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PA House approves unemployment for striking workers

(Oct 07, 2025) Rep. Rick Krajewski, Rep. Elizabeth Fiedler

HARRISBURG, Oct. 7 - Today, the Pennsylvania State House voted 106-97 to pass H.B. 145, providing unemployment compensation to striking workers. Current Pennsylvania statute explicitly bans working people who are on strike from receiving unemployment compensation, leaving many striking workers unable to pay rent or mortgage payments, buy groceries, and afford other necessities during contract negotiations. Read more

 

House Agriculture, Education committees hear testimony on Keystone Fresh Act

(Oct 07, 2025) Rep. Eddie Day Pashinski, Rep. Danilo Burgos, Rep. Peter G. Schweyer

HARRISBURG, Oct. 7 – The Pennsylvania House Agriculture & Rural Affairs Committee and House Education Committee held a joint hearing today on H.B. 1768, the Keystone Fresh Act, introduced by state Reps. Danilo Burgos and Jonathan Fritz. The bipartisan legislation would expand access to fresh, locally sourced foods in school meals while supporting Pennsylvania farmers and strengthening local economies. The complete hearing can be viewed here . "Schools across Pennsylvania serve more than 168 million lunches per year , providing critical nutrients to children across the state and making them one of the largest potential markets for agricultural producers in Pennsylvania,” said Burgos, D-Phila. “However, school board food service providers reportedly only spend 9% of their total food costs on local foods. Local food purchasing incentive legislation , like the Keystone Fresh Act, would establish a grant program incentivizing schools to purchase, promote and serve local foods in their meal programs.” The Keystone Fresh Act would provide funding for schools to buy more local foods, and resources for farmers to meet school market needs. Research shows that for every $1 spent on local food purchasing initiatives, $1.40 circulates back into local economies. With Pennsylvania’s diverse agriculture sector, this program would improve student nutrition, stimulate the farm economy, and strengthen connections among Read more

 

House Communications & Technology Committee approves bills to increase consumer protections and strengthen state government’s digital defenses

(Oct 07, 2025) Pennsylvania House Democratic Caucus

HARRISBURG, Oct. 7– Legislation to increase consumer protections and strengthen the state government’s information technology defenses was approved by the PA House Communications and Technology Committee today and sent to the full House for further consideration, state Rep. Joe Ciresi, majority chair of the committee, announced. The bills would protect Pennsylvanians by prohibiting the use of “grinch bot” or “scalper bot” software that automatically purchases event tickets and resells them at a higher price, and by requiring all state IT contracts to meet the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s cybersecurity standards. “These bills will help inform, empower and protect Pennsylvanians from digital technologies used to rip off consumers and compromise residents’ personal data,” said Ciresi, D-Montgomery. Additionally, the committee approved a House resolution recognizing the historic role newspapers have played in Pennsylvania. The following measures were approved: House Resolution 322 (State Rep. Ben Waxman) would recognize the vital role of the newspaper industry as a pillar of democracy and designate Oct. 5–11, 2025, as National Newspaper Week in Pennsylvania. “I’m glad we are passing this resolution during National Newspaper Week, recognizing the historic role that newspapers have played in the flourishing of democracy in Pennsylvania from colonial times to the Read more

 

PA House Energy Committee holds public hearing on solar-ready warehouse legislation; labor and environmental leaders weigh-in

(Oct 07, 2025) Pennsylvania House Democratic Caucus

Continuing its efforts to ensure the commonwealth’s energy resources can meet surging demand and curb rising costs, Chair Elizabeth Fiedler convened a meeting of the PA House Energy Committee to discuss solar-readiness requirements for commercial buildings as proposed in H.B. 1260.Also known as the Solar-Ready Warehouse bill, the legislation would incentivize new warehouses to be built to accommodate solar panels and encourage existing warehouses to be retrofitted for them. Read more

 

Salisbury: State Police Autism Spectrum Disorder interaction card can be valuable resource for autistic Pennsylvanians

