KING OF PRUSSIA, Jan. 16 – State Rep. Tim Briggs congratulated two colleges in the 149 th Legislative District on being awarded grants to combat sexual assault on campus. Gov. Tom Wolf announced $1 million in “It’s On Us” grants today for 36 colleges and universities statewide. Bryn Mawr College was awarded $30,000 and Rosemont College was awarded $24,957. “I’m pleased to see these two colleges working to address sexual assault on campus so that students can feel comfortable and protected while pursuing their studies,” said Briggs, D-Montgomery. “I support the state’s efforts to highlight the role we all play in ending sexual assault, and I congratulate these local campuses for earning financial support.” More information on the grants is available here . Read more
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HARRISBURG, Jan. 15 – A House bill aimed at increasing safety on the roads was amended in a way that would actually weaken current state law and send Pennsylvania backward in efforts to stop texting while driving, state Rep. Tim Briggs said today. House Bill 37, passed by the House today, would prohibit the use of handheld communications devices while driving. But an amendment added to the bill Tuesday made it a secondary offense for adult drivers to text or use a hand-held device, meaning police officers would have to have another reason to pull a driver over in the first place. Texting while driving is currently a primary offense in Pennsylvania. “I support a ban on using phones and other devices while driving, but I voted against this bill. Years ago, we fought hard to make texting while driving a primary offense, and reducing it to a secondary offense through this bill is a step backward,” said Briggs, D-Montgomery. “Proponents of the changes say this will mirror seat belt law, which is a secondary offense for adults. But if we’re really concerned about safety, failing to buckle up should be a primary offense as well.” Currently, 48 states and Washington D.C. ban text messaging while driving, and it is a primary offense in all but three of those states. The overall goal is safety, Briggs said, and H.B. 37 as amended would make it more difficult for police to enforce a ban. “We’ve worked on this Read more
“All of our children deserve a quality education,” Briggs said. “I hope anyone interested in learning more about what’s happening in public schools can attend this film screening.” Read more
Updates from the Judiciary Committee Read more
HARRISBURG, Nov. 20 – State Rep. Tim Briggs joined fellow legislators and labor leaders Tuesday to announce a package of legislation aimed at strengthening worker rights, including Briggs’ bill to establish a Paid Family Leave Act in Pennsylvania. House Bill 625 , introduced by Briggs, would allow eligible employees up to 12 weeks leave at full pay, counted against the federal Family and Medical Leave Act leave for which they are entitled. “The birth or adoption of a child is a joyous time, and we know that it’s beneficial for the child and the parents to have time together. Federal law provides for unpaid leave, but going 12 weeks without pay is unrealistic for many families,” said Briggs, D-Montgomery. “Working parents should be able to start families without worrying about their next paycheck. My legislation would support workers by relieving some burden as they focus on their families.” Briggs’ legislation is included in the Workers’ Bill of Rights package of bills, announced Tuesday, that would strengthen workers’ rights. Bills in the package include measures to raise the minimum wage, strengthen collective bargaining, modernize Pennsylvania’s Equal Pay law and more. More information about the package is available here . Read more
KING OF PRUSSIA, Oct. 18 – State Rep. Tim Briggs announced that school safety grants were awarded to several local schools. The grants come through the Pennsylvania Department of Education’s 2019-20 Safe Schools Target Grants. Four types of grants are offered: equipment grants of up to $25,000; program grants of up to $20,000; School Police Officer grants of up to $40,000; and School Resource Officer grants of up to $60,000. Grants were awarded to: Friends Central School, $19,950 program grant and $16,224 equipment grant. Armenian Sister Academy, $11,498 equipment grant. Caskey Torah Academy, $23,625 equipment grant. Mother Teresa Regional Catholic Schools, $23,625 equipment grant. “I’m pleased to see these schools awarded grants to help with one of our most important responsibilities – protecting our children,” said Briggs, D-Montgomery. “Our schools must be safe places so that students and staff can focus on their studies, and families can have peace of mind. I’m glad to see these schools and the state prioritize safety for our kids.” More information on the grants is available here . Read more
