Sen. Pat Stefano

Maddy summarySB 811 establishes Pennsylvania's SBIR/STTR Matching Funds Program to support small businesses with federal research grants. It provides state matching funds (up to $50,000) to Pennsylvania-based businesses that receive Phase I awards under the federal Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) or Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs. To qualify, businesses must conduct at least 51% of their Phase II research in Pennsylvania, submit a Phase I report, and avoid duplicate state funding. The program aims to foster economic growth by helping small businesses advance federal-funded research projects.

Maddy summarySB 934 requires cyber charter schools and parents to notify a student's school district of residence within 10 days of enrollment and provide proof of residency by November 1 and March 1 each school year using a standardized form. If a school district disputes residency, the department must review the case within 15 days, and cyber charter schools must return funds to the district if a student is confirmed not to reside there. Homeless students are exempt from providing home address information under federal guidelines. This bill directly affects cyber charter schools, parents, and school districts in Pennsylvania by clarifying enrollment rules and dispute resolution processes.

Maddy summarySB 927 requires Pennsylvania cyber charter schools to conduct weekly real-time check-ins with each enrolled student to verify participation and ensure well-being. Specifically, schools must ensure students are visibly seen and communicated with by staff (via webcam or in person) at least once per week during instructional days. This applies only to cyber charter schools, not traditional public or brick-and-mortar schools. The requirement can be met during synchronous online classes when students turn on their webcams. The bill takes effect 60 days after enactment.

Maddy summarySB 398 allows Pennsylvania fire companies with existing small games of chance licenses to conduct online raffles. It requires tickets to be purchased only via debit or credit card and limits fire companies to two online raffles per year. The provision expires on December 31, 2026, and applies specifically to fire companies already authorized to host raffles under the 1988 law. This bill directly affects fire companies seeking to expand fundraising methods while maintaining payment and frequency restrictions.

Maddy summarySB 416 allows licensed organizations in Pennsylvania (like charities or community groups) to accept electronic payments - such as credit cards, debit cards, or mobile payments - for raffle tickets. It requires these organizations to verify buyers are at least 18 years old and comply with federal gambling laws. The bill specifically prohibits mobile payment services for certain gaming licensees under Chapter 9. It also removes an outdated regulation (61 Pa. Code § 901.506) that conflicted with these new payment rules.

Maddy summarySB 875 creates a "clean slate" provision for individuals who successfully complete Pennsylvania's motivational boot camp program. It allows their criminal history records to become "limited access" for 3 years (misdemeanors) or 5 years (felonies) after program completion, provided they have no new convictions, paid all restitution, and completed the program. This means most background checks would not reveal these records during the limited access period. The bill specifically applies to participants who meet eligibility criteria under the motivational boot camp program, excluding those with certain serious offenses or enhancements. The Department of Corrections must certify successful completion to courts to trigger this record access change.

Maddy summaryThis Pennsylvania Senate resolution (SR 116) urges Congress to support H.R. 2102, the Major Richard Star Act, which would eliminate a rule reducing retirement pay for medically retired service members. Currently, veterans with less than 20 years of service and a disability rating under 50% lose $1 in retirement pay for every $1 in disability benefits they receive. The resolution highlights that an estimated 50,000 veterans are affected by this offset, with average monthly reductions of about $1,900. It specifically calls for removing this restriction to allow medically retired service members to receive full retirement pay and VA disability benefits simultaneously.

Maddy summarySB 790 amends Pennsylvania's Right-to-Know Law to create a process for government agencies to seek relief from individuals making repeated or abusive public records requests. Agencies must petition the Office of Open Records with clear evidence that a requester's conduct is "vexatious" (e.g., overwhelming numbers of requests, repetitive identical requests, or requests intended to harass). If granted, the Office may limit an agency's obligation to respond to future requests from that individual for up to one year, while ensuring decisions remain content-neutral and include opportunities for the requester to respond or mediate. The bill includes exemptions for school-related requests, election-related inquiries, and cases where prior petitions were denied.

Maddy summarySB 929 proposes a constitutional amendment to end school districts' authority to levy real property taxes after June 30, 2029. It directly affects Pennsylvania school districts, requiring the state to replace their lost property tax revenue through new state or local income, sales, or service taxes. The bill mandates that the General Assembly annually fund school districts at levels matching their pre-2029 property tax collections, depositing new tax revenue into a dedicated "Stabilization of Education Fund" exclusively for school support. It explicitly prohibits any future real property taxes and prevents diversion of funds from the stabilization account.

Maddy summarySB 933 establishes a permitting system for government agencies to install automated license plate reader (ALPR) systems on Pennsylvania's state highways. It requires safety-tested poles (MASH-rated or behind barriers), specifies minimum distances from travel lanes and curbs, and mandates a 30-day review process by the Department of Transportation for permit applications. The bill directly affects state/local law enforcement, transportation authorities, and other government agencies seeking to deploy ALPRs for traffic enforcement or safety purposes. It does not cover toll systems or private devices, focusing solely on government use of these systems on public roads. The law takes effect 30 days after enactment.