Sen. Judy Ward

Maddy summarySB 870 amends Pennsylvania's military education programs to clarify eligibility and repayment rules for National Guard members and their families. It updates the definition of "approved program of education" to include more training options and refines eligibility criteria, such as requiring six years of service for full-time grants and adding specific rules for members discharged due to service-connected disabilities. The bill also revises recoupment (repayment) procedures, allowing proportional repayment if service obligations aren't met and expanding forgiveness for certain circumstances like medical discharge. These changes directly affect Pennsylvania National Guard members and their families using the Educational Assistance Program and Military Family Education Program. The bill focuses on streamlining program administration without altering benefit amounts or funding.

Maddy summarySB 115 amends Pennsylvania's Human Services Code to replace the high school diploma or GED requirement for direct care staff in personal care homes and assisted living residences with a skills competency exam. The exam assesses communication skills, basic literacy, cultural awareness, and knowledge of mental health needs specific to these settings, without permitting medication administration. This change specifically applies to individuals who are citizens of or educated in another country, lawfully reside in the U.S., and meet other qualifications, eliminating the need for facilities to seek certain waivers. The bill directs the Department of Human Services to create temporary implementing regulations within two years and repeals conflicting existing regulations.

Maddy summarySB 847 requires Pennsylvania borough councils to appoint a registered borough resident (who has lived there continuously for at least one year) to fill vacant elected offices like mayor, council member, or auditor within 30 days. If councils fail to act, a "vacancy board" (composed of council members plus one appointed elector) must fill the vacancy within 15 additional days. If the vacancy board also fails, the court of common pleas appoints a resident to serve until the next municipal election. This directly affects all Pennsylvania boroughs and their residents who must meet residency requirements for temporary appointments.

Maddy summaryThis resolution formally recognizes the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States Army (established June 14, 1775, as the Continental Army). It commemorates the Army as the nation's oldest fighting force and first national institution, highlighting historical milestones like the Battle of Bunker Hill and George Washington's appointment as Commander in Chief. The resolution serves solely as a ceremonial tribute with no policy changes or direct impact on individuals or programs. It does not create new laws, allocate funds, or affect veterans' benefits.

Maddy summarySB 751 gradually reduces Pennsylvania's inheritance tax rates for transfers to certain family members, including parents, grandparents, children, and spouses. It lowers the tax rate step-by-step over time, starting at 4.5% for deaths before July 1, 2026, and decreasing to 0% for deaths on or after July 1, 2035. This directly affects Pennsylvania residents inheriting property from immediate family members as defined in the tax code. The bill modifies Section 2116(a)(1) of the 1971 Tax Reform Code to establish these phased rate reductions.

Maddy summarySB 750 modifies Pennsylvania's inheritance tax rates for property transferred to siblings, gradually lowering the tax from 12% to 0% over time. The bill reduces the rate annually, starting at 12% for deaths before July 2026, decreasing to 11% in 2026-2027, and reaching 0% for deaths on or after July 2033. This directly affects individuals inheriting property from a sibling in Pennsylvania. The change is structured as a phased reduction in the tax rate over several years, with no tax applied after 2033.

Maddy summarySB 843, the "Do No Harm Act," prohibits healthcare providers in Pennsylvania from performing or prescribing certain medical procedures (including puberty blockers and hormones) on minors under 18 for the purpose of enabling them to live as a gender inconsistent with their sex assigned at birth. It specifically exempts procedures for congenital defects, medical emergencies, or ongoing treatments started before the law's effective date. The bill also bans insurers and government health programs from covering these procedures, imposes professional discipline and felony penalties for violations, and allows minors or their guardians to sue for damages within two years of reaching adulthood. It directly affects minors, healthcare providers, insurers, and government health programs.

Maddy summaryThis resolution (SR 122) urges Congress to pass H.R. 1947, which would authorize the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and Department of Defense to provide stellate ganglion block (SGB) therapy to veterans and service members with PTSD. SGB is a low-risk nerve block procedure proven to reduce PTSD symptoms like anxiety and hyperarousal, currently available to only 40% of veterans through existing treatments. The resolution highlights that untreated PTSD correlates with higher suicide risk, with 20 veteran suicides occurring daily in the U.S. It specifically requests Congress expand access to SGB therapy as an additional treatment option for veterans diagnosed with PTSD. This is a non-binding resolution, not a law, directing the Senate to formally recommend passage of H.R. 1947.

Maddy summarySB 376 bans the installation or use of TikTok (or any app developed by ByteDance Limited) on state-owned electronic devices and state wireless networks in Pennsylvania. It requires state employees to remove such applications from devices within three months of the law taking effect, with exceptions for law enforcement, security, or risk mitigation activities. The law directly affects state employees using devices paid for with state funds or accessing state networks. It specifically targets TikTok and any future apps by ByteDance, not other social media platforms.

Maddy summarySB 307 establishes Pennsylvania's Purple Alert System to notify the public about missing persons with intellectual disabilities who are at risk of harm. The Pennsylvania State Police will operate the system, activating it when law enforcement determines a missing person has an intellectual disability (defined as significantly subaverage intellectual functioning with limitations in daily living skills like communication or self-care), is at risk due to health conditions, and sufficient location details are available. The bill also extends existing immunity protections to people assisting those identified in Purple Alert notifications, similar to the Amber Alert System. This policy directly affects individuals with intellectual disabilities who go missing and law enforcement agencies that can trigger the alerts.