HARRISBURG, Oct. 23 – State Rep. Jennifer O’Mara is heralding the final passage of legislation she wrote to provide Workers’ Compensation coverage for emergency responders who sustain post-traumatic stress injuries in the line of duty. The legislation has been a passion project for O’Mara, who lost her father – a Philadelphia firefighter – to suicide. “In the aftermath of suicide, we're haunted not just by the loss, but by the silence of what might have been prevented,” said O’Mara, D-Delaware. “That feeling has driven me to see this legislation through, so that it can majorly reduce harm to our emergency-responder community in Pennsylvania.” O’Mara’s bill language from her H.B. 1632 was amended into S.B. 365 , which, upon its final passage today, will be sent to Gov. Josh Shapiro for his signature into law. An estimated 30% of emergency responders develop behavioral health conditions, including depression and PTSI. “While individuals in many other professions can already qualify for Workers’ Compensation for a mental-mental injury like PTSI, Pennsylvania Supreme Court determined first responders do not qualify because witnessing tragedy after tragedy is part of their normal working conditions,” O’Mara said. “But nothing about what first responders experience during an emergency is normal, and this legislation corrects Read more
“It’s a shame that Pennsylvania has accepted its status as an outlier when it comes to filial law,” Howard said. “The commonwealth needs to get caught up to the 21st century and eliminate this antiquated practice. I thank my colleagues in the House for their support and I hope the Senate adds their approval so that this may get signed into law by the governor.” Read more
HARRISBURG, Oct. 22 – State Rep. Regina Young, D-Phila./Delaware, announced that eight grants from the Statewide Local Share Account were awarded to projects in the 185th Legislative District totaling $2,055,232. In Delaware County, the Colwyn Borough Police Dept. received $227,500 to improve environmental and egress issues in their facility, as well as technology upgrades to increase the department’s capacity to accurately investigate incidents of crime and serve and protect the community.In Southwest Philadelphia, the PIDC Financing Corp. was awarded seven separate grants for projects throughout the area, as follows:•$250,000 for the Partnership for the Delaware Estuary Inc. toward construction of a freshwater mussel hatchery at Bartram's Garden.•$250,000 for the Philadelphia Authority for Industrial Development to replace an electric substation located at the Navy Yard.•$250,000 for the Philadelphia Authority for Industrial Development for electrical, mechanical and structural system repairs on the Navy Yard Lift Bridge, which was constructed in 1942.•$500,000 for Sharing Excess Food rescue redistribution and composting expansion effort.•$375,000 for the Caring People Alliance to replace the roof and all windows at the South Philadelphia Boys & Girls Club.•$69,644 for The Friends of FDR Park to buy a new vehicle and equipment for park maintenance.•$133,088 for the Inglis Foundation, for the installation of sidewalks and crosswalks along Mario Lanza Boulevard at the... Read more
HARRISBURG, Oct. 22 – House lawmakers and advocates today held a news conference at the state Capitol to urge for the passage of bipartisan legislation that would better protect victims’ pets and further protect victims in domestic violence situations. House Bill 1210 , introduced by state Reps. Christina Sappey, D-Chester, and Natalie Mihalek, R-Allegheny/Washington, would amend Pennsylvania’s Protection from Abuse Act to give judges the ability to order the defendant to refrain from possessing, abusing or harming the petitioner’s companion animal. Sappey said Pennsylvania’s current Protection from Abuse Act gives judges the ability to order many kinds of relief to prevent further abuse. However, judges have no explicit authority to order protective measures of a victim’s pets. “We have seen through data the horrific link between domestic violence and animal abuse,” Sappey said. “Abusers will often abuse or threaten the abuse of pets to further torment the victim or keep them from leaving, exacerbating an already traumatic situation. Strengthening the law to address and prevent this clear and devastating form of abuse is needed now. We have the time in the current legislative session to make this right.” Mihalek, a former county prosecutor, said she’s seen the situation occur in countless numbers. “We know through studies and statistics Read more
