Rep. Jamie Barton

Maddy summaryThis Pennsylvania House Resolution formally honors the memory of Berks County Police Officer Kristen M. Yeager, who died in the line of duty in May 2026. The bill outlines her personal background, educational achievements, and professional service to the Central Berks Police Department. It directs that a copy of the resolution be presented to her husband, Dustin Yeager, as a gesture of condolence from the General Assembly.

Maddy summaryPennsylvania House Bill 2737 amends the state's Public School Code to require annual reporting on student wait lists for career and technical education programs. The bill mandates that area career and technical boards submit data on the number of students waiting for enrollment in specific programs to the Department of Education by July 1 each year. Additionally, it requires the Secretary of Education to report this wait list information, broken down by program, to the state legislature's standing education committees annually.

Maddy summaryThis bill designates a specific highway interchange in Schuylkill County as a memorial to Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Michael E. Pahira, Jr., who died in the line of duty in 2026. The legislation requires the Department of Transportation to install signs identifying the interchange by his name. This action honors Trooper Pahira's service and memory without altering any traffic laws or infrastructure.

Maddy summaryHB 2163 updates Pennsylvania's Dental Law by clarifying definitions and licensing rules. It specifically revises the definition of "restricted faculty license" to allow licensed dental school faculty to teach in non-profit clinical facilities or accredited advanced education programs, while explicitly excluding profit-driven operations. The bill also amends licensing provisions to require a 10-year waiting period for applicants convicted under drug laws (like the Controlled Substance Act), unless they demonstrate rehabilitation and pose no risk to public safety. These changes directly affect dental schools, faculty members, and applicants with prior drug-related convictions seeking licensure. The bill focuses on modernizing scope-of-practice definitions and refining the review process for certain applicants, without altering general licensing requirements.

Maddy summaryThis Pennsylvania House resolution (HR 157) urges the U.S. Congress to pass H.R. 3023 (or similar legislation) during the 119th Congress, which would require the Department of Veterans Affairs and Department of Defense to provide stellate ganglion block (SGB) therapy to veterans and military members with PTSD. SGB is a low-risk neck injection procedure that targets nerves controlling stress responses, potentially alleviating symptoms like anxiety and hyperarousal. The resolution cites that 23% of recent veterans and 12-15% of older veterans have PTSD diagnoses, with current treatments helping only 40% of patients. It emphasizes SGB's decades-long use and support from veterans' organizations as a potential treatment option.

Maddy summaryHB 2102 amends Pennsylvania's Amber Alert law to create a new "Pennsylvania Purple Alert System" for missing individuals with specific conditions, including autism, Alzheimer's (under age 60), dementia (under age 60), traumatic brain injury, or similar impairments. The Pennsylvania State Police will establish and maintain this system to provide public alerts and coordinate with law enforcement for faster recovery of these vulnerable individuals. The bill updates the law's title to include the Purple Alert System and expands existing immunity protections for good Samaritans who assist in Amber Alert, MEPAS, or Purple Alert cases. This change adds a targeted alert system without altering the existing Amber Alert procedures.

Maddy summaryThis Pennsylvania House Resolution designates March 8, 2026, as "Fight of the Century Day" to commemorate the historic 1971 boxing match between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier. The bill honors the legendary event by recognizing the fighters' careers, their impact on boxing history, and their contributions to their communities. It serves as a commemorative measure with no regulatory or funding implications, requiring only that the date be officially recognized within the state. The resolution was introduced by multiple representatives and referred to the Committee on Tourism, Recreation and Economic Development for consideration.

Maddy summaryHR 362 is a procedural resolution that directs the House to discharge the Committee on Education from further consideration of House Bill 158, allowing HB 158 to move directly to the full House floor for a vote. This action bypasses the committee's review process, which typically requires committee approval before a bill can be debated on the floor. The resolution was placed on the calendar under Rule 53 on October 29, 2025, signaling it will now proceed to a floor vote. This change affects the legislative workflow for HB 158 but does not alter the content or policy of HB 158 itself.

Maddy summaryHB 2213 establishes a regulatory framework for "skill video gaming" in Pennsylvania, directly affecting businesses that operate or distribute gaming systems. The bill requires licenses from the Department of Revenue for operators, distributors, and establishments, imposes fees, and mandates a central reporting system to track transactions like "coin in/out" and jackpots. Key provisions include banning access for people under 18, prohibiting "miniature casinos," requiring security measures for players, and creating criminal penalties for operating unlicensed systems or distributing to minors. It aims to eliminate illegal gambling devices disguised as skill-based games while leveraging the State Lottery's existing experience in retail gaming oversight.

Maddy summaryHB 2196 requires electric and natural gas suppliers in Pennsylvania to provide consolidated billing, replacing separate bills from utilities and suppliers with a single bill showing all charges. This directly affects residential and commercial customers who choose alternative energy suppliers (currently only 23% of residential electric and 11.3% of natural gas customers). The key mechanism mandates that suppliers must consolidate all electric and natural gas charges onto one bill, using smart meter data to enable more tailored pricing options like time-of-use rates. The bill also includes penalties for non-compliance with these billing requirements.