Sen. Wayne Fontana

Maddy summaryThis Pennsylvania bill establishes a statewide paid parental leave program requiring employers to provide eligible employees with up to 12 weeks of paid leave for the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child within the first year. Eligible employees must have worked for their employer for at least 12 months and completed 1,250 hours of service in the previous year, and they will receive their full pre-leave pay rate during the leave period. The Department of Labor and Industry will administer the program, enforce compliance through complaints and penalties, and maintain a Paid Parental Leave Account to fund the initiative. Additionally, the bill creates a Small Business Grant Program to assist smaller employers with the costs of providing paid parental leave, and requires employers to notify employees about their rights and post information about the program in the workplace.

Maddy summarySB 124 (Pennsylvania's Tax Reform Code amendment) allows Pennsylvania taxpayers to deduct up to $10,000 in unreimbursed expenses related to donating a human organ (such as liver, kidney, or bone marrow) for transplantation. The deduction covers travel, lodging, lost wages, and medical costs incurred during the donation, but only for the tax year the transplant occurred and only once per lifetime. It does not apply to tax years before 2025 and cannot reduce taxable income below zero. This provision directly affects individuals who donate organs and seek tax relief for associated costs.

Maddy summarySB 100 amends Pennsylvania's Tax Reform Code concerning inheritance tax deductions. It increases the family exemption that can be deducted from the value of transferred property to a maximum of $100,000, if claimed by a family member. The bill also expands the list of deductible expenses to include bequests for religious services and funds placed in trust for the care and preservation of burial lots. These changes will apply to the value of property transferred after June 30, 2024, affecting estates subject to inheritance tax.

Maddy summarySB 899 amends the state's Controlled Substance Act to update the schedules of controlled substances, classifying specific drugs into categories based on their medical use and potential for abuse. It directly affects pharmacies, healthcare providers, law enforcement, and patients who handle or prescribe these substances by changing their legal classifications. The bill's key mechanism involves modifying the existing schedule lists to reflect current medical knowledge and drug usage patterns, without adding new penalties or creating new regulatory requirements. This update ensures the scheduling framework aligns with current scientific understanding and medical practice.

Maddy summaryThis Senate Resolution formally recognizes March 2026 as "National Nutrition Month" throughout Pennsylvania. The bill does not create new laws or change government programs but serves as a symbolic acknowledgment of an existing national health awareness campaign led by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. It encourages all Pennsylvanians to participate in nutrition education efforts and focus on healthy eating habits during the month. The resolution is non-binding and does not allocate funding or mandate specific actions by state agencies.

Maddy summaryThis Senate Resolution designates March 11, 2026, as "Registered Dietitian Nutritionist Day" in Pennsylvania to honor the work of licensed nutrition professionals. The bill recognizes registered dietitian nutritionists as food and nutrition experts who require accredited degrees, internships, and national examinations to practice. It also praises the Pennsylvania Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and its approximately 3,127 members for promoting healthy eating and well-being across the state. This resolution is symbolic and does not create new laws or funding, serving instead to acknowledge the contributions of these healthcare professionals.

Maddy summaryThis Senate Resolution designates March 12, 2026, as "Nutrition and Dietetics Technician, Registered Day" throughout Pennsylvania to honor the contributions of these healthcare professionals. The bill recognizes the specialized training and education of registered nutrition and dietetics technicians, who work in settings like hospitals, schools, and community health programs. It does not create new laws or funding but serves as a symbolic gesture to raise awareness about the role these technicians play in promoting nutrition and health. The resolution encourages Pennsylvanians to acknowledge and appreciate the work of these professionals in their communities.

Maddy summaryThis Senate Resolution designates October 13, 2026, as Metastatic Breast Cancer Awareness Day in Pennsylvania to raise visibility for a specific stage of breast cancer. The measure does not create new laws or funding but serves as a symbolic gesture to honor patients and families affected by the disease. It highlights the need for increased research and equitable care access while aligning with national awareness efforts that use teal, green, and pink ribbon colors. The resolution is non-binding and focuses on public recognition rather than implementing policy changes.

Maddy summaryThis Senate Resolution designates March 18, 2026, as "Gideon's Day" in Pennsylvania to honor public defenders and the 1963 Supreme Court ruling that guarantees legal counsel to those who cannot afford it. The measure is symbolic and does not create new laws or funding; it simply recognizes the importance of public defenders in protecting constitutional rights during criminal proceedings. The resolution highlights the role public defenders play in representing indigent clients and acknowledges the challenges they face, though it stops short of mandating specific policy changes or resource allocations.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a Veterans' Trust Fund in Pennsylvania by adding fees collected from paid veterans' claims assistance providers and directs those funds to support grants for veterans' service officer programs. It establishes new registration and disclosure requirements for individuals and organizations that charge fees to help veterans with benefits claims, requiring them to register annually and provide clear written information about their services and compensation to veterans before working with them. The law exempts government employees, accredited representatives from recognized veterans' organizations, and nonprofit groups from these requirements while maintaining existing protections for free assistance sources.