Sen. Michele Brooks

Maddy summarySR 140 designates September 2025 as "Childhood Cancer Awareness Month" in Pennsylvania. This resolution does not create new laws or requirements but formally recognizes the month to promote public awareness about childhood cancer. It encourages state agencies, community organizations, and the public to host educational events and support initiatives during September 2025. The resolution serves as a symbolic gesture by the Pennsylvania legislature to highlight the issue and support affected families.

Maddy summaryThis resolution designates September 2025 as "Military Suicide Prevention and Awareness Month" in Pennsylvania. It does not create new laws or allocate funds but formally recognizes the need for increased awareness and support related to military suicide prevention. The designation aims to encourage community efforts and education during that month, directly affecting Pennsylvanians through heightened public focus on this issue.

Maddy summarySB 973 requires Pennsylvania public and private schools to provide early human life development education to students in grades 9-12 starting in the 2026-2027 school year, integrated into biology courses. The bill mandates specific content, including a minimum five-minute ultrasound video showing fetal development at 8, 12, 17, 22, 27, 32, and 37 weeks' gestation, and an animated rendering of fertilization and pregnancy stages. It also requires age-appropriate instruction on how drugs, alcohol, tobacco, and narcotics affect pregnancy and fetal health. The law applies to all school entities (districts, charter schools, etc.) and directly affects students in those grade levels.

Maddy summaryThis resolution directs Pennsylvania's Joint State Government Commission to study how four healthcare licensure compacts (medical, psychology, physical therapy, and nursing) affect the state. The study will analyze impacts on patient access to care, provider movement between states, licensing efficiency, and patient safety protections, including how complaints from other states are handled. It requires a report within six months with findings and recommendations for the General Assembly. The resolution focuses on evaluating existing compacts' effects on Pennsylvania and other states, not on advocating for policy changes.

Maddy summarySR 135 is a Senate resolution honoring Pennsylvania veterans on Veterans Day, November 11, 2025. It formally recognizes all Pennsylvania veterans who served during wartime and peacetime, acknowledging their contributions to national security. The resolution encourages communities across Pennsylvania to hold ceremonies on that date to honor approximately 700,000 current Pennsylvania residents who have served in the armed forces. As a commemorative resolution, it does not create new laws or policies but serves as a symbolic gesture of appreciation.

Maddy summaryThis resolution (SR 119) is a non-binding request from the Pennsylvania Senate urging Congress to support the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act of 2025 and amend federal law. It specifically seeks to change current requirements under the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010, which currently restricts school milk options to fat-free or low-fat varieties. The resolution asks Congress to allow whole milk and 2% reduced-fat milk (flavored or unflavored) in Pennsylvania's elementary and secondary schools, and directs federal agencies to update dietary guidelines accordingly. This would permit schools to offer these milk types without risking federal funding, but the resolution itself does not alter any existing law or standards.

Maddy summarySB 938 requires Pennsylvania counties to collect and submit specific information about child-care facilities to the municipalities where those facilities are located. Starting December 2026, counties must provide each facility's address, phone number, floor plan, and emergency plan annually. This applies directly to all Pennsylvania municipalities and counties, creating a standardized record-keeping process for child-care locations. The bill takes effect 60 days after enactment, focusing solely on administrative data collection without altering facility standards or funding.

Maddy summarySB 946 adds tianeptine - a medication sometimes used for depression but with abuse risks - to Pennsylvania's Schedule II of controlled substances, placing it in a high-risk category due to its potential for abuse and dependence. The bill requires the Pennsylvania Department of Health to monitor tianeptine-related health issues (like overdoses, seizures, or withdrawal symptoms) by collecting data from hospitals, poison control centers, and law enforcement. It also empowers the department to issue public safety advisories and establish reporting rules for healthcare providers. This directly affects tianeptine users, healthcare facilities, and public health officials, focusing on tracking health impacts rather than restricting access immediately. The bill takes effect 60 days after enactment.

Maddy summarySB 951 modifies Pennsylvania's community college funding formula to prioritize enrollment in first responder training programs. It adds a new allocation method that counts students in credit first responder programs at 1.5 times their enrollment and noncredit programs at full value, distributing additional funds based on weighted enrollment across all colleges. This directly affects community colleges offering these programs and their students, as funding levels will depend on how many enroll in first responder training (both credit and noncredit courses). The bill changes how existing state funds are distributed rather than creating new funding, with the new formula applying starting in the 2025-2026 fiscal year.

Maddy summarySB 398 allows Pennsylvania fire companies with existing small games of chance licenses to conduct online raffles. It requires tickets to be purchased only via debit or credit card and limits fire companies to two online raffles per year. The provision expires on December 31, 2026, and applies specifically to fire companies already authorized to host raffles under the 1988 law. This bill directly affects fire companies seeking to expand fundraising methods while maintaining payment and frequency restrictions.