HARRISBURG, Oct. 7– Legislation to increase consumer protections and strengthen the state government’s information technology defenses was approved by the PA House Communications and Technology Committee today and sent to the full House for further consideration, state Rep. Joe Ciresi, majority chair of the committee, announced. The bills would protect Pennsylvanians by prohibiting the use of “grinch bot” or “scalper bot” software that automatically purchases event tickets and resells them at a higher price, and by requiring all state IT contracts to meet the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s cybersecurity standards. “These bills will help inform, empower and protect Pennsylvanians from digital technologies used to rip off consumers and compromise residents’ personal data,” said Ciresi, D-Montgomery. Additionally, the committee approved a House resolution recognizing the historic role newspapers have played in Pennsylvania. The following measures were approved: House Resolution 322 (State Rep. Ben Waxman) would recognize the vital role of the newspaper industry as a pillar of democracy and designate Oct. 5–11, 2025, as National Newspaper Week in Pennsylvania. “I’m glad we are passing this resolution during National Newspaper Week, recognizing the historic role that newspapers have played in the flourishing of democracy in Pennsylvania from colonial times to the Read more

ROYERSFORD, Oct. 6 – State Reps. Joe Ciresi, D-Montgomery, and Paul Friel, D-Chester, will hold a town hall with the NAACP’s Pottstown chapter at 7 p.m. Oct. 15 at the TriCounty Active Adult Center, 288 Moser Road, Pottstown. The representatives’ discussion will focus on the impact of the impact of federal budget cuts and the delayed passage of the state budget on Pennsylvania. Audience participation is strongly encouraged. Read more

HARRISBURG, Oct. 6 – The Pennsylvania House of Representatives today passed H.B. 587 to establish a certification program for the haulers and brokers of food processing residue in the commonwealth, announced the bill’s sponsor, state Rep. Paul Friel, D-Chester. Food processing residuals, also known as FPR, are the leftover product created by commercial food processing. Food processing residuals can include vegetable peelings, raw meat scraps, and liquid-like cleaning fluid that includes blood, fat, hair and feathers, and a variety of other vegetable and animal byproducts and chemicals used to process them. Along with H.B. 586, which would further guide the use of FPR, Friel’s legislation would help manage FPR responsibly in Pennsylvania. Surrounding states have heavily restricted or banned the use of these residuals, making Pennsylvania a target for cheaply offloading the commercial product. “These two bills offer a lasting legislative solution built through bipartisan cooperation and valuable input from the departments of Agriculture and Environmental Protection, as well as local residents, farmers, conservation experts, and industry leaders,” Friel said. “It’s essential that FPR be managed responsibly to protect our food supply, enhance soil health, safeguard groundwater, and reduce odors and other impacts on our communities.” The hauler broker certifications provided for in H.B. 587 would be in effect for Read more

HARRISBURG, Oct. 3 –State Rep. Joe Ciresi, D-Montgomery, this week introduced House Bill 1916 that would allow drivers at least six months to appeal E-ZPass video tolls and flat video tolls, also known as “v-tolls.” A v-toll is a flat $10 charge made by the Pennsylvania Turnpike to the account of an E-ZPass customer when their E-ZPass transponder was not read by the sensor at a toll booth or gantry. This can occur for a variety of reasons, including if the transponder is improperly installed or malfunctioning, or if there is a technical issue with turnpike sensors. “I’ve introduced this legislation to make sure drivers on the Pennsylvania Turnpike have the opportunity to correct mistakes on their E-ZPass statements and only have to pay what they should owe,” Ciresi said. “The shift to a cashless turnpike and the end of paper tickets and toll booth exit messages makes it less clear if you’re being charged correctly and your transponder is working. Giving drivers more time to appeal overcharges is the fair thing to do.” The Pennsylvania Turnpike began implementing all-electronic tolling in 2016, ending physical cash tolls in 2020 and launching Open Road Tolling in 2025. Read more

HARRISBURG, Oct. 2 – The state House Tourism, Recreation and Economic Development Committee today held a hearing on a bill to train Pennsylvania employees of hotels, motels, online lodging and reservation companies, and other establishments to identify and report signs of human trafficking. House Bill 1286 is sponsored by state Rep. Regina Young , D-Phila./Delaware, and would provide for mandatory human trafficking awareness training for Pennsylvania workers in the hospitality industry, including online lodging and reservation companies. “Since I’ve been a legislator, I’ve been working to end human trafficking,” Young said. “It’s an unfortunate evil that lurks in our region because of easy access to interstate and international transportation hubs. The heartfelt testimony we heard today confirms the need to train hotel, motel and other lodging employees to be aware of the warning signs and report them. We can end human trafficking through education and speaking up for these most vulnerable victims.” The full hearing can be watched at https://youtube.com/live/MoNweqGt3eo . The Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts in January 2025 revealed 1,235 human trafficking offenses filed across 366 cases in the state between 2020 and 2024. During the hearing, expert testimony laid out the case for Pennsylvania to do more in its fight against human trafficking. Testifiers also Read more

