Rep. Melanie A. Stansbury

Maddy summaryHRES 682 is a symbolic resolution designating the week beginning September 11, 2023, as "National Hispanic-Serving Institutions Week." It does not create new programs or funding but formally recognizes Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) for their role in educating Hispanic students and underserved communities. The resolution calls for the public to observe the week with ceremonies during Hispanic Heritage Month, highlighting HSIs' contributions to higher education access and economic mobility. This resolution affects no specific entities or policies, as it is purely commemorative.

Maddy summaryHR 5433, the Child Care Stabilization Act, provides $16 billion annually from 2024 to 2028 to stabilize the child care sector through grants administered by the Health and Human Services Secretary. It directly affects licensed child care providers by offering stable funding to cover operating costs, while supporting higher wages for early educators without raising family fees. Key provisions include expanding access to high-quality, affordable care - especially for infants/toddlers, rural communities, and children with disabilities - and addressing shortages in underserved areas. The funding builds on existing American Rescue Plan resources, aiming to strengthen the child care workforce and increase available options for working families.

Maddy summaryHR 5428, the No Tax Breaks for Union Busting (NTBUB) Act, prevents employers from deducting certain expenses related to influencing workers' decisions about union representation. It targets spending on tactics like anti-union meetings, workplace surveillance, or consultants during organizing campaigns, making these costs non-deductible for tax purposes. Employers must report such expenses on their tax returns, including details about the activities and amounts spent. The bill aims to remove tax incentives for employer interference in union elections, aligning with federal labor law protections for workers' collective bargaining rights.

Maddy summaryThe Wage Theft Prevention and Wage Recovery Act requires employers to provide detailed paystubs showing wage calculations, initial disclosures about wage rates and classification, and timely final payments upon termination. It increases civil penalties for wage theft violations to up to $110,150 per employee affected for repeated violations and raises liquidated damages to up to 3 times the amount of unpaid wages. The bill extends the statute of limitations for wage theft claims from 2-3 years to 4-5 years and creates a $50 million grant program to support community partnerships that prevent wage theft and help workers recover unpaid wages. These provisions directly affect low-wage workers who experience wage theft, employers who engage in wage theft, and the Department of Labor's enforcement efforts under the Fair Labor Standards Act.

Maddy summaryThis bill directs the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to research and develop communication standards for wildland firefighters and fire management officials, focusing on real-time data sharing during fire responses. NIST must conduct field testing of technologies to improve secure information dissemination and issue recommendations to federal, state, tribal, and local fire agencies. The bill requires NIST to report findings to Congress and mandates a Government Accountability Office review of agency implementation one year after recommendations are published. It authorizes $3 million annually (2024-2028) for NIST to carry out these research and development activities.

Maddy summaryThe Voluntary Groundwater Conservation Act of 2023 creates a new federal program allowing eligible entities (like state governments, tribes, or certain organizations) to purchase voluntary groundwater conservation easements from agricultural landowners in areas facing significant groundwater depletion. Landowners with eligible groundwater rights can enter into these easements, which restrict future groundwater use while allowing continued farming, in exchange for federal cost-share funding covering up to 65% of the easement's fair market value. The program requires easements to include measurable groundwater pumping reductions and support local groundwater management, with the Secretary prioritizing projects that protect ecosystems and align with state sustainability efforts. It directly affects agricultural landowners in depleted aquifer regions and provides technical assistance to help administer the conservation plans.

Voters on the Move Registration Act of 2023 This bill requires the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to develop, and specified agencies to distribute, a statement providing individuals with information on how to register to vote and their voting rights. This information must be provided to individuals upon their participation in certain rental assistance programs or application for certain residential mortgages.

Maddy summaryThe People Over Long Lines Act (POLL Act) requires states to develop public plans ensuring voting wait times don't exceed 30 minutes at polling places for federal elections, particularly addressing documented disparities where voters in communities of color wait significantly longer than others. It establishes standards for minimum voting systems, poll workers, and resources based on factors like population demographics, voter turnout, and needs of disabled or limited English proficiency voters. The bill provides $500 million annually in federal funding to help states implement these changes, creates a private right of action allowing voters to sue states for violations with penalties including $50 per hour of wait time, and mandates remedial plans for states with excessive wait times. The law applies to federal elections starting in 2025, with states required to comply by January 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHR 5293, the Youth Voting Rights Act, would improve voting access for young people aged 18-29 through several concrete changes. The bill requires public colleges and universities to serve as voter registration agencies, establishes pre-registration for 16-year-olds, mandates on-campus polling locations for all institutions of higher education, and prohibits age-based restrictions on voting by mail. It also requires states to accept student ID cards as valid voter identification and provides grants to states for youth voter engagement programs. The bill would collect data on voting trends by age to help identify barriers to youth participation. These changes aim to address systemic barriers that have led to lower youth voter turnout and higher ballot rejection rates among young voters.

Maddy summaryThe Sustaining Our Democracy Act creates a federal program to provide states with annual funding to improve election administration and increase voting access. It allocates $2 billion each year from 2024-2033 through the State Election Assistance and Innovation Trust Fund to support activities like upgrading voting equipment, training election workers, and expanding voting access for underserved communities, people with disabilities, and voters on Indian lands. States must submit detailed plans for using funds, which cannot be used for activities that restrict voting access or target election officials. The Act establishes an Office of Democracy Advancement and Innovation to administer the program, monitor fund usage, and oversee compliance with its requirements.