(Oct 06, 2025) Rep. Abigail Salisbury

BRADDOCK, Oct. 6 – State Rep. Abigail Salisbury wants autistic Pennsylvanians or people with loved ones on the spectrum to be aware of the Pennsylvania State Police’s Autism Spectrum Disorder interaction card. Salisbury said the “ASD card” – which can be downloaded for free and carried in a wallet or saved on a phone – may be a helpful option for people on the autism spectrum when they are dealing with law enforcement in some situations. “In certain situations, interactions with police can be difficult for some people on the autism spectrum,” said Salisbury, who is chair of the Pennsylvania Autism Caucus and the first person with an autism diagnosis to hold that position. “Some people may experience sensory overload in situations involving lights and sirens, loud noises or other high-stress events, which can cause them to shut down and appear uncooperative or unpredictable. “ As someone on the spectrum, I understand these challenges, which is why I was glad to see the Pennsylvania State Police develop this resource in conjunction with an autistic consultant. Presenting the card can help communicate critical information at a stressful time. It’s one more tool in our toolbox to improve interactions for people with autism.” Lieutenant Adam Reed, of the Pennsylvania State Police, said the card is equally helpful to law enforcement officers. “As police Read more

 

Ciresi, Friel to hold town hall with Pottstown NAACP on impact of federal budget cuts, delayed state budget Oct. 15

(Oct 06, 2025) Pennsylvania House Democratic Caucus

ROYERSFORD, Oct. 6 – State Reps. Joe Ciresi, D-Montgomery, and Paul Friel, D-Chester, will hold a town hall with the NAACP’s Pottstown chapter at 7 p.m. Oct. 15 at the TriCounty Active Adult Center, 288 Moser Road, Pottstown. The representatives’ discussion will focus on the impact of the impact of federal budget cuts and the delayed passage of the state budget on Pennsylvania. Audience participation is strongly encouraged. Read more

 

Neilson issues statement on fire risks in SEPTA railcar fleet

(Oct 06, 2025) Pennsylvania House Democratic Caucus

After the National Transportation Safety Board urged the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority to act on safety recommendations to reduce the risk of future fire incidents on its Silverliner IV railcars, state Rep. Ed Neilson, chair of the House Transportation Committee, made the following statement: “While I’m thankful that the NTSB identified the problem posing risks to public safety and SEPTA is acting quickly to inspect and remove affected railcars, this is the exact reason that House Democrats fought for a long-term, comprehensive funding plan for public transit across the commonwealth,” Neilson said. “We passed bipartisan legislation multiple times in the House that would have provided long-term, sustainable funding for all mass transit systems and kept SEPTA from having to use its capital funds to operate. SEPTA’s capital fund should be for situations like this – to mitigate any public safety risk – not for daily operations. “I am working closely with SEPTA, House Democratic leadership and Governor Shapiro’s office to determine the next step in fixing this crisis, but if a long-term funding solution isn’t a part of the conversation, this will continue to happen to transit agencies across Pennsylvania. “We need a long-term, comprehensive funding plan for transit agencies in all 67 counties, as well as for roads and bridges.” Read more

 

State lawmakers introduce bipartisan legislation to regulate the use of artificial intelligence in health care

(Oct 06, 2025) Pennsylvania House Democratic Caucus

HARRISBURG, Oct. 6 – To ensure all Pennsylvanians, especially patients, can be assured that artificial intelligence technology is being used in a beneficial manner, state Reps. Arvind Venkat, Joe Hogan, Tarik Khan, Bridget Kosierowski and Greg Scott have proposed bipartisan legislation that would regulate the application of AI in health care. AI is being rapidly implemented across the health care industry by insurers, hospitals and clinicians. It has been utilized for patient care, billing, research, claims management, utilization reviews, and assessments of cost-effectiveness. The legislation, H.B. 1925 , would provide new regulations for how AI is utilized and reported by insurers, hospitals and clinicians. These groups would need to provide transparency to patients and the public as to how AI is being used in their companies or practice settings. "As the only physician in the General Assembly, I have seen the rapid growth of AI usage in health care in real time,” said Venkat, D-Allegheny. “I am grateful for my bipartisan colleagues, including fellow health professionals, who are joining me on this legislation to make sure Pennsylvanians can be confident that AI is being used responsibly and effectively in the health care industry.” To prevent clinicians from overly relying on AI, the legislation would also ensure that a human decisionmaker would make the ultimate decision based on an Read more

 

Ciresi introduces legislation to extend deadlines to appeal Turnpike ‘V-Tolls’

