The Budget Impasse, Signs of Contractor Fraud & Grant Opportunities

Rep. Carol Kazeem October 17, 2025 | 4:27 PM

Dear Neighbor,

I want to keep you up to date on information I hope you will find helpful including

Legislative Update
Beware Seniors! Signs of Contractor Fraud
State grant program funding available

The Budget Impasse

After 100 days of Senate Republicans putting politics ahead of people and refusing to negotiate in good faith on a state budget, House Democrats have had enough.

To show our true commitment to Pennsylvanians, I was proud last Wednesday to again cast my vote for a state budget that clearly shows an ability to govern through thoughtful compromise.

The first bipartisan budget plan the House sent to the Senate (H.B. 1330) on July 14 was met with silence. Last Wednesday, we in the House again raised our voices and votes and demanded Senate leaders take this seriously.

And it is serious. Schools, counties and organizations –like rape crisis centers and Head Start programs –are all feeling the effects of Senate inaction and have been forced to cut services or take out loans to cover expenses normally paid for with state funding.

What the Senate is doing isn’t governing. It’s weakness.

Please join me in calling on Senate Republican leaders to end their political games and pass the House state budget that funds schools and services, does not increase taxes, and is based on thoughtful compromise and a commitment to govern.

Legislative Update

While the Senate is sitting around doing nothing, my House colleagues and I passed important bills that will help our neighbors and improve our communities:

During the last two weeks in Harrisburg:

We protected workers by allowing them to collect unemployment compensation benefits if their unemployment is due to a stoppage of work because of a labor dispute (HB 145).

We’re supporting safe school infrastructure by creating a school facilities inventory within the PA Department of Education (HB 1701).

We’re modernizing our state liquor laws and supporting businesses by allowing businesses with liquor licenses to have premixed cocktails on tap, just like beer (HB 1702).

We protected consumers by requiring disclosure of flood-related risk factors during the homebuying process (HB 1704); requiring companies that collect personal information electronically to take steps to protect that data from breaches (HB 997); establishing the Landslide and Sinkhole Insurance Program (HB 589); and giving consumers rights when it comes to their personal data and requiring certain businesses to protect consumer privacy and limit the collection of consumer data (HB 78).

We protected communities by closing loopholes in our law by expanding background checks for purchases of long guns (HB 1593).

Beware Seniors! Signs of Contractor Fraud

Many contractors see Pennsylvania’s nearly 2 million senior residents as ripe for construction fraud.

Construction/contractor fraud, or home improvement fraud, includes overpayment for home construction projects, incomplete work or damaged property.

Watch out for these signs of contractor fraud: demands for upfront payment, scope creep, shoddy or non-existent work, altered invoices, and high-pressure sales tactics.

To protect yourself and your finances, keep these things in mind when hiring a contractor:

Get several bids on your home repair to make sure you aren’t overpaying for work.
Carefully verify contractors’ backgrounds. All contractors must display their official registration number on all contracts, estimates, proposals, and advertisements distributed within the Commonwealth. To verify, call toll free 1-888-520-6680.
Be wary of online ads and social media claims as scammers use fake reviews or PO boxes for their listed addresses to build trust.
Make sure the contract is in writing. Go here for a list of what must be included in the contract.
Carefully review the contract with another person. If you have questions, consult a contract attorney to review the terms with you before signing.

If you have any reason to suspect contractor fraud, report it!

Call 1-866-623-2137 (toll-free helpline).
Email: seniors@attorneygeneral.gov.
Submit a Senior Protection Complaint with the Attorney General's Office.

State grant program funding available

The latest grant opportunities from the state have been released! My office is happy to connect you with government funding opportunities like these, so please reach out if you have any questions or need a letter of support.