“Let doctors treat patients, and let families care for their kids,” state Rep. Dan Frankel said. “This bill simply allows families to focus on what the research says and what’s best for their child – not whether their county is red or blue.” Read more
HARRISBURG, June 27 – In the wake of major changes to a federal vaccine advisory panel that could threaten Pennsylvanians’ access to life-saving immunizations, state Reps. Arvind Venkat, Bridget Kosierowski and Tarik Khan, all health professionals, are preparing to introduce legislation that would require private insurers and Medicaid to cover FDA-approved vaccines that have been recommended by certain medical organizations. Venkat said the legislation is needed to ensure that critical immunization protections remain available to Pennsylvanians. “As a physician, I know that vaccines are among the most powerful tools we have in our arsenal for preventing disease. The administration of scheduled childhood vaccines and recommended vaccines to adults has protected all Pennsylvanians for decades,” said Venkat. “Unfortunately, recent developments at the federal level – including the firing of all members of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices and their replacement with at least several known anti-vaccine activists – is a warning sign. “If ACIP fails to continue recommending certain FDA-approved vaccines, insurers will no longer have to cover them, and critical immunizations that protect children and vulnerable Pennsylvanians from deadly diseases would disappear. Beyond the human toll, long-term health care Read more
HARRISBURG, June 26 – To take on the ongoing housing crisis across the state, the Pennsylvania House has passed state Rep. Lindsay Powell’s bill that would establish a new grant program to support improvements to housing stock. House Bill 1650 , introduced by Powell, D-Allegheny, and co-prime sponsored by state Reps. Brandon Markosek, D-Allegheny, and Tim Twardzik, R-Schuylkill, would establish the Pennsylvania Home Preservation Grant Program, a Department of Community and Economic Development-administered program to help local governments improve the existing housing stock in their communities. “Having a safe, healthy home is vital in allowing residents to establish a sense of stability,” Powell said . “This bill would enable people to stay in their homes, while also tackling the housing crisis and allowing our communities to prosper.” The program would address the long waitlists for home repairs by focusing on critical cases, a key success of the Commonwealth’s previous Whole Home Repairs Program, which was funded through one-time federal American Rescue Plan dollars. Over 18,000 homeowners ended up on waitlists for home repairs under the prior program. The bill was considered by the House Housing & Community Development Committee, which reported it out of committee earlier this week in a bipartisan manner. “As chairman and co-prime of the bill, I moved Read more
HARRISBURG, June 24 – State Rep. Abigail Salisbury today introduced legislation that would require all Pennsylvania newborns to be tested for Gaucher disease – an inherited genetic disorder with far-reaching health consequences. Salisbury, D-Allegheny, said H.B. 1652 would ensure diagnosis at the earliest possible time, when treatment can help alleviate some symptoms of the disease. “Currently, there is no cure for Gaucher disease, which causes fatty substances to accumulate and enlarge the liver and spleen,” Salisbury said. “People born with the disorder can develop a litany of problems, from organ, blood and bone disorders to gynecological and obstetric problems, to even some cancers. “The good news is that timely detection and treatment can alleviate some of the symptoms and help people achieve better outcomes. My bill would ensure that Gaucher testing is included among the diseases for which Pennsylvania newborns are screened. It’s a simple step that can make a huge difference in the life of someone born with this disease.” Gaucher disease is a genetic condition in which a person is missing an enzyme that breaks down lipids – fatty compounds in the body that serve various important functions. This can result in symptoms including a large liver and spleen, low number of red blood cells, easy bruising, bone pain, bone fractures and lung disease. In rare cases, the Read more
Steele’s resolution requires the Joint State Government Commission to study the efficacy of burying electric and other utility lines in Pennsylvania. This resolution follows the powerful April storms in Allegheny County, which left some residents without power for over two weeks. Read more
