Dear Neighbor, 

This week, my colleagues and I returned to Harrisburg for another week of session. We passed several bills in a bipartisan manner that now move on to the Senate for consideration, including legislation that would provide a much-needed and long overdue cost-of-living adjustment for retired state and public school employees as well as legislation that would guarantee public workers the same workplace protection standards as private workers. 

At the federal level, the U.S. House passed legislation that would prevent tens of millions of eligible voters from exercising their right to vote by requiring proof of citizenship displaying the voter’s current legal name to register to vote in federal elections. As a pre-emptive measure against this federal legislation, which now advances to the U.S. Senate for consideration, I am proposing a bill to make it easier for Pennsylvanians to obtain some of the documentation that would become necessary under the SAVE Act to register to vote.  

And yesterday, SEPTA announced that unless emergency action is taken to address their budgetary crisis, they will make extreme cuts to services across Southeastern Pennsylvania. 

This is a long one folks! Grab yourself a cup of tea and read on …

SAVE Act Passes U.S. House

On Thursday, the U.S. House passed the so-called “Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act.” To put it plainly, this legislation is voter suppression masquerading as voter reform. 

First, it is already illegal in every state for non-citizens to vote in federal elections, and violations can lead to felony charges or deportation under existing law. To register to vote in Pennsylvania, you must be a citizen of the United States for at least one month before the next primary, special, municipal, or general election. 

The SAVE Act would require you to show proof of citizenship matching your current legal name in order to register to vote or to update your voter registration following a move, name change, or change in party registration. For most citizens, proof of citizenship means a birth certificate or a U.S. passport. But for 69 million married women across the United States who took their spouses’ last name, their current legal name does not match the name on their birth certificate. In Pennsylvania alone, an estimated 2.86 million women do not have a birth certificate that matches their current legal name. 

It's more likely that the name on a passport would match your current legal name, but according to the U.S. Department of State, fewer than one half of U.S. citizens currently hold a valid passport, which can be costly and cumbersome to obtain, leaving approximately 146 million U.S. citizens without one.  

The title of the proposed SAVE Act implies that it will protect voters’ rights, but in fact, this federal legislation would disenfranchise tens of millions of American citizens, including millions of Pennsylvania residents. If you’ve attempted to get REAL ID recently—especially if you have ever changed your name as a result of marriage, divorce, or any other reason—then you understand how difficult it will be for eligible voters to satisfy the requirements of this act. (More on REAL ID below) 

The cost and effort involved with procuring a passport (currently $130 plus the cost of photos) or birth certificate ($20 in Pennsylvania, plus processing fees if you opt for online service) amount to a modern-day poll tax, deterring voters who lack the resources or the ability to travel to obtain those documents. What’s more, proof of citizenship must be provided in-person, throwing online voter registration into question and creating an obstacle for troops stationed overseas and anyone with mobility challenges or lack of access to transportation. 

Rural citizens, seniors, persons with disabilities, and low-income individuals would all be deeply affected, but the greatest potential impact by far would be for married women who have taken their spouse’s last name. The requirement to present a birth certificate would disproportionately affect conservative and Republican-leaning women, who are at least?twice as likely as liberal or Democratic-leaning women to have changed their name to match their husband’s last name. 

As a pre-emptive measure against this federal legislation, I plan to introduce legislation to provide birth certificates free of charge to Pennsylvanians, with no application fees or processing fees, to ensure that as many Pennsylvanians as possible are able to obtain the proof of identity documents necessary to protect their right to vote. My bill would require the state to provide one free copy upon request every 10 years. Additional copies within a 10-year period would still incur the regular fee.  

For Pennsylvanians whose names have changed since birth, whether for marriage or any other reason, obtaining an official birth certificate is still often the first step in updating other proof of identity documents so that names are consistent across all forms of identification. 

To become law, the SAVE Act would require 60 votes in the U.S. Senate. If you oppose this effort to disenfranchise millions of eligible voters, contact Senator Fetterman and Senator McCormick to let them know.  

REAL ID

With the REAL ID deadline approaching on May 7, my office continues to hear from constituents expressing frustration about long lines at PennDOT centers and difficulty of obtaining the required documentation. 

First, it’s important to know that you will still be able to obtain a REAL ID after May 7. The May 7 deadline is the date that a REAL ID-compliant identification will be required to board a plane or enter a military base or certain federal buildings.  

• If you do not plan to fly or visit a military base or federal building, then you are not required to obtain a REAL ID. And if you have a valid, unexpired passport, your passport is an acceptable form of REAL ID-compliant identification. If you don’t mind carrying your passport when flying domestically, entering federal buildings, or visiting a military base, you can use that instead of obtaining the REAL ID identifier on your PA driver’s license or non-driver photo ID.  

• If you would like a REAL ID, but you don’t have any near-term plans to travel or enter a military base, you may want to wait until after May 7 to obtain one. Not only will lines and wait times be shorter, but this will give you additional time to get the necessary documentation.  