HARRISBURG, Oct. 1 – State Rep. Joe Ciresi’s longstanding commitment to legislation making it easier and less expensive for Pennsylvanians to claim property that’s rightfully theirs, H.B. 1176, unanimously passed the PA House today. The legislation would: Increase the amount of unclaimed property that heirs can claim from the Pennsylvania Treasury using a notarized relationship affidavit from $11,000 up to $20,000. Raise the amount a financial institution may release to a family member of a deceased individual from $10,000 to $20,000 if the family member presents a receipt verifying funeral expenses have been paid. Redirect the estates of decedents who die with no will and no heirs to an endowed community fund near the place of the decedent’s last residence. The legislation included language from state Rep. Tim Bonner’s H.B. 167 and state Rep. Torren Ecker’s H.B. 1091, both of which were passed approved unanimously by the House Judiciary Committee earlier this year. “Look, millions of properties totaling more than $4 billion are currently sitting in the PA Treasury as unclaimed property because the process to claim it is just too challenging or too expensive -- or both,” Ciresi said. “Part of the reason the money is just sitting there is because we haven’t updated the $11,000 limit for simplified heir claims Read more

HARRISBURG, Oct. 1 – The Pennsylvania House of Representatives today passed bipartisan legislation to authorize the use of alkaline hydrolysis as a form of cremation in Pennsylvania, according to the bill’s sponsors, state Reps. Mary Jo Daley, Abby Major and Chris Rabb. Alkaline hydrolysis – sometimes referred to as water cremation – uses a mixture of water and alkali in a sealed pressurized steel chamber to reduce the body to bone, which is then processed into ash. Unlike traditional flame cremation, which requires temperatures of more than 1,600 degrees Fahrenheit and significant energy use, water cremation is far more energy efficient. “As more families choose cremation, it’s important to recognize the environmental costs that come with flame-based methods,” said Daley, D-Montgomery. “People often assume cremation is the greener alternative to burial, but in reality, it requires tremendous energy consumption.” The legislation also gives families more choices when deciding end-of-life wishes. “As a licensed funeral home director, I have seen firsthand the significant shift to the use of cremation after a loved one dies,” said Major, R-Armstrong/Westmoreland. “By allowing for alkaline hydrolysis, we can offer folks another choice for disposition that is already available in more than half of the states in our country.” According to the Mayo Clinic, Read more

HARRISBURG, Sep. 30 – The Pennsylvania House of Representatives passed the Universal Background Check bill by a vote of 104-99. The bill was introduced by state Rep. Perry Warren (D-31) and would eliminate the existing exemption from background checks for the private sale of long guns. “ House Bill 1593 will make background checks consistent, comprehensive, and effective,” Warren said. Under current Pennsylvania law, background checks are required for most handgun purchases and for sales through licensed dealers — but long guns, including rifles and shotguns, can still be sold without a background check in private transactions. Warren’s legislation would close that loophole by requiring background checks for all firearm sales, regardless of barrel length or sellertype, including at gun shows, online, and between private parties. “Pennsylvania has been averaging 1,600 firearm deaths a year, and most of the high profile mass shootings in Pennsylvania and nationally have been committed with long guns. There is no rational reason for the long gun loophole to continue, and this bill will deter and hopefully prevent acts of gun violence.” The Universal Background Check bill passed the House with bipartisan support and now moves to the Pennsylvania Senate for consideration. Three other firearm regulation bills introduced by House Democrats, the Extreme Risk Protection Order ("red flag") bill, the untraceable Read more

HARRISBURG, Sept. 30 – State Rep. Joe Ciresi, D-Montgomery, on Monday introduced legislation, H.B. 1890 , to create a pilot program to use scratch cooking in Pennsylvania public schools. The pilot program would have school cafeteria staff employ scratch cooking practices, which uses raw, whole ingredients, instead of pre-packaged or ultra-processed food, as the basis of school meals. “Scratch cooking offers our schools the chance to bring real food back to the lunch table,” Ciresi said. This pilot program would: Provide competitive grants to Local Educational Agencies (LEAs) ready to expand or transition to scratch cooking in their cafeterias. Invest in training for food service staff and necessary cafeteria improvements. Gather data on costs, student participation, nutrition outcomes, and operational feasibility to guide future expansion. “At a time when obesity is rising across the country thanks in part to a national diet relying on ultra-processed foods, I consider teaching our kids the benefits of eating fresh food and encouraging the development of healthy eating habits as a fundamental part of the educational project here in Pennsylvania,” Ciresi said. Ciresi pointed to a 2024 study, the largest-ever review of studies about the dangers of diets high in ultra-processed foods, which linked them with increased risks for premature death, cardiovascular disease, mental health disorders, diabetes, obesity, and sleep Read more

ROYERSFORD, Sept. 25 –State Rep. Joe Ciresi, D-Montgomery, will host a fraud event for seniors, “Popular Scams and How to Avoid Them,” from 10 a.m. to noon on Friday, Oct. 3 at the Royersford Free Public Library. “Our senior population is the biggest target for scams in Pennsylvania, so I wanted to help residents learn how to spot common scams to protect their finances,” Ciresi said. “I am grateful to Ambler Mayor Jeanne Sorg; Erin Cohen from Ambler Savings Bank; and Kate Kleinert from the AARP Consumer Task Force for their presentations that will provide our audience members with critical information and tools to help them safeguard their finances and prevent their lives from being upended by scammers.” At the event, Sorg will give a quick update on FraudSleuth, a property fraud profile feature with automatic alerts offered by the Montgomery County Recorder of Deeds. Cohen will give a presentation on check washing and business scams. Kleinert will give a talk on romance scams targeting the senior population. According to the FBI , millions of seniors each year are successfully targeted by scammers, to the tune of $3 billion in losses annually. Seniors are often targeted because they tend to be trusting, have savings, are homeowners and have good credit. “As the senior population in Pennsylvania grows, so does the problem of elder fraud,” Ciresi said. “I hope attendees come away with the knowledge Read more