Lawmakers call to protect survivors, increase accountability for repeat PFA violations Read more

“All this misinformation coming from the White House and federal government has done real damage,” said Rep. Abigail Salisbury, who hosted the hearing, serves as the chair of the Pennsylvania Autism Caucus and is autistic. “We heard directly from medical professionals, who explained how resources and their time is being dominated by combatting this misinformation – instead of devoting their time to research or dealing with the real-life concerns of their patients.” Read more

Legislation establishing Landslide and Sinkhole Insurance Program heads to Senate Read more

HARRISBURG, Sept. 29 — Pennsylvania would conduct a new public awareness campaign to get more fathers involved in prenatal care and the birthing process under a bill sponsored by state Rep. Aerion Abney that passed the House today with strong bipartisan support. House Bill 1212 , dubbed the PA Dads Matter Act, directs the Department of Health to conduct the campaign. Abney, D-Allegheny, introduced the bill as part of MOMNIBUS 2.0, a comprehensive legislative package that seeks to improve birthing outcomes and confronts the staggering rate of Black maternal mortality and morbidity in Pennsylvania. “I feel very strongly about this bill,” Abney said. “A dad’s involvement can make an enormous difference in a healthy pregnancy and birth. When a dad is engaged, there are lower chances of unhealthy birth weight and lower risks of postpartum mood and anxiety disorders.” Abney, the father of two sons, modeled the bill after bipartisan federal legislation drawn up by Sen. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., and former Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla. “The MOMNIBUS is about more than just moms!” said state Rep. Morgan Cephas, D-Philadelphia, the bill’s prime co-sponsor. “When dads and partners are engaged in the process, we know that birthing outcomes improve greatly for everyone. The Dads Matter Act highlights the role that fathers play to uplift the health and wellbeing of babies and mothers before, during and after Read more

HARRISBURG, Sept. 26 – In the wake of last week’s comments by federal officials linking maternal acetaminophen use to an increased risk of autism, state Rep. Abigail Salisbury will host a state legislative hearing featuring medical and scientific experts on autism next week at the state Capitol. Salisbury said the hearing, facilitated at her request by the House Majority Policy Committee, will take place at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 30 in Room 205 of the Ryan Office Building. “It’s our responsibility as lawmakers to make sure our policymaking is guided by science, not speculation,” said Salisbury, who chairs the Pennsylvania Autism Caucus and is the first person with autism to hold this position. “I am grateful to the House Majority Policy Committee for convening this hearing, which will feature medical professionals, researchers and experts on the autism spectrum to ensure our policymaking is informed by science and medical evidence—not junk science and speculation.” Salisbury said she believes the hearing will be an important first step and that she looks forward to continuing conversations with experts so that the path forward is guided by science, not fear or confusion. The meeting will be livestreamed at: https://youtube.com/live/-0WdZlhsORs . Media coverage is invited. Read more

HARRISBURG, Sept. 22 – State Rep. Abigail Salisbury, Chair of the Pennsylvania Autism Caucus, today called upon state legislative leadership to convene official hearings with scientific and medical experts to examine current research into the potential causes of autism. Salisbury's announcement comes in response to today's press conference with President Donald Trump and U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., who announced an association between acetaminophen use during pregnancy and increased neurodevelopmental risks, including autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Acetaminophen is also known by the brand name Tylenol, and President Trump stated in the press conference, “Don't take Tylenol.” The federal advisory has sparked renewed national discussion about the importance of precautionary guidance, public awareness and evidence-based policymaking surrounding autism and prenatal health. “As Chair of the Pennsylvania Autism Caucus – and as the first person with an autism diagnosis to hold this position – I believe it is our moral and legislative responsibility to seek truth, clarity and scientific guidance wherever the health and well-being of Pennsylvania’s children are concerned,” said Salisbury, D-Allegheny. “Today’s federal announcement underscores how urgently we need expert-informed hearings to understand the full range of environmental, medical and Read more

BRADDOCK, Sept. 17 – State Rep. Abigail Salisbury today announced a new round of scholarships to help civic-minded residents in District 34’s lower-income communities strengthen their grant writing and nonprofit management skills. Salisbury said her office is working with the Health and Education Alliance and the Community College of Allegheny County to offer the scholarships, which will provide access to CCAC’s Grant Writing & Non-Profit Management course. “Nonprofits can be incredibly powerful agents for change,” said Salisbury, who is co-founder and chair of the Pennsylvania Charitable Nonprofit Caucus. “ But regardless of their mission – whether they’re fighting hunger, strengthening mental health resources or providing housing, afterschool programs or other critical services – nonprofits are only as effective as the staff who run them. “With access to CCAC’s course, last year’s winners learned how to tap into state funding and sharpen their management skills to help their organizations accomplish more for the community. We’re bringing those opportunities back this year with a new round of scholarships. I encourage anyone interested in applying to learn more, find out whether they qualify and apply by the October 15 deadline.” Salisbury said that to qualify for a scholarship, applicants must reside in a low-income census tract. To Read more

State grant programs now accepting applications Read more

“Allegheny County has the infrastructure and sites that corporations like Mainspring need, but testifiers also explained that Pennsylvania risks being left behind by neighboring states when it comes to creating sufficient state incentives and acting quickly to support high-impact projects with large energy demands,” said state Rep. John Inglis, who co-hosted the event and represents portions of Allegheny County. “Mainspring chose Pittsburgh over Columbus to bring about 1,000 jobs to our region, but lawmakers will need to be proactive to ensure our region remains competitive.” Read more

“Food insecurity is more prevalent now than it was during the pandemic, so the federal cuts to SNAP are going to do a tremendous amount of harm to families already struggling to put food on the table, as well as impact our farmers who provide that food,” said Rep. Emily Kinkead, D-Allegheny, and House Chair of the Hunger Caucus. “While the state simply does not have the resources to fill the gap after hundreds of billions of dollars were cut from food programs in Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill, there are still actions we can take at the state-level to feed a greater number of Pennsylvanians. As we continue to work to finalize our state’s budget, we still have an opportunity to ensure that Pennsylvania is stepping into the gap as much as possible.” Read more