Sen. Jay Costa

Maddy summarySenate Resolution 259 formally designates April 2026 as Limb Loss and Limb Difference Awareness Month in Pennsylvania. This resolution aims to increase public awareness about the challenges faced by the state's over 200,000 residents with limb loss or difference, including barriers to accessing prosthetic care and physical activity. The document highlights the importance of mobility resources for health and independence but does not create any new laws or funding. It serves as a symbolic gesture to encourage community support and recognition for individuals affected by these conditions.

Maddy summaryThis Senate Resolution officially designates April 2026 as National Fair Housing Month in Pennsylvania. The measure serves as a symbolic acknowledgment of fair housing principles without altering existing laws or regulations.

Maddy summarySB 862 updates Pennsylvania's process for filling vacant borough council seats. If a borough council fails to appoint a replacement within 30 days of a vacancy, a special board (composed of council members and one community member) must fill the seat within 15 days. If the board cannot act, it must petition a court to appoint a resident to serve until the next municipal election occurring more than 60 days after the vacancy. This affects boroughs by ensuring vacancies are resolved promptly to maintain full council representation.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a new automation fee of up to $10 for court clerks in Pennsylvania counties of the second class A and third through eighth class, including home rule counties of the same class. The fee applies to the initiation of any legal action or proceeding and must be deposited into a special fund designated solely for purchasing and maintaining automation technology in clerk of courts offices. The bill allows the fee amount to be increased no more than once every three years, with any increase capped at the percentage change in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers over the preceding three years. The legislation takes effect 60 days after enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates Pennsylvania's Crane Operator Licensure Act to include well drilling under the same regulatory framework, creating a single State Board of Crane Operators and Well Drillers. It establishes new requirements for well driller licensure, including examinations, bonding, insurance, continuing education, and registration for drilling companies and rigs. The legislation also expands definitions to cover various types of wells and drilling activities, while maintaining existing provisions for crane operator certification and enforcement mechanisms.

Maddy summaryThis bill, known as the Safe Workplace Act, establishes legal protections against abusive work environments in Pennsylvania by defining and prohibiting abusive conduct such as sabotage, unreasonable workloads, excessive monitoring, and persistent verbal abuse. It applies to all employees and employers, including independent contractors who meet specific criteria, and covers actions by supervisors, coworkers, or the employer itself. The law prohibits retaliation against employees who report abuse and holds both employers and individual employees liable for violations, requiring employers to take reasonable preventive and responsive measures to maintain safe workplaces.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new legal process in Pennsylvania that allows families to transfer a deceased person's primary residence without going through full probate court proceedings. The law applies only to homes valued at $150,000 or less and requires the homeowner to have been legally domiciled in a county that has established an affidavit process. Family members who can prove their income is below 120% of the federal poverty guidelines would receive a waiver of filing fees when using this simplified transfer method. The court can issue a distribution decree without requiring formal letters of administration or a probated will, and the process includes a two-year window for challenging improper distributions. The provision would expire seven years after it takes effect, with a required study on its implementation before any renewal decision.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Pennsylvania's Prothonotary Fee Law to allow prothonotaries in specific county classes to charge a new automation fee of up to $10 for initiating legal actions. The collected fees must be deposited into a special county fund dedicated solely to funding automation and ongoing technology updates for the prothonotary's office. The fee amount can be increased no more than once every three years, with any increase capped by the percentage change in the national Consumer Price Index. The legislation takes effect 60 days after passage.

Maddy summarySB 804 amends Pennsylvania's health and safety laws to ban the intentional addition of DEHP and certain ortho-phthalates (like BBP, DBP, DINP) in medical devices. It specifically targets intravenous (IV) solution containers (like IV bags) and IV tubing used in hospitals and healthcare facilities. The bill prohibits manufacturers from adding these chemicals to medical devices if they serve a functional purpose, requiring notice of such additions. This affects device manufacturers and healthcare facilities purchasing these products, directly changing manufacturing standards for common medical equipment.

Maddy summaryThis Senate Resolution designates April 4, 2026, as "School Librarian Day" in Pennsylvania to honor school librarians and their contributions to education. The measure recognizes the role librarians play in providing students with access to educational resources and teaching media literacy skills. It highlights the importance of school libraries in fostering reading appreciation and academic success while acknowledging the declining number of librarians in Pennsylvania schools. The resolution serves as a symbolic acknowledgment of the profession rather than enacting new policy requirements.