Sen. Lindsey Williams

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Pennsylvania's Tax Reform Code to create a real estate transfer tax exemption for specific affordable housing transactions. It defines key terms such as "affordable housing," "low-income household," and "owner entity" to clarify which properties and entities qualify for the tax break. The legislation exempts transfers of real estate between housing authorities and owner entities when the property is used to provide affordable housing, provided the transfer includes a legally binding 20-year agreement to maintain that use. If the property is not used for affordable housing within the required timeframe, the exemption is automatically revoked. The changes apply to deeds, leases, and restrictive covenants involving these specific housing transfers.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates Pennsylvania's First and Second Class County Property Tax Relief Act to expand tax relief for longtime owner-occupants in specific residential areas. It allows local governments to grant property tax deferrals or exemptions to homeowners who have lived in their primary residence for at least ten years, or five years if they received government housing assistance, provided the tax increase is due to new construction or renovations in established neighborhoods. The legislation also clarifies that cities in second-class counties can create these programs independently of their counties and permits the use of past data to apply these benefits retroactively to November 1984.

Maddy summaryThis Senate resolution designates June 2024 as "Migraine and Headache Awareness Month" in Pennsylvania to highlight the impact of these conditions on public health. The bill cites statistics showing that headaches are a leading cause of disability and significantly affect millions of people, including veterans and service members. By officially recognizing this month, the Senate aims to encourage public education and reduce the stigma surrounding migraine disorders. This measure serves as a symbolic gesture to draw attention to the need for better research funding and accessible treatments rather than enacting new laws or policies.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Pennsylvania's Prevailing Wage Act to clarify how "custom fabrication" is defined for public construction projects. It specifically includes offsite production of nonstandard goods like specialized HVAC components, sheet metal ducts, and prefabricated structures, while explicitly excluding standard materials such as structural steel and precast concrete. The changes aim to ensure that workers involved in creating these specific project components are covered by prevailing wage requirements, with a noted exception for general HVAC duct cleaning.

Maddy summaryThis bill designates a specific bridge on Pennsylvania Route 72 in Swatara Township as the Senator David J. Arnold, Jr., Memorial Bridge to honor his service. The legislation officially names the structure after the late state senator, who previously served as Lebanon County's district attorney and later as a state senator. To implement this change, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation is required to install and maintain signs displaying the new name for drivers traveling in both directions. The act will become effective 60 days after being signed into law.

Maddy summaryThis bill proposes minor wording changes to a Pennsylvania statute that governs electric utility planning and energy conservation programs. Specifically, it adds the word "solely" to a section and removes the word "not" from another, which alters how the law defines the scope of utility plans. These adjustments affect public utilities and the state agencies that oversee their energy efficiency initiatives. The changes do not introduce new policies or programs but instead refine existing legal language regarding how utilities must structure their conservation efforts.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the existing Pharmacy Audit Integrity and Transparency Act to impose stricter rules on pharmacy benefit managers and the pharmacies that work with them. The legislation prohibits PBMs from forcing pharmacies to accept lower reimbursement rates to join their networks, banning retroactive money take-backs, and outlawing hidden fees or practices that steer patients toward specific pharmacies solely for cost savings. Additionally, it requires PBMs to respond to pharmacy network requests within 30 days, mandates quarterly reporting on drug rebates, and tasks a state department with regulating PBMs and ensuring pharmacies are reimbursed at least the cost of the drugs they dispense.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Pennsylvania's Public School Code to establish a legal framework for comprehensive school counseling services across all public, private, parochial, and charter schools. It requires each school district and charter school to create a written plan that coordinates counseling activities to support students' academic, career, and social-emotional development from kindergarten through grade 12. The legislation mandates that school counselors spend at least 80% of their working time providing direct services, such as individual counseling and classroom instruction, as well as indirect services like consulting with parents and community agencies. Additionally, the plan must include specific strategies for guiding students through course selection, career planning, and social-emotional learning while ensuring equitable access to opportunities for all students.

Maddy summaryThis resolution officially designates June 2024 as "Dairy Month" to honor Pennsylvania's dairy industry, which supports over 47,000 jobs and generates billions in economic activity. The measure aims to raise awareness about the state's dairy farmers and their families, who operate more than 468,000 cows and produce roughly 10 billion pounds of milk annually. It encourages the public to recognize the value of local dairy products and promotes the purchase of dairy goods produced within Pennsylvania.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Pennsylvania's Construction Workplace Misclassification Act to strengthen protections for workers on public work projects by clarifying definitions and increasing penalties for employers who incorrectly classify employees. It raises the maximum prison sentence for first-time violations to three years and second offenses to five years, while also escalating repeat offenses from misdemeanors to felonies. Additionally, the legislation mandates that administrative penalties be assessed rather than optional, and it expands the scope of prohibited retaliation to cover actions taken under the new provisions.