Sen. Art Haywood

Maddy summarySB 273 amends Pennsylvania's Election Code to regulate recurring campaign contributions. It requires political candidates and committees to obtain clear, active consent from donors before setting up automatic recurring payments (like monthly credit card charges), prohibiting reliance on pre-checked boxes or passive actions. The law mandates immediate written receipts detailing terms, easy cancellation options in all communications, and refunds within 14 days if consent was not properly obtained. Violations carry penalties of up to $5,000 per incident or fines up to three times the improper contribution amount (if exceeding $1,000 and knowingly accepted without consent). The bill applies to recurring contributions solicited or accepted 60 days after enactment.

Maddy summaryPennsylvania's SB 262 creates a legal process for courts to temporarily remove firearms from individuals who pose a significant risk of harming themselves or others with a firearm. Family members, household members, or law enforcement can petition a court if they reasonably believe a person has firearms and is at risk of violence, requiring specific evidence like recent threats or acts. The court must hold a hearing within 14 days, and if it finds the risk is "more likely than not," it issues a one-year order requiring the person to surrender all firearms. The bill prohibits fees or bonds for petitioners and mandates law enforcement to enforce firearm surrender, with clear procedures for service, notice, and reporting.

Maddy summaryThis resolution designates February 2025 as "Career and Technical Education Month" in Pennsylvania. It formally recognizes the importance of career and technical education programs for students and the workforce, without creating new laws or altering existing policies. The resolution aims to raise public awareness about these programs, which serve over 68,000 students statewide and connect them to in-demand careers.

Maddy summaryThis resolution formally recognizes February 2025 as "Black History Month" in Pennsylvania. It does not create new laws or affect specific groups directly, but encourages statewide observance of African American contributions to the Commonwealth. The Senate adopted the resolution on February 5, 2025, aligning with the national observance established through historical efforts like Dr. Carter Godwin Woodson's founding of Negro History Week. The resolution acknowledges the annual theme "African Americans and Labor" as designated by the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH).

Maddy summaryThis bill requires Pennsylvania state and county correctional facilities to provide free voice communication services (like phone calls) to all inmates. It mandates that facilities maintain at least the same level of access as on January 1, 2024, and ensure at least one operable phone device for every ten inmates in housing units or recreational areas. The bill prohibits charging inmates for communications, using services to replace in-person visits, or collecting fees from callers. It also appropriates $16.5 million for the 2025-2026 fiscal year (70% to the state, 30% to counties based on inmate population) to cover these costs.

Maddy summaryThis resolution (SR 20) is a ceremonial statement honoring the 50th anniversary of the Philip Jaisohn Memorial Foundation on January 15, 2025. It recognizes the foundation’s 50-year work serving Philadelphia’s Korean immigrant community and expanding to support broader Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities through health services, senior employment training, advocacy, and cultural programs. The resolution also commemorates Dr. Philip Jaisohn, a pioneering Korean-American who became the first Korean immigrant to gain U.S. citizenship in 1890 and championed Korean independence efforts in the U.S. This is a symbolic gesture with no policy changes or direct impact on legislation.

Maddy summarySB 233, the Kratom Consumer Protection Act, prohibits the sale and distribution of unsafe kratom products and bans sales to anyone under 21. It defines unsafe products as those containing harmful additives, controlled substances, excessive solvents, synthetic compounds, or lacking proper labeling, while requiring clear ingredient disclosure. Retailers cannot sell kratom to minors, and processors must comply with safety standards. The Department of Health enforces these rules, imposing fines up to $5,000 for violations, with penalties increasing for repeat offenses.

Maddy summarySB 237 amends Pennsylvania's Equal Pay Law to clarify that "wages" include all compensation (salaries, benefits, and supplements) and define "comparable work" as requiring similar skill, effort, and working conditions - not just matching job titles. It strengthens protections by requiring employers to prove pay differences are based on job-related factors (like experience or performance), not sex, and prohibits lowering wages to comply with the law. The bill also allows the Attorney General to sue for unpaid wages with no filing fees and extends the statute of limitations to three years for willful violations. It directly affects all employers in Pennsylvania, including state and local government, and workers experiencing pay discrimination.

Maddy summarySB 151 requires Pennsylvania's Independent Fiscal Office to conduct poverty impact analyses for the Governor's proposed budget, the enacted state budget, and any bill or amendment upon written request from a state legislator. The analysis must project how proposed budgets or legislation affect poverty levels (using 200% of the federal poverty threshold), including changes in household incomes below that threshold and access to basic services like health care and housing. The bill mandates the analysis be completed by specific deadlines (e.g., May 1 for the proposed budget) and be impartial and easy to understand. If the office fails to provide the analysis within 10 days of a request, the bill or amendment may proceed without it. This policy directly affects the state budget process and legislative review of measures impacting low-income residents.

Maddy summarySB 217 establishes Pennsylvania's Fresh Food Financing Initiative to fund projects improving access to fresh food in underserved communities. It creates a grant program within the Department of Agriculture that provides up to 15% of project costs for eligible grocery stores, farmers markets, regional supermarkets, and retail food establishments operating in USDA-designated food deserts. Applicants must serve underserved communities, derive at least 50% of revenue from food sales, and prioritize Pennsylvania-grown products or diverse business partnerships. Grants require matching private funds for supermarket projects and reserve no more than 10% of funding for program administration.