Maddy summarySB 254 establishes a new STEM Grant Program under Pennsylvania's Public School Code, enabling eligible public school educators to teach science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) subjects at nonpublic schools (including private and charter schools) during times when they are not teaching at their public school. Participating nonpublic schools will be reimbursed for the educators' compensation, calculated as the educator's hourly wage multiplied by hours taught and then multiplied by 1.25 to account for preparation time. The program is funded by a $1,000,000 state appropriation, with the Department of Education selecting an administrator to manage applications and distribute funds. Nonpublic schools must submit annual reports on program implementation, including student participation and outcomes.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summarySB 244 amends Pennsylvania's firearm licensing law to restrict access to the state's Firearms License Validation System. It requires that only Pennsylvania law enforcement officers acting within their official duties may check license validity, and prohibits sharing this information with law enforcement from states without a reciprocity agreement. The bill directly affects law enforcement agencies and out-of-state officials seeking to verify firearm licenses. It creates a new procedural mechanism to limit cross-state information sharing regarding license status, taking effect 60 days after enactment.
Maddy summarySB 242, the "Right-to-Bear-Arms Protection Act," prohibits Pennsylvania state officials from enforcing any federal law or regulation that attempts to register, restrict, ban, or regulate firearms, magazines, or firearm accessories within the state. It directly affects Pennsylvania state actors (like law enforcement and government employees) by requiring them to disregard such federal actions and imposing penalties if they comply. Key provisions include declaring federal firearm-related actions unenforceable in Pennsylvania after December 31, 2020, and subjecting state officials who enforce these federal actions to civil lawsuits, job termination, and a 10-year ban from state employment. The bill aims to protect residents' Second Amendment rights under Pennsylvania and federal constitutions by preventing state officials from facilitating federal gun control measures.
Maddy summarySB 210 creates a new offense for interfering with public transit operators (like bus drivers or conductors) while they are performing their duties. It prohibits actions that cause serious injury or death to operators (felony first degree), lesser injury (felony third degree), or create fear of harm. The law applies to any public transit vehicle, including buses, trains, and streetcars, and covers both direct harm to operators and harm to passengers caused by the interference. Penalties range from serious felony charges for severe cases to lesser felonies for less severe violations.
Maddy summarySB 184 amends Pennsylvania's Medical Practice Act to extend the duration that visiting team physicians can practice without a full state license. It increases the maximum time for physicians traveling with sports teams from 10 days to 45 days per sporting event, and for physicians certified by national sports governing bodies from 30 days to 45 days. The bill maintains the requirement that physicians must hold a valid license in another state or country. This change directly affects medical professionals providing on-site care to sports teams during events in Pennsylvania.
Maddy summarySB 186 repeals Pennsylvania's CO2 Budget Trading Program regulations (specifically 25 Pa. Code Chapter 145 Subchapter E). This bill directly affects entities previously subject to the program's requirements, such as businesses participating in carbon emissions trading. The key provision is the immediate abrogation of all regulatory provisions under the referenced code section, eliminating the state's CO2 trading framework. The bill takes effect immediately upon enactment.
Maddy summarySB 213, the "Two Gender Protection Act," requires Pennsylvania state agencies to recognize only two biological sexes - male and female - as immutable categories in all official policies, documents, and operations. It mandates that state-issued identification and personnel records reflect biological sex (not gender identity), prohibits state funding for initiatives promoting "gender identity," and requires single-sex facilities (like prisons, shelters, and bathrooms) to be designated based on biological sex. The bill also directs agencies to remove language or policies referencing "gender" instead of "sex" and to end federal funding for programs supporting gender identity concepts. This bill directly affects state agencies, contractors, schools, and facilities receiving state funds, with implementation required within 120 days of enactment.
Maddy summarySB 149 modifies Pennsylvania's vehicle inspection rules by creating a 5-year exemption from emission inspections for the newest model year vehicles (e.g., vehicles manufactured within the last 5 years). It requires a one-time exemption certificate to be affixed to qualifying vehicles and mandates the Department of Transportation to notify inspection stations about these exemptions. The bill also exempts vehicles manufactured without gas caps from requiring a gas cap test and adds visual anti-tampering inspections for emissions control components on the five most recent model year vehicles during annual safety checks. This directly affects new vehicle owners, inspection stations, and the state's emissions compliance process. The changes take effect 60 days after enactment.
Maddy summarySB 35 removes seven specific Pennsylvania counties from the enhanced vehicle emission inspection program based on their population ranges (e.g., third-class counties with 215,000-216,000 residents). The bill requires the Department of Environmental Protection to initiate this removal within 60 days and submit revised state plans to the EPA by January 2026, proving these counties can maintain air quality standards without the inspection program. It also mandates notifying key legislative committees about the plan submissions. The bill directly affects vehicle owners in those counties by ending their requirement for annual emissions inspections under the enhanced program.
Maddy summarySB 229 establishes a pilot program in Pennsylvania schools to fund secure, lockable bags for students to store cell phones during school hours. Participating schools must adopt policies banning phone use (with medical exemptions for conditions like diabetes) and track mental health, bullying, violence, and academic metrics over two years. The program provides grants for bag purchases, requires geographic funding distribution, and mandates a final report to lawmakers by 2026. It directly affects public and private schools across Pennsylvania, excluding staff phone use during work. The pilot expires December 1, 2026.