House passes my bill on BMI recording; Adult use cannabis measure goes to Senate

Rep. Danielle Friel Otten May 9, 2025 | 6:50 PM

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Dear Neighbor,

It was great seeing so many neighbors stop by our Paper-Shredding Event this past Saturday to safely recycle their documents and support the Chester County Food Bank. Your generosity will go a long way in helping the food bank fight food insecurity and support our neighbors in need!

The House was back in session this week and it was a busy one! In the House Health Committee, we advanced my legislation regarding the use of BMI measurements in schools. On the House floor, we passed legislation which would legalize the sale of adult-use marijuana through state-run dispensaries. And we recognized our Super Bowl Champion Philadelphia Eagles!

House Health Committee Advances my Legislation – HB 681

On Wednesday, I spoke before the House Health Committee in support of my legislation HB 681, which would protect the privacy and well-being of Pennsylvania's students by giving parents a choice when it comes to measuring and reporting a student’s Body Mass Index, or BMI.

For the past two decades, schools have been required to use a student’s height and weight to calculate each student’s BMI. Too often, these BMI calculations become a point of conversation among students as students receive information about their position in a range of BMI categories from underweight to healthy to obese.

My bill would ensure that a student's height and weight measurements are collected in a way that protects student confidentiality and that BMI calculations are depersonalized before being shared with the PA Department of Health. BMI calculations would not be provided to students unless requested in writing by the parent. Parents could also choose to opt their students out of height and weight screenings.

Calculating BMI in schools was initially intended to help identify students at risk for weight-related health issues, but research has increasingly shown that this practice is not only ineffective but can also be harmful. Relying on BMI as a standalone metric for evaluating student health can lead to inaccurate assumptions and stigmatize children with a higher BMI.

According to the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Policy Lab, students labeled as “overweight” are at greater risk of experiencing school-based bullying, being isolated and marginalized by their friends, and are more likely to develop disordered eating behaviors and feelings of despair, worry, low self-esteem, and anxiety.

My proposed legislation would:

require parental notification ahead of school height and weight screenings,

allow parents or guardians to opt children out of school height and weight screenings,

ensure student data is depersonalized before being reported to any state agency,

allow schools to still collect federally mandated height and weight data and provide disidentified BMI calculations to the state Department of Health.

I was proud to see this legislation advance out of committee with strong bipartisan support, by a vote of 25-1. I look forward to working with my colleagues in the House and Senate to get this bill signed into law so we can protect student privacy, reduce weight stigma, and break the cycle of disordered eating and other youth mental health issues associated with body image.

PA House Passes Legislation to Create Framework for Adult-Use Cannabis

On Wednesday, the House voted to advance HB 1200, which creates a legal and regulatory framework for adult-use cannabis in Pennsylvania.

This legislation is the product of extensive stakeholder feedback, including?six public hearings conducted in 2024?by a subcommittee of the House Health Committee, which examined issues ranging from public health concerns to law enforcement challenges. I was a member of that subcommittee and had a firsthand look at the information presented by testifiers on both sides of the issue, from a wide range of perspectives.

Testifiers included those who profit from commercialization, those opposed to legalization, officials from U.S. states and Canadian provinces that have legalized adult-use cannabis, and from regulators and academics who provided findings and commentary without stating a position for or against legalization. In addition to the six subcommittee hearings, the Health Committee?held a hearing in 2023?that focused solely on?unregulated intoxicants, such as hemp-derived cannabinoids like Delta-8, which are currently widely available in the market.

Much of the news and discussion around the legalization of adult-use cannabis has centered around its potential to generate tax revenues; however, commercialization and revenue generation are not my chief considerations. As the mother of two elementary-aged children, I am much more concerned about the urgent need to address the current proliferation and wide availability of unregulated cannabis and related products containing THC and synthetic THC alternatives. This legislation puts restrictions and guardrails around all these substances and creates protective factors that do not exist in today’s Wild West environment.

Here in Chester County, we have seen a proliferation of vape shops in Downingtown Borough, East Brandywine Township, and many other municipalities, selling products with no regulatory oversight. This legislation allows us to address regulations for the whole market, rather than playing a game of regulatory Whack-a-Mole as we attempt to impose controls over one type of product only to have three new ones pop up in its place.

This bill proposes a model that closely controls distribution and attempts to avoid the missteps of other states while adopting the best practices of those where they got it right. It would cap the potency of legal cannabis, impose penalties for selling to minors, and address the many unregulated cannabinoids and cannabis-derivative products (like Delta-8 and Delta-9) that are currently widely available to customers of all ages in gas stations, vape stores, and smoke shops across the state, free from any regulation.

Given the proliferation of unregulated products, doing nothing is not an option. I voted in support of this legislation, which passed the House by a vote of 102-101 and now heads to the Senate for consideration. We expect further changes to the bill language as it moves through the Senate. If the bill does pass the Senate and come back to the House, I will again review the language before making a final decision on the vote. Regulation, public health, and preventing sales to minors are my top concerns, and I remain committed to advocating for a final bill that reduces and prevents harm to our children and communities.

PA House Honors Super Bowl Champion Eagles

On Wednesday, the PA House of Representatives recognized the Super Bowl LIX Champion Philadelphia Eagles in the House chamber. House Resolution 217, sponsored by Philadelphia House Delegation Chairwoman Morgan Cephas, recognizes May 7, 2025, as “Philadelphia Eagles Day at the Capitol,” honoring the team’s second Super Bowl victory and fifth NFL Championship in the 92-year history of the organization.

It still seems like yesterday we were watching our Eagles lift that Lombardi Trophy in New Orleans, celebrating on the Art Museum steps, and buying up all the “Super Bowl Champion” merch, so of course I was a YES vote on this resolution honoring the Eagles! I even got to take a picture with both Lombardi Trophies and try on the Super Bowl LII ring!

If you have questions or would like to provide feedback on any legislative or state-related issue, please contact our district office at repotten@pahouse.net.

UPCOMING EVENTS

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.

Legislative Town Hall

With budget season ramping up in Harrisburg, it is a priority of mine to ensure the needs of our district are recognized in this year’s budget, and I want to hear what issues matter most to you at my next Town Hall.?

An active and engaged constituency is essential to a government that works for all people, and your input and involvement help to ensure that the interests of central Chester County are well represented. My upcoming town hall is an excellent opportunity to get updates on state legislative issues and ask questions about issues that matter to you. I hope to see you there!?

Attendees are encouraged to submit their questions in advance to ensure we have enough time to address everyone. Please submit your questions/comments/concerns to repotten@pahouse.net with the subject line “TOWN HALL TOPIC” by Friday, May 23.?

When: Thursday, May 29? | 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM?

Where: Witmer Conference Center at the East Brandywine Fire Company, 2096?Bondsville Road, Downingtown, PA 19335?

2025 Property Tax/Rent Rebate Application Period NOW OPEN

The 2025 Property Tax/Rent Rebate Application Period is now open and accepting application for rebates on property taxes or rent paid in 2024.

Thanks to changes we made in 2023, more people are eligible, with income limits adjusted to keep pace with Social Security cost-of-living adjustments. The Property Tax/Rent Rebate program has made it easier for seniors in Chester County to stay in their homes and afford groceries, medicine, and so much more.

The Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program benefits eligible Pennsylvanians ages 65 and older, widows and widowers ages 50 and older, and people with disabilities age 18 and older.

Please call or stop by my office to find out if you’re eligible and get assistance applying for your rebate. We’d be glad to answer any questions and set up an appointment to help you complete your application online!

For those who prefer to file by mail, paper applications will be available in my office soon, and we will update here when they come in.

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,