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Howard joins in announcing new state task force to strengthen juvenile justice system

Rep. Kristine C. Howard

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Zabel named co-chair of newly launched Juvenile Justice Task Force

(1 minute ago) Pennsylvania House Democratic Caucus

“I’m excited and honored for this opportunity to serve on this interbranch, bipartisan task force. I am confident we will do whatever we can do to strengthen the system and improve how the state handles juvenile justice.” Read more

 

Ciresi, Webster announce $35K grant for Perkiomen Valley School District

(1 hour ago) Pennsylvania House Democratic Caucus

State Reps. Joe Ciresi and Joe Webster announced a $35,000 PAsmart Targeted grant has been approved for Perkiomen Valley School District Friday to expand computer science classes and teacher training. The grants are one component of the PAsmart initiative to improve computer science and STEM – or science, technology, engineering and mathematics – education. Read more

 

Woodland Hills, Pittsburgh to receive $70,000 for tech in schools

(1 hour ago) Pennsylvania House Democratic Caucus

Grants will help expand computer science programs, teacher training Read more

 

Burns lands another $105,000 for technology in local schools

(2 hours ago) Pennsylvania House Democratic Caucus

Grants build on 2019 investments, total $175,000 for school tech, training Read more

 

Burns: St. Francis gets $28,500 grant to combat sexual assault

(3 hours ago) Pennsylvania House Democratic Caucus

$2.44 million in state aid awarded to university since 2017 Read more

 

It’s On Us PA’ Awards $1 Million to 36 Colleges, Universities to Combat Sexual Assault

(21 hours ago) Pennsylvania House Democratic Caucus

Today nearly $1 million in state grants were awarded to combat campus sexual assault at 36 colleges and universities. Read more

 

Zabel introduces bill to support victims of domestic violence attempting to obtain PFA orders

(23 hours ago) Rep. Mike Zabel

The bill, H.B. 2228, would require employers to provide unpaid leave for employees who attend a PFA hearing if the employee is a victim or is providing testimony on behalf of a victim. Read more

 

Burns: $77k state grant will prepare students for local STEM jobs

(55 minutes ago) Pennsylvania House Democratic Caucus

Investment is in workforce development program to grow regional economy Read more

 

Briggs: Amended cell phone bill would weaken current law on texting while driving

(1 day ago) Pennsylvania House Democratic Caucus

HARRISBURG, Jan. 15 – A House bill aimed at increasing safety on the roads was amended in a way that would actually weaken current state law and send Pennsylvania backward in efforts to stop texting while driving, state Rep. Tim Briggs said today. House Bill 37, passed by the House today, would prohibit the use of handheld communications devices while driving. But an amendment added to the bill Tuesday made it a secondary offense for adult drivers to text or use a hand-held device, meaning police officers would have to have another reason to pull a driver over in the first place. Texting while driving is currently a primary offense in Pennsylvania. “I support a ban on using phones and other devices while driving, but I voted against this bill. Years ago, we fought hard to make texting while driving a primary offense, and reducing it to a secondary offense through this bill is a step backward,” said Briggs, D-Montgomery. “Proponents of the changes say this will mirror seat belt law, which is a secondary offense for adults. But if we’re really concerned about safety, failing to buckle up should be a primary offense as well.” Currently, 48 states and Washington D.C. ban text messaging while driving, and it is a primary offense in all but three of those states. The overall goal is safety, Briggs said, and H.B. 37 as amended would make it more difficult for police to enforce a ban. “We’ve worked on this Read more

 

Burns votes to stop closures of state centers like Ebensburg

(1 day ago) Pennsylvania House Democratic Caucus

Legislators cast a bipartisan vote to stop closer of two state centers for the intellectually disabled in Pennsylvania Read more

 

PA House Democrats look to protect health coverage for state residents in face of threats to Affordable Care law

