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State Rep. Chris Rabb to introduce resolution that would designate Pennsylvania as a Hidden Heroes state

Rabb ‘greenwashing’ legislation passes Pa. House Judiciary Committee

(Oct 02, 2024)

HARRISBURG, Oct. 2 – Legislation, H.B. 2525 , introduced by state Rep. Chris Rabb, D-Phila., that would prohibit corporations from engaging in the deceitful and manipulative practice of “greenwashing” in the commonwealth passed out of the Pennsylvania House Judiciary Committee today. This legislation would ensure that there is truth in marketing by amending the Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law to explicitly prohibit deceptive environmental marketing claims. “For decades now, corporations have taken advantage of environmentally conscious consumers by intentionally marketing their products in a manner that makes them appear better for the planet than they really are. This devious and manipulative practice is known as ‘greenwashing.’ You often see it when companies use terms such as ‘net zero,’ ‘low carbon’ or ‘cleaner energy,’ even if those claims are not based in reality or are aspirational at best,” Rabb said . “As we increasingly experience the drastic effects of the climate crisis, such as more intense storms, floods, droughts and wildfires, the last thing Pennsylvania consumers need is to be lied to as they try to make informed purchasing decisions.” Rabb, a four-term lawmaker representing four neighborhoods in northwest Philadelphia, is a founding member of the PA Climate Caucus and serves on the Read more

 

Grant Memo: Agricultural, Environmental, Public Safety, Redevelopment and Additional Grant Opportunities

(Oct 01, 2024)

NEWLY LISTED PROGRAMS Department of Community and Economic Development: PA SITES Who May Apply: Municipalities, economic development organizations, redevelopment authorities, municipal authorities, industrial development agencies, and for-profit organizations. Use: To develop competitive sites for businesses to relocate or expand within Pennsylvania. Funds: $400 million in funding is available. Application Deadline: Applications are accepted on a rolling basis and approved on a quarterly basis More information: DCED Website Department of Transportation: Multimodal Transportation Fund (MTF) Who May Apply: Municipalities, councils of government, businesses, economic development organizations, public transportation agencies, ports and rail freight entities. Use: To improve transportation assets that enhance communities, pedestrian safety, and transit revitalization. Funds: The MTF requires a 30% match of the amount award. Awards are available for projects with a minimum cost of $100,000 and no more than $3,000,000. Application Deadline: November 5, 2024 More information: PennDOT website Office of the State Fire Commissioner: Unconventional Gas Well Fund Who May Apply: Volunteer and career fire, EMS, and rescue companies in counties where unconventional gas well drilling is permitted and counties that directly border permitted counties and respond to related emergencies. Use: Funds may be used for certification, equipment, and Read more

 

Rabb highlights bold legislation to crack down on school book bans during Banned Book Week

(Sep 25, 2024)

HARRISBURG, Sept. 25 – In line with National Banned Books Week , state Rep. Chris Rabb, D-Phila., is highlighting legislation he reintroduced in 2023 that would establish procedures to protect public school students’ right to read and learn. “Book bans are an attempt to censor educators and restrict the information and educational materials that students can have access to in school,” Rabb said. “In addition, these effectively unilateral decisions made by school boards are extremely harmful to LGBTQ+ youth and students of color, given that the subjects discussed in these so-called ‘inappropriate’ and ‘explicit’ books often discuss many serious and real issues impacting these communities.” Efforts taken to ban books are often unpopular among both teachers and students, Rabb said. However, misinformed, politically motivated members of school boards continue to run roughshod despite protests by education professionals and students themselves. Pennsylvania has the dubious distinction of being the state with the second highest number of books banned from school libraries and curriculum by school boards. And at a time when the prospects of right-wing censorship efforts loom large, such initiatives as Project 2025 would force librarians and teachers to be registered as sex offenders for making available and teaching books that extremists simply don’t Read more

 

Grants: Agricultural, Environmental, Public Safety, Redevelopment and Additional Grant Opportunities

(Sep 11, 2024)

NEWLY LISTED PROGRAMS Department of Community and Economic Development: Main Street Matters Who May Apply: Units of local government, redevelopment and/or housing authorities, nonprofits, economic development organizations, housing corporations, community development corporations, business improvement districts, neighborhood improvement districts, downtown improvement districts, and similar organizations incorporated as authorities. Use: A flexible tool for use in community and economic development for a variety of uses including planning activities, façade grant programs, business improvement grant programs, accessible housing programs, and district development grants. Funds: $20 million was allocated for this program in the 2024/25 budget. Individual grant awards vary depending on the type of grant. Application Deadline: November 15, 2024 More information: DCED Website Commission on Crime and Delinquency: Violence Intervention and Prevention Program Who May Apply: Community-based organizations (i.e., active, registered 501(c)(3)s), institutions of higher education, municipalities, counties, and district attorneys. Use: Reducing community violence through, among other things, increasing access to support services and behavioral health, providing health services and intervention strategies, providing mentoring and other intervention models, and fostering and promoting communication between schools, the community, and law enforcement. Read more

