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Kinkead: It’s time to take action to combat climate change

(Mar 24, 2021) Rep. Emily Kinkead

Kinkead, D-Allegheny, said her bill, which would be known as the Energy Transition Recovery Act, would direct funds from the sale of carbon allowances sold at auction through the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative to methods designed to curb those emissions by 2050. Read more

 

Shusterman bill to help create jobs and revive Pennsylvania’s economy clears House Commerce Committee

(Mar 23, 2021) Rep. Melissa Shusterman

Established in 2004, the Second Stage Loan program was funded with $50 million. Today, $46.6 million still remains undistributed. Shusterman's bill calls for transparency and efficiency improvements to make this program work for Pennsylvania's businesses now. Read more

 

House passes Harkins bill to rid school code of offensive language

(Mar 22, 2021) Rep. Patrick J. Harkins

Harkins, D-Erie, said H.B. 365 would remove antiquated, harmful terms to describe students with disabilities or mental health issues – terms he said have no place in the state’s progressive education system. Read more

 

Harrisburg Republicans playing political games with childhood sexual abuse survivors

(Mar 22, 2021) Pennsylvania House Democratic Caucus

“It’s incredibly frustrating to us and downright disrespectful to survivors of childhood sexual abuse that when given the opportunity this week to correct an error and give survivors a chance to seek justice and have their voices heard, Republican leadership instead decided to play political games." Read more

 

Conklin to introduce bill to better protect animals

(Mar 22, 2021) Rep. Scott Conklin

Conklin said his measure would provide trained individuals with the authority to assess animal cruelty issues and empowered to enforce animal control provisions. These humane officers would be required to meet state requirements contained in the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statues as related to the state’s Dog Law. Read more

 

Cephas introduces legislation to combat maternal mortality, calls on state leaders to pursue provision in American Rescue Plan

(Mar 19, 2021) Rep. Morgan B. Cephas

Cephas, who serves as vice-chair of the PA Women’s Health Caucus and treasurer of the Women’s Caucus, has been at the forefront in the fight to combat maternal mortality across Pennsylvania, said health care is the most disparate it has ever been, with race-based and class-based implicit biases and discrimination that results in compounding the effects of iniquity felt by marginalized and underserved patients. Read more

 

Kosierowski: It’s time to allow nursing professionals a multistate option

(Mar 19, 2021) Rep. Bridget M. Kosierowski

According to Kosierowski, her bill would allow individual nursing professionals licensed in Pennsylvania to practice in other states. Additionally, H.B. 966 would create a pathway for nurses in the existing 34 member-state NLC to practice in the commonwealth. Read more

 

Burns steps up again for military families

(Mar 19, 2021) Rep. Frank Burns

Burns’ new bill, H.B. 941, would guarantee the in-state tuition rate for military families as soon as a student enrolls in a public college or university, regardless of where their military parent is later reassigned. Read more

 

House Democratic Leaders call on Republicans to honor promise to survivors of childhood sexual abuse

(Mar 19, 2021) Pennsylvania House Democratic Caucus

“Survivors of childhood sexual abuse have waited long enough. If House Republicans want to choose politics over people and vote against an amendment that received support from 86% of their caucus last session, then those who’ve suffered for decades deserve to know which of their elected representatives changed their vote so they can ask them why.” Read more

 

Frankel, Women’s Health Caucus decry focus on abortion bans

(Mar 18, 2021) Rep. Dan B. Frankel, Women’s Health Caucus

Some of the policies proposed for supporting women include extended Medicaid coverage for mothers, doula coverage for pregnant women, substance use disorder treatment for pregnant women and new mothers and improved data collection on maternal mortality. Read more

 

Ciresi proposes waiving restaurant license renewal fees

(Mar 18, 2021) Rep. Joseph Ciresi

The waiver would apply only to restaurants, bars, clubs, churches and fire halls with gross annual receipts under $25 million and that have lost more than 20% of their monthly sales during the declared disaster emergency related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Read more

 

Frankel applauds House passage of bike lane bill named in memory of Pittsburgher

(Mar 17, 2021) Rep. Dan B. Frankel

The bill, H.B. 140, was amended in committee to be named Susan’s and Emily’s Law, in honor of Susan Hicks, who was killed in Oakland, and Emily Fredericks, a cyclist who was killed in 2017 in Philadelphia. Read more

 

Committee approves Merski bill to help police departments purchase vehicles

(Mar 17, 2021) Rep. Robert Merski

Merski, D-Erie, said H.B. 648 would require the state Department of General Services – which sells used Pennsylvania State Police vehicles at public auctions – to create a program for selling used police pursuit vehicles directly to local and regional police departments at a fixed price prior to auctioning them. Read more

