Newly listed state grant opportunities Read more
AMBRIDGE, May 22 – Nearly $80,000 in new grant funding from the state Department of Environment Protection will support environmental education for Beaver County students and composting and PFAS workshops to benefit area residents, state Rep. Rob Matzie announced today. Matzie said the funding includes $19,180 to Beaver County’s RiverWise for the Summer Sustainability Institute education program; $28,424 to Pennsylvania Resources Council Inc., for the Small Scale Composting for Urban Communities project; and $30,000 to Pennsylvania State University for workshops to teach participants from Beaver and several other counties about PFAS. “When we educate students about the environment, we’re teaching them lessons about community engagement, empowering them to fight food insecurity, and encouraging them to care for and conserve natural resources. We’re also introducing them to potential career paths,” said Matzie, who is chairman of the House Majority Caucus. “With this new funding, the Summer Sustainability Institute will teach those lessons to Beaver County middle school and high school students by providing hands-on learning about urban farming, sustainability, climate change and much more. They’re lessons that will be useful for life.” Matzie said the funding to Pennsylvania Resources Council Inc. will support composting workshops in Beaver, Allegheny, Delaware and Fayette counties Read more
“Our region suffered a major hit during this unprecedented storm,” said Steele, who hosted the hearing and represents portions of Allegheny County. “The sustained power outages were more than an inconvenience. We had older residents in life-and-death situations, unable to use life-sustaining medical devices in their homes, and we experienced major roadway closures.” Read more
PITTSBURGH, May 19 – State Rep. Arvind Venkat will host a community town hall meeting from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Thursday, May 29 at La Roche University’s Zappala Campus Center, located at 9000 Babcock Blvd. in McCandless Township. Venkat said the event will be a chance for residents to come together as a community and share what is on their minds. “In my door-knocking, I hear from so many engaged residents who tell me about their hopes and priorities for our community,” Venkat said. “With dangerous policies being proposed at the federal level that will have a direct impact upon our community and state, I also hear a lot of questions and concerns. Now, more than ever, it’s important for people to have a chance to speak out and for elected officials to listen. “My upcoming town hall will be an opportunity for us to gather as a community, for residents to discuss the issues on their minds, and for me to hear more about what messages need to resonate in Harrisburg. I urge everyone to attend.” Residents who plan to attend can RSVP at this page: https://pahouse.com/venkat/RSVP/?id=1736 . EDITORS NOTE : Media is welcome and may indicate their plan to attend by contacting Venkat’s office at 412-348-8028 or emailing RepVenkat@pahouse.net . Read more
HARRISBURG, May 14 – The Pennsylvania House of Representatives today unanimously passed legislation that would allow family of members of the Pennsylvania National Guard to claim additional education benefits each time the Guard member reenlists or renews their service commitment, the bill’s co-prime sponsors, state Reps. Arvind Venkat and Craig Williams, announced. House Bill 865 would amend the state’s Military Family Education Program – also known as the Pennsylvania GI Bill – to clarify that the program’s education benefit is renewable each time a Guard member reenlists or renews their service obligation for an additional six-year term. “Our military men and women sacrifice so much when they commit to serve, and their families also sacrifice each time they say goodbye to a loved one leaving for duty,” said Venkat, D-Allegheny. “The Military Family Education Program is an excellent way of giving back to these families while also boosting Guard recruitment and retention. “As written, the existing law leaves some uncertainty regarding whether the education benefit is renewable. By making clear that the benefit is available each time a Guard member reenlists or renews their service commitment, our bill would give greater effect to this powerful program.” “House Bill 865 honors the full scope of service that Guard members and their families provide,” said Williams, Read more
EDGE 2.0 tax credit expansion leveraging Shapiro’s Lightning Plan advances Read more
HARRISBURG, May 13 – In a move to help fight medical debt, the Pennsylvania House today passed bipartisan legislation that would ensure patients are better informed about hospital-based financial assistance programs and how to access them, announced the bill’s co-prime sponsor, state Rep. Arvind Venkat, D-Allegheny. House Bill 79 , which Venkat introduced with state Reps. Nate Davidson, Tarik Khan, Bridget M. Kosierowski, Andrew Kuzma, Jim Rigby and Tim Twardzik, would mandate the development of standardized, plain-language hospital financial aid forms, which would be shared with patients on intake and discharge, displayed on billing paperwork and posted publicly on hospital and state health websites. “Hospital-based financial aid can help patients avoid life-altering medical debt, yet many patients are unaware that these programs even exist or how to access them,” said Venkat, an emergency physician and legislator who sits on the House Health Committee. “Our legislation would make sure patients receive this information in a standardized, easily understandable format so they can reap the benefits of these programs. Our bill would also require hospitals to suspend billing pending a decision on the patient’s application. Making the system more accessible and user-friendly for patients will help prevent all Pennsylvanians from accumulating medical debt.” “As a nurse practitioner, I’ve seen how Read more