 

Grant Memo: Agricultural, Environmental, Public Safety, Redevelopment and Additional Grant Opportunities

(Sep 04, 2024)

NEWLY LISTED PROGRAMS Department of Community and Economic Development: Local Share Account Statewide Who May Apply: Counties, municipalities, municipal authorities, economic development agencies, redevelopment authorities, land banks, or councils of government. Non-profits may partner with an eligible applicant to apply on their behalf. Use: Projects in the public interest. Projects that improve the quality of life of citizens in the community. Eligible projects must be owned and maintained by an eligible applicant or a nonprofit organization. See program guidelines for specific eligible uses of funds. Funds: The PA Race Horse Development and Gaming Act provides for the distribution of gaming revenues through the Commonwealth Financing Authority to support projects in the public interest. Grant requests must be at a minimum $25,000 and no more than $1,000,000. Application Deadline: November 30, 2024 More information: DCED Website Department of Education: Hunger-Free Campus Grants Who May Apply: Institutes of Higher Education. Use: Funding may be used to ensure students have access to healthy, nutritious food. Funds: Institutions with 3,000 or fewer students are eligible for $20,000 awards. Institutions with 3,001 to 7,000 students are eligible for $40,000 awards. Institutions with greater than 7,000 students are eligible for $60,000 awards. Application Deadline: September 23, 2024 More information: PDE website PROGRAMS OPEN FOR Read more

 

Grant Memo: Agricultural, Environmental, Public Safety, Redevelopment and Additional Grant Opportunities

(Aug 26, 2024)

NEWLY LISTED PROGRAMS Commission on Crime and Delinquency: Endowment Act – Treatment and Training Who May Apply: Eligibility of these funds is open to any for-profit entity, non-profit entity, an entity affiliated with a CAC or MDIT (e.g., public agency or hospital), or unit of local government. Schools (including colleges and universities) are considered governmental units and are eligible to apply. Use: To support the training of medical and mental healthcare providers who treat children and adult survivors of child sexual abuse. Funds: A total of $200,000 in Endowment Act funding is being announced to support this initiative. PCCD expects to fund approximately four projects with budgets not to exceed $50,000 over the 2-year project period. Application Deadline: October 4, 2024 More information: PCCD Website PROGRAMS OPEN FOR APPLICATIONS: Department of Agriculture: Farm Vitality Planning Grant Who May Apply: Farmers, prospective farmers, and others may apply. Use: Strategic business planning to expand or diversify farms or support transition of ownership. Funds: $500,000 in funding is available. Grants shall not exceed $7,500. Application Deadline: Applications will be received until funds are exhausted. More information: Pennsylvania Bulletin Commission on Crime and Delinquency: Recruitment Incentives for Law Enforcement Who May Apply: Local law enforcement agencies, campus or university police, railroad or street Read more

 

Grant Memo: Agricultural, Environmental, Public Safety, Redevelopment and Additional Grant Opportunities

(Aug 20, 2024)

NEWLY LISTED PROGRAMS Redevelopment Authority of Allegheny County: Gaming Economic Development Tourism Fund Who May Apply: Municipalities, authorities, councils of government, non-profits and for-profit businesses in Allegheny County. Use: Economic development projects, infrastructure development projects, job training, community improvement projects, public safety projects, and public interest projects. Funds: Project budgets must be between $150,000 and $500,000. Application Deadline: August 30, 2024 More information: RAAC Website Commission on Crime and Delinquency: 2024-25 Advanced Law Enforcement Training Initiative Who May Apply: Eligibility for these funds is open to non-profit organizations with experience in facilitating and hosting in-person law enforcement trainings in Pennsylvania. Use: To support advanced comprehensive evidence-based training courses for law enforcement. Funds: A total of $80,000 in Byrne Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) funds is being announced to support this initiative. PCCD expects to fund one grant with a budget not to exceed $80,000 over the one-year project period. Application Deadline: August 29, 2024 More information: PCCD Website Commission on Crime and Delinquency: Project Safe and Smart 2025 Who May Apply: Community-based organizations that can successfully demonstrate their reach and partnership with K-12 school entities. Preference will be given to applicants that demonstrate that they Read more