HARRISBURG, Oct. 22 – State Rep. Dan Williams, D-Chester, today announced that he has brought in more than $2.3 million in Local Share Account grants for public safety improvements in the 74th district. “I’m very proud to have secured more than $2.3 million in funding to strengthen our police force and first responder services,” Williams said. “Thanks to funds that will go to purchasing new ambulances to license plate readers to a new fire engine and responder trucks, our district’s fire, police and EMS teams will be able to more quickly come to our aid in times of crisis. Our families can feel safer knowing that this state funding is going to ensuring their safety and welfare.” $50,000 Valley Township Municipal Complex The funding will help provide enhanced safety and security at the Valley Township municipal complex by installing 1,035 linear feet of 8-foot-high aluminum black coated security fencing. $57,345 South Coatesville Borough Police Department The money will be used to help purchase a printer, replace five outdated computers and buy a license plate reader which will aid the department in ticketing speeding vehicles without having an officer in pursuit. $93,863 Modena EMS The funds will help purchase medical and safety equipment for emergency medical service first responders. Equipment includes ballistic vests, power gurneys, bilateral splints, suction unit, backboards, stretchers, restraint Read more
Rep. Elizabeth Fiedler (D-Philadelphia) was a co-prime sponsor of the postpartum depression bill with Reps. Gina Curry, D-Delaware and Lisa Borowski D-Delaware. Read more
HARRISBURG, Oct. 21 – The Pennsylvania House today voted in broad bipartisan fashion to pass two of state Rep. Paul Friel’s bills changing the way that Pennsylvania handles and safeguards food-processing residuals – creating a statewide tracking process, updating operating procedures, and putting appropriate guardrails in place. 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. While FPR can be used to fertilize the soil, it can create numerous problems if care is not taken. For example, some areas of Pennsylvania have seen groundwater contamination. Many other areas find themselves dealing with consistent, noxious odors. Compounding the issue, surrounding states have heavily restricted or banned the use of FPR, making Pennsylvania a target for cheaply offloading the commercial product. Under H.B. 2393 , the Department of Environmental Protection in coordination with the Department of Agriculture and the State Conservation Commission will update guidance for those who store and apply FPR and would require the creation of a land application system to guide how, when, and in what quantities FPR can be applied. House Bill 2594 Read more
HARRISBURG, Oct. 21 – State Rep. Joe Ciresi’s legislation (H.B. 116) that would increase consumer protections by requiring companies to provide a notification before each automatic renewal, to be transparent about renewal terms, and to allow subscribers to cancel subscription services online if they initially subscribed over the Internet unanimously passed the House today. “The situation too many consumers face today is that their online contracts often automatically renew without them being notified or even aware,” said Ciresi, D-Montgomery. “Making matters worse is that some subscription services require consumers to jump through hoops just to cancel their subscription, such as by forcing them to call or speak to an online representative before they can end the service. “My legislation, ‘Click to Cancel,’ would make consumers aware of their active subscriptions and their renewal terms and empower them to easily cancel their subscriptions. This bill would require that subscriptions be transparent and easy to understand.” Ciresi’s legislation 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. Allow a customer who signs up online to be allowed to cancel online. Any material changes in the automatic renewal must be provided in a clear and Read more
HARRISBURG, Oct. 17 – State Rep. Joe Ciresi, D-Montgomery, today introduced H.B. 2636 that would create a license plate celebrating the arts in Pennsylvania. “From Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens to the Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh, artistic attractions exist in every corner of our great state,” Ciresi said. “To allow Pennsylvanians to show their pride in the arts and spread awareness of their role in our lives, I’ve introduced legislation to allow individuals to purchase a special arts license plate.” According to Ciresi, the creative sector is fourth largest economic sector in Pennsylvania, contributing billions to the state’s economy and employing many Pennsylvanians. Many communities have turned to the arts as a means for new identity and revitalization. Tourists come from around the world to visit Pennsylvania’s world-class artistic institutions, while the arts offer entertainment and enrichment for Pennsylvanians of all classes and backgrounds. “I want supporters of the arts in Pennsylvania to be able to proudly purchase and display these plates, as a show of support for our vibrant arts culture,” Ciresi said. “Proceeds from the purchases of this license plate would support the arts in Pennsylvania, going to the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts to add to the grants they award to fund artistic endeavors throughout the state.” As proposed by H.B. 2636, the arts license plate would Read more