(Oct 03, 2025) Pennsylvania House Democratic Caucus

HARRISBURG, Oct. 3 –State Rep. Joe Ciresi, D-Montgomery, this week introduced House Bill 1916 that would allow drivers at least six months to appeal E-ZPass video tolls and flat video tolls, also known as “v-tolls.” A v-toll is a flat $10 charge made by the Pennsylvania Turnpike to the account of an E-ZPass customer when their E-ZPass transponder was not read by the sensor at a toll booth or gantry. This can occur for a variety of reasons, including if the transponder is improperly installed or malfunctioning, or if there is a technical issue with turnpike sensors. “I’ve introduced this legislation to make sure drivers on the Pennsylvania Turnpike have the opportunity to correct mistakes on their E-ZPass statements and only have to pay what they should owe,” Ciresi said. “The shift to a cashless turnpike and the end of paper tickets and toll booth exit messages makes it less clear if you’re being charged correctly and your transponder is working. Giving drivers more time to appeal overcharges is the fair thing to do.” The Pennsylvania Turnpike began implementing all-electronic tolling in 2016, ending physical cash tolls in 2020 and launching Open Road Tolling in 2025. Read more

 

Pa. House Tourism Committee discusses bill to fight human trafficking

(Oct 02, 2025) Rep. Mary Jo Daley, Rep. Regina Young

HARRISBURG, Oct. 2 – The state House Tourism, Recreation and Economic Development Committee today held a hearing on a bill to train Pennsylvania employees of hotels, motels, online lodging and reservation companies, and other establishments to identify and report signs of human trafficking. House Bill 1286 is sponsored by state Rep. Regina Young , D-Phila./Delaware, and would provide for mandatory human trafficking awareness training for Pennsylvania workers in the hospitality industry, including online lodging and reservation companies. “Since I’ve been a legislator, I’ve been working to end human trafficking,” Young said. “It’s an unfortunate evil that lurks in our region because of easy access to interstate and international transportation hubs. The heartfelt testimony we heard today confirms the need to train hotel, motel and other lodging employees to be aware of the warning signs and report them. We can end human trafficking through education and speaking up for these most vulnerable victims.” The full hearing can be watched at https://youtube.com/live/MoNweqGt3eo . The Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts in January 2025 revealed 1,235 human trafficking offenses filed across 366 cases in the state between 2020 and 2024. During the hearing, expert testimony laid out the case for Pennsylvania to do more in its fight against human trafficking. Testifiers also Read more

 

Agricultural, Environmental, Public Safety, Redevelopment, Transportation, and Additional Grant Opportunities

(Oct 02, 2025) Pennsylvania House Democratic Caucus

Agricultural, Environmental, Public Safety, Redevelopment, Transportation, and Additional Grant Opportunities Read more

 

Ciresi’s legislation to expand access to simplified unclaimed property claims unanimously passes the House

(Oct 01, 2025) Pennsylvania House Democratic Caucus

HARRISBURG, Oct. 1 – State Rep. Joe Ciresi’s longstanding commitment to legislation making it easier and less expensive for Pennsylvanians to claim property that’s rightfully theirs, H.B. 1176, unanimously passed the PA House today. The legislation would: Increase the amount of unclaimed property that heirs can claim from the Pennsylvania Treasury using a notarized relationship affidavit from $11,000 up to $20,000. Raise the amount a financial institution may release to a family member of a deceased individual from $10,000 to $20,000 if the family member presents a receipt verifying funeral expenses have been paid. Redirect the estates of decedents who die with no will and no heirs to an endowed community fund near the place of the decedent’s last residence. The legislation included language from state Rep. Tim Bonner’s H.B. 167 and state Rep. Torren Ecker’s H.B. 1091, both of which were passed approved unanimously by the House Judiciary Committee earlier this year. “Look, millions of properties totaling more than $4 billion are currently sitting in the PA Treasury as unclaimed property because the process to claim it is just too challenging or too expensive -- or both,” Ciresi said. “Part of the reason the money is just sitting there is because we haven’t updated the $11,000 limit for simplified heir claims Read more

 

House Dems launch bills to strengthen Protection from Abuse Orders

(Oct 01, 2025) Rep. Nate Davidson, Rep. Emily Kinkead, Rep. Justin Fleming

Lawmakers call to protect survivors, increase accountability for repeat PFA violations Read more

