Sen. Wayne Langerholc

Maddy summarySenate Bill 703 amends Pennsylvania's Liquor Code to allow licensed limited wineries to obtain a new "farm winery distillers permit." This permit enables these wineries to distill brandy, but only for the purpose of fortifying their own wines. Wineries must use grapes and fruits grown on their own premises for the brandy, and they are prohibited from selling or transferring the distilled brandy to other individuals or businesses. The permit requires an annual fee of $250 and is issued at the discretion of the Liquor Control Board.

Maddy summarySR 97 is a resolution that formally recognizes the week of May 11 through 17, 2025, as "National Police Week" and designates May 5, 2025, as "Police Officers' Memorial Day" in Pennsylvania. This resolution honors the memory of police officers who have died in the line of duty within the Commonwealth.

Maddy summarySenate Bill 670 amends the Housing Authorities Law to establish new procedures for public housing applicants with criminal records and expands requirements for landlords in the Housing Choice Voucher Program. It creates Public Housing Safety Committees, comprising the Authority's Executive Director, District Attorney, and President Judge, to review applicants with certain criminal offenses on a case-by-case basis, evaluating potential threats to resident safety. The bill also broadens requirements for all Housing Authorities (previously limited to first-class cities) to ensure compliance with federal criminal activity rules for tenants and to deny Housing Choice Voucher Program approval to landlords with delinquent property taxes. Additionally, it requires law enforcement agencies to provide background checks to landlords in the Housing Choice Voucher Program upon request.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Pennsylvania's Crimes and Offenses code to establish new criminal offenses related to critical infrastructure facilities. It creates penalties for individuals who trespass without permission on these properties, with more severe consequences for those who intend to damage or disrupt operations. The legislation also makes willful damage or tampering with equipment at these facilities a felony. Additionally, it allows owners of critical infrastructure facilities to pursue civil lawsuits against individuals arrested or convicted of these offenses for damages incurred. "Critical infrastructure facilities" are broadly defined to include essential services such as power plants, water treatment facilities, and natural gas pipelines, provided they are secured or clearly marked.

Maddy summarySenate Resolution 91 designates May 2025 as "Lyme Disease and Tick-Borne Illness Awareness Month" in Pennsylvania. This resolution aims to increase public awareness among Pennsylvania residents about the prevention, causes, effects, and treatment options for Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses.

Maddy summarySenate Bill 674 establishes the Rural Coworking and Innovation Center Grant Program, to be administered by the Department of Community and Economic Development. This program offers competitive grants to eligible entities, such as municipalities, universities, private businesses, and nonprofits. The grants, capped at $500,000, are intended to fund the construction, renovation, utility and broadband improvements, or equipment purchases for coworking and innovation centers in rural counties and municipalities. These centers aim to provide infrastructure and equipment for individuals engaged in online work. Grant recipients must provide matching funds and agree to keep the centers operational for a specified number of years.

Maddy summarySB 694 amends Pennsylvania law concerning fees for licenses to carry firearms. The bill establishes a waiver for these fees for certain applicants. Specifically, it waives the fees for individuals who are currently serving in the U.S. armed forces or who are honorably discharged veterans.

Maddy summarySB 691 establishes the Nonnarcotic Medication Substance Use Disorder Treatment Program within Pennsylvania's Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs. This program provides grants to local agencies, known as single county authorities, to offer comprehensive nonnarcotic medication-assisted treatment to offenders with substance use disorders. Eligible providers will assess offenders receiving various court-imposed sentences for drug-related offenses and offer individualized treatment plans, including FDA-approved nonnarcotic medication and counseling. The bill also allows courts to order substance use disorder assessments for these offenders and updates provisions related to their supervision by probation and parole.

Maddy summarySB 693 amends the Mental Health Procedures Act to establish a "duty to warn" for qualified mental health professionals. This bill requires professionals to notify a potential victim and law enforcement when a patient communicates a specific and immediate threat of serious bodily injury against an identifiable person. If the potential victim attends a school or institution of higher education, the professional must also submit a report through the Safe2Say Program. Professionals acting in good faith in discharging this duty are protected from civil or criminal liability.

Maddy summarySB 652 proposes to amend Pennsylvania's Crimes and Offenses law by changing the definition of "dwelling" within the general principles of justification. The bill expands the current definition, which includes a building, structure, or attached porch/deck/patio, to also encompass "the parcel of land to the property lines and any building or structure erected thereon." This change would broaden the legal scope of what constitutes a "dwelling" for individuals in self-defense or similar justification cases.