HARRISBURG, July 3 – State Reps. Lindsay Powell’s and Shelby Labs’ bill that would establish the Victims of Violence Relocation Act passed the state House today. Under the legislation ( H.B. 2162 ), eligible violent crime survivors would be entitled to relocation assistance, and the timeframe for requesting such assistance would be increased from 90 to 180 days after the crime occurred. The legislators said this would allow survivors more time to access necessary support and would ensure they can utilize federal documentation to validate their need for relocation. “Partnering with Representative Labs on this bill exemplifies that the PA House stands united with survivors of violent crime by expanding housing assistance to them in their time of need,” Powell, D-Allegheny, said. “Thank you to all my colleagues for your affirmative votes and your commitment to helping survivors start their lives anew.” “I want to thank Representative Powell for her collaboration on this important piece of legislation that protects victims and empowers survivors,” Labs, R-Bucks, added. “The passage of House Bill 2162 is a critical step in ensuring our commitment to making Pennsylvania a safer place for victims of violence and providing a foundation of support during recovery.” The Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence says one in three women, one in four men and nearly half of LGBTQ+ individuals will Read more
PA CROWN Act legislation has been stalled in Senate committee for nearly one year Read more
“Over 140 pharmacies have closed in our Commonwealth since the beginning of the year,” said Dr. Mayank “Dr. Mak” Amin, the owner of Skippack Pharmacy. “While I stand here and celebrate our pharmacy’s 5th anniversary, we are also bleeding due to poor reimbursements and patient steering. Community pharmacies like Skippack Pharmacy vaccinated over 100,000 patients during the pandemic and provided critical supplies to those in need, but what will save community pharmacies like ours?" Read more
HARRISBURG, July 2 – State Rep. Lindsay Powell and several Democratic members of the Pennsylvania House and Senate shared their reactions to the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent decision on homelessness at a news conference in the Capitol Main Rotunda today. On Friday, the court ruled that sleeping outside in public places can be an arrestable offense and banning it does not qualify as “cruel and unusual punishment” under the Eighth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. “We are here today because our Supreme Court sided with cities and municipalities, who are more concerned with public appearances than with building enough affordable housing,” Powell, D-Allegheny, said. “Now, our neighbors are confronted with a harsh reality: remain awake or face arrest.” Powell has signed on as a co-sponsor to future legislation that would clarify the decriminalization of homelessness in Pennsylvania and allow individuals to occupy public spaces. She also recently introduced H.B. 2454 , legislation that would establish the Affordable Homeownership Program under the state Department of Community and Economic Development . The program would award funds for a variety of homeownership-related projects to individuals and households through sponsoring organizations. “The House and the Senate are committed to doing everything in our power to provide actual solutions and actual housing units,” she added. “We will continue to Read more
Newly listed grant programs Read more
PA students currently owe $80 million in unpaid lunch debt Read more
HARRISBURG, July 1 – State Rep. Aerion Abney’s bill that would exclude one portion of a person’s potential revenue when determining their financial eligibility for senior prescription programs in Pennsylvania passed the state House with a bipartisan majority today. Abney’s legislation ( H.B. 2378 ) would not count the total dollar amount, including face value and interest earned, of redeemed savings bonds as part of an older Pennsylvanian’s income when they apply for either the Pharmaceutical Assistance Contract for the Elderly or PACE Needs Enhancement Tier, otherwise known as PACE and PACENET. “Rising prescription drugs costs have created a no-win situation for many PA seniors, forcing them to choose between cashing in their bonds to afford necessary medications or be disqualified from state prescription coverage for doing so. My bill would take this predicament off the table and keep more money in the pockets of our older neighbors,” Abney, D-Allegheny, said. “I’m grateful to my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for passing this personal and financial investment in our state elders and look forward to seeing it become law.” PACE is funded entirely by the Pennsylvania Lottery and has helped more than 1.6 million PA seniors pay for more than 360 million prescriptions. PACE and PACENET currently serve more than 250,000 older Pennsylvanians. The bill is Abney’s first as a state Read more
Benham urges state Senate vote on legislation to reform PBM practices Read more
BRADDOCK, June 27 – New funding of $60,000 will lay the groundwork for improved pedestrian and bike paths in Swissvale and Wilkinsburg, state Rep. Abigail Salisbury announced today. Salisbury, D-Allegheny, said the grants, which include $30,000 to each borough under the WalkWorks program, will help both communities develop Active Transportation Plans to increase physical activity. “Having access to a network of safe trails and bike paths that connect to local destinations is a great motivator for folks to get outside and reap the health benefits of walking and biking,” Salisbury said. “These grants will support planning for these improvements and allow both boroughs to gather the information and community input they need to move forward. “It’s going to be exciting seeing these improved pedestrian- and bike-friendly routes take shape.” Funding for the grants is provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention under the Preventive Health and Health Services Block Grant program and from the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Bureau of Recreation and Conservation through the Environmental Stewardship Fund. More information is available here: https://www.media.pa.gov/Pages/Health-Details.aspx?newsid=1884#:~:text=Harrisburg%2C%20PA%20%2D%20The%20Pennsylvania%20Department,improved%20pedestrian%2C%20bicycle%2C%20and%20transit . Read more