 

Kulik legislation providing restaurants relief from paying safekeeping fees receives committee vote

(Mar 16, 2021) Rep. Anita Astorino Kulik

The legislation would allow a one-year reprieve from paying liquor license renewal or validation fees for license holders whose businesses are not operational. Read more

 

Deasy outdoor dining legislation passes key vote

(Mar 16, 2021) Rep. Dan Deasy

Deasy said H.B. 452 would remove limitations concerning public thoroughfares, eliminate fees and reduce delays in approving outdoor seating to make it easier for licensed establishments and customers to take advantage of the option. Read more

 

Freeman bill would permit extensions to Main Street program participants

(Mar 15, 2021) Rep. Robert L. Freeman

According to Freeman, H.B. 926 would give the state Department of Community and Economic Development the authority to grant a period of up to an additional five years for administrative costs associated with employing a Main Street manager if it determines that it would be beneficial to the community in reaching its revitalization goals. Read more

 

Brown negotiates historic agreement to ban sale of ghost gun kits at Pa. shows

(Mar 15, 2021) Rep. Amen Brown

Brown, a first-term lawmaker representing Philadelphia’s 190th Legislative District, joined Attorney General Josh Shapiro at a morning news conference to announce the agreement to halt the sale of 80% receiver kits at Eagle Arms gun shows. Read more

 

Rabb reintroduces legislation to raise the minimum wage in Pa. and expand it to apply to vulnerable members of the workforce

(Mar 12, 2021) Rep. Christopher M. Rabb

State Rep. Chris Rabb, along with Reps. Jessica Benham, D-Allegheny; Manuel Guzman Jr., D-Berks; Carol Hill-Evans, D-York; Sara Innamorato, D-Allegheny; Emily Kinkead, D-Allegheny; Rick Krajewski, D-Phila.; Summer Lee, D-Allegheny; Danielle Friel Otten, D-Chester; Joe Webster, D-Montgomery; and Napoleon J. Nelson, D-Montgomery, has introduced legislation to increase the minimum wage to $15 an hour and expand it to apply to vulnerable members of the workforce. Read more

 

McNeill: Frontline workers need more protections

(Mar 11, 2021) Rep. Jeanne McNeill

McNeill explained that her legislation would classify assault against a retail or restaurant worker who is enforcing a public health directive as aggravated assault; the goal is a reduction in the number of employees violently attacked simply for doing their job. Read more

 

Burns: Wolf should abandon state income tax hike proposal

(Mar 11, 2021) Rep. Frank Burns

Burns, D-Cambria, said the latest federal allocation is roughly three times the state’s $2.5 billion projected budget deficit, and since the fresh influx of money can be used to backfill pandemic-related revenue losses, Wolf’s proposed 46% hike in the state income tax can’t be justified. Read more

 

Kinkead: It’s time to take action to combat climate change
Mar 24, 2021

Shusterman bill to help create jobs and revive Pennsylvania’s economy clears House Commerce Committee
Mar 23, 2021

House passes Harkins bill to rid school code of offensive language
Mar 22, 2021

Harrisburg Republicans playing political games with childhood sexual abuse survivors
Mar 22, 2021

Conklin to introduce bill to better protect animals
Mar 22, 2021

Cephas introduces legislation to combat maternal mortality, calls on state leaders to pursue provision in American Rescue Plan
Mar 19, 2021

Kosierowski: It’s time to allow nursing professionals a multistate option
Mar 19, 2021

Burns steps up again for military families
Mar 19, 2021

House Democratic Leaders call on Republicans to honor promise to survivors of childhood sexual abuse
Mar 19, 2021

Frankel, Women’s Health Caucus decry focus on abortion bans
Mar 18, 2021

Ciresi proposes waiving restaurant license renewal fees
Mar 18, 2021

Frankel applauds House passage of bike lane bill named in memory of Pittsburgher
Mar 17, 2021

Committee approves Merski bill to help police departments purchase vehicles
Mar 17, 2021

Kulik legislation providing restaurants relief from paying safekeeping fees receives committee vote
Mar 16, 2021

Deasy outdoor dining legislation passes key vote
Mar 16, 2021

Freeman bill would permit extensions to Main Street program participants
Mar 15, 2021

Brown negotiates historic agreement to ban sale of ghost gun kits at Pa. shows
Mar 15, 2021

Rabb reintroduces legislation to raise the minimum wage in Pa. and expand it to apply to vulnerable members of the workforce
Mar 12, 2021

McNeill: Frontline workers need more protections
Mar 11, 2021

Burns: Wolf should abandon state income tax hike proposal
Mar 11, 2021