“Blight hurts every type of community in Pennsylvania, from rural areas to Main Street business districts,” Markosek said. “It weakens property values, drives away investment, and disrupts neighborhoods. But when communities address blight head-on, they can stabilize neighborhoods, renew interest from property owners and developers and attract small businesses and new housing.” Read more
HARRISBURG, May 12 – With the growing demand for GLP-1 medications to treat obesity, state Reps. Arvind Venkat and Bryan Cutler are preparing to introduce legislation that would ensure those drugs remain available to Medical Assistance patients while significantly cutting costs to the state. The bill would allow Pennsylvania to purchase GLP-1 medications for Medicaid patients at a lower cost by implementing a “subscription model” – a system in which a state agrees to pay a certain amount per treatment up to a cap, at which point the drug manufacturer provides additional treatments at no cost. “GLP-1 drugs that treat obesity can also help patients avoid serious and costly diseases like type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, kidney disease and potentially others,” said Venkat, a physician and legislator who is a member of the House Health and Human Services committees. “For the state, healthier outcomes for Medicaid patients translate to significant cost savings. “The challenge is that these medications are costly to the state now, while the savings from lower disease rates won’t be realized until future years. By implementing a subscription model, our bill would help the state significantly reduce upfront costs without limiting the number of patients who can receive needed treatment for obesity.” The subscription model – colloquially also known as the “Netflix model” Read more
"This is a victory for common sense, public health and communities who have paid the highest price under prohibition," said state Rep. Dan Frankel, who chairs the House Health Committee. "We cannot allow the missteps of other states to stop us from ending the harmful policies of cannabis prohibition. Instead, we have the opportunity to chart a new course that protects public health and benefits Pennsylvanians whether they use cannabis or not." Read more
HARRISBURG, May 7 – The Pennsylvania House today adopted state Rep. Rob Matzie’s resolution recognizing the importance of railroads and their impact on the commonwealth’s history. Matzie, who is chairman of the House Majority Caucus, said he introduced H.R. 187 – recognizing May 10, 2025, as “National Train Day” in Pennsylvania – as a reminder of how railroads transformed the commonwealth’s landscape physically, economically and socially. “From the mid-1800s on, the rail industry played a huge role in powering our economic growth and shaping our landscape,” Matzie said. “Once businesses were freed from having to rely on water-based shipping, they began locating all over the state, and towns and urban centers began growing up around them. “At the same time, the rail industry’s demand for materials and fuel boosted our steel and coal industries, and with new trains carrying our steel, iron and coal throughout the state and beyond, we grew into an industrial powerhouse.” Matzie said that today, trains also play a key role in easing congestion on our roads, linking cities and rural communities and providing a means of mass transportation that is more environmentally friendly than air travel or gas-powered cars. National Train Day was first established in 2008 and is celebrated annually on the Read more
Legislation creating state logo to identify veteran-owned businesses advances Read more
Powell’s legislation would make it possible for clerical workers, bus drivers, janitors, lunch staff, security and related positions employed by the school district to apply for unemployment compensation during an extended break between school terms. Currently, these staff members are forced to rely on temporary positions over the longer breaks to pay bills and feed their families. Read more
HARRISBURG, May 6 – The PA House today passed bipartisan consumer protection legislation introduced by state Rep. Arvind Venkat along with state Reps. Rob Matzie and Tom Mehaffie that would prohibit businesses from charging additional fees for providing paper account statements. Venkat, D-Allegheny, said the measure would shield lower-income people, older adults and others with limited access to digital technology from unnecessary and often hidden financial burdens. House Bill 81 would classify paper statement fees as an unfair or deceptive practice. While businesses could still encourage digital options through incentives, they would be forbidden from charging consumers more when they prefer paper copies of their account statements. “Far too many Pennsylvanians – especially seniors, those on fixed incomes, and people without reliable internet – rely on paper statements to manage their finances,” said Venkat, the prime sponsor of the bill. “Charging a fee just to access basic account information and manage one’s finances is an unnecessary expense for consumers. This legislation puts an end to that.” Financial institutions sometimes charge between 50 cents and $5 per month for paper statements – fees that can add up to $60 annually per account. These charges disproportionately impact consumers least able to afford them. “This is about fairness,” said Read more