 

Grant Memo: Agricultural, Environmental, Public Safety, Redevelopment and Additional Grant Opportunities For Your District

(Aug 13, 2024)

NEWLY LISTED PROGRAMS Commission on Crime and Delinquency: School Safety and Mental Health Grants Who May Apply: Eligible school entities as defined under 24 P.S. §13-1314.1-B of the PA Public School Code. Use: Funding may be used to assist schools with physical safety and/or behavioral health needs. Funds: $100 million is available to be distributed via a formula that stipulates school districts are to receive $100,000 base average and an additional amount based on their 22/23 Adjusted Average Daily Membership. Other eligible school entities are to receive $70,000. Application Deadline: September 26, 2024 More information: PCCD Website Commission on Crime and Delinquency: Targeted School Safety Grants for Nonpublic Schools Who May Apply: Nonpublic schools as defined under Section 924.3-A of the PA Public School Code, municipalities, law enforcement agencies, or approved vendors. Use: Funding may be used to assist schools with physical safety and/or behavioral health needs. Funds: A total of $19,665,000 in state school safety and security funds is being announced to support this initiative. Application Deadline: September 26, 2024 More information: PCCD Website PennDOT: Rail Freight Assistance Program/Rail Transportation Assistance Program Who May Apply: Railroad company, transportation organization, municipality, municipal authority, user Read more

 

Summer 2024 Newsletter

(Aug 12, 2024)

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Rabb introduces first of its kind legislation to combat corporate ‘greenwashing’

(Aug 01, 2024)

HARRISBURG, Aug. 1 – State Rep. Chris Rabb, D-Phila., has introduced legislation, H.B. 2525 , which would prohibit corporations from using deceitful and manipulative practices known as “greenwashing” in Pennsylvania. “For decades now, corporations have taken advantage of environmentally conscious consumers by intentionally marketing their products in a manner that makes them appear better for the planet than they really are. This devious and manipulative practice is known as ‘greenwashing.’ You often see it when companies use terms such as ‘net zero,’ ‘low carbon’ or ‘cleaner energy,’ even if those claims are not based in reality or are aspirational at best,” Rabb said . “As we increasingly experience the drastic effects of the climate crisis, such as more intense storms, floods, droughts and wildfires, the last thing Pennsylvania consumers need is to be lied to as they try to make informed purchasing decisions.” This legislation would ensure that there is truth in marketing by amending the Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law to explicitly prohibit deceptive environmental marketing claims. "Corporations should not be allowed to lie to consumers and pretend that dirty and polluting products are healthy or sustainable, but the reality is these deceptive greenwashing practices are rampant across many industries, from Read more

 

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

(Jul 31, 2024)

NEWLY LISTED PROGRAMS Commission on Crime and Delinquency: Nonprofit Security Grant Fund Program Who May Apply : Applicant must be a nonprofit organization based in the Commonwealth designated as a 501(c)(3) and principally serve individuals, groups, or institutions that are included within a bias motivation category for single bias hate crime incidents identified by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in its Hate Crime Statistics Publication under the Uniform Crime Reporting program. Use : Eligible expenses include, but are not limited to, safety and security planning, purchase of safety and security equipment, purchase of security related technology (metal detectors, protective lighting, deadbolts, etc.), safety and security training, upgrades to existing structures that enhance safety and security, and more. Funds : $10 million has been appropriated by the General Assembly to the Nonprofit Security Grant Fund. Applicant requests must be between $5,000 and $150,000. Application Deadline : August 27, 2024 More information : PCCD Website Historical & Museum Commission: Cultural and Historical Support Grants Who May Apply: Museums and official county historical societies. Use: Funds are intended to strengthen the museum community and provide operating support to museums and historical societies. Funds: Nearly $2 million in funds are available. Application Deadline: August Read more

 

Rabb testifies at hearing on urban agriculture bill

(Jul 17, 2024)

HARRISBURG, July 17 – The Pennsylvania House Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee held a non-voting informational meeting in Pittsburgh on Tuesday to discuss state Rep. Chris Rabb’s legislation, H.B. 920 , which would establish Urban Agricultural Incentive Zones in the commonwealth. “Urban agriculture is agriculture and needs to be treated as such. No better, no worse. “Urban farmers deserve the same quality and range of opportunities and protections as their rural counterparts. “Urban farmers need help with accessing capital for equipment and fencing; water, irrigation and sewage systems; soil remediation and animal control. “The biggest takeaway from listening to urban farmers yesterday was that their individual and collective efforts enrich whole communities including local residents who don’t consume what they grow, but who still benefit from the fruits of their labor. “I’m certain that the feedback from testifiers at this House Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee hearing will substantially improve my legislation which could be voted on as early as this fall.” Read more

