Sen. Tim Kearney

Maddy summarySB 983 creates a program to support commercial and industrial businesses in installing solar panels on their rooftops. It directly affects large businesses (such as factories, warehouses, and offices) with suitable roof space. The bill establishes rules for program participation and sets standards for solar installations. The bill is currently pending review by the Consumer Protection & Professional Licensure committee.

Maddy summarySB 11 amends Pennsylvania's Election Code to strengthen transparency in campaign financing. It clarifies definitions for key terms like "expenditure," "independent expenditure," and "corporate political accountability," requiring candidates, committees, and businesses to disclose political spending more clearly. The bill mandates biennial adjustments to contribution limits and adds new reporting rules for corporate political activity, including independent expenditures. These changes directly affect candidates, political committees, and corporations making election-related contributions or spending in Pennsylvania. The law aims to increase transparency around campaign funding to address concerns about corruption.

Maddy summaryThis resolution (SR 138) is a non-binding statement by the Pennsylvania Senate recognizing September 2025 as "Suicide Prevention Month" within the state. It does not create new laws, programs, or funding; it solely serves to symbolically acknowledge the issue and align with the national observance. The resolution highlights suicide statistics and the National Alliance on Mental Illness theme for awareness, but the designation itself has no direct policy impact on individuals or services. It affects the state government's official recognition of the month, not Pennsylvanians' access to mental health resources.

Maddy summarySR 139 is a resolution directing the Joint State Government Commission to study whether Pennsylvania should create a registry tracking individuals who abuse vulnerable populations. The study would examine the feasibility of establishing such a registry for adults with disabilities and seniors (who currently lack protections similar to child abuse registries), including constitutional considerations, registry management, and impacts on employment and access to services like Medicaid. It requires the Commission to evaluate existing state registries, explore combined registry models, and gather input from agencies, disability advocates, senior groups, child protection organizations, and legal experts. This resolution does not create a registry but seeks to determine if one would be practical and effective.

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 bill prohibits adoption and foster care agencies from denying services based on protected characteristics like sexual orientation, gender identity, race, religion, HIV status, or disability. It bans extra screenings, delays, or denials for these reasons when placing children or approving caregivers, and prevents religious discrimination in placements. The law applies directly to all county agencies and private providers authorized to offer foster care, kinship care, or adoption services in Pennsylvania. Agencies must follow these rules when making placement decisions or processing applications.

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 567 requires counties (second through eighth class) to conduct regular, mandatory countywide property reassessments on a set schedule, addressing a Supreme Court finding that Pennsylvania's outdated "base year" assessment system violates constitutional uniformity requirements. It mandates counties to update property values at least every 10 years through parcel data reviews and notify the Department of Revenue within 30 days after certification. The bill establishes that compliant assessments are presumed uniform in court, limiting appeals unless specific conditions like property division or use changes occur. This directly affects counties managing budgets, school districts (which must follow tax increase limits after reassessment), and property owners facing updated tax valuations.

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.