HARRISBURG, Oct. 3 – A plan to finally add Pennsylvania to the Northeast’s carbon trading market is being met with praise from state lawmakers in southeastern Pennsylvania. Gov. Tom Wolf this morning announced that his administration will put its weight behind adding the commonwealth to the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, the nation’s first competitive carbon-credit market to incentivize clean emissions across the northeast states’ energy-industry sector. Companies that innovate and produce clean energy will keep credits in the market, which are ante’d by all participants and lost by those that fail to meet modern benchmarks on pollution. “I applaud Governor Wolf for his leadership,” said state Rep. Carolyn Comitta, D-Chester. “We must take strong action to stop climate change and shape a healthy future for our children. Joining RGGI positions Pennsylvania to protect our children’s future while strengthening our economy.” Comitta is one of 31 early sponsors of House legislation that backstops the governor’s order. “It’s time that Pennsylvania steps up to become a leader in fighting climate change and grow our economy through this partnership with neighboring states,” said state Rep. Margo Davidson, D-Delaware, chair of the House Southeast Democratic Delegation. “RGGI is a win for the environment, our neighbors and families and our economy.” Read more
HARRISBURG, Sept. 25 – State Rep. Tim Briggs released the following statement regarding Governor Tom Wolf’s release of the report from the statewide listening tour on adult-use marijuana and his call for action on legislation. “I’m appreciative of the governor’s work to gather the public’s input on this issue, which many Pennsylvanians are eager to see addressed and which could play an important role in criminal justice reform. The majority of Montgomery County residents who offered feedback on the tour supported legalization, which I will keep in mind as we consider legislation. “I have committed my support to the effort regarding the decriminalization of adult-use cannabis to keep people from becoming trapped in our legal system for minor offenses. As we consider legalizing adult usage, I will push for us to learn as much as possible regarding the impacts of legalization from other states that have moved in this direction, so that when Pennsylvania does act, we get it right.” Read more
HARRISBURG, Sept. 25 – State Rep. Tim Briggs, Democratic chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, vowed to continue to fight the scourge of gun violence, despite the refusal of Republican leadership to bring up important gun safety bills. “At Tuesday’s Judiciary Committee meeting, we should have been voting on real gun safety reform bills that would save lives. But instead, the Republican chairman called up several bad bills that won’t address safety and, in some cases, will make our laws worse,” said Briggs, D-Montgomery. “We had the opportunity to take action on commonsense legislation that our communities want, but instead we considered bills that cater to special interests and won’t do anything to help us protect residents.” After a string of mass shootings over the summer, Briggs urged Rep. Rob Kauffman, Republican chairman of the Judiciary Committee, to immediately call up several bills for action – bills to require universal background checks, require the reporting of lost or stolen guns, require the safe storage of guns in homes with children, and create extreme risk protection orders to keep guns out of the hands of individuals who may be a danger to themselves or others. None of the bills were brought up in the committee Tuesday, and Kauffman announced the committee will not consider any more gun bills this session. Briggs joined CeaseFirePA at a news Read more
Materials from a House Democratic Policy Committee public hearing hosted by State Rep. Tim Briggs. Read more
KING OF PRUSSIA, Sept. 3 – State Rep. Tim Briggs, D-Montgomery, today hosted a House Democratic Policy Committee public hearing on gun safety legislation. Briggs requested the hearing to discuss several bills: H.B 525, to require the safe storage of firearms; H.B. 673, to require universal background checks; and H.B. 1288, to require the reporting of lost or stolen firearms. Testifiers from the law enforcement, medical and social services communities discussed the bills. Briggs was joined by legislators from across the state. “We have to do something to curb the gun violence that is affecting communities throughout Pennsylvania – and we can,” said Briggs, D-Montgomery and Democratic chairman of the House Judiciary Committee. “Today’s hearing was an opportunity to really examine these bills so that we’re prepared to take action when the House returns to session. I’m grateful to the testifiers who helped us explore these issues today, and I’ve urged Judiciary Chairman Rob Kauffman to swiftly bring these bills up for a vote in committee.” The legislators were joined by U.S. Rep. Madeleine Dean, D-PA, who testified from the federal perspective. “America’s gun violence epidemic claims more than 100 lives every day, and our communities have had enough. They know that the safety of our families, friends and neighbors is on the line – and that it’s time to implement common-sense gun safety Read more