 

In light of recent resignations, Rabb highlights special election reform legislation

(Jul 17, 2024)

HARRISBURG, July 17 – In light of the recent resignations from the Pennsylvania House of Representatives of former state Reps. Donna Bullock and Stephen Kinsey, both D-Phila., and the announcement that there will be Sept. 17 special elections to replace them, state Rep. Chris Rabb is highlighting special election-related legislation that would save Pennsylvania money and clean up the special election process. “As we’ve seen numerous times over the past two years in the House, the process by which we elect people in special elections is just as important as regularly scheduled elections,” said Rabb, D-Phila. “According to the Pennsylvania Department of State, the state spent almost $1 million on special elections in 2023 alone.” This legislation, H.B. 1831 , would ensure special elections are timely, cost effective and accessible by requiring that special elections happen sooner when a seat becomes vacant more than 90 days before the next election; requiring automatic mail-in voting for all elections while providing county boards of election the option to establish satellite voting sites; allowing for non-partisan participation ; and allowing candidates to electronically obtain nomination petition signatures, he said. “Pennsylvanians deserve special elections that are equitable, transparent, efficient and cost-effective. At the moment, special elections in this state are none of those things,” Read more

 

PLBC calls for reforms for adult use cannabis in Pennsylvania

(Jul 09, 2024)

HARRISBURG, July 9 – The Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus today laid out a plan for reforming Pennsylvania’s adult use cannabis laws, with a focus on criminal justice reform and social equity. “It is time that we invest in the restoration of communities that have been impacted, we return incarcerated persons to their families, and we provide entrepreneurs with a pathway to lead in this emerging marketplace,” said PLBC chair, state Rep. Napoleon Nelson. The PLBC is advocating for expungement of prior cannabis offenses and the reimbursement of assets forfeited during cannabis-related arrests to be included in any legislation that would legalize marijuana for recreational use. “So many stakeholders and lawmakers in other states have already affirmed these moral imperatives and we are convinced that Pennsylvania will do the same,” Nelson said. “We’re in a commonwealth that has a number of dispensaries, none of which I believe are owned by Black folk — zero — unacceptable,” said state Rep. Chris Rabb, co-founder of the PA Cannabis Caucus. “The origins of the racist war on drugs and cannabis prohibition have been directly and insidiously connected to Black folk and to any number of people who have been marginalized over generations.” “To do so while thousands of Pennsylvanians have their lives, Read more

 

Rabb encouraged by movement on adult use cannabis

(Jul 09, 2024)

HARRISBURG, July 9 – After joining colleagues from the Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus for a news conference on adult use cannabis today, state Rep. Chris Rabb, D-Phila., said he is encouraged by the continued groundswell of support among state legislators for equitable and inclusive adult use cannabis legalization. Rabb, founding member of the PA Cannabis Caucus and founding chair of the Pennsylvania House Democratic Equity Committee, has been a long-time advocate and ardent supporter of smart and truly equitable adult use cannabis legalization. “We have to get this right. It’s not about being the next state to legalize cannabis; it’s about being the best,” Rabb said. “We’re going to get it done right when people who are closest to the pain say, ‘this is good;’ it’s not going to be the lobbyists and it’s not going to be the industry elites. “We must commit to establishing a truly independent, autonomous quasi-governmental entity free from the political vicissitudes of the legislative and executive branches that abound. It is one thing to say we are going to set aside some money, but if you don’t empower and generously fund an independent and autonomous entity to steward those funds to do the things that our legislature has failed to do for generations, all is for naught. “The entity that oversees the broad array of social equity measures must be Read more

 

Rabb: Addressing Land Loss, Forced Sale of Inherited Property

(Jul 03, 2024)

PA state Rep. Chris Rabb's legislation to provide additional protection to inheritors to prevent forced sales of inherited properties is one step closer to becoming law. Rabb's Uniform Partition of Heirs Property Acts passed in the PA House and will now go to the Senate for concurrence. Read more

 

PA House passes Rabb, Nelson legislation to help families inheriting properties without a will

(Jul 02, 2024)

