The House is continuing to pass good, bipartisan legislation. We passed H.B. 1593, which requires background checks for all gun owners, as well as my resolution, H.R. 284, celebrating and recognizing October 10th as National Day of the Republic of China (Taiwan).
Recently, I voted as a member of the House Judiciary Committee as we passed 6 animal protection bills, with 5 of these bills receiving strong bipartisan support. My bill, H.B. 1938, would increase penalties for repeat offenders of animal cruelty. Other bills address the harmful nature of unlawful ear cropping and declawing, mandate reporting of suspected animal cruelty, update PA laws regarding sexual crimes involving animals, and allow for the Attorney General to assist in the prosecution of large-scale cases.
Yesterday, I voted in the House Judiciary Committee as we advanced multiple abortion bills, including my H.B. 2005, which would remove the 24-hour waiting period and additional counseling requirements for abortion care. The bills included a Constitutional Amendment to allow bodily autonomy of all Pennsylvanians, protect healthcare records, patients and providers, as well as guard against interference in our Commonwealth by out-of-state courts and law enforcement agencies.