 

Legislation to allow alkaline hydrolysis cremation in PA passes House

(Oct 01, 2025) Rep. Mary Jo Daley, Rep. Christopher M. Rabb

HARRISBURG, Oct. 1 – The Pennsylvania House of Representatives today passed bipartisan legislation to authorize the use of alkaline hydrolysis as a form of cremation in Pennsylvania, according to the bill’s sponsors, state Reps. Mary Jo Daley, Abby Major and Chris Rabb. Alkaline hydrolysis – sometimes referred to as water cremation – uses a mixture of water and alkali in a sealed pressurized steel chamber to reduce the body to bone, which is then processed into ash. Unlike traditional flame cremation, which requires temperatures of more than 1,600 degrees Fahrenheit and significant energy use, water cremation is far more energy efficient. “As more families choose cremation, it’s important to recognize the environmental costs that come with flame-based methods,” said Daley, D-Montgomery. “People often assume cremation is the greener alternative to burial, but in reality, it requires tremendous energy consumption.” The legislation also gives families more choices when deciding end-of-life wishes. “As a licensed funeral home director, I have seen firsthand the significant shift to the use of cremation after a loved one dies,” said Major, R-Armstrong/Westmoreland. “By allowing for alkaline hydrolysis, we can offer folks another choice for disposition that is already available in more than half of the states in our country.” According to the Mayo Clinic, Read more

 

Universal Background Check Bill passes House

(Oct 01, 2025) Pennsylvania House Democratic Caucus

HARRISBURG, Sep. 30 – The Pennsylvania House of Representatives passed the Universal Background Check bill by a vote of 104-99. The bill was introduced by state Rep. Perry Warren (D-31) and would eliminate the existing exemption from background checks for the private sale of long guns. “ House Bill 1593 will make background checks consistent, comprehensive, and effective,” Warren said. Under current Pennsylvania law, background checks are required for most handgun purchases and for sales through licensed dealers — but long guns, including rifles and shotguns, can still be sold without a background check in private transactions. Warren’s legislation would close that loophole by requiring background checks for all firearm sales, regardless of barrel length or sellertype, including at gun shows, online, and between private parties. “Pennsylvania has been averaging 1,600 firearm deaths a year, and most of the high profile mass shootings in Pennsylvania and nationally have been committed with long guns. There is no rational reason for the long gun loophole to continue, and this bill will deter and hopefully prevent acts of gun violence.” The Universal Background Check bill passed the House with bipartisan support and now moves to the Pennsylvania Senate for consideration. Three other firearm regulation bills introduced by House Democrats, the Extreme Risk Protection Order ("red flag") bill, the untraceable Read more

 

Flood Insurance Task Force recommendation passes House

(Oct 01, 2025) Pennsylvania House Democratic Caucus

HARRISBURG, Oct. 1 – State Rep. Perry Warren, D-Bucks, today announced the passage by the House of Representatives of his legislation which would protect Pennsylvania homebuyers by requiring the disclosure of flood-related risks during residential real estate transactions. House Bill 1704 , introduced by Warren, passed the full House with broad bipartisan support. It builds on recommendations from the Flood Insurance Premium Assistance Task Force, which Warren and state Sen. Steve Santarsiero helped create through legislation signed into law by Gov. Josh Shapiro. “This is a win for consumers, transparency, and public safety,” said Warren, who serves as chair of the House Insurance Committee. “House Bill 1704 would ensure that homebuyers receive information about a property’s flood history, flood insurance requirements, and whether it's located in a FEMA-designated flood zone.” Under the legislation, home sellers would be required to disclose: Whether the property has previously experienced flood damage. Whether the property is in a FEMA-designated flood hazard area (100- or 500-year flood zones). Whether flood insurance is required or has been carried on the property. Whether the seller has received government assistance for flood damage. Whether the seller has filed a flood insurance claim. In Read more

 

House clears Solomon data breach bill

(Oct 01, 2025) Rep. Jared G. Solomon

“Our personal information is under constant threat,” Solomon said. “Numerous high-profile breaches in recent years—such as those involving Equifax, Facebook, Target, Sears, Delta and others—have exposed sensitive data like credit card numbers, Social Security numbers, and other personal information. It’s clear we must do more to protect the private information of Pennsylvanians from falling into the wrong hands.” Read more