HARRISBURG, July 2 – The Pennsylvania House of Representatives today passed legislation ( H.B. 2232 ) sponsored by state Reps. Chris Rabb, D-Phila., and Napoleon Nelson, D-Montgomery, that would establish the Uniform Partition of Heirs Property Act in Pennsylvania. The legislation would make sure all inheritors are informed when one inheritor wants to sell their share of the property. It would also require the court to appoint a neutral appraiser to determine the property's fair market value. And it would provide other inheritors the right of first refusal to buy the share of the person who wants to sell. “When a loved one passes, it is utterly heartbreaking and an immense challenge to overcome. When they don’t have an estate plan in place it can lead to some difficult decisions and uncomfortable situations for the person’s heirs,” Rabb said. “This leads to the person’s heirs taking ownership of the property as tenants-in-common -- a form of ownership that frequently leads to heirs losing their land through forced partition sale and to families losing immense inherited wealth to real estate speculators.” This legislation would provide additional due process protections to prevent Pennsylvanians from the forced sale of inherited property, Rabb said. This bill will now head to the state Senate for consideration. Read more

 

Pa. House Judiciary Committee approved Rabb restorative justice legislation

(Jun 28, 2024)

HARRISBURG, June 28 – The Pennsylvania House Judiciary Committee approved, with bipartisan support, legislation ( H.B. 1849 ) sponsored by state Rep. Chris Rabb, D-Phila., that would allow for restorative justice practices to be used in the state’s criminal legal system as a voluntary, pre-trial diversion option. “Restorative justice is an approach to criminal justice that seeks to understand and repair the harmful consequences of a criminal act, focusing on the restoration of the victim and mending damaged relationships, as opposed to punishing the offender,” Rabb said. “Ample research has been conducted on restorative justice and it has consistently shown to result in higher rates of victim satisfaction, lower rates of recidivism and enhanced offender accountability. “By emphasizing accountability and reconciliation, we can find a better approach to harm reduction that will allow our communities to heal, centering the concerns of victims and redemption of those who caused the harm while also reducing the cost and case load in our court system.” The bill will now go to the House floor where it will await a vote. Read more

 

Rabb: Renewable Energy Happens Here

(Jun 26, 2024)

PA state Rep. Chris Rabb voices his support for legislation that promises to bring clean energy projects and the federal funding to implement them into the commonwealth. Rabb says that this bill, similar to his own green bank legislation , would create extraordinary opportunity to focus on the type of energy we desperately need while also addressing the current climate crisis. Rabb has also introduced legislation that would require Pennsylvania to transition to 100% renewable energy by the year 2050 . Read more

 

Rabb joins officials to highlight legislation protecting Pa. pollinators

(Jun 21, 2024)

State Rep. Chris Rabb, D-Phila., state officials and industry experts held a news conference today at Jenkins Arboretum and Gardens to highlight the importance of Pennsylvania’s pollinators. Read more

 

Rabb ‘greenwashing’ legislation passes Pa. House Judiciary Committee
Oct 02, 2024

Grant Memo: Agricultural, Environmental, Public Safety, Redevelopment and Additional Grant Opportunities
Oct 01, 2024

Rabb highlights bold legislation to crack down on school book bans during Banned Book Week
Sep 25, 2024

Grants: Agricultural, Environmental, Public Safety, Redevelopment and Additional Grant Opportunities
Sep 11, 2024

Grant Memo: Agricultural, Environmental, Public Safety, Redevelopment and Additional Grant Opportunities
Sep 04, 2024

Grant Memo: Agricultural, Environmental, Public Safety, Redevelopment and Additional Grant Opportunities
Aug 26, 2024

Grant Memo: Agricultural, Environmental, Public Safety, Redevelopment and Additional Grant Opportunities
Aug 20, 2024

Grant Memo: Agricultural, Environmental, Public Safety, Redevelopment and Additional Grant Opportunities For Your District
Aug 13, 2024

Summer 2024 Newsletter
Aug 12, 2024

Rabb introduces first of its kind legislation to combat corporate ‘greenwashing’
Aug 01, 2024

Agricultural, Environmental, Public Safety, Redevelopment and Additional Grant Opportunities
Jul 31, 2024

Rabb testifies at hearing on urban agriculture bill
Jul 17, 2024

In light of recent resignations, Rabb highlights special election reform legislation
Jul 17, 2024

PLBC calls for reforms for adult use cannabis in Pennsylvania
Jul 09, 2024

Rabb encouraged by movement on adult use cannabis
Jul 09, 2024

Rabb: Addressing Land Loss, Forced Sale of Inherited Property
Jul 03, 2024

PA House passes Rabb, Nelson legislation to help families inheriting properties without a will
Jul 02, 2024

Pa. House Judiciary Committee approved Rabb restorative justice legislation
Jun 28, 2024

Rabb: Renewable Energy Happens Here
Jun 26, 2024

Rabb joins officials to highlight legislation protecting Pa. pollinators
Jun 21, 2024