Sen. Rosemary Brown

Maddy summaryThis bill updates Pennsylvania vehicle registration rules by clarifying how to handle lost, stolen, damaged, or illegible plates and expanding where farm vehicles can be driven. It mandates free reissuing of specific special plates for veterans and military families if they become illegible, while allowing standard plates to be reissued with a new design at no cost. Additionally, the legislation creates a new Pennsylvania Sportsman plate available for a $40 fee and establishes a dedicated account to fund youth hunting and fishing education programs. Funds collected from the new plate fee are split evenly between the Game Commission and Fish and Boat Commission, which must use the money solely for educational activities rather than salaries or administrative costs.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Pennsylvania's insurance laws to require health insurance policies to cover medically necessary telemedicine services provided by participating network providers. It explicitly prohibits insurers from denying coverage or reimbursement solely because a service is delivered remotely via video, audio, or asynchronous methods. The legislation also prevents contracts from conditioning reimbursement on the use of specific proprietary technology or vendors, ensuring providers can use various telemedicine tools. By defining terms like telemedicine and remote patient monitoring, the law standardizes how these services are treated under existing insurance plans and managed care programs.

Maddy summarySB 375, known as Greg Moyer's Law, amends Pennsylvania's Public School Code to update requirements for cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and automated external defibrillator (AED) training and equipment in schools. The bill repeals the previous mandate requiring schools to offer CPR classes every three years and replaces it with a requirement to provide both CPR and AED instruction to school employees. Additionally, the legislation establishes a new AED Program that allocates at least one percent of the School Safety and Security Fund between fiscal years 2024-2025 and 2028-2029 to purchase or discount AED devices for school buildings. This program also defines what constitutes an AED, sets specifications for their availability, and outlines reporting requirements for schools to track the number and condition of these devices.

Maddy summaryThis law updates regulations for cemetery companies in Pennsylvania by clarifying which organizations are exempt from certain financial and registration requirements. Specifically, it allows churches, religious groups, fraternal organizations, and municipalities to avoid making initial deposits and skipping state registration steps that other commercial cemetery companies must follow. The bill also requires all other cemetery operators to file an affidavit confirming they are complying with state rules. These changes take effect 60 days after the law is signed into action.

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 updates Pennsylvania's Medical Practice Act to formally define and regulate the practice of midwifery by nurse-midwives and certified midwives. It establishes specific conditions under which nurse-midwives can prescribe medications, allowing those with advanced pharmacology training to dispense certain controlled substances for acute pain, opioid use disorder, and gynecologic health issues. The legislation also clarifies the scope of practice for nurse-midwives working in hospitals and birth centers versus those in other settings, requiring collaborative agreements with physicians in the latter case. Additionally, the bill grants nurse-midwives authority to order medical devices, immunizing agents, and laboratory tests while maintaining their responsibility for patient care decisions.

Maddy summaryThis Pennsylvania bill updates how charter schools receive funding for special education students and clarifies which existing laws apply to them. For the 2023-2024 school year and beyond, the law sets specific multipliers based on the cost of a student's education to determine how much money charter schools get for special education needs, while also requiring schools to document these costs and return any overpayments to local school districts. Additionally, the bill explicitly lists numerous state laws that charter schools and cyber charter schools must follow, covering areas such as student rights, drug and alcohol programs, and anti-hazing rules. These changes take effect 60 days after the bill is passed.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Pennsylvania's Liquor Code to allow the removal of citations issued to liquor store and restaurant owners for failing to follow COVID-19 safety rules. It specifically targets violations of health orders, quarantine guidelines, and other pandemic-related directives that occurred while the state's disaster emergency proclamation was active in 2020. Under the new provision, the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board must erase these penalties and notify the affected businesses within 30 days of the bill's effective date, ensuring no fines are charged for these past infractions.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new grant program within the Pennsylvania Department of Education to help public school districts provide annual mental health screenings for students in grades six through twelve. To receive funding, schools must apply by proposing specific evidence-based screening tools, outlining how they will use the money to hire staff or expand counseling services, and detailing an emergency plan for students who need immediate help. The program will begin in the 2025-2026 school year, and the department will assess each school district's readiness before selecting participants. Additionally, the bill requires the department to consult with national mental health organizations and establish a list of qualified vendors to support the screening process.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates the expiration date for Pennsylvania's fire and emergency medical services grant programs from 2034 to 2029. It repeals specific provisions related to temporary COVID-19 recovery grants and establishes new rules for how these funds are awarded and reported annually. The legislation directly affects fire companies and emergency medical services organizations by defining the timeline for their financial support and requiring them to submit yearly reports on the use of funds.