Rep. Melissa Shusterman

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 2746 requires homeowners' and condominium owners' associations to provide full disclosure of infrastructure ownership and specific maintenance responsibilities during real estate transactions. These disclosures must clearly identify who is responsible for maintaining items such as roads, culverts, storm water facilities, and public safety lighting, as well as any associated inspection fees. The bill imposes escalating financial penalties on associations that fail to provide these documents before closing, starting at $5,000 for a first violation and increasing to $15,000 for third and subsequent offenses. This law applies to all residential property closings occurring after its effective date, which is set 60 days after enactment.

Maddy summaryHB 2124 establishes a "transfer on death deed" process in Pennsylvania, allowing property owners to directly transfer real estate to named beneficiaries upon their death without probate. The bill enables owners to create a legally binding deed (requiring only county recording before death) that automatically transfers property to designated beneficiaries, with no need for beneficiary acceptance or payment during the owner's lifetime. Owners retain full control to revoke or modify the deed anytime before death, using the same legal capacity required for making a will. This applies to all Pennsylvania property owners seeking to simplify post-death property transfers for homes, land, or other real estate, avoiding court involvement in estate administration.

Maddy summaryPennsylvania House Bill 2729 creates a new misdemeanor of the third degree for animal hoarding, defined as keeping animals in conditions that are unsanitary, unhealthful, malodorous, or dangerous to people, animals, or property. The bill specifies that each animal kept in violation constitutes a separate offense, but it excludes animals classified as agricultural commodities from this definition. For sentencing, the law requires a mental health evaluation of the defendant before any sentence is scheduled. If the court finds that the defendant suffered from a psychological or psychiatric disability at the time of the offense, it must order treatment and stay legal action pending a report on that treatment. Upon successful completion of treatment, the court must order the forfeiture of the animals, prohibit future ownership, reverse the conviction, and expunge the arrest record.

Maddy summaryPennsylvania House Bill 2730 amends state law to strengthen address confidentiality for victims of domestic and sexual violence who participate in the state's Address Confidentiality Program. The bill requires private entities, such as banks and real estate companies, to accept a designated substitute address instead of the participant's actual home or work location, with specific exceptions for certain registered offenders. It also allows program participants to request that their real property records be shielded from public inspection when they buy land or a house, ensuring their true address remains hidden in county deed records. Finally, the legislation establishes a detailed process for government agencies and private entities to request access to a participant's actual address, requiring them to prove a specific need and implement safeguards to protect that information once disclosed.

Maddy summaryPennsylvania House Bill 2728 amends state corporate law to prohibit business corporations, nonprofit corporations, and limited liability companies from directly or indirectly engaging in election activity or ballot question activity. The bill revokes existing general powers granted to these entities and re-grants them with specific exclusions for political spending, defining such activities as paying or contributing money to support or oppose candidates, political parties, or ballot measures. Any language in a corporate charter that purports to authorize this political activity is declared void, and any such activity conducted by an entity is considered ultra vires and legally invalid. Entities that violate these provisions face the automatic forfeiture of their charter privileges, including limited liability and perpetual duration, until they fully disgorge funds and certify future compliance. The Attorney General is authorized to pursue civil actions for injunctive relief and enforcement against non-compliant entities.

Maddy summaryThis bill proposes to add cruelty to animals as a new criminal offense in Pennsylvania's Title 18. It would make it illegal to intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly illtreat, overload, beat, abandon, or abuse any animal. Additionally, the law would specifically prohibit using animals to pull carriages for business or money in cities with populations of 100,000 or more. If passed, these changes would take effect 60 days after the bill becomes law.

Maddy summaryHB 1851 updates Pennsylvania's requirements for death and fetal death certificates under the 1953 Vital Statistics Law. It changes the specific information that must be recorded on these official documents, affecting hospitals, medical examiners, and vital records offices. The bill focuses on standardizing or adding details required for certification purposes. This procedural change aims to modernize record-keeping for public health data collection.

Maddy summaryHB 482 authorizes Pennsylvania to join the Interstate Occupational Therapy Licensure Compact, enabling licensed occupational therapists and assistants from Pennsylvania to practice in other participating states without obtaining separate licenses. The bill establishes mechanisms for mutual recognition of licenses, sharing of disciplinary and investigative data between states, and accountability for practitioners providing services across state lines. It directly affects occupational therapists, assistants, and patients seeking services in multiple states, particularly supporting military spouses relocating and expanding telehealth access. Key provisions include requiring states to participate in a shared data system, defining terms like "Compact Privilege," and preserving each state’s regulatory authority over local practice standards. This is a procedural bill enabling Pennsylvania’s participation in an existing interstate framework, not creating new licensing requirements.