HARRISBURG, June 20 – State Rep. Dan Goughnour, D-Allegheny, lauded the significant investment that Japan’s Nippon Steel will make in the Mon Valley under its newly finalized pact with U.S. Steel which will keep the company’s footprint in Pittsburgh. “Good-paying local jobs are the backbone of our area,” Goughnour said. “This deal ensures that those jobs are secure and that the local economy will continue to benefit from the company’s investment in steel-making in the Mon Valley.” The deal finalizing Nippon’s $14.9 billion takeover of U.S. Steel calls for Nippon to invest $11 billion in U.S. Steel facilities through 2028. It also gives the U.S. president power to veto major business decisions. Most U.S. Steel employees will also receive a $5,000 closing bonus from Nippon. Nippon has also committed to keeping U.S. Steel headquartered in Pittsburgh, maintaining production totals that meet domestic demand, and appointing American citizens to high-ranking management positions and a majority of board seats. Read more
BRADDOCK, June 18 – New housing opportunities are coming to the 34 th Legislative District, thanks to $1 million in new funding from the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency, state Rep. Abigail Salisbury announced today. Salisbury, D-Allegheny, said the funding awarded through the Pennsylvania Housing Affordability and Rehabilitation Enhancement Fund will support half a dozen projects to fund construction of affordable housing in Wilkinsburg, strengthen home repair and neighborhood revitalization programs and support services that empower people to break the cycle of homelessness. “Safe, affordable housing means stability to raise a family, access to a network of community support, the ability to pursue job opportunities and so much more,” Salisbury said. “It means having a sense of security and permanence. This new funding will help put more people on that path by supporting projects to expand housing options, help existing homeowners stay in their homes and help people dealing with the threat of chronic homelessness.” Salisbury said the funding includes: $300,000 to Wilkinsburg Community Development Corp. for the Strong Neighborhoods HARP Program, which supports home repairs and neighborhood preservation projects, funds projects to acquire and rehabilitate vacant properties and empowers residents to remain in their homes. $250,000 to Wilkinsburg Land Bank for Phase 3 of the “60 Read more
AMBRIDGE, June 12 – New grants totaling $925,000 from the Pennsylvania Housing and Finance Agency will help more Beaver County residents find secure, permanent housing and provide existing homeowners the resources they need to stay safe in their homes, state Rep. Rob Matzie announced today. Matzie, who is chairman of the House Majority Caucus, said eight grants – funded by Marcellus Shale Impact Fees and Realty Transfer Taxes – will support Beaver County and local nonprofit programs to bolster housing opportunities and resources for homeowners. “Safe, reliable housing isn’t a luxury – it’s a necessity and a critical connection to job opportunities, a stable family environment, and access to the network of support that goes with being part of a community,” Matzie said. “Securing this funding will help more people break free of the chronic risk of homelessness, help new prospective homeowners become more financially savvy and allow homeowners to make needed modifications and repairs so they can stay safe at home.” Matzie said the funding includes: $200,000 to Housing Opportunities of Beaver County to rehabilitate one duplex and one single-family home in Aliquippa, creating four affordable housing units and training underserved young adults in construction. $150,000 to The Salvation Army to help people served by homeless prevention Read more
HARRISBURG, June 11 – The House Local Government Committee today approved legislation introduced by state Reps. Abigail Salisbury, D-Allegheny, and Andrew Kuzma, R-Allegheny/Washington, that would help equip municipalities with the expertise and resources needed to obtain state grants. Salisbury said she introduced H.B. 1560 to address a disparity that often leaves communities most needing grant funding at a disadvantage when it comes to securing that funding. “State grants can be a critical lifeline to services and resources, yet the communities most needing those dollars often lose out because they lack the expertise and resources needed to effectively apply for the funding,” Salisbury said. “Our bill would level the playing field and help these communities compete for grants by providing grant-writing training and the resources to contract with grant-writing services when needed.” “Two boroughs in my legislative district are home to less than 500 people each,” Kuzma said. “Small and rural municipalities like these do not have the ability to apply for grants like larger municipalities throughout our Commonwealth. This legislation will put them on more level footing to compete for funding.” Salisbury introduced a similar version of the bill in 2023. It passed the House in June of that year but stalled in the state Senate. Read more