HARRISBURG, Oct. 15 – The Pottstown School District will be granted over $350,000 in federal funding as part of Cohort 12 of the 21st Century Community Learning Center Grants, state Rep. Joe Ciresi announced today. The funds, one in a series of 21st Century Community Learning Center grants administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE), would help establish and/or support community learning centers that provide academic, artistic and cultural enrichment opportunities for students and their families. “This new funding will help ensure students in the Pottstown School District have access to a wide range of programs and services they need, providing academic, artistic and cultural enrichment opportunities for students that will help them succeed in school and in life,” Ciresi said. The funded program must occur during non-school hours or periods when schools are not in session to help them meet state and local standards in core academic subjects. Centers must also offer students a broad array of activities that can complement their regular academic programs and literacy and other educational services to families. Other 21st Century CCLC grant recipients in Cohort 12 that were announced earlier this year can be found here . Read more
Many constituents - especially senior citizens - are frustrated with unclear policies around subscriptions. Rep. Borowski's HB 2557 seeks to change this. Read more
“Sadly, the prior safety standards of racehorses in Pennsylvania were lacking and threatened the health of horses,” Howard said. “These standards adopted by the State Horse Racing Commission ensure horseracing is safe for the horses involved until the new federal requirements are known and can be incorporated into the industry. I thank my colleagues for uniting on this issue to keep these great standards in place, instead of allowing horseracing to fall by the wayside.” Read more
NEWS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE State Rep. Perry Warren D-Bucks County www.pahouse.com/ Warren Warren measure advances Flood Insurance Premium Assistance Task Force’s recommendation HARRISBURG, Oct. 8 – Acting on a recommendation from the Flood Insurance Premium Assistance Task Force, state Rep. Perry Warren successfully amended Senate legislation (S.B. 1241) to add two hours of flood insurance training to the continuing education requirements of insurance brokers. The bulk of S.B. 1241 , sponsored by state Sen. Chris Gebhard, R-Berks/Lancaster/Lebanon, deals with pre-examination education requirements for insurance producer licensees. The bill passed the House today and heads back to the state Senate for a concurrence vote. Warren, the vice-chair of the House Insurance Committee, proposed the flood insurance continuing education amendment in the committee. “The House passed this bill as Hurricane Milton is approaching landfall in the United States. The Flood Insurance Premium Assistance Task Force met throughout the first half of this year to work to lower the rates of flood insurance and mitigate the impact of floods for residents and municipalities,” Warren said. “This amendment implements one of the recommendations of the task force and I look forward to working Read more
“Cheating employees and taxpayers is not the way a good, responsible business cuts costs. As elected officials, we cannot ignore any type of injustice plaguing working people in this Commonwealth,” Delloso said. Read more
HARRISBURG, Oct. 8 – State Rep. Joe Ciresi, D-Montgomery, presented a mock check representing the $50,000 grant he secured from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development for renovations to The Carousel at Pottstown. Read more
HARRISBURG, Oct. 8 – The Pennsylvania House on Monday unanimously passed a bill aimed at freezing property taxes for longtime homeowners. House Bill 2536 would amend the state constitution by removing the limitation permitting Longtime Owner-Occupant Programs only in Allegheny and Philadelphia counties, thereby enabling future legislation to allow all local taxing authorities the option to adopt such a program to provide greater levels of tax relief to seniors. LOOPs provide property tax relief to homeowners who have lived in their homes for at least 10 years by exempting or deferring property tax increases – even if their home assessment values increase in future years. “We’ve been hearing about the impact high property taxes have, particularly on our senior citizens, for decades, so I am very pleased that my colleagues in the House unanimously supported our bill,” said state Rep. Christina Sappey, D-Chester , who sponsored the bill. “This legislation would provide local governments a way to help those who have lived in their homes over a decade and have felt the burden of rapidly rising property taxes the most. Our state constitution already allows Philadelphia and Allegheny counties the option of creating LOOPs. It’s time to make this mechanism available to the whole state. I believe creating options to address property tax burdens on an ever-aging state is a worthwhile endeavor.” Read more