(Jan 14, 2020) Rep. Frank Dermody

HARRISBURG, Jan. 14 – House Democrats signaled today that they will move to force action in the PA House on critical legislation to protect access to health care for Pennsylvanians in the face of efforts by President Trump and Washington extremists and special interests to destroy the Affordable Care law. “The affordable care law gave millions more Americans access to health insurance, saved countless families from bankruptcy resulting from exorbitant health care costs, kept rural and urban hospitals open in Pennsylvania, and created and preserved thousands of health care jobs,” Democratic Leader Frank Dermody said. “We’re standing up for people’s health care, not the agenda of political extremists and special interests. That’s why we want votes in the House on these bills to save lives and the financial well-being of Pennsylvania individuals and families.” The legislation House Democrats will attempt to force a vote on includes: Protect people with pre-existing conditions (H.B. 471 sponsored by state Rep. Peter Schweyer). Protects and preserves a person’s access to health insurance and the ability to see a doctor, even if they have a pre-existing condition such as diabetes, breast cancer, high blood pressure or even pregnancy. “When people can’t see the doctor or access health care, they skip checkups, get sicker and sometimes die. Many people without insurance face bankruptcy,” Read more

 

Howard angered by Trump administration’s proposed environmental rule changes

(Jan 14, 2020) Pennsylvania House Democratic Caucus

MALVERN, Jan. 14 – State Rep. Kristine Howard, D-Chester, today expressed her dismay at the Trump administration’s proposed changes to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the benchmark environmental protection law signed by President Richard Nixon in 1970. Howard sent a letter to U.S. Rep. Chrissy Houlahan, D-Pa., and U.S. Sens. Bob Casey, D-Pa., and Pat Toomey, R-Pa., imploring them to oppose the changes. The proposed changes would narrow the scope of NEPA, making the approval process easier for major energy and infrastructure promises by eschewing detailed environmental reviews. “The changes are reckless, plain and simple,” Howard said. “The Trump administration is stripping away existing legal constraints because their oil and gas friends think that the review process is long and cumbersome. Tough.” As it stands, major projects must be assessed for potential environmental impacts before receiving approval, and the public must be involved in the process. This allows environmentalists, tribal activists and other concerned citizens to have a voice, she said. However, by redefining “major federal action,” the new version of NEPA would exclude privately financed projects with minimal government funding from these requirements, including several controversial pipeline projects in Howard’s district. “By proposing arbitrary deadlines and page limits for environmental reviews in the name Read more

 

Boyle seeks to reform special election procedures in Pa.

(Jan 08, 2020) Rep. Kevin Boyle

HARRISBURG, Jan. 8 – Following the announcement of the date for special elections to fill three House vacancies, state Rep. Kevin Boyle announced he will be introducing legislation to regulate when these elections could be held in the future to save Pennsylvania taxpayers money. “Special elections have been scheduled for March 17 when the April 28 primary is only a little more than a month away. These special elections will cost Pennsylvania taxpayers more than $1 million in added elections costs,” said Boyle, D-Phila./Montgomery. On Tuesday, Speaker Mike Turzai announced the March date for the special elections to fill vacancies in the 8th, 18th, and 58th legislative districts. The speaker’s decision will inconvenience voters and election workers in Mercer, Butler, Bucks and Westmoreland counties. “Not only are these special elections a financial burden, but our counties are dealing with changes to new voting laws and voting machines. Our already overburdened county election workers should be concentrating on ensuring voters are educated on the new laws and new voting machines so they can make secure, informed decisions at the polls,” Boyle said. He added that he has introduced legislation that would require special elections to fill vacant seats in the House or the Senate to be held in conjunction with the next regularly scheduled general or primary election day. “As the Democratic chair of Read more

 

Mid-March special elections will add cost, confusion before April primary

(Jan 07, 2020) Rep. Frank Dermody

HARRISBURG, Jan. 7 – Democratic Leader Frank Dermody criticized the decision of House Speaker Mike Turzai to hold three special elections just weeks before the April 28 primary, costing taxpayers well over $1 million in added election costs and creating unnecessary confusion in four counties that are working to implement new voting procedures at the same time. “There’s no good reason to hold these elections on a separate date so close to the primary. It’s a large cost, one that’s unbudgeted, and a needless complication that benefits nobody except a few political insiders,” Dermody said. Turzai today directed that the elections to fill vacancies in the 8 th , 18 th and 58 th districts will be held March 17. The speaker’s decision will inconvenience voters and election workers in Mercer, Butler, Bucks and Westmoreland counties. “Pennsylvania is in the midst of unprecedented changes to our voting laws and voting machines. County workers who should be focused on preparing for the smoothest possible April primary will have to conduct these additional special elections on very short notice,” Dermody said. The total cost of the additional elections will not be known for months, but Dermody said other recent special elections typically cost between $300,000 and $500,000 per election. Holding three of them on March 17 instead of six weeks later to coincide with the primary will add election costs at a time when Read more