This one-of-a-kind event brings together self-advocates, parents, educators, service providers, state officials and legislators to discuss the state of disability and mental health in Pennsylvania. Free and open to the public, the summit also includes a popular Resource Fair from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. May 8 with more than 140 organizations in attendance. Read more
Reps. Rick Krajewski, D-Phila., and Dan Frankel, D-Allegheny, officially introduced long-awaited legislation to legalize adult-use cannabis in Pennsylvania — a bold, thoughtful proposal designed to center public health, repair communities harmed by prohibition, and create a stable, sustainable market. Read more
“Pennsylvanians deserve a public transportation system that is safe, reliable and accessible,” said Abney, D-Allegheny. “As significant service cuts are being proposed for our public transit agencies, we’re exploring every possible avenue with legislation like this to secure more dollars and ensure residents can continue getting to where they need to be." Read more
BRADDOCK, April 29 – State Rep. Abigail Salisbury will host her first two town halls of 2025 in Braddock Hills and Rankin on April 30 and May 1, respectively, to hear residents’ priorities for the coming year. Salisbury said she is encouraging everyone to attend and share their thoughts. “Now, more than ever, it's important for people to speak up and share their concerns and priorities, and for their representatives to listen,” Salisbury said. “Nothing is more valuable than a resident’s own perspectives about life in their own home community, and when we take those messages back to Harrisburg, we have greater power to make change happen at the state level. “With puzzling and confusing events happening in Washington, people need to know that their voices are still being heard and that those voices are powerful.” Salisbury said the town halls will be held at the following times and locations: Braddock Hills – April 30 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., Braddock Hills Borough building (lower level), 1300 Brinton Rd., Pittsburgh, PA 15221. Rankin – May 1 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., Rankin Christian Center, 230 3 rd Ave., Rankin, PA 15104. Additional town halls are being planned for those unable to attend the Braddock Hills or Rankin events. Anyone with questions should call 412-273-3400. Read more
HARRISBURG, April 23 – Pennsylvania communities are one step closer to having a powerful new tool to fight blight after the state House today passed Rep. Abigail Salisbury’s bill that would make it easier for land banks to acquire abandoned properties. Salisbury, D-Allegheny, said she introduced H.B. 743 – which would allow a municipality to designate a blighted or abandoned property for acquisition by a land bank – to address a longstanding issue that frustrates residents and small businesses and poses economic problems for municipalities. “When a property owner abandons or severely neglects their property over the years, the entire community pays the price – in higher crime, health and safety hazards, lower property values and the exodus of small businesses and residents,” Salisbury said. “It’s an issue that has frustrated residents, business owners and local officials for decades, but municipalities have had their hands tied. “One way we can attack the problem is by giving communities new tools to deal with properties that have a long history of safety or code violations. By allowing local governments to designate these properties for acquisition by land banks, we can free up these blighted lots for productive use – for parks and green spaces, for construction of affordable housing, for small businesses – for all the beneficial uses that make communities Read more
HARRISBURG, April 23 – The Pennsylvania House today adopted state Rep. Rob Matzie’s resolution designating April 2025 as “Pennsylvania 8-1-1 Safe Digging Month.” Matzie, who is chairman of the House Majority Caucus, said he introduced H.R.34 to remind Pennsylvanians that they have a legal responsibility to call the 8-1-1 “Call before You Dig” hotline before doing any kind of digging. “Most of us rarely think about the extensive network of utilities, pipes and cables buried beneath our feet, but we do need to remember them any time we are planning a project involving digging – from the smallest backyard projects to major excavations,” Matzie said. “State law requires everyone – homeowners and contractors alike – to dial 8-1-1 at least three days before doing any digging so that utilities can mark underground structures beforehand. “It’s a free call that keeps workers safe, protects underground structures from costly damage and prevents service interruptions.” Matzie said calling 8-1-1 is required even for shallow digging projects and those located directly on a homeowner’s private property. More information is available here: https://www.puc.pa.gov/pipeline-safety/pa-one-call/#:~:text=Homeowners%20and%20contractors%20must%20call,begins%20to%20disturb%20the%20earth . Before being appointed to House Read more
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