HARRISBURG, Oct. 3 – State Rep. Joe Ciresi, D-Montgomery, today introduced legislation (H.B. 2618) designed to prevent confusion when patients receive insurance reimbursement checks for ambulance services. According to Ciresi, many people receiving these payments from their insurance company in the mail misspend the funds, not realizing the money is to pay for an ambulance ride or other EMS services and are then liable for delayed or missed payments to the EMS provider, collection efforts, or even theft charges. Ciresi stressed that EMS providers are losing hundreds of thousands of dollars in needed revenue as a result of this confusion and are forced to divert resources to trying to collect that money. “My legislation would resolve this confusion by simply requiring a noticeable, red-colored letter to be included with any insurance reimbursement checks for EMS services sent directly to the patient,” Ciresi said. “The letter would clearly explain the purpose of the check and outline the patient’s responsibilities so that they don’t keep or spend it by mistake. At a time when our EMS agencies are already struggling with funding, they would greatly benefit from this simple solution to a chronic issue that is causing them financial distress.” Read more
A domestic violence prevention group in PA reiterated its support of Rep. Borowski's H.B. 1441, saying it would save lives by allowing victims to escape dangerous living situations. Read more
NEWS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE State Rep. Perry Warren D-Bucks County www.pahouse.com/ Warren Warren, Marcell, Santarsiero, Farry welcome champion Newtown Little League team to Capitol HARRISBURG, Oct. 2 – The Pennsylvania and Mid-Atlantic champion Council Rock Newtown Athletic Association’s Little League 12-and-under baseball team was recognized in both the Pennsylvania House of Representatives and the Senate for its accomplishments during the 2024 season. The Council Rock Newtown Little League team went 20-2, winning the District 30, Pennsylvania and Mid-Atlantic region tournaments. As the Mid-Atlantic champion, Council Rock Newtown was one of 10 U.S. teams that earned a spot in the Little League World Series in Williamsport. Council Rock Newtown won two games in the LLWS, finishing fifth among the US entrants. Sens. Steve Santarsiero and Frank Farry and Reps. Perry Warren and Kristin Marcell hosted the champions. Each of the state legislators represents the home of players on the team. “The entire community is proud of the players and coaches,” Warren said. “I went to two of their games in Williamsport and watched the other two games on ABC and ESPN. The players and coaches were fantastic and represented their Read more
HARRISBURG, Oct. 1 – State Reps. Ismail Smith-Wade-El, D-Lancaster, and Joe Hohenstein, D-Phila., held a news conference to highlight their legislation, H.B. 1630 , that would create an Office of New Pennsylvanians to support, attract and retain immigrants in the commonwealth. “Generations of immigrants answered Pennsylvania’s welcoming call of opportunity and freedom, making our commonwealth into the powerhouse it is,” Smith-Wade-El said. “Right now, Pennsylvania is betraying its own values by scapegoating immigrant communities with punitive policies that are driving them out of the state although foreign-born workers comprise over 8% of our state’s workforce and pay $3.3 billion yearly in state and local taxes. As our population ages and many residents leave our state for other opportunities, we need skilled workers, entrepreneurs, consumers and community leaders to make sure that Pennsylvania continues to grow and thrive economically, culturally and socially. “Pennsylvania needs an Office of New Pennsylvanians to ensure that these new residents are able to flourish in the commonwealth,” Smith-Wade-El said. “They need to know we have their back.” “Pennsylvania is stronger when we welcome and celebrate immigration,” Hohenstein said. “Our collective ability to come together from all different backgrounds and perspectives for the betterment of the commonwealth is truly wonderful. Read more
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