 

Harris applauds passage of bipartisan occupational licensure reform

(Dec 18, 2019) Pennsylvania House Democratic Caucus

Citing the benefit to Pennsylvanians looking for employment as well as to the state’s economy, state Rep. Jordan Harris, D-Phila., House Democratic whip, applauded the passage of bipartisan legislation he authored with state Rep. Sheryl Delozier, R-Cumberland, that restructures how the state’s occupational licensure system looks at criminal records. “This legislation is about second chances, job growth and lower recidivism across Pennsylvania,” said Harris. “We know the number one way to lower recidivism and stop people from falling into the pitfall of crime is to give them a chance at secure employment and a better life, and that’s exactly what House Bill 1477 accomplishes. I’m thrilled to have worked with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle, especially Representative Delozier again, to help give thousands of Pennsylvanians a chance to succeed and turn their lives around.” Read more

 

Freeman bill would provide voters with additional campaign contribution reports

(Dec 18, 2019) Pennsylvania House Democratic Caucus

HARRISBURG, Dec. 18 – State Rep. Bob Freeman, D-Northampton, has introduced legislation that would require Pennsylvania House and Senate candidates to file campaign expense reports at more frequent intervals in order to create a more transparent record-keeping process during an election year. The legislation (H.B. 2142) would require candidates for the Pennsylvania General Assembly to also file campaign expense reports on or before the sixth Tuesday before the election. They are currently only required to file on the second Friday before the election, but this legislation would add the additional filing, matching the campaign expense report filing requirement of candidates for statewide office. "The change would provide earlier disclosure and greater transparency on who is contributing to candidates for the General Assembly," Freeman said. "This is information voters should have access to earlier in a campaign than they currently do." The currently required second-Friday expense report is filed just 10 days before the election. Freeman said that filing comes so close to the election that the information about where a candidate is getting contributions tends to get lost in the last week of campaign literature and other information. "This would put everything on the table and allow voters to see who is backing which candidates and what they stand for, or more importantly, who they stand with," Freeman said. "It Read more

 

Fiedler demands emergency funding to fix toxic school facilities

(Dec 18, 2019) Pennsylvania House Democratic Caucus

HARRISBURG, Dec. 18 – State Rep. Elizabeth Fiedler, D-Phila., hosted a rally in the state Capitol to today to demand emergency funding to fix unhealthy and unsafe school building conditions. “Make no mistake, the conditions in our schools are a public health emergency. No educator, student, or staff person anywhere in the state should ever wonder if they’re suffering from cancer or asthma because of the time they spent in one of our public schools,” Fiedler said. “The state has the financial ability to fix the asbestos, lead and mold. Let’s make people’s lives a budget priority.” Fiedler has introduced legislation that outlines $125 million in emergency funding to schools across the state with exposed asbestos, lead paint and crumbling buildings. She was joined at today’s rally by students, parents and teachers from affected schools and community organizations like POWER, PCCY, PFT, AFL-CIO, Vietlead and more. Read more

 

Cephas introduces legislation to lower maternal mortality rates

(Dec 18, 2019) Rep. Morgan B. Cephas

HARRISBURG, Dec. 18 – In her continued effort to bring awareness to the disproportionate number of deaths of women of color during and after childbirth in the commonwealth, state Rep. Morgan Cephas, D-Phila., announced she has introduced a package of bills aimed at addressing maternal mortality rates. “Pennsylvania has seen an increasing, disturbing trend in pregnancy-related deaths, with 11.4 deaths per 100,000 live births from 2012 to 2016. For women of color during that time period, that rate was more than double, at 27.2 per 100,000 live births. This is a clear indication that regardless of income and education levels, women of color are at an even greater risk than white women to die from pregnancy-related complications,” Cephas said. The bills introduced by Cephas are: H.B. 2107 – Would add severe maternal morbidity to the list of reportable events within the Pennsylvania Department of Health. H.B. 2108 – Would extend Medicaid coverage for pregnancy related and postpartum medical assistance. H.B. 2109 – Would extend Medicaid coverage to doula services and create a Doula Advisory Board. H.B. 2110 – Would require training to address implicit bias and culture competency that impact care and quality of care for patients of color, including women of color during pregnancy and childbirth. “While the death of any mother is a tragedy, Read more

