Legislative progress & local celebrations

Rep. Tim Brennan June 16, 2025 | 1:18 PM

PA Representative Tim Brennan banner image

Dear Neighbor,

As usual, I had an amazing time kicking off Pride Month at events around our district!

My team and I enjoyed a beautiful day at New Hope’s Pride Parade; this year’s theme was Together, We Rise – a fitting slogan for the tremendous energy, love and strength in the LGBTQ+ community that Pride represents.

And the Borough of Doylestown hosted a joyful and meaningful Pride flag raising ceremony at Broad Commons Park, where I was honored to say a few words and stand with our community in support of equality and being proud of who you are.

The event’s organizers again partnered with the Desis of Doylestown to include a Holi celebration, since both traditions use vibrant colors to convey their messages of love, unity and harmony.

Inclusivity makes us stronger, and events like this remind us why it matters so much. Happy Pride to all of our Bucks County neighbors!

Sincerely,

Harrisburg Update

The fate of my AED bills is now up to the Senate

The PA House held its final vote on my bill to require AEDs at school athletic events last Monday, passing the measure by a vote of 169-33.

That means student athletes are now a step closer to a much greater chance of