June is right around the corner! It's hard to imagine we are almost at the halfway point of 2024! June brings the great freedom and fun of summer! For myself and my colleagues, we prepare for another budget process. Read more
We've made it to the unofficial start of summer with Memorial Day weekend! I hope all of you enjoy the time off and take the time to remember those who gave their all in defense of our country! Read more
I hope all of you had a great Mother's Day this past Sunday! I was able to enjoy the majority of my week in the 164th Legislative District! However, I want to start this E-Blast by discussing a little trip the co-chairs of the PA Black Maternal Health Caucus made! Read more
NEWLY LISTED PROGRAMS Department of Conservation and Natural Resources: Wild Resource Conservation Program Who May Apply: Counties, municipalities, educational institutions, non-profit organizations, conservation districts, and municipal authorities. Individuals, state government agencies, and for-profit businesses may be eligible depending on the project. Use: Grant applications will be accepted for species surveys, conservation, and management. Funds: Funding comes through the Wil Resource Conservation Fund and a portion of the Environmental Stewardship Fund. Grant size varies, but the average grant award is $30,000. Application Deadline: July 1, 2024 More information: DCNR website Department of Community and Economic Development: Neighborhood Assistance Program (NAP) The NAP is broken down into five components: The Neighborhood Assistance Program Tax Credit, the Special Program Priorities, the Neighborhood Partnership Program, the Charitable Food Program, and the Enterprise Zone Program Tax Credit. Please visit the link below for specific information on each component. Who May Apply: Depending on the program, eligible applicants include neighborhood organizations that hold a ruling from the IRS as nonprofit, 501(c)(3) organizations, and organizations operating as food banks, food pantries, or emergency food providers. Use: Use varies by program, but priorities for this funding Read more
We had another jam-packed week in Harrisburg! We opened up the week with crucial floor votes on two MOMNIBUS bills. House Bills 2097 and 1608 have both moved on to the state Senate after passing the House chamber with bipartisan support with H.B. 2097 getting unanimous approval. Read more
The federal legislation follows the passage of a similar bill that passed the Pennsylvania House of Representatives to cover doula services for expectant and new mothers here. Read more
NEWLY LISTED PROGRAMS Department of Education: Public School Environmental Repairs Program Who May Apply: School districts, area career and technical schools, charter schools, and regional charter schools that operate school buildings. Use: Eligible projects include, but are not limited to, the remediation and/or abatement of lead in water sources and paint, asbestos, and mold inside school buildings of eligible school entities. Funds: Up to $75 million in state funds will be competitively awarded. There is no minimum funding request. The maximum funding request is $10 million. One application per entity will be accepted, but the application may consist of more than one project in more than one school building. Application Deadline: June 30, 2024 More information: PDE Website Department of Agriculture: Farm-to-School Grant Program Who May Apply: Any school district, school, charter school, private school, or center with pre-K classes, kindergarten classes, elementary classes, or middle school classes through 8 th grade that participates in a Federal Child Nutrition Program. Use: The purpose of the Farm-to-School Program is to educate prekindergartners through eighth graders and their families about the importance of choosing healthy, locally produced foods and increase awareness of Pennsylvania agriculture. Eligible projects will achieve this purpose. Funds: $500,000 is available for Read more
We opened May by jumping right back into Legislative Session. The highlight of the week was two bills of the MOMNIBUS legislation package getting second consideration approval. Read more
NEWLY LISTED PROGRAMS Commission on Crime and Delinquency: Indigent Defense Grant Program Who May Apply: Counties Use: Salaries and benefits for staff, recruiting efforts to find/retain staff, training and development courses for staff, efforts to improve data collection, and any cost associated with gaps or needs in providing indigent defense, among other things. Funds: A total of $6,750,000 is expected to fund up to 67 grants (one in each county). Application Deadline: , May 23, 202d4 More information: PCCD Website Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (via Department of Homeland Security): Nonprofit Security Grant Program Who May Apply: Non-profit organizations may apply as a sub applicant through PEMA. PEMA is the direct applicant to the Department of Homeland Security. Use: Funds are to be used to enhance the protection of soft targets/crowded places. Funds: $274,500,000 in federal funds are available for this national funding opportunity. $3,277,500 in funding is targeted toward Pennsylvania. Application Deadline: May 29, 2024, at 5 p.m. More information: PEMA Website Historical and Museum Commission: Historical & Archival Records Care Grant Who May Apply: Local government entities and nonprofit organizations Use: Projects must relate to some aspect of Pennsylvania’s history and funds may be used for preservation of Read more
