For Spanish readers, please read the full Spanish-language version of this email here. 

I hope you are well. I would like to share important information about my ongoing work. As always, please feel free to reach out to my office for help with any state-related issues. And don't forget, to stay informed, visit my official page. You also can check your preferences to make sure you're signed up for my emails. 

Espero que se encuentren bien. Me gustaría compartir con ustedes información importante sobre mi trabajo. Como siempre, no duden en ponerse en contacto con mi oficina para cualquier asunto relacionado con el estado. Y no lo olviden, para mantenerse informados, visiten mi página oficial. También puedes comprobar tus preferencias para asegurarte de que estás suscrito a mis correos electrónicos. 

I am rejoiced to have presented and adopted House Resolution 204 with my fellow colleagues of the House. House Resolution 204 designates April 8, 2025, as Dominican Remembrance Day, honoring those who lost their lives in the Jet Set Nightclub in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. There are over 100,000 Dominicans who call Pennsylvania home, and my resolution acts to honor their background and support their mourning. I am proud to represent Pennsylvania’s Dominican population. Mi gente -- siempre estaré con ustedes.

My House colleagues and I are passing important bills that will help our neighbors and improve our communities.

We’re ensuring access to food for our neighbors in need while combatting food waste by providing liability protection to donors of food that is donated after the recommended label date but is still otherwise safe to eat (HB 615).

We’re increasing the revenue cap for the PA Housing and Rehabilitation Enhancement (PHARE) Fund, enabling more people to have safe, affordable housing (HB 643).

We’re addressing substance use disorder by requiring the state to develop a poster that explains the signs of an opioid-related overdose, what to do in the event of an opioid-related overdose, where to find an opioid antagonist such as naloxone, and where to find additional resources and information (HB 269).

We’re protecting seniors from losing their PACE and PACENET eligibility by extending the current Social Security COLA moratorium until December 31, 2027 (HB 923).

We’re supporting our veterans by requiring employers to display a poster containing information on veterans’ benefits and services (HB 799).

On Wednesday, I joined my colleagues in the LGBTQ+ Equality Caucus, the Governor’s Commission on LGBTQIA Affairs, and advocates to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Gov. Milton Shapp’s executive order banning discrimination against Commonwealth employees on the basis of sexual orientation.

While there is still work to be done – I will work tirelessly to protect everyone from all types of discrimination in our laws.

Latino students from Shippensburg University visited the Capitol and had the chance to interact with Latino lawmakers and learn about the legislative process. They were encouraged to apply for the House of Representatives Fellowship Internship Program. Thank you for the visit, Shippensburg University students!

On Wednesday, I stood alongside my colleagues and Governor Shapiro to mark Yom Hashoah – Holocaust Remembrance Day. Compliancy is dangerous. Intolerance is deadly. Remembrance is essential. It was an honor to meet Esther Bratt, a Holocaust Survivor from Reading, and her family. Her great granddaughter Leah Leisawitz, from Wyomissing did an outstanding job sharing with us, her GIGI Esther’ s survival experience.

Community member Cindy Silverman Chronister, the granddaughter of survivors Karl and Mathilde Reiser, shared their story of survival at Wyomissing’s Holocaust Remembrance Day at the Jewish Federation of Reading/Berks. It is an honor to hear these courageous stories, and I am proud to see our community come together at this event.

I volunteered at the City of Reading and Sin Fronteras Jeep Club Easter at City Park. I was happy to see so many community members and their children gather and enjoy the festivities, and I even got to see the Easter Bunny!

Reading STEM High School construction continues on North 9th Street. It is amazing to see the opportunity that our kids will have here in Reading to be able to be in this pristine building. The superintendent is hopeful for the school to be fully ready by fall of next year.

Representative Rusnock and I attended United Way’s 100th Birthday Bash to celebrate the past, present, and future of this incredible organization. Pictured, our Berks County delegation presented Tammy White, President of United Way Berks County, with a citation commemorating 100 years of service for this incredible organization.

Almost 500 people were in attendance for the Birthday Bash. We enjoyed food, music, and stories of impact. Thank you to United Way for your 100 years of impact in our community. It was an honor to attend and celebrate.

Join us for a free public event at Reading Public Museum on May 1st from 3-5 PM. There will be a time capsule dedication, a moon tree dedication, a presentation by a NASA representative, and various educational activities. We look forward to seeing you there!

On May 31st from 10 AM – 2 PM, the National Hispanic Medical Association will be hosting Fiesta de la Salud at Lauer’s Park Elementary School at 251 North 2nd Street, Reading PA 19601. There will be free glucose meters, free food, free massages, and MORE! I look forward to seeing more members of our community at the event.

Every Thursday, my team staffs our remote office at Centro Hispano (The Hispanic Center) located at 25 N. 2nd Street in Reading. However, since their Health Resource Fair is on May 8, my team will be staffing Centro Hispano that week on May 7.

Governor Shapiro has launched a WhatsApp channel in English and Spanish, where he’ll share information on the work that he’s doing, useful services offered to Pennsylvania residents, and events specifically for the Latinx community and Spanish speakers in the Commonwealth. The Governor is opening doors for everyone to access their state’s resources, whether it be online, over the phone, or on WhatsApp.

To join the WhatsApp group, open WhatsApp on your phone, look up “Governor Josh Shapiro” in the channel section, and click on “Follow” to receive notifications from the Governor. Please call 717-788-8990 or visit governor.pa.gov/contact with any questions or concerns.

https://www.whatsapp.com/channel/0029VbBAs2o6mYPMP8MQsg1b -- ENG

https://www.whatsapp.com/channel/0029VbAR48p8qIzpJY1eDk3A -- SPAN

To stay in the know with all of our work within the Pennsylvania House, I encourage you to subscribe to the Pennsylvania General Assembly notifications and watch us at work. Subscribe following this link: https://www.legis.state.pa.us/login/Form.cfm. 

Pennsylvania State Capitol

104-A East Wing Main Capitol
Harrisburg, PA 17120

(717) 772-1858

District Office

1111 Penn Ave.
Wyomissing, PA 19610

(484) 577-2756