Sen. Tim Kearney

Maddy summarySB 882 modifies Pennsylvania law to prevent courts from enforcing foreign judgments related to reproductive health care services. Specifically, it prohibits Pennsylvania courts from enforcing foreign judgments seeking payment for or delivery of services like pregnancy care, contraception, or abortion (defined broadly as "reproductive health care services"). The bill requires courts to treat foreign judgments like local ones for most purposes but explicitly bars enforcement in cases involving reproductive health care. This change applies to all foreign judgments filed in Pennsylvania courts and takes effect 60 days after enactment. It directly affects judgment creditors seeking to collect debts related to reproductive health services and Pennsylvania courts handling such cases.

Maddy summarySB 887 allows prescribers of mifepristone, misoprostol, or their generic alternatives to request that pharmacy labels display their healthcare practice name instead of their personal name. This directly affects prescribers (like doctors or clinics) and pharmacies dispensing these specific medications in Pennsylvania. The key provision requires pharmacies to use the practice name on labels when requested by the prescriber. The bill aims to protect prescriber privacy during the dispensing process for these pharmaceuticals. It takes effect 30 days after enactment.

Maddy summarySB 881 amends Pennsylvania's judicial statutes to exclude cases involving "reproductive health care services" from several legal processes. Specifically, it prohibits Pennsylvania courts from ordering service of documents or issuing subpoenas for cases outside the state related to reproductive health care (defined as services like pregnancy care, contraception, or abortion that are lawful in Pennsylvania). The bill also restricts out-of-state officers from arresting individuals for such offenses within Pennsylvania and prevents the governor from extraditing people for crimes involving these services. These provisions apply only to cases where the services would be legal under Pennsylvania law. The bill takes effect 60 days after enactment.

Maddy summarySB 886 would protect patient records related to reproductive health services (including pregnancy care, contraception, and abortion) in Pennsylvania by requiring healthcare providers to obtain written consent before sharing such records in court, investigations, or other proceedings. It directly affects patients receiving these services and healthcare providers (referred to as "covered entities" in the bill). Key provisions include a general consent requirement for disclosure, with exceptions for court orders, legal defense, abuse investigations, or child/senior abuse reports. The law does not override existing privacy rules for other medical information or mental health services.

Maddy summarySB 883 prevents Pennsylvania licensing boards from disqualifying or disciplining healthcare professionals who provide reproductive health care services, including pregnancy-related care, contraception, or abortion services. It specifically protects licensed providers (like doctors, nurses, or clinics) from penalties based on their provision of such services, or from disciplinary actions imposed in other states for the same services if they would have been lawful in Pennsylvania. The law amends state licensing statutes to prohibit these disciplinary actions, ensuring that licensed professionals cannot face licensure consequences for offering reproductive health care consistent with Pennsylvania standards. The bill takes effect 60 days after enactment.

Maddy summarySB 880 amends Pennsylvania's public assistance laws to improve security for recipients' benefit access devices (like EBT cards). It requires recipients to report stolen devices immediately and mandates new security measures, including replacing magnetic-strip cards with chip technology, adding transaction alerts via text/email, and creating a mobile app feature to lock/unlock cards. The bill also establishes streamlined reporting procedures for theft and targets outreach to educate recipients on preventing fraud. These changes directly affect public assistance recipients who use electronic benefit cards to access food, cash, or other support. The law aims to reduce financial harm from card theft and skimming during normal transactions.

Maddy summarySB 876 establishes Pennsylvania's Home Preservation Grant Program, which provides funding to local governments (counties, cities, townships) to rehabilitate existing owner-occupied housing. The program requires grants to address habitability, improve energy/water efficiency, or increase accessibility for units owned by households earning no more than 120% of the area median income. Grants cannot exceed $50,000 per unit and may cover up to 10% of funds for administrative costs. Local governments must apply with detailed plans showing how funds will meet these requirements, with applications reviewed by the Department of Community and Economic Development.

Maddy summarySB 345 amends Pennsylvania's Recorder of Deeds Fee Law to increase the fee for recording deeds and mortgages from $15 to $16 per document, with annual adjustments based on inflation using the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington Consumer Price Index. County governments must set this fee via resolution, and the collected funds must be deposited into a county demolition fund exclusively for demolishing blighted properties within that county. The bill directly affects property owners who pay the recording fee and county governments that manage the demolition fund. It establishes a clear mechanism for fee adjustments tied to inflation, ensuring the fee keeps pace with cost-of-living changes. The policy change focuses on funding property demolition through a standardized, inflation-adjusted fee structure.

Maddy summaryThis resolution (SR 129) honors the late Pennsylvania State Representative Matthew R. Gergely and expresses condolences to his family following his death. It formally recognizes his life, career in McKeesport (including roles as City Administrator and Chief Revenue Officer), and service as a state representative for the 35th district. The resolution, adopted on June 23, 2025, directs the Senate to convey these condolences to his wife, children, and other surviving family members. It does not create any new policy or affect any laws.

Maddy summarySB 874 amends Pennsylvania's Election Code to change how incarcerated individuals are counted for redistricting. It requires that people in state or federal prisons (or juvenile facilities) be counted at their last known address in Pennsylvania - not at the facility location - when creating state legislative, congressional, and local district maps based on the federal census. The bill mandates that correctional and juvenile facilities collect and share data (including last known address, demographic details, and facility location) with redistricting bodies by June 1 each year ending in "1." This directly affects how Pennsylvania redraws voting districts, ensuring prison populations are not artificially inflated in the communities where facilities are located.