KING OF PRUSSIA, Aug. 30 – State Rep. Tim Briggs, D-Montgomery, and Democratic chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, will host a House Democratic Policy Committee hearing on gun safety reform legislation. The hearing will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 3, at the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission’s Eastern Regional Office, 251 Flint Hill Road, King of Prussia PA. The media and the public are invited to attend. After Gov. Tom Wolf called for urgent action on specific bills to address gun violence, Briggs requested the hearing to discuss the following legislation: H.B 525, to require the safe storage of firearms from children; H.B. 673, to require universal background checks; and H.B. 1288, to require the reporting of lost or stolen firearms. He will be joined by state legislators from across the state, including Policy Committee Chairman Mike Sturla, D-Lancaster. The agenda includes speakers from the law enforcement and the medical and social services communities. Testifiers will include U.S. Rep. Madeleine Dean, D-PA; Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele; Montgomery County Sheriff Sean Kilkenny; Dr. Steven Shapiro, chair of pediatrics at Abington-Jefferson Health; Dr. Zoe Maher, assistant professor of surgery at Temple University’s Lewis Katz School of Medicine; and Deb Shoemaker, executive director of the Pennsylvania Psychiatric Society. The meeting is one in a series held across the state on House Democrats’ Plan4PA, Read more
KING OF PRUSSIA, Aug. 28 – State Rep. Tim Briggs announced that Temple Brith Achim in King of Prussia was awarded a $63,584 grant for security improvements through the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency. The grant comes through the Pennsylvania 2019 Nonprofit Security Grant program and will help the synagogue install surveillance cameras and other safety enhancements. “Freedom to express religious beliefs is a fundamental right in our country. Unfortunately, we’ve seen a rise in anti-Semitic violence in the United States and here in Pennsylvania,” said Briggs, D-Montgomery. “Temple Brith Achim is right to take that seriously and assess its security needs. The synagogue is an anchor for our Jewish community, and I was pleased to support its application for this funding.” The Nonprofit Security Grant Program is a federal program administered by the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency. Read more
The question of the appropriate school start time has intrigued me for years, and I’m excited to learn about the recommendations to best address this issue. Read more
HARRISBURG, Aug. 16 – State Rep. Tim Briggs, D-Montgomery, today joined Gov. Tom Wolf in announcing an executive order to make sweeping changes to executive branch agencies to better target gun violence and calling on the legislature to act on commonsense gun safety legislation. As outlined at a Capitol news conference today, Wolf is directing his administration to create new state offices focused on violence prevention and reduction, expand programs that promote safety, refocus departments on combatting gun violence as a public health crisis, and increase collaboration and data sharing between the public, government agencies and other states. The executive order is the result of months of work. Among the legislation Wolf is calling on the legislature to pass is Briggs’ legislation (H.B. 525) that would require the safe storage of firearms in homes where children may be present. Failure to comply with this rule would result in a third-degree felony if it is used in a crime or if death or grievous injury is caused, or a summary offense (third-degree misdemeanor if a second or subsequent offense) if a child is simply found in unlawful possession of a firearm. “Too often acts of gun violence, including suicide, could have been prevented with a few simple precautions,” Briggs said. “That’s why I introduced this commonsense legislation that will help keep guns out of the hands of Pennsylvania’s children. Those who fail to Read more
HARRISBURG, Aug. 2 – King of Prussia Business Improvement District Inc. and Rosemont College were awarded state grants for development projects, announced state Rep. Tim Briggs. The money comes from the state’s Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program, which is administered by the Office of the Budget and funds economic, cultural, civic, recreational and historical improvement projects across Pennsylvania. King of Prussia Business Improvement District Inc. received $1 million to help build a linear park in two phases along First Avenue in Upper Merion Township. The First Avenue linear park, as part of Moore Park KOP, formerly known as the King of Prussia business park, is part of an overall “complete streets” vision for First Avenue that will create an active and vibrant amenity open to the public, utilizing access easements on private property. Improvements along the trail include pedestrian lights, a seating plaza, benches, rain gardens, trees and bus shelters. The second phase will use RACP funds to extend the trail. Site improvements also include 79 solar powered pedestrian lights, benches, two pedestrian bridges, 16 ADA curb ramps, retaining walls, planting beds, trees, and three solar-powered bus shelters. Rosemont College received $1.5 million to expand its Cardinal Hall, creating a community center to serve students and members of the local community. The college's current Cardinal Hall will be "encased" with a new Read more
The PASSHE board recently voted to freeze tuition. Read more
For the 11th year, my office is holding a summer food drive to benefit local food pantries. Read more
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