Sen. Art Haywood

Maddy summarySB 549 (Pennsylvania) limits public access to eviction court records to protect tenants. It creates "limited access eviction files" that cannot be shared online or with most individuals, except under specific conditions like when a case is less than seven years old with a final judgment for the landlord, or for parties directly involved in the case. Tenant screening services and consumer reporting agencies are barred from using these records in reports or considering them for rental decisions. The law automatically restricts access after seven years, when a judgment is satisfied (e.g., tenant pays rent or moves out), or if a court vacates a judgment. This directly affects tenants (by preventing old eviction history from impacting housing), landlords (requiring them to notify courts of satisfied judgments), and tenant screening companies (prohibiting use of these records).

Maddy summarySB 559 amends Pennsylvania law to restrict firearm and assault weapon possession by minors. It prohibits individuals under 18 from possessing standard firearms (with limited exceptions for supervised activities or hunting) and raises the age limit for assault weapons to under 21, barring possession without specific exemptions. The bill defines "assault weapon" to include firearms with features like detachable magazines, folding stocks, or specific grips, and lists exceptions for active-duty military personnel, peace officers, and weapon-carrying probation officers. Adults who knowingly provide firearms to minors in violation of these rules face felony charges, and illegally possessed firearms must be seized and forfeited upon conviction. The bill is currently pending in the Judiciary Committee.

Maddy summarySB 558 would require public employers (like state and local government offices) to observe Election Day as a legal holiday, meaning they must close on election days. School districts and counties could also choose to observe Election Day as a holiday. Private employers must provide employees with at least two hours of unpaid leave for voting on Election Day, and face a $1,000 civil penalty for violating this requirement. The Department of State would enforce these rules, and the law would take effect 60 days after enactment.

Maddy summarySB 555 amends Pennsylvania's Election Code to update the sworn statements (oaths) required for election workers. It revises the exact wording for judges of election, election inspectors, election clerks, and machine inspectors, adding specific language about ensuring registered voters can cast ballots. The changes clarify clerks' duties to "carefully and truly record votes" and direct eligibility questions to judges of election. This is a technical update to existing oath requirements, not a substantive policy change affecting election procedures or voter rights. The bill focuses solely on standardizing the language these officials must swear to uphold election integrity.

Maddy summarySB 537 would require Pennsylvania's Medicaid program to reimburse providers for custom orthotics (like braces) and prosthetics (like artificial limbs) at rates no lower than the current Medicare fee schedule. This change directly affects Medicaid recipients needing these medical devices and the healthcare providers who supply them. The bill mandates that the state update its reimbursement rates quarterly to match Medicare's current rates for all applicable codes. This policy aligns Pennsylvania's Medicaid payments more closely with federal Medicare standards for these specific medical equipment items.

Maddy summaryThis symbolic resolution recognizes April 2025 as "World HIE Awareness Month" in Pennsylvania to promote public education about hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE), a condition affecting newborns due to oxygen deprivation during birth. It highlights the impact of HIE on infants and families, citing statistics on survival rates and potential developmental challenges. The resolution does not create new laws, allocate funding, or change existing policies - it serves solely as an official state acknowledgment to support awareness efforts led by organizations like Hope for HIE.

Maddy summaryThis resolution (SR 66) symbolically recognizes April 7-13, 2025, as "Public Health Week" in Pennsylvania, aligning with the existing national observance. It does not create new laws, allocate funding, or directly affect any individuals or groups. The resolution uses the week to highlight public health priorities like health equity, chronic disease prevention, and maternal health, as detailed in its preamble. It serves only as a formal acknowledgment by the Pennsylvania Senate, with no policy changes or legal requirements.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands death benefits for first responders whose deaths are linked to on-duty traumatic stress. It creates a legal presumption that firefighters, police officers, EMTs, and National Guard members who die from diagnosed or undiagnosed mental health conditions (like PTSD) related to traumatic incidents (e.g., crime scenes, mass casualties, or exposure to serious injury) were killed in the line of duty. The law updates definitions to include "traumatic event" and "personal injury sustained in the line of duty" for mental health conditions, applying retroactively to all eligible deaths since January 2019. It takes effect in 60 days.

Maddy summarySR 67 is a symbolic resolution designating April 2025 as "National Fair Housing Month" in Pennsylvania. It does not create new laws or directly affect individuals or policies, but formally recognizes the importance of fair housing principles as outlined in the federal Fair Housing Act (1968) and Pennsylvania's additional protections. The resolution highlights ongoing efforts to address housing discrimination and racial inequities, emphasizing that access to fair housing supports broader community well-being. This is a ceremonial measure with no binding effect on state or local actions.

Maddy summaryThis resolution (SR 64) designates April 15, 2025, as "Purple Up! for Military Kids Day" and April 2025 as "Month of the Military Child" in Pennsylvania. It encourages Pennsylvanians to wear purple on April 15, 2025, to show support for military-connected children - over 37,000 in Pennsylvania with at least one parent serving in the military. The resolution is symbolic, recognizing the challenges faced by military children during parental deployments, without creating new laws or funding. It directly affects military-connected children and communities statewide through a non-binding observance.