Sen. Jay Costa

Maddy summarySB 1148 amends Pennsylvania's Human Relations Act to strengthen housing accommodations for renters with disabilities. It requires landlords to permit reasonable modifications to rental units at the tenant's expense (with restoration requirements), grant accommodation requests within 10 days, and allow tenants to terminate leases without fees if accommodations are denied. The law applies to all rental agreements executed or renewed after the bill's effective date, protecting both current tenants who develop disabilities during their lease and new tenants with disabilities. Landlords cannot waive these rights through lease terms or charge fees for tenants exercising these protections.

Maddy summarySB 1142 creates a new exemption allowing Pennsylvania residents who complete a hunter education program to receive one free antlerless deer license. This license is valid for the year the education course is completed or the following year. The provision applies only to antlerless deer licenses for residents and does not affect other license fees or requirements. The bill takes effect 60 days after enactment.

Maddy summaryThis Senate Resolution (SR 209) symbolically designates January 27, 2026, as "International Holocaust Remembrance Day" in Pennsylvania. It recognizes the UN-established date (January 27) commemorating the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau and honors Holocaust victims, while affirming the importance of remembering the Holocaust to prevent future genocide and condemn intolerance. As a commemorative resolution, it has no binding legal effect and does not impose new requirements or alter existing laws.

Maddy summarySB 1129 amends Pennsylvania's Underground Utility Line Protection Law by updating the definition of "line" or "facility" to explicitly include unconventional oil and gas well production lines, gathering lines, and steam pipelines in public rights-of-way. It clarifies that these additions apply regardless of land ownership or easements, while specifying that stripper well lines are excluded unless they meet specific federal pipeline safety standards. The bill directly affects utility companies, construction crews, and excavation workers who must follow damage prevention rules for underground infrastructure. This definition update ensures clearer coverage for modern utility systems during excavation projects.

Maddy summarySB 1130 amends Pennsylvania's Public Utility Confidential Security Information Disclosure Protection Act to clarify when public utilities' security information can be shared for construction or renovation projects involving public buildings. It adds an exception allowing agencies to disclose such information (after notifying the utility) for these specific construction purposes, without triggering the act's disclosure prohibition or making the information subject to public disclosure under the Right-to-Know Law. The bill directly affects public utilities, government agencies, and construction entities working on public projects. This change ensures security details remain protected while enabling necessary project work without unintended public release.

Maddy summaryPennsylvania's SB 1128 (the Fuel Gas Detector Act) requires owners of residential buildings (including rentals), multifamily homes, and commercial buildings to install and maintain fuel gas detectors in rooms with gas appliances or leak-prone areas. Owners must install detectors within 30 days of occupancy or property transfer, meeting NFPA 715 and UL standards, while landlords must ensure detectors are working for tenants and tenants must maintain batteries and test them. Violations carry civil penalties of up to $500 per offense, enforceable by municipalities through inspections. The law takes effect January 1, 2027, and applies to all new installations or transfers after that date.

Maddy summaryThis bill modernizes Pennsylvania's estate laws to allow electronic wills. It defines "will" to include digital documents and creates new rules for creating, signing, and revoking wills online. Key provisions require witnesses to observe the testator via video call (virtual "presence") and follow specific digital execution steps, while still permitting traditional paper wills. The law directly affects Pennsylvanians creating estate plans, making it easier to use digital tools without losing legal validity.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a regulatory framework for geothermal energy development in Pennsylvania. It creates the Geothermal Energy Development Fund to support projects, requires the Department of Environmental Protection to promulgate regulations for geothermal operations, and defines key terms like "geothermal resource" and "geothermal well." The law directly affects developers seeking to extract geothermal energy (heat from the earth), landowners with geothermal resources, and the Department of Environmental Protection, which gains new duties to oversee projects. Key provisions include requiring permits for geothermal projects, setting liability rules for well operators, and imposing civil penalties for violations of the regulations.

Maddy summarySB 1135 allows Pennsylvania feed manufacturers to use industrial hemp (with less than 0.3% THC) in commercial animal feed for pets, horses, and nonproduction animals. It requires the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture to establish rules for labeling, testing, and recordkeeping of hemp in feed, while coordinating with federal hemp regulations if applicable. The bill directly affects feed producers and the state's agricultural regulatory system by creating new oversight requirements. This law takes effect 60 days after enactment.

Maddy summarySB 1113 requires health care facilities, insurers, and Medicaid Advantage/CHIP managed care plans in Pennsylvania to disclose when artificial intelligence (AI) is used for clinical decision making or patient communications. Facilities must provide clear disclosures in writing, on their public website, and include disclaimers for AI-generated communications with instructions to contact a human provider. The bill exempts routine administrative tasks (like scheduling or billing) and communications reviewed by a human from these disclosure rules. It imposes duties on the Departments of Health, Insurance, and Human Services to enforce compliance and sets penalties for violations.