The process of obtaining a REAL ID has been a hassle for many constituents, especially married women who have changed their name and individuals who added a middle name that did not appear on their birth certificate, such as a confirmation name. 

To obtain a REAL ID, your name must be consistent across all forms of ID, meaning the name on your passport or official birth certificate must match the name on your proof of social security document and the name on your proof of residency documents. 

While this may seem straightforward, it has proven difficult for many constituents. For instance, many birth certificates issued prior to 1975 did not contain a raised seal and are no longer accepted as official state documents. And women needing to show proof of name change due to marriage need to provide the official marriage certificate filed with the county courthouse – not the certificate issued by the church, which is what most people have. And if you adopted your confirmation name as your middle name, and that middle name appears on your social security card and driver’s license, but not your birth certificate, you may need to obtain a new proof of social security that reflects the name on your birth certificate. 

The difficulty of obtaining a REAL ID offers a a preview of the many obstacles that the SAVE Act would create for voters. To make things more confusing, it seems that a REAL ID would not qualify as proof of citizenship under the SAVE Act, because people who are legal residents but not citizens are permitted to obtain a REAL ID. 

I have still suggested to anyone obtaining a REAL ID that it may be a good idea to say “Yes” to the automatic voter registration option at the driver’s license center to ensure that the name on your new REAL ID-compliant driver’s license matches the name on your voter registration card, to keep all forms of ID as consistent as possible in case the SAVE Act or any other change to Voter ID requirements be signed into law. 

Legislative Update

This week in Harrisburg was all about helping workers – past and present. 

HB 411: Public Worker Cost of Living Adjustment Act 

I was proud to vote YES on the Public Worker Cost of Living Adjustment Act and ensure that our retired public employees have the security they need to retire with dignity. 

This bill provides a long overdue cost of living adjustment to retired public school teachers and state workers who worked hard to teach so many of us and build the communities we live in. This legislation now heads to the Senate for consideration.  

HB 308: OSHA Protection for Public Workers 

It’s been 54 years since OSHA protection for workers became the law of the land – after Republican President Richard Nixon signed the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 into law. In those 54 years, America’s workplaces have been transformed to provide real protections, including: 

• Rules to protect workers exposed to asbestos and lead and countless chemicals. 

• Rules for health care workers dealing with bloodborne pathogens and toxic substances. 

• Rules about working in confined spaces. 

Lives have been saved. Injuries have been prevented. Workers have gotten even more productive, and corporate profits are higher than they’ve ever been in our history. But 54 years have passed without public workers having those same protections. 

I voted YES on this bill to create safe standards across Pennsylvania and keep workplaces hazard-free for the 600,000 public workers serving municipalities, counties, and state agencies across our commonwealth. 

SEPTA Faces Severe Service Cuts and Fare Increases 

On Thursday, SEPTA released its budget proposal for fiscal year 2025-26, which includes significant cuts to service—including the loss of the Thorndale/Paoli line and four other Regional Rail lines—major fare increases, workforce reductions, curfews for all Regional Rail services, and other measures, if SEPTA is unable to resolve a massive structural budget deficit. 

My staff and I have heard from numerous constituents who rely on SEPTA to get to work, school, and medical appointments in the city. The House voted three times last session to ensure that SEPTA and other transit systems in Pennsylvania receive the funding they need to keep transit service and our local economies moving.  

Southeastern Pennsylvania is the economic engine of our state, generating?more than $355 billion in annual output. The loss of SEPTA services would be devastating for the 25% of Southeastern PA residents who commute out-of-county, as well as for the businesses that rely on SEPTA to bring their employees to work. 

We need to fund public transit. And the question we need to be asking is, “Who are we asking to foot these costs?” We continue to hand out tax credits and abatements to multi-billion-dollar corporations that do business in our commonwealth and rely on our transportation infrastructure without paying their fair share to fund it, while our locally owned businesses and taxpayers take on more and more of the burden. 

We’re allowing mega corporations to skip out on funding the very systems that enable their success; meanwhile hardworking Pennsylvanians and senior citizens on fixed incomes are faced with losing transit to jobs, school, and doctor’s appointments. It’s time to end the free ride for large corporations that reap all the benefits without shouldering any meaningful share of the cost. 

I expect the transit funding crisis to be a major point of discussion during our budget conversations, and I will continue to share updates as they become available.  

LIHEAP Application Deadline Extended to April 18

Pennsylvania’s Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) application deadline has been extended from April 4 to April 18.

You may have seen news of cuts to the federal office that oversees LIHEAP; however, the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS) currently has adequate funding to continue and extend the current season.

In a statement issued on April 3, Secretary Arkoosh urged Pennsylvanians who are behind on or having trouble paying home heating bills to apply for LIHEAP Cash and LIHEAP Crisis benefits before the new April 18 deadline.

