Sen. Greg Rothman

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 826 amends Pennsylvania's Patient Test Result Information Act to require clinical laboratories to notify healthcare practitioners when reporting Lyme disease test results. The notice must inform practitioners that Lyme tests can be inaccurate and advise patients to consult their provider about symptoms and retesting if needed. Healthcare practitioners must then provide this exact notice to patients when delivering their test results. The bill directly affects Lyme disease patients, healthcare providers, and clinical laboratories in Pennsylvania. It adds a specific disclosure requirement without changing existing professional duties to inform patients about test results.

Maddy summarySB 175 makes it a crime to knowingly report false emergencies (like crimes or medical crises) to police, fire departments, 911 operators, or emergency medical services. It directly affects individuals who make such false reports, requiring them to pay the full costs of the emergency response - including officer/firefighter overtime, equipment, and supplies - through court-ordered restitution. For juveniles, parents or guardians may be ordered to pay a portion of these costs if the juvenile cannot afford it, with payment plans or hardship adjustments available. The law applies to false reports originating in Pennsylvania or targeting Pennsylvania agencies, and it expands the Attorney General’s authority to prosecute cross-county or multi-state violations.

Maddy summarySB 810 amends Pennsylvania's Regulatory Review Act to strengthen oversight of state regulations, particularly those with significant economic impact. It defines "economically significant regulations" as those costing over $1 million annually to the state, local governments, or private sector, requiring agencies to submit detailed cost estimates (via the Independent Fiscal Office) and hold public hearings for such rules. The bill adds specific timelines for legislative committee review (up to 14 days for "final-form" regulations) and mandates that committees must formally disapprove or approve regulations within this window before agencies can implement them. This directly affects state agencies drafting regulations, legislative committees, and the Independent Regulatory Review Commission, creating clearer procedures for reviewing high-cost rules.

Maddy summarySB 667 designates Hershey's Kisses as Pennsylvania's official state candy. The bill formally names the confection as a symbolic recognition of the Hershey Company's economic and cultural ties to the state, including its manufacturing presence and tourism impact. This is a ceremonial designation with no legal or regulatory effects on residents, businesses, or state operations. It takes effect immediately upon passage and remains in force as long as Hershey's corporate headquarters stays in Pennsylvania.

Maddy summarySB 765 updates Pennsylvania's Liquor Code to allow current liquor license holders (like restaurants and retail stores) to sell malt or brewed beverages for off-premises consumption through connected business spaces. It permits using registers in adjacent areas within the same building (under 11,000 sq ft) if they meet specific rules: proper signage, staff training, age verification via scan devices for customers under 35, and prior notice to the Liquor Board. The bill also clarifies that wine expanded permit holders can sell wine in connected areas with similar requirements, including mandatory age checks and sales conducted through registered staff. These changes apply only to existing license holders expanding operations within physically connected spaces, not to new license types.

Maddy summarySB 767 defines "discount points" as fees paid by consumers that directly reduce their mortgage interest rate or time-price differential. It permits mortgage lenders to charge these points alongside interest, origination fees, and delinquency charges. The bill repeals outdated definitions of "discount points" and related provisions from Pennsylvania’s 1974 Loan Interest and Protection Law to align with the new clarity. This directly affects mortgage lenders (by clarifying permissible fees) and consumers (by standardizing fee disclosures).

Maddy summarySB 774, known as the Legacy Law, requires courts to order drivers convicted of vehicular homicide while driving under the influence to pay financial support to minor children or dependents whose parent or legal guardian died in the incident. The law mandates that restitution covers the child’s needs until age 18 (or 19 if pursuing a high school diploma), considering factors like the child’s living standard, custody arrangements, and educational needs. Payments must be made directly to the surviving parent or guardian or through the court, with special provisions for incarcerated offenders who have one year after release to begin payments. This applies specifically to cases where the victim was a parent or legal guardian of a minor under 18.