HARRISBURG, July 1 – State Rep. Tina Davis announced today the House has passed her bipartisan legislation, which would establish the Redevelopment Authority Startup Loan Program to combat property blight and spur revitalization in communities across the Commonwealth. The bill now heads to the Senate for its consideration. “This is a major step forward in giving our local communities the tools they need to address blight and revitalize neighborhoods,” Davis said. “I’m grateful to my colleagues on both sides of the aisle who supported this legislation. This is a smart, sustainable investment in Pennsylvania’s future.” House Bill 1574 —co-sponsored by lawmakers from both parties—would create a revolving loan fund under the Department of Community and Economic Development. The fund would provide low-interest, long-term loans—up to $500,000—to county redevelopment authorities to acquire, rehabilitate and return blighted residential or commercial properties to productive use. The program is modeled after a highly successful initiative in Bristol Township, Bucks County, which, following a 2016 startup investment, has already led to the rehabilitation of 35 residential properties and sparked over 100 additional private-sector redevelopment projects—all without requiring further government funding. “This bill leverages what Read more

HARRISBURG, July 1 – The Pennsylvania House of Representatives has passed legislation sponsored by state Rep. Ben Sanchez, D-Montgomery, to protect working families and seniors from excessive overdraft and nonsufficient fund fees. The bill now moves to the Senate for consideration. “In a time when every dollar counts, Pennsylvanians shouldn’t be blindsided by unfair fees,” Sanchez said. “This bill puts fairness first and gives people a better chance to stay ahead financially.” House Bill 1553 , also known as the Protecting Your Accounts Act, would cap overdraft and non-sufficient funds fees at $15 or the actual cost of processing a transaction, whichever is lower, and prevent penalties when a transaction is simply declined. “When the federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau proposed similar changes, it estimated an average annual savings of $225 per person,” Sanchez said. “That’s meaningful relief, especially as families face rising costs across the board. “In 2024 alone, two major banks collected over $1 billion in overdraft fees,” Sanchez said. “That’s not a service—it’s exploitation. We need to restore trust that financial institutions are here to safeguard, not drain, people’s hard-earned money.” As the bill advances to the Senate, Sanchez called on lawmakers from Read more

HARRISBURG, July 1 – State Reps. Carol Kazeem and Heather Boyd, both D-Delaware, and Andre Carroll, D-Phila., of the relaunched bipartisan House PA Youth & Public Safety Caucus on Monday announced a public safety initiative in Harrisburg. Read more

HARRISBURG, July 1 – State Rep. Dan Williams, D-Chester, announced that his legislation to ensure the state is meeting its benchmarks with substance use programs was signed into law last night by Gov. Josh Shapiro. House Bill 640 improves the annual report that the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs submits to the General Assembly. Williams said the DDAP has played a critical role in advancing education, intervention, treatment and recovery initiatives across Pennsylvania. As the state continues to fight the opioid crisis and other emerging drug threats, DDAP has strengthened its collaboration with the departments of Health, Corrections, Human Services and other key agencies. Given DDAP’s growing responsibilities and evolving initiatives, HB 640 updates the department’s annual reporting requirements. “Under this law, enhanced reporting allows the General Assembly to better assess program effectiveness, allocate resources where they are most needed and explore new strategies for addressing substance misuse, treatment and recovery,” Williams said. The new law seeks to improve communication and collaboration with the public, advocacy organizations and service providers, providing greater transparency and informed public policy. “With uncertainties surrounding health initiatives and data collection on the federal level under a new administration that does not seem particularly concerned about those things, having the Read more

This is a change that reflects the values of our commonwealth and supports our disability communities. This legislation reflects a collaborative, bipartisan effort with Representative Pickett and our colleagues across the aisle to modernize and improve the language of our laws. Read more

“I am beyond proud that these two bills have made it to the finish line,” he said. “So many of my colleagues in the House and Senate provided crucial feedback to ensure bi-partisan support for these bills. I wish to thank everyone who was a part of the legislative process and of course, I wish to thank Governor Shapiro for his approval and signature.” Read more

HARRISBURG, June 26 – State Rep. Mary Jo Daley, D-Montgomery, released the following statement following the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority’s vote to cut services and raise fare prices in their budget. “As a Pennsylvania state lawmaker and elected representative born and raised in Montgomery County, I’m dismayed that SEPTA was forced today to vote for shutting down 45% of its service and raising fare prices more than 21%,” Daley said. “Make no mistake, this development is unprecedented and will send Philadelphia regional transit as we know it into what engineers, city planners and economists have called a death spiral for the region. “What’s more, today’s vote could have been avoided altogether. As a Democrat in the state House of Representatives, we voted not once, but four times to fund transit across Pennsylvania , including for SEPTA. Each bill has gone ignored by Senate Republican leadership. “These service cuts and fare hikes are so far reaching that they will create a ripple effect on economic activity across the state. They will also put people out of jobs and hundreds of thousands of cars onto our already struggling and expensive roads, polluting our air and adding to commute times and congestion. “Many service cuts would begin January 1, 2026, but others are slated to go into effect as soon as August of this year. While this timeline spells disaster for Read more

PCN recently interviewed Rep. Lisa Borowski about the fight to pass her crucial legislation, the Health System Protection Act, that would prevent bad businesses deals like the one that resulted in the Crozer crisis. Read more

HARRISBURG, June 27 – Legislation to close the “ Delaware loophole ” and institute combined reporting was approved by the Pennsylvania House of Representatives Wednesday. HB1610 was introduced by Rep. Elizabeth Fiedler , D-Phila., and Rep. Mary Jo Daley , D-Montgomery. This is the first time the House has passed a bill that would truly close the loophole in state law. In Pennsylvania, it is perfectly legal for highly profitable, multi-state corporations to shield their profits in states like Delaware, that have low or no corporate net income taxes. Combined reporting simply closes that loophole by requiring companies making profits in Pennsylvania, report to Pennsylvania. "When 73% of the corporations active in this state pay no corporate taxes at all — and working people struggle to afford the basics — that's not fairness, that's exploitation,” Fiedler said. “It’s ridiculous, puts small businesses at a disadvantage, and leaves our public services without adequate funding. We can generate millions by closing this loophole alone." Thanks in part to corporate tax loopholes, Pennsylvania has one of the most regressive tax structures in the nation. When multi-state corporations pay less than their fair share, a greater tax burden is placed on Pennsylvania-based companies, small businesses, and individual taxpayers. “Just like every hard-working Pennsylvanian has to Read more

“Hundreds of Korean Americans who became naturalized U.S. citizens served bravely alongside American troops during the Vietnam War, yet many have been denied access to the benefits they deserve,” Cerrato said. "This legislation honors Korean American veterans’ courage and strives to uphold Pennsylvania’s commitment to all who have served alongside us in times of war." Read more