PHILADELPHIA, April 29 -- On Friday, state Reps. Elizabeth Fiedler and Roni Green, both D-Phila., attended a news conference at City Hall to voice their support for investing in public education and rejecting voucher schemes in the 2024 state budget. Organized labor, education advocates, and community organizations were in attendance to support fully funding Pennsylvania’s public schools. The event followed the bipartisan Basic Education Funding Commission’s recommendations to address Pennsylvania’s unconstitutional K-12 school funding system, recommendations that included $300 million for facilities upgrades last year. Private school vouchers divert tax dollars that could be used to repair school buildings, instead affording them to the elite (more than half the time to families making over $200,000 ) to support institutions that openly discriminate against students, the legislators said. “Every tax dollar given to voucher programs is another tax dollar diverted from our neighborhood public schools,” said Fiedler. “At a time when so many of our schools are struggling to stay open due to toxins and overdue repairs, our priority must be fully funding public schools and their buildings. As Democrats, we cannot allow vouchers to have a place in our state budget.” "We can't afford entitlement programs. We must first fix what's broken," said Green. Read more
It is so hard to believe we are already entering the month of May! I hope all of you took the time to vote in the primaries this past Tuesday! The simple act of voting is one of the most powerful tools of our democracy so be sure to get educated and prepared when we do it all over again in November. Read more
This week, along with my co-chairs of the Pennsylvania Black Maternal Health Caucus, I was excited to welcome constituents and stakeholders from across the Commonwealth, in observance of Black Maternal Health Week 2024 at the Capitol. Read more
We got to work this week! I passed a resolution to recognize Black Maternal Health in the Commonwealth and spoke alongside the Governor and my colleagues to help get our teachers paid! Read more
Black Pennsylvanians had the highest pregnancy-associated mortality ratio at 148 per 100,000 live births, which is nearly twice as much as white Pennsylvanians who had a PAMR at 81 per 100,000 live births, highlighting racial disparities in maternal health care. Read more
“These statistics are not new,” Curry said. “But sadly, an alarming number of people are still unaware just how dire the situation is for Black mommas here in Pennsylvania and the United States. While we are doing everything we can to take action in the legislature, we also cannot afford to stop talking about Black maternal health. That’s why I am so glad we have established Black Maternal Health Week in the commonwealth. By establishing this week, we encourage people and healthcare providers to get educated about this issue and learn how they can better care for themselves, their children, their family, and their neighbors.” Read more
The resolution would recognize Thursday, April 11 to Wednesday, April 17 as Black Maternal Health Week. The House Human Services Committee unanimously reported the resolution of out committee. Read more
There's a lot to look forward to in the coming months! The spring season is a time to get out and enjoy all the community has to offer. I know I am looking forward to getting outside and soaking up the sun next week as we finally say goodbye to this cold weather! We return to legislative session and I have exciting news! Read more
We closed out Women's History Month on a high note! Spring break allows the opportunity to learn more about what the workings of the House floor involve up close. Some very special students served as guest pages yesterday and they learned a lot. Grateful that our youth are taking interest in the democracy of Pennsylvania state government! Read more
“Doulas address Black maternal mortality and morbidity by reducing complications and improving maternal health outcomes. With the Department of Human Services’ expanding doula services, the state will allow doulas to enroll as Medicaid providers, making these services more affordable for low-income Pennsylvanians. With Black women 3.5 times more likely to die during pregnancy-related complications, we must ensure that they have access to services that would aid them during their pregnancies. We thank Gov. Josh Shapiro, Secretary of Human Services Val Arkoosh, and the administration for advancing policies that address Black maternal health, and the PBMHC will work toward advancing PA’s MOMNIBUS – a legislative package introduced to boldly address maternal morbidity and mortality – to the governor’s desk.” Read more
The bill is cosponsored by Rep. Gina Curry and Rep. Lisa Borowski and is part of a “Momnibus” legislative package introduced by the PA Black Maternal Health Caucus. Other bills in the package propose expanding Medicaid coverage for doula services, requiring private insurance coverage of blood pressure cuffs for new parents, distributing “welcome baby kits” to some new mothers and more. Read more
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