Sen. Jay Costa

Maddy summarySB 671 amends the Job Enhancement Act to establish financial assistance programs for businesses materially impacted by the air ambulance crash in Philadelphia on January 31, 2025. It creates both a grant program and a loan program to provide funding and support to these specific businesses. The bill also requires a report on the program's implementation and a study on best practices for assisting small businesses during emergencies. Financial assistance under this act can only be awarded for five years following its effective date.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the state's tax code to create new deductions and tax credits related to health and fitness for military personnel. Businesses that offer free fitness facility memberships to active duty military, Pennsylvania National Guard, or reserve component members can deduct these costs from their taxable income. Additionally, these qualified military individuals can claim a personal health investment tax credit of up to $600 annually for their own sports and fitness expenses, such as gym memberships or participation fees. These changes will apply to taxable years commencing after December 31, 2024.

Maddy summarySB 701 amends Pennsylvania law regarding judicial expenses. This bill increases the annual registration fee paid by the Office of the Court Administrator of Pennsylvania to the Special Court Judges Association for each magisterial district judge and Philadelphia Municipal Court Judge position, raising it from $200 to $400. The bill clarifies that funding for these registration fees comes from the annual appropriation made to magisterial district judges. Additionally, it confirms the Office of the Court Administrator is directly responsible for the cost of publishing a monthly journal that provides updates on laws and State Supreme Court rule changes.

Maddy summarySenate Bill 696 amends Pennsylvania's vehicle code regarding special speed limitations in school zones. The bill clarifies that the 15 miles per hour speed limit within a school zone can be enforced during regular school hours. This enforcement is permissible regardless of whether students are allowed to walk to and from the school located within that zone. The change aims to ensure consistent application of school zone speed limits based on a school's operational hours, affecting drivers in those areas.

Maddy summarySR 83 is a resolution from the Pennsylvania Senate urging the U.S. Congress to adopt three specific federal bills: H.R. 1876, H.R. 1877, and S. 770. These bills are aimed at keeping Social Security field offices open, protecting Americans' Social Security data, and expanding Social Security benefits. The resolution also expresses strong opposition to federal cuts to Social Security benefits and the Social Security Administration's plans to close local offices and reduce staff, advocating for robust staffing and local facilities to serve beneficiaries.

Maddy summarySenate Bill 564 proposes to provide an additional monthly supplemental annuity to eligible retired public school employees and retired state government employees in Pennsylvania. For retired public school employees, these new payments would begin after July 1, 2025, while for retired state employees, they would commence after January 1, 2025. The amount of this supplement will be a percentage of their current monthly annuity, ranging from 15% to 24.5% based on their retirement date, with older retirees receiving a higher percentage. The bill specifies that eligible recipients must have retired before July 2, 2001, and not have certain service credits. The increased costs for these benefits will be funded by the Commonwealth over a ten-year period.

Maddy summarySB 648 establishes new requirements for hospital-based financial assistance programs for residents of Pennsylvania. It mandates the Department of Health to create uniform application forms, a one-page summary template for hospital eligibility policies, and a brief statement about financial assistance availability. Hospitals must post these forms and their full financial assistance policies online, provide the summary to patients upon intake and discharge, and include the brief statement on all billing and admission paperwork. Additionally, patients are not responsible for bills while their application is under review, and hospitals must submit their policies to the Department of Health for public display.

Maddy summarySR 97 is a resolution that formally recognizes the week of May 11 through 17, 2025, as "National Police Week" and designates May 5, 2025, as "Police Officers' Memorial Day" in Pennsylvania. This resolution honors the memory of police officers who have died in the line of duty within the Commonwealth.

Maddy summarySR 95 is a resolution that officially recognizes the month of May 2025 as "Older Americans Month" in Pennsylvania. This action acknowledges the contributions of older adults and encourages a positive view of aging within the Commonwealth.

Maddy summarySenate Resolution 96 recognizes May 2025 as "Mental Health Awareness Month" in Pennsylvania. This resolution also states the Senate's intent to pursue policies that promote mental health for all residents, aiming for parity with physical health in resources, education, treatment, and insurance coverage.