 

Neilson bill to protect consumers’ personal information online passes Pa. House

(Oct 01, 2025) Rep. Ed Neilson

“Many people who shop online or even just browse the internet don’t realize that with each click, they could be giving away sensitive data that is sold to a third party or used nefariously. Consumers have a right to privacy, and online shopping shouldn’t be exempt from that,” Neilson said. Read more

 

Conklin, Kephart will introduce bill to ensure fairness and transparency in sales of former state correctional facility land

(Oct 01, 2025) Rep. Scott Conklin

HARRISBURG, Oct. 1 – In the wake of the state’s recent announcement that it is closing the State Correctional Institution at Rockview, state Reps. Scott Conklin and Dallas Kephart today unveiled plans for legislation to ensure that any potential sale of the nearly 5,700-acre property is conducted with fairness and transparency. Speaking at a Capitol news conference, the lawmakers said their bill would require that any sale of land associated with a former state correctional facility follow specific procedures, including publication of the sale in the Pennsylvania Bulletin and oversight by the state Attorney General, including disclosure of all bids and bidders. “When large facilities like Rockview close, it’s the region’s residents who bear the brunt of that decision. They’re also the ones most likely to feel the impact of any potential land sale,” said Conklin, D-Centre. “Despite our every effort, we were not able to stop the closure of SCI Rockview and Quehanna Boot Camp. But we can work to make sure that any sale of the underlying land happens in the fairest, most transparent way possible to prevent additional adverse impacts on residents. “Our bill would do that by bringing sunlight to the process and preventing closed-door transactions or sweetheart deals that are not necessarily in residents’ best interests.” The lawmakers are currently in the process of Read more

 

Medical professionals detail acetaminophen and autism misinformation

(Sep 30, 2025) Pennsylvania House Democratic Caucus

“All this misinformation coming from the White House and federal government has done real damage,” said Rep. Abigail Salisbury, who hosted the hearing, serves as the chair of the Pennsylvania Autism Caucus and is autistic. “We heard directly from medical professionals, who explained how resources and their time is being dominated by combatting this misinformation – instead of devoting their time to research or dealing with the real-life concerns of their patients.” Read more

 

PA House approves unemployment for striking workers
Oct 07, 2025

House Agriculture, Education committees hear testimony on Keystone Fresh Act
Oct 07, 2025

House Communications & Technology Committee approves bills to increase consumer protections and strengthen state government’s digital defenses
Oct 07, 2025

PA House Energy Committee holds public hearing on solar-ready warehouse legislation; labor and environmental leaders weigh-in
Oct 07, 2025

Salisbury: State Police Autism Spectrum Disorder interaction card can be valuable resource for autistic Pennsylvanians
Oct 06, 2025

Ciresi, Friel to hold town hall with Pottstown NAACP on impact of federal budget cuts, delayed state budget Oct. 15
Oct 06, 2025

Neilson issues statement on fire risks in SEPTA railcar fleet
Oct 06, 2025

State lawmakers introduce bipartisan legislation to regulate the use of artificial intelligence in health care
Oct 06, 2025

Ciresi introduces legislation to extend deadlines to appeal Turnpike ‘V-Tolls’
Oct 03, 2025

Pa. House Tourism Committee discusses bill to fight human trafficking
Oct 02, 2025

Agricultural, Environmental, Public Safety, Redevelopment, Transportation, and Additional Grant Opportunities
Oct 02, 2025

Ciresi’s legislation to expand access to simplified unclaimed property claims unanimously passes the House
Oct 01, 2025

House Dems launch bills to strengthen Protection from Abuse Orders
Oct 01, 2025

Legislation to allow alkaline hydrolysis cremation in PA passes House
Oct 01, 2025

Universal Background Check Bill passes House
Oct 01, 2025

Flood Insurance Task Force recommendation passes House
Oct 01, 2025

House clears Solomon data breach bill
Oct 01, 2025

Neilson bill to protect consumers’ personal information online passes Pa. House
Oct 01, 2025

Conklin, Kephart will introduce bill to ensure fairness and transparency in sales of former state correctional facility land
Oct 01, 2025

Medical professionals detail acetaminophen and autism misinformation
Sep 30, 2025