 

Howard joins in announcing new state task force to strengthen juvenile justice system

(Dec 17, 2019) Rep. Kristine C. Howard

HARRISBURG, Dec. 16 – Rep. Kristine Howard, D-Chester, this morning joined Gov. Tom Wolf, justices and fellow legislators at a news conference with Pew Charitable Trusts on the creation of a Juvenile Justice Task Force, which will develop a report on steps the Commonwealth can take to strengthen the juvenile justice system. “This task force is a great step towards a safe, healthy and well-educated future for the children of Pennsylvania,” Howard said. “When it comes to the welfare of Pennsylvania’s youth—and to improving our communities across the commonwealth—there is much work to be done. This data-driven task force is the way forward, and I look forward to taking up its recommendations. “I am committed to supporting the membership of this task force in any way I can to develop and pass evidence-based recommendations that will ensure that our systems are fair, equitable and responsive to all youth.” Joining Howard and Wolf were Rep. Bryan Cutler, R-Lancaster, the Hon. Kim Berkeley Clark, the Hon. Douglas Reichley, Sen. Anthony Williams, D-Philadelphia/Delaware, Sen. Larry Farnese, D-Philadelphia, and Sen. Mike Regan, R-Cumberland. Read more

 

Cephas to introduce legislation to protect older Pennsylvanians

(Dec 16, 2019) Rep. Morgan B. Cephas

HARRISBURG, Dec. 16 – State Rep. Morgan Cephas, D-Phila., announced she is introducing legislation designed to protect older Pennsylvanians from abuse while living in assisted living and long-term care facilities. “No one deserves to be a victim of abuse, and that’s certain for our commonwealth’s aging population,” Cephas said. “Our seniors have worked their entire lives to provide for and raise their families while making significant contributions to their community. They should not be denied the appropriate level of care and compassion that they deserve.” The two bills, known as the Assisted Living and Long-Term Care Resident Bill of Rights, would explicitly convey the needs and rights of residents, regardless of their race, gender, sexual orientation, age or ethnicity, and ensure these needs are met. Some of these needs include mail privacy, access to health care, free from restraints, right to privacy, access to the local ombudsman, and the right to live free from neglect, intimidation and physical or verbal abuse. “While these things seem to be obvious, abuse against older Pennsylvanians is a far too common reality. More than 18,000 cases of abuse were reported between 2016 and 2017. For people of color and marginalized communities, the magnitudes of abuse are higher,” Cephas said. “My legislation would help address one of the most alarming health concerns Read more

 

Zabel named co-chair of newly launched Juvenile Justice Task Force
1 minute ago

Ciresi, Webster announce $35K grant for Perkiomen Valley School District
1 hour ago

Woodland Hills, Pittsburgh to receive $70,000 for tech in schools
1 hour ago

Burns lands another $105,000 for technology in local schools
2 hours ago

Burns: St. Francis gets $28,500 grant to combat sexual assault
3 hours ago

It’s On Us PA’ Awards $1 Million to 36 Colleges, Universities to Combat Sexual Assault
21 hours ago

Zabel introduces bill to support victims of domestic violence attempting to obtain PFA orders
23 hours ago

Burns: $77k state grant will prepare students for local STEM jobs
55 minutes ago

Briggs: Amended cell phone bill would weaken current law on texting while driving
1 day ago

Burns votes to stop closures of state centers like Ebensburg
1 day ago

PA House Democrats look to protect health coverage for state residents in face of threats to Affordable Care law
Jan 14, 2020

Howard angered by Trump administration’s proposed environmental rule changes
Jan 14, 2020

Boyle seeks to reform special election procedures in Pa.
Jan 08, 2020

Mid-March special elections will add cost, confusion before April primary
Jan 07, 2020

Harris applauds passage of bipartisan occupational licensure reform
Dec 18, 2019

Freeman bill would provide voters with additional campaign contribution reports
Dec 18, 2019

Fiedler demands emergency funding to fix toxic school facilities
Dec 18, 2019

Cephas introduces legislation to lower maternal mortality rates
Dec 18, 2019

Howard joins in announcing new state task force to strengthen juvenile justice system
Dec 17, 2019

Cephas to introduce legislation to protect older Pennsylvanians
Dec 16, 2019