Maddy summaryThe PAST Act of 2024 amends the Horse Protection Act to strengthen protections against "soring" - the deliberate infliction of pain on horses to exaggerate their gait, primarily affecting Tennessee Walking Horses, Racking Horses, and Spotted Saddle Horses at shows, exhibitions, or sales. Key provisions include defining prohibited "action devices" (like certain boots or weighted shoes), implementing stricter disqualification periods for sore horses (180 days, then 1 year, then 3 years), requiring licensed, conflict-free inspectors, and increasing penalties for violations (fines up to $5,000 per offense and up to 3 years in prison). The bill directly affects event organizers, inspectors, competitors, and horse owners by mandating new inspection protocols and enforcement. It focuses on concrete policy changes to prevent animal cruelty in the horse show industry.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryThis bill directs federal agencies to improve support for human trafficking victims and prosecute traffickers more effectively. It requires training for law enforcement to avoid arresting victims, promotes trauma-informed victim services, and establishes a working group to develop better data collection methods on trafficking prevalence. The bill mandates reports on victim restitution efforts and encourages states to adopt protections like victim-centered care, 24-hour emergency response plans, and record-clearing for trafficking survivors. It does not authorize new funding, instead directing existing resources toward these goals to benefit victims, service providers, and law enforcement agencies.
Maddy summaryThe Telehealth Modernization Act makes permanent Medicare's temporary telehealth coverage rules that were set to expire in 2024, ensuring continued access for beneficiaries. It expands eligibility for healthcare providers who can offer telehealth services under Medicare, allowing the Secretary to add more professions (like nurse practitioners or therapists) after stakeholder consultation. The bill also changes payment rules for community health centers and rural clinics, treating telehealth services provided after 2025 as if delivered in person for billing purposes. Additionally, it permanently allows audio-only telehealth visits for Medicare coverage, removing previous restrictions.
Maddy summaryThis bill changes how Social Security's annual cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) are calculated for beneficiaries. It requires using either the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) or the new Consumer Price Index for Elderly Consumers (CPI-E), whichever results in a higher increase, instead of the current standard index. The change applies to COLAs determined for cost-of-living computation quarters ending on or after September 30, 2024, directly affecting Social Security beneficiaries. The bill also mandates the Bureau of Labor Statistics to publish the CPI-E index to track spending patterns for people aged 62 and older.
Medicare Orthotics and Prosthetics Patient-Centered Care Act This bill prohibits payment under Medicare for a prosthesis, custom-fabricated orthosis, or off-the-shelf orthotics that is delivered via a drop shipment (i.e., shipped to an individual who does not have training in how to properly fit or care for the device). It also specifically allows for payment of replacements of custom-fitted devices.
Maddy summaryThis bill amends the Seniors Farmers' Market Nutrition Program to include maple syrup as an eligible purchase, allowing seniors using program benefits to buy maple syrup at participating farmers' markets. It directly affects seniors receiving program benefits and maple syrup vendors selling at farmers' markets. The key change is simply adding "maple syrup" to the list of approved products under the existing program.
Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes $5 billion annually (2025-2034) for three key housing programs - Home Investment Partnerships, Community Development Block Grants, and the Housing Trust Fund - but restricts funding to areas already using a "high housing cost adjustment" (which raises income limits in expensive regions). It also requires the Housing Secretary to conduct a two-year study evaluating how area median income calculations affect affordable housing costs, particularly in urban areas with high housing costs. The study will examine alternatives like ZIP code-level income metrics, assess impacts on rent prices and income limits, and specifically analyze how Westchester/Rockland Counties influence New York City's housing affordability metrics. The bill directly affects low- and middle-income renters in high-cost urban areas where current income limits may not reflect local housing expenses.
Maddy summaryThis bill imposes a tiered tax on large real estate investors purchasing single-family homes. Investors owning 16-25 homes pay a 1% tax, 26-100 homes pay 3%, and over 100 homes pay 5% on each new purchase. It excludes qualifying affordable housing organizations, government entities, public housing authorities, land banks, and community land trusts from the tax. Revenue generated will fund affordable housing programs: 65% to the Housing Trust Fund and 35% to the Capital Magnet Fund. The tax applies to purchases after December 31, 2023, with reporting requirements for investors.
Maddy summaryThe Grandfamilies Act of 2023 makes it easier for children living with grandparents or other relatives to access Social Security benefits and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF). The bill removes the requirement that children must be dependent on a parent for benefits, instead allowing them to qualify if living with a relative for 12+ months and receiving at least half their support. It eliminates 5-year time limits on TANF assistance for children living with non-parent caregivers, exempts these caregivers from work requirements, and provides grants for states to develop support plans for grandparents raising grandchildren. The legislation specifically helps older caregivers and those caring for children with disabilities by disregarding their income when determining eligibility for assistance.
Maddy summary# Summary of Section 1327: Disclosure of Flood Risk Information Prior to Transfer of Property This section establishes new requirements for disclosing flood risk information before property transactions occur: 1. **Effective Date**: After September 30, 2024, no new flood insurance coverage may be provided for real property unless a required flood hazard disclosure is provided to the purchaser or lessee. 2. **For Property Sellers**: - Must provide written disclosure to purchasers before they become obligated under a purchase contract - Must disclose: * Prior flood damage to structures on the property * Previous insurance claims related to flood damage * Repetitive loss structure status * Federal flood insurance obligations * Wetland status * Elevation certificate status * Previous disaster assistance received * Relative flood risk and approximate cost of flood insurance 3. **For Property Lessors** (for leases of 30+ days): - Must provide written disclosure to lessees before they become obligated under a lease contract - Must disclose: * Federal flood insurance obligations * Prior flood damage to the leased unit * Availability of flood insurance coverage for contents 4. **State Flexibility**: The section explicitly states that nothing prevents states from adopting additional disclosure requirements beyond those specified in this section. 5. **Implementation Deadline**: Property owners must provide satisfactory assurance that flood hazard disclosure requirements meeting these standards will be adopted for their area by October 1, 2024 (as amended in Section 1305(c)). This provision aims to increase transparency about flood risks before property transactions, helping potential buyers and renters make informed decisions about flood insurance needs and property risks.