The LIHEAP Program is vital for more than 300,000 Pennsylvania families and is especially critical for older adults and low-income families so they can safely heat their homes during the colder months.?

LIHEAP is a federally funded program administered by DHS that provides assistance for home heating bills. The program offers LIHEAP cash grants to help reduce a household's monthly heating bill and LIHEAP crisis grants to help with heating emergencies; assistance is available for renters and homeowners.

While this season is not expected to be impacted, continued federal funding and support are critical to DHS’ ability to provide uninterrupted assistance for Pennsylvanians during the next winter season.

For eligibility requirements and information on how to apply visit: dhs.pa.gov/LIHEAP. 

Free Paper-Only Shred Event & Food Drive

Join State Representative Danielle Friel Otten and the Chester County Food Bank for a FREE Paper-Only Shred Event & Food Drive! 

Bring your confidential documents to be securely destroyed and safely recycled! Each car will be limited to 4 file-size boxes. Small paper clips and staples are OK, but please no binder clips, binders, cardboard, X-ray films, or photographs (plan to take your boxes home with you). 

The shredding event & food drive will take place in the parking lot of Lionville Middle School, 550 W Uwchlan Ave, Exton on Saturday, May 3 beginning at 1 PM. This event is first come, first served. When the truck is full, the shredding event will end. However, food donations will be accepted until 3 PM (check the food bank’s website for additional hours). 

The food drive will benefit the Chester County Food Bank in their mission of fighting food insecurity and building support for our neighbors in need. 

Most-needed food items include: cereal, canned tuna/salmon/chicken, brown rice, pasta sauce/canned tomatoes, & fruits (in juice) canned or in cups. 

If you have any questions, please contact Rep. Otten’s district office at 484-200-8259 or email repotten@pahouse.net. 

Free Septa Senior Key Card Event 

Did you know that seniors ride free on SEPTA with a Senior Fare Card?

To help seniors 65 and older get their initial fare card or renew an expired card, the offices of State Representative Danielle Friel Otten and Senator Carolyn Comitta have partnered for a Free SEPTA Senior Key Card Event at Downingtown Borough Hall on May 15.

The process to sign-up or renew your fare card is simple, fast, & free! All you need to apply is a form of ID that verifies age, such as a driver's license, state ID, social security statement, passport, etc. 

Can’t make it to this event? No problem! Both Rep. Otten’s District Office in Exton and Sen. Comitta’s District Office in West Chester can process applications during normal business hours.

If you have any questions, please contact Rep. Otten’s office at 484-200-8259 or Sen. Comitta’s office at 610-692-2112. 

SEPTA Senior Key Cards and Card Renewals

If you have a SEPTA Senior Key Card that has expired or will expire within the next month, we can renew it in our district office. To renew your card before it expires, please stop by my district office, or call us to make an appointment.  

My office can also process applications and take photos for new SEPTA Senior Key ID Cards, which allow seniors 65 and older to travel for free on all SEPTA Regional Rail and transit routes within Pennsylvania. Just stop by my district office and bring a form of ID with your date of birth on it, such as a PA driver’s license or non-driver ID, U.S. passport, or birth certificate. We’ll enter your information into SEPTA’s online system, take a quick photo, and then SEPTA will mail your new card to you directly.  

2-1-1 Southeastern Pennsylvania: Health and Human Services 

211 SEPA is part of the national 211 Call Centers initiative that seeks to provide health and human services for everyday needs and those in crisis situations. 

2-1-1 works with county governments and provider agencies to ensure important local program information is easily accessible. 

Visit 211sepa.org for more information. 

Mental Health Resources: Call 9-8-8 

Chester County residents experiencing mental-health-related crisis or distress can dial 9-8-8 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.?This system is designed to be a memorable and quick number that connects people in crisis to a trained mental health professional.

Chester County offers additional resources for those in crisis, including Chester County’s warm line, 1-866-846-2722, operated by Certified Peer Specialists, who are individuals in recovery with a lived experience of mental health challenges.

Chester County’s Teen Talk Line ensures seamless referral to Mobile Crisis for youth in need of immediate or higher-level support. The call line is 855-852-TEEN (8336), and the text line is 484-362-9515.

Visit the?Department of Human Services website for more information about the 988 system and other state and local mental health resources.

If you or someone you love is in crisis, please don’t give up hope, and please know that you do not need to walk this path alone. We are here and we will do whatever we can to help. 

My staff and I are here to help make state government work better for you! For assistance with the above programs or any other state-related services, please email repotten@pahouse.net, call 484-200-8259, or visit my district office in Exton.

Please don’t hesitate to call, email, or contact us through my website and let us know how we can help!

Sincerely, 

Danielle Friel Otten 
State Representative, 
155th Legislative District 

Pennsylvania State Capitol

34 East Wing
Harrisburg, PA 17120

(717) 783-5009

District Office

631 Pottstown Pike
Exton, PA 19341
(484) 200-8259