House Bill 1449, sponsored by state Rep. Josh Siegel, D-Lehigh, would establish a statewide responsible contractor law, setting clear requirements that firms bidding on publicly funded infrastructure projects must meet and requiring firms to have a state or federal registered apprenticeship program and pay the prevailing wage rate. Read more
The lack of accountability for academic performance and the flawed funding scheme represent broken promises to students and taxpayers, Rep. Tarah Probst, D-Monroe, said, adding the windfall charter schools receive sometimes gives rise to waste and outright fraud. Read more
Committee Chairman Rep. Peter Schweyer, D-Allentown, referred to the bill as a “magical unicorn” given its unanimous support from teachers unions, the Department of Education, school administrators, and the legislature. Read more
State Rep. Pete Schweyer (D., Lehigh), who chairs his chamber’s Education Committee, told Spotlight PA that he “fundamentally” opposes lifeline scholarships and believes it would be a mistake to route state money into public school alternatives when the courts have said the public school system itself needs funding. Read more
State Rep. Eddie Day Pashinski released a statement on the passage of H.B. 1500 – the minimum wage bill. Read more
“Today’s vote is a start that would provide a long overdue raise for more than a million Pennsylvania workers, including thousands of hardworking people in Monroe and Pike counties,” Rep. Tarah Probst said. Read more
"It's about time that the commonwealth starts investing in this,” Education Committee Chairperson Peter Schweyer, D-Lehigh, who is the bill’s prime sponsor, said. Read more
Said Schweyer: “There are schools across the state that have mold, lead paint, asbestos, don’t have access to internet, are not accessible to students in wheelchairs or have other special needs and – it’s about time the commonwealth starts investing in this.” Read more
“We can and must do better for our students. Under my bill, a grant program would be created which would support school districts with much needed infrastructure maintenance which the current school construction program does not cover.” Read more
“It is past time for Pennsylvania’s lowest-earning workers to receive at least the same wages as their counterparts in surrounding states, all of which have higher minimum wages than we do. The stepped increase in this bill would give the economy time to adjust as workers earn more," said Haddock. Read more
"It is past time for us to help thousands of Lackawanna County workers and today we took a step in that direction. I was glad to vote for this incremental increase that would help us get to a reasonable wage and provide a mechanism for future increases to keep up with inflation,” said Kosierowski. Read more
“Today’s vote is a start that would provide a long overdue raise for more than a million Pennsylvania workers, including thousands of hardworking people in Monroe and Pike counties," said Probst. Read more
“We have more than a fiscal obligation to increase the minimum wage -- we also have a moral one,” Schlossberg said. Read more
State Rep. Jeanne McNeill released a statement on today’s passage of H.B. 1500 – the minimum wage bill. Read more
State Rep. Kyle Donahue today applauded the House passage of legislation (House Bill 1500) that would increase the minimum wage in Pennsylvania. Read more
Majority Chairman of the Pa House Agriculture Committee and former teacher, state. Rep. Eddie Pashinski spoke of the important role that social workers have in our society. From our children to our senior citizens, social workers play vital roles in lifting everyone up, especially during times of crisis. Read more
“Land banks are a transformative resource that allow affected neighborhoods and business districts to be revitalized. We should be doing everything we can as a state to encourage economic development and improve quality of life in all municipalities, big and small,” said Freeman. Read more
“Increasing the minimum wage also is a suicide prevention strategy as higher wages reduce despair and are a key part of addressing Pennsylvania’s mental health crisis,” Schlossberg said. Read more
Here are several grant programs that recently opened for applications. Read more
“This is a way for those municipalities that feel they have surplus property they can dispose of and benefit the Ukrainian people to be able to do so without receiving a surcharge for the, for the actual disposal of the property,” Rep. Freeman said. Read more
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