HARRISBURG, June 10 – Lawmakers and food allergy advocates joined forces today at the state Capitol to push for passage of legislation that would make the state’s restaurants and other food retail establishments safer for more than 1.3 million Pennsylvanians living with food allergies, according to the bill’s prime sponsors, state Reps. Arvind Venkat and Natalie Mihalek. Venkat, D-Allegheny, said H.B. 77 – which passed the House earlier this year with strong bipartisan support – would reduce life-threatening risks by targeting practices in higher-risk settings, including restaurants and other retail food facilities, where patrons are often unknowingly exposed to allergens. “As an emergency physician, I have treated hundreds of patients with life-threatening allergic reactions, including many food-based reactions that could have been prevented,” Venkat said. “As a lawmaker, I know we can do more to reduce that risk. “One important way is by mandating changes in higher-risk settings like restaurants and other food retail facilities, where cross-contamination during food preparation, failing to notify customers about the need to convey their food allergies, or a patron’s failure to alert staff of food allergies accounts for many incidents. Earlier this year, the House passed our bill that would require these businesses to increase food allergy awareness among employees Read more
HARRISBURG, June 11 – In the wake of the April 29 storm that left 400,000 western Pennsylvania residents without power, state Reps. Abigail Salisbury and Mandy Steele, both D-Allegheny, and state Rep. Valerie Gaydos, R-Allegheny, will soon introduce legislation that would give state legislative offices greater ability to help residents prepare for weather emergencies. Salisbury said the bill – which would require the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency to share weather emergency alerts with state legislative offices and create a direct channel of communication with them – would address a gap in the information network that leaves state offices without timely notification and, consequently, less able to assist their communities. “Currently, when a major storm threatens, PEMA sends alerts to county emergency management agencies, which in turn notify local officials,” Salisbury said. “As a result, when the April 29 storm hit, county officials had advance notice and were able to help residents prepare. Unfortunately, our state legislative offices do not receive these notices from PEMA, which hinders our ability to provide this critical assistance. “Our bill would remedy this by mandating that PEMA provide state legislative offices with the same alerts they send county agencies, as well as a direct communication channel for our offices to contact the agency during weather emergencies. It’s our job Read more
Sinkholes have cost millions of dollars in property damage. Is the state doing enough about them? Read more
Rally with PCAR to increase budget funding for rape crisis centers Read more
Duo pushes reform legislation at Capitol rally with Abolitionist Law Center Read more
HARRISBURG, June 4 – Pennsylvania consumers are one step closer to protection from an unfair and unscrupulous sales practice after a strong bipartisan majority of the PA House today passed state Rep. Rob Matzie’s bill to ban speculative ticketing. Matzie, who is chairman of the House Majority Caucus, said he introduced H.B. 463 to eliminate a practice in which ticket resellers list event tickets for sale before even having those tickets in hand. “People give up their hard-earned money to buy tickets so they can enjoy special shows and events with friends, family, and loved ones,” said Matzie. “They have a right to assume the seller has those tickets in hand. When it turns out that the seller never had them and was unable to get them, it’s the consumer who loses. At best, they may get their money back. At worst, they lose their ticket money and any other expenses, like travel and lodging, they laid out. “A sales transaction between a buyer and seller should never be based on a gamble that the seller will be able to obtain the item for sale. We don’t allow that to happen with other consumer goods, and we shouldn’t let it happen with ticket sales. It’s very simple – if you don’t have it, you can’t sell it. I’m pleased that a strong bipartisan majority of the House sided with Pennsylvania consumers today by passing my bill.” Read more
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
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