatara Township as the Senator David J. Arnold, Jr., Memorial Bridge to honor his service. The legislation officially names the structure after the late state senator, who previously served as Lebanon County's district attorney and later as a state senator. To implement this change, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation is required to install and maintain signs displaying the new name for drivers traveling in both directions. The act will become effective 60 days after being signed into law.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates the Pennsylvania-Ireland Trade Commission to facilitate business and trade activities between Pennsylvania and Ireland. It establishes a dedicated funding account within the state's General Fund to cover the commission's administrative costs and authorizes the Secretary of Business and Industry to oversee its operations. The commission will be led by the Secretary or their designee, along with six members appointed by the Governor representing various sectors. Additionally, the legislation updates the official name of the department responsible for the commission from Commerce to Business and Industry.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows parents of six-year-old children newly entering school in Pennsylvania to request a one-year waiver from compulsory attendance if the child has a diagnosed autism spectrum disorder and is receiving intensive early intervention services. To qualify, parents must provide medical documentation of the diagnosis and proof that the child will continue to receive these specialized services for the duration of the waiver. If approved, the Department of Education notifies the local school district, and the child remains eligible for early intervention services while exempt from regular school attendance. The law also ensures that parents can re-enroll their child in kindergarten or first grade at any point during the waiver year and clarifies that no compensatory education is owed for time spent outside the school system.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the state's Tax Reform Code to modify how sales and use tax is calculated. Specifically, it changes a single word in the statute to alter the conditions under which discounts are applied. The text requires the Finance and Appropriations committees to review the change before it can become law.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Pennsylvania's Tax Reform Code to update rules for the rural jobs and investment tax credit program. It establishes two categories of investment authority based on when they were issued and sets specific spending limits of $50 million for each category. The legislation also defines what counts as a rural growth investment, clarifies how businesses can claim tax credits over several years, and adds stricter limits on how much a single rural business can receive to prevent concentration of funds.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows Pennsylvania counties to create public safety authorities specifically for emergency medical services and related support functions. Under the new rules, a county can establish up to two such authorities and must try to include municipal representatives in their governance, while existing emergency organizations can continue operating without restriction. Municipalities within the county can contract with these authorities to meet their legal obligations for providing emergency services, but the authorities generally cannot charge fees unless a municipality explicitly opts in through an ordinance. The legislation also requires the Department of Community and Economic Development to offer guidance and technical assistance to help counties set up and manage these new public safety entities.

Maddy summaryThis Pennsylvania bill updates how charter schools receive funding for special education students and clarifies which existing laws apply to them. For the 2023-2024 school year and beyond, the law sets specific multipliers based on the cost of a student's education to determine how much money charter schools get for special education needs, while also requiring schools to document these costs and return any overpayments to local school districts. Additionally, the bill explicitly lists numerous state laws that charter schools and cyber charter schools must follow, covering areas such as student rights, drug and alcohol programs, and anti-hazing rules. These changes take effect 60 days after the bill is passed.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Pennsylvania's Liquor Code to allow the removal of citations issued to liquor store and restaurant owners for failing to follow COVID-19 safety rules. It specifically targets violations of health orders, quarantine guidelines, and other pandemic-related directives that occurred while the state's disaster emergency proclamation was active in 2020. Under the new provision, the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board must erase these penalties and notify the affected businesses within 30 days of the bill's effective date, ensuring no fines are charged for these past infractions.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates the expiration date for Pennsylvania's fire and emergency medical services grant programs from 2034 to 2029. It repeals specific provisions related to temporary COVID-19 recovery grants and establishes new rules for how these funds are awarded and reported annually. The legislation directly affects fire companies and emergency medical services organizations by defining the timeline for their financial support and requiring them to submit yearly reports on the use of funds.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the existing Pharmacy Audit Integrity and Transparency Act to impose stricter rules on pharmacy benefit managers and the pharmacies that work with them. The legislation prohibits PBMs from forcing pharmacies to accept lower reimbursement rates to join their networks, banning retroactive money take-backs, and outlawing hidden fees or practices that steer patients toward specific pharmacies solely for cost savings. Additionally, it requires PBMs to respond to pharmacy network requests within 30 days, mandates quarterly reporting on drug rebates, and tasks a state department with regulating PBMs and ensuring pharmacies are reimbursed at least the cost of the drugs they dispense.