Sen. Camera Bartolotta

Maddy summaryPennsylvania Senate Bill 1438 authorizes the state to issue a special "Green Star Family" license plate to family members of veterans who died by suicide related to their military service. To qualify, the veteran must have been discharged or released under conditions other than dishonorable, and the applicant must be a specific relative such as a spouse, parent, child, sibling, or foster parent. The special plate is available for passenger cars and trucks with a registered gross weight of 14,000 pounds or less, requiring a $28 fee in addition to standard registration costs.

Maddy summaryPennsylvania Senate Bill 1440 requires ambulances and Quick Response System vehicles to display a visible QR code in the patient care area. This code must link to a digital resource containing emergency airway management protocols for laryngectomy patients, visual guides for identifying stomas, and contact information for regional medical support. Emergency medical services agencies are responsible for keeping these codes functional and accessible without requiring login credentials. The state department of health must establish specific standards for the content, placement, and training related to these codes within 180 days of the bill's effective date.

Maddy summaryThis Pennsylvania Senate Resolution designates September 28, 2026, as "Green Star Veterans and Families Day" to honor veterans who died by suicide in connection with their military service. The bill formally recognizes the Green Star Service Banner as a symbol of remembrance for these individuals. It aims to acknowledge the resilience of the families left behind and raise public awareness about the mental health challenges and suicide crisis affecting veterans.

Maddy summaryPennsylvania Senate Bill 1421 authorizes municipalities to install automated cameras in school zones to enforce traffic laws, specifically targeting failures to stop at signs or yield to pedestrians. The bill imposes a $50 fine on the registered vehicle owner rather than the driver, with a mandatory 30-day warning period before fines are issued. It requires that all revenue generated from these fines be reinvested into local road safety projects, such as sidewalk improvements and traffic signal upgrades. Additionally, the legislation mandates strict privacy protections, including the blurring of pedestrian faces in images and prohibiting the use of camera data for general surveillance or sale to third parties.

Maddy summaryPennsylvania Senate Bill 1426 designates the Interstate 81 and State Route 4007 interchange, known as Exit 119 in Schuylkill County, as the PSP Trooper Michael E. Pahira, Jr. Memorial Interchange. The bill honors Trooper Pahira, who died in July 2026 after being struck by a tractor-trailer while conducting a commercial vehicle safety inspection at that specific location. It directs the state Department of Transportation to erect and maintain signs displaying the new name at the interchange.

Maddy summaryPennsylvania Senate Bill 1422 amends state agriculture laws to prohibit the commercial sale of cell-cultured protein, which is defined as food made from animal cells or DNA grown outside the living animal. The bill adds a specific legal definition for this product and explicitly bans its manufacturing, selling, delivery, or offering for sale within the state. These restrictions apply to all producers and vendors of such products, effectively removing them from the Pennsylvania market. The law is set to take effect 60 days after it is signed.

Maddy summarySB 1294 amends Pennsylvania's Private Licensed Schools Act to allow the State Board of Private Licensed Schools to impose civil fines of up to $25,000 on unlicensed training schools and commercial driving schools. This bill directly affects individuals or organizations offering driver training programs without the required state license, granting the board authority to levy these penalties for each violation. Before a fine is collected, the affected party has the right to request a hearing through existing state legal procedures. The law takes effect immediately upon passage.

Maddy summarySB 992 updates Pennsylvania's 1996 Telemarketer Registration Act to strengthen rules for phone sales calls. It requires telemarketers to register and prohibits blocking caller ID features used to screen calls, while banning unwanted solicitation calls. The bill also clarifies penalties for violations and enhances enforcement mechanisms for consumer protection. These changes directly affect telemarketers operating in Pennsylvania and aim to reduce unwanted calls for residents.

Maddy summarySB 349 requires solar energy facility owners (grantees) to provide detailed decommissioning plans and financial assurance to cover cleanup costs when facilities stop operating. Owners must submit these plans and secure funds starting 30 days before construction begins, with the required amount increasing incrementally over 25 years (reaching 100% of estimated costs by year 25). The financial assurance - held in escrow, bonds, or certificates - must be paid to landowners if owners fail to decommission facilities properly. This directly affects solar facility operators and landowners by ensuring funds are available for site restoration after a facility's operational life ends.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows Pennsylvania municipalities to temporarily pause the review of new applications for high-impact data centers, which are defined by their significant electrical power usage. Under the new rules, local governments can impose a moratorium lasting up to 18 months to conduct studies on infrastructure capacity, public safety, and environmental impacts before approving such facilities. The measure is optional and does not affect existing data centers or other types of development, but it requires municipalities to hold public hearings and make reasonable progress on planning activities during the pause. Additionally, the bill provides a process for applicants to request waivers if strict enforcement would cause unique hardship, ensuring that the pause serves as a planning tool rather than a permanent ban.