This week, the House held their final voting session prior to the 2024 General Election, and we continued our work of advancing a bipartisan agenda that lifts up the people of Pennsylvania. Read more
HARRISBURG, Oct. 22 – State Rep. Danielle Friel Otten, D-Chester, today announced the award of several high-profile state grants for local projects that will benefit residents of the 155 th Legislative District. Some grants originated from the Public School Facility Improvement Grant Program, which was created to provide grants to public school districts and area career and technical schools for eligible facility improvement projects. The program is administered by the state Department of Community and Economic Development under the direction of the Commonwealth Financing Authority. Downingtown Area School District, Brandywine Wallace Elementary School Window Replacement Project, $672,000 Downingtown Area School District will replace 78 windows at Brandywine Wallace Elementary School to address safety and energy loss concerns. The storefront and venting windows do not meet energy conservation codes, and the sliding windows are currently inoperable due to gasket deterioration and metal corrosion. The window replacements will provide energy savings, as well as health and safety benefits through improved air quality and more easily operated windows that present fewer risks of injury. The windows will also have a security benefit through simpler locking mechanisms that provide perimeter security. Downingtown Area School District, District-wide AED Project, $40,250 The Downingtown Area School District AED Master Plan includes the Read more
With just over two weeks to go until Election Day (17 days!), I hope everyone has a plan to make their voice heard at the ballot box. Read more
Were you lucky enough to catch the Northern Lights over our region last night? Crystal clear skies and strong geomagnetic storms made for perfect viewing conditions across Chester County. If you missed last night’s spectacular show, you may get another chance tonight. Read more
My colleagues and I returned to Harrisburg on Monday for the start of Fall session. We picked up right where we left off, with a packed week of committee and caucus meetings, advocacy events, and of course voting session days. Gov. Shapiro signed three bills into law this week, including legislation I cosponsored that will allow renters to stay in their homes while certain property repairs are completed. Read more
Following the passage of the 2024-2025 budget in July, which delivered significant investments in public education, affordable housing and healthcare, human services, and our workforce, the House adjourned for summer recess. During this time, my team and I have been speaking with neighbors in all parts of the district, meeting with constituents, attending community events, working on legislation, and preparing for a busy fall. Read more
This past week has been an extremely busy one for Team Otten! My team and I attended multiple legislative events in the district and in the Southeast region, while still working hard here in the district office to deliver excellent constituent services to our community members. Read more
This past Saturday, my team and I were in Caln Township for Caln Community Day. We weathered some early showers but once those passed, we were all-in for a fun day. It was great meeting so many new friends and bringing our District Office services out into the community. Read more
Our hearts are heavy this week with the news of Wednesday’s fatal shooting at Apalachee High School near Winder, Georgia, in which two students and two teachers were killed and nine others were injured. Read more
Summer 2024 Newsletter Read more
This week marked the start of the 2024-2025 school year for students and families here in the 155th Legislative District. As a parent of two children in elementary school, I know the first week always brings its challenges, especially getting back into routines, early bedtimes, and school mode, but I hope everyone had a great first week and is excited for the rest of the year! Read more
It’s hard to believe, but another summer has come and gone. For many of my younger constituents, that means it’s time to get ready to head back to school. I know we’re sad to see summer come to an end in the Otten household, but we are also very excited to meet our new teachers and rejoin our friends in the classroom. Read more
Throughout the legislative session, the House Democratic Policy Committee travels across the state holding public hearings that provide a platform for legislators to hear from community members and advocates on the issues that matter most to our respective districts. The testimony we hear can directly impact the legislation we introduce and ultimately vote on. Read more
Gun violence intervention took center stage at Monday’s House Majority Policy Committee hearing as members gathered testimony to understand what more can be done to reduce gun violence in Pennsylvania. Read more
This past weekend, I was in Louisville, Kentucky for the 2024 National Caucus of Environmental Legislators (NCEL) National Forum. For the past three years, I have served as the Pennsylvania State Lead for NCEL. In this role, I have been the NCEL’s main point of contact in the Pennsylvania legislature, as we work to advance environmental issues and legislation. Read more
While the House has been in recess since Governor Shapiro signed the 2024-25 state budget into law on July 11, Team Otten has been staying busy. Read more
With budget season now behind us and the House in recess until September 23, I will be back in the district meeting with constituents, attending local events, and working with my staff to prepare for a busy fall. Read more
The big news this week is that we have a budget! The House approved the state budget for the 2024-2025 fiscal year by a vote of 122-80 last Thursday, July 11, and Gov. Shapiro signed the bill into law the same night. Read more
On Thursday, July 11, the House approved the Pennsylvania state budget for the 2024-2025 fiscal year by a vote of 122-80 . Gov. Shapiro signed the bill into law the same night. I voted in support of this budget, which makes significant investments in public education, affordable housing and healthcare, human services, our workforce, communities, and the future of Pennsylvania – all without raising taxes. This budget is not perfect. It falls short on some of the priorities important to me and our community, but there is also a lot to like. The reality is that we have a Democratic-controlled House and a Republican-controlled Senate, and this budget reflects the compromise that was required for both sides to reach agreement. I believe that on balance, this budget contains more good than bad and will bring relief and growth to our families and communities. Here’s a deep-dive into where the budget delivers, and where I believe it falls short. Please give it a read, and contact my district office at repotten@pahouse.net or 484-200-8259 with your questions or feedback.? The headline in this year’s budget is school funding. Heading into budget season, school funding was the number one priority for me and my House colleagues, and I am happy to say that we delivered. While the budget falls short of the full amount and some of the important reforms we advocated for, it represents an enormous win for students and families across the Commonwealth, including Read more
Last Thursday, minutes after we voted on the state budget, I spoke on the House floor in opposition to Senate Bill 831 . The stated purpose of this bill is to establish a legal and regulatory framework for potential carbon dioxide capture, utilization, and sequestration (“carbon capture,” or CCUS). Carbon capture is an expensive, unproven technology that has shown no real evidence of reducing the negative environmental or public health impacts of the fossil fuel industry and conversely has the potential to do more harm. This legislation declares CCUS to be “in the public interests,” which allows for the corporate use of eminent domain to infringe upon the rights of private property owners. Under this bill, a private corporation could utilize your land for carbon sequestration, without your consent, if they can get 75% of your neighbors to agree. They could then carry out an experimental industrial practice with a history of causing earthquakes and asphyxiation on your land, injecting carbon dioxide -- the polluting byproduct of their fracked gas production -- into the ground below your property. This bill also would weaken property owners’ ability to take action against corporations for damages they cause to private property by limiting corporate accountability and liability for any negative consequences. In doing so, the bill would socialize all the risks and costs of these operations, Read more
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631 North Pottstown PikeExton, PA 19341
P*: (484) 200-8259
F*: (484) 200-8269
Hours of Operation - Monday through Friday: 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Constituent services available by email, phone, or in-person by appointment. If you need an appointment outside our regular business hours, please call us at 484-200-8259 or email repotten@pahouse.net and we will do our best to accommodate.
122 Wallace Ave.Downingtown, PA 19335-2643
Hours of Operation - Fourth Wednesday of every month from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
34 East WingPO Box 202155Harrisburg, PA 17120-2155
P*: (717) 783-5009
F*: (717) 772-2943