“Veterans have served all of the United States, not just one state. Their ability to enjoy the great outdoors should be enjoyed nationally with as little hindrance as possible,” said Pielli, who is an Army veteran. Read more

“I am proud to be a part of a legislature that wants to see our state economy flourish, our local businesses grow, and to see more sustainable jobs created and remain here in the Commonwealth,” Shusterman said. Read more

HARRISBURG, May 24 – Legislation to expand and strengthen Pennsylvania’s anti-hate crimes statutes was approved by the House Judiciary Committee Wednesday, marking the first legislative step forward in two decades to address the universally recognized increase in hate-based crimes. Reps. Dan Frankel and Napoleon Nelson, original sponsors of the four-bill package, applauded their committee colleagues' support and vowed to keep advocating for the legislation until it becomes law. “Hate crimes are on the rise, and every day that Pennsylvania’s laws are left unequipped to deal with them is a day that those who would use violence and intimidation to diminish our vulnerable communities are further emboldened,” Frankel said. “Today, the House Judiciary Committee voted for a commonwealth that stands with vulnerable communities and aspires to promote diversity and tolerance.” Frankel noted that once the bills become law, Pennsylvania will join the majority of states that acknowledge the growing scourge of attacks on Americans for who they are, how they look or who they love. Nelson said, “This legislative package is of vital importance. As hate crimes increase across the country, we must protect those who are most vulnerable. I’m happy to have sponsored these pieces of legislation and look forward to doing more to ensure that everyone – regardless of race, ethnicity, sexual Read more

HARRISBURG, May 23 – State Rep. Joe Ciresi, D-Montgomery, today announced the introduction of legislation (H.B. 1244) that will make predictable the cost of recording documents charged by Recorders of Deeds. “My legislation would simplify the recordation process, eliminate the potential for user error, and guarantee predictability for fees, which will benefit consumers, lenders, businesses, attorneys, and others who record documents in the Commonwealth,” Ciresi said. The current method for calculating the cost of recording is dependent on page count, number of names, number of parcels, and number of marginal document references. According to Ciresi, the last-minute addition or removal of a page, or a miscalculation, can lead to the incorrect amount being included for a filing and subsequent rejection, causing uncertainty, delays, and potential harm to those involved in the transaction. In 2016, the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee conducted a review of the fees collected by recorders of deeds. Its findings included: (1) “Fees charged by County Recorders of Deeds are difficult to predict because they can vary based on factors such as the number of pages and the number of names that need to be indexed” and (2) “Many states are moving toward predictable recording fees to avoid delays and penalties at settlement.” “Not only does the current method create potential for surprises Read more

Focusing on prioritizing people over profit, fighting social inequality Read more

HARRISBURG, May 23 – The Pennsylvania House of Representatives on Monday passed historic legislation that would expand background checks for firearm purchases and provide emergency protection for gun owners who are at risk of harming themselves or others, said state Rep. Perry Warren, who sponsored the background-check bill. The bills, which are now with the Senate for consideration, are: H.B. 714 to enact universal background checks, passed 109-92. H.B. 1018 to create extreme risk protection orders, passed 102-99. “It has been a long time coming, but with a new direction in Harrisburg, we took two really big steps this week toward better protecting the public in the face of a growing gun violence epidemic,” said Warren, D-Bucks. “I’m proud to have sponsored the universal background check bill and happy to see it received bipartisan support in the House. We have a responsibility as representatives to do everything we can to make gun sales the safest and most comprehensive they can be in Pennsylvania." Federal and current state laws require checks for most sales by licensed gun dealers, but they do not cover all types of guns or those sold by unlicensed sellers, including online, at shows and to strangers. Warren’s bill would require checks on all avenues of sales and for long-barrel firearms, as well. “I hope that the Senate has the foresight to move this popular and much-needed Read more

“I introduced this bill because I lost my dad to gun suicide, and I want to do what I can to ensure no other family has to go through the tragedy that mine went through,” O’Mara said. Read more

LANCASTER, May 17 – The Luis Munoz Marin Senior Center will receive a $26,374 state grant, state Rep. Ismail Smith-Wade-El announced today. The center was one of 48 senior centers in the commonwealth that was awarded a 2022-23 Senior Community Center grant through the Pennsylvania Department of Aging. The grant money can be used to update and modernize facilities, provide health and entertainment programs, upgrade technology, or enhance nutrition services. “For years, the Luis Munoz Marin Senior Center has offered our diverse and multi-lingual senior community a place to connect with others, to learn, to enjoy a hot meal, to receive wellness and mental health services, and more,” Smith-Wade-El said. “This grant money is richly deserved and will help Luis Munoz Marin Senior Center enhance its services to continue helping our seniors thrive and live independently.” The Luis Munoz Marin Senior Center is the largest social services center in Lancaster and the only one that cooks hot food on-site instead of using pre-packaged meals prepared at a different location. Annually, the center provides more than 32,000 hot meals – both breakfast and lunch – for seniors and other individuals in the community who otherwise would not have eaten that day. Named after the Puerto Rican poet, journalist and politician who became the first democratically elected governor of Puerto Rico, the Luis Muñoz Marin Senior Center provides Read more

EDDYSTONE, May 15 – Speaker of the House Joanna McClinton highlighted the positive contributions the Delaware County Health Department has accomplished and ways it has impacted the community just a year after being launched in April 2022. “From West Nile Virus to tracking Delco health trends, the Delaware County Health Department is laying the foundation for a healthier county” said Speaker McClinton, who represents portions of Delaware County and Philadelphia. “With new threats to public health emerging every day, I’m proud to support the work of the Health Department to identify, educate, and lead in protecting our community” said McClinton, who brought the House Majority Policy Committee in for a roundtable and tour Monday in Delaware County. During the first days of the pandemic in Pennsylvania, on March 6, 2020, the governor held a press conference to announce two confirmed presumptive COVID-19 cases – including one case in Delaware County. The county had not yet developed its own health department, and it relied on neighboring Chester County to help inform citizens. It exposed a weakness in Delco and for many of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties. Before it created its own health department, Delco was the largest county – by population – without its own health department. Even after its creation, only Bucks, Chester, Montgomery and Philadelphia run their own county-wide health departments. Other counties Read more