HARRISBURG, July 15 – – A bipartisan group of state lawmakers from the Flood Insurance Premium Assistance Task Force -- state Reps. Perry Warren, D-Bucks, and David Zimmerman, R-Berks/Lancaster, along with state Sens. Steve Santarsiero, D-Bucks, and Lisa Baker, R-Luzerne/Pike/Susquehanna/Wayne/Wyoming -- announced the advancement of legislation that would give Pennsylvania homebuyers information regarding flood risks when purchasing residential property. House Bill 1704 , introduced by Warren and Zimmerman and approved unanimously by the House Insurance Committee, would require home sellers to disclose critical flood-related information to prospective buyers. The legislation is based on recommendations made by the Flood Insurance Premium Assistance Task Force, which was created through legislation introduced by Warren and Santarsiero and signed into law by Gov. Josh Shapiro. “This bill would alert prospective buyers of residential real property of the existence of a potential risk of flood damage,” said Warren, who chairs the House Insurance Committee, “and would ensure that prospective home buyers are aware of a property’s history of flooding or flood insurance requirements so they can consider flood risk and the availability of flood insurance coverage.” House Bill 1704 would require sellers to disclose: Whether a property has previously Read more

The state House has passed a pair of bills aimed at tamping down on dubious subscription services — just as a federal court moved to throw out similar rules proposed by federal regulators. Read more

HARRISBURG, July 8 – Legislation aimed at strengthening Pennsylvania consumer protections for online subscriptions, sponsored by Rep. Joe Ciresi, overwhelmingly passed the House today (181-22). “My House Bill 1299 would empower Pennsylvania’s consumers by creating a ‘click to cancel’ rule to make it easy for them to cancel unwanted subscriptions online instead of having to speak with a customer service representative and listen to lengthy sales pitches when they just want to terminate an unwanted subscription quickly,” Ciresi said. “My legislation would also require clarity and transparency in online subscription contracts, so consumers know about the ‘strings’ attached to free gifts and trial periods.” Ciresi’s bill would amend the Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law by requiring businesses which offer automatic renewals to: Provide renewal terms, cancellation policy, and how to cancel in a “clear and conspicuous Manner.” Provide a clear and conspicuous explanation of the price that will be charged after a free trial ends and the deadline by which a consumer must cancel to avoid being charged. Allow a customer who signs up online to cancel online (“click to cancel”). Disclose any material changes in the automatic renewal in a clear and conspicuous manner that can also be retained by the consumer. Not intentionally misrepresent automatic Read more

“This bill ensures that Intermediate Units can maintain their Pre-K Counts grants even without a Head Start affiliation. Our children deserve uninterrupted, high quality early education, and Pennsylvania must act to secure it,” Hanbidge said. “If the federal government eliminates or defunds Head Start, as many as an additional 2,500 Pennsylvania children could lose access to Pre-K Counts programming and it’s essential we take this step to help them.” Read more

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