HARRISBURG, June 26 – State Rep. Lindsay Powell, D-Allegheny, has introduced a bill that would provide money to Pennsylvania individuals and families seeking to own their own home. Powell’s legislation ( H.B. 2454 ) would establish the Affordable Homeownership Program under the state Department of Community and Economic Development . The program would award grants to sponsoring organizations, who would then provide the funds to individuals or households with annual incomes between 60% and 120% of the area median income. Qualifying applicants would be able to use these funds for projects such as: Home purchasing assistance programs. Home repairs. Work force housing programs. Acquiring residential properties. Designing and constructing properties. Asset management studies of properties. Social and environmental studies of properties. Homeownership education programs. Land trusts acquiring properties (Homeowners would need to maintain at least 40% of the equity on the property). “The median home price shot through the roof to nearly $225,000 in March of this year and continues to climb. This, combined with other factors, has pushed owning a home away from reality and closer to fantasy for many Pennsylvanians,” Powell said. “Home ownership is not only part of the American dream, it’s crucial to building and fostering strong communities. My bill would benefit PA and all neighbors who call it home.” Grant Read more
“Today’s vote marks a significant step in removing barriers to speech therapy for families who might not seek treatment for their child because their insurance may not cover it,” Markosek said. “Starting speech therapy at a young age was a game-changer for me, and it helped me build confidence in not letting my stutter define me. By ensuring that speech therapy is covered by insurance, we are giving children who stutter the support they need and the opportunity to thrive.” Read more
Being accepted into a union apprenticeship program offers many benefits, such as job security, access to educational and training programs, and collective bargaining power. Read more
HARRISBURG, June 26 – Majority House Health Committee Chair Dan Frankel hailed his panel’s approval Wednesday of bipartisan legislation aimed at reducing health care disparities in rural areas by providing grants for the payment of education debt of physicians, nurses and midwives. “When rural facilities cannot attract or retain health care professionals, they can’t keep their doors open, and patients have to travel increasing distances to get basic preventative or emergency care – that’s bad for outcomes, and it’s bad for this commonwealth,” said Frankel, who worked with Republican Health Chair Kathy Rapp to develop the bill ( H.B. 2382 ). “The foundation of our health care system is its workers, so that’s where any effort to support rural health institutions must begin.” The bill received unanimous approval by the committee. The panel also approved legislation introduced by Reps. Lisa Borowski and Paul Takac that would provide more oversight of mergers and other transactions that could threaten access to health services in the commonwealth. The bill ( H.B. 2344 ) would require health systems to file notice and documentation to the Office of the Attorney General before completing critical transactions and provide the Attorney General’s office with the tools needed to do their job of protecting the interests of health care consumers. “Health systems tend Read more
Legislation to help victims of landslides eligible for full vote in PA House Read more
“H.B. 350 is a much needed, commonsense reform that will update our parentage laws by providing uniform clarity, while recognizing what thousands of PA families already know -- that families come in every size and shape imaginable, and our laws must provide security for them all,” said Miller. Read more
Newly listed grant opportunities Read more
BRADDOCK, June 19 – New grant funding of $1.35 million will ensure more residents in the 34 th Legislative District have access to affordable housing and the critical benefits that go along with it, state Rep. Abigail Salisbury announced today. Salisbury, D-Allegheny, said some of the grants from the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency will fund construction or renovation of affordable housing units, while other funding will expand dispute resolution services and first-time homebuyer tools for residents across the region. “A place to call home means a place to be safe,” Salisbury said. “It means a place to provide security and shelter for loved ones, to have access to a network of neighbors and a community where services are available. It means the ability to go out and find meaningful work and a stable environment to return to. Everyone deserves these basic resources that flow from having a place to live. This funding is a huge step in that direction.” Salisbury said the funding includes: $300,000 to Zakiyah House for affordable housing units, with priority given to those who face housing discrimination because of a criminal record or substance use disorder mental health issues. $300,000 to Allegheny County Dept. of Human Services for expanding landlord-tenant dispute resolution services and stabilizing housing for residents. $250,000 to the Wilkinsburg Land Bank for a project to transform 43 Read more
The Pennsylvania House on Wednesday passed a bill establishing a lifetime grant program for substance use recovery. Read more
HARRISBURG, June 12 – State Rep. Arvind Venkat’s bill that would require the creation of materials to circulate information about the ongoing opioid public health crisis passed the Pennsylvania House of Representatives with a bipartisan majority today. The legislation, H.B. 1783 , would require the state Department of Health to consult with the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs to create a poster, to be displayed in public and private settings, which provides information about opioid overdose. The information would include: Signs of an opioid-related overdose. What to do if an opioid-related overdose occurs. Locating an agent to reverse opioid effects. Additional resources. “I’ve treated many patients in the throes of an opioid overdose as an emergency physician, and proactive measures to help stem the tide of this crisis are imperative,” Venkat, D-Allegheny, said. “I’m grateful to bipartisan House colleagues, especially Representative Jim Struzzi (R-Indiana), not only for their affirmative votes, but for their commitment to saving as many lives as possible with this legislation.” The legislation additionally would authorize the creation of a Lifetime Recovery from Substance Use Grant Program to assist in the development, expansion or improvement of recovery support services delivery in Pennsylvania. Spearheaded by state Reps. Jim Gregory, R-Blair/Huntingdon, and Read more
Please use the form below to sign up for email updates. By completing this form you are acknowledging your request to receive periodic email updates.
By completing this form, you are verifying your request to opt in for email updates...
Thank you. Your email signup has been sent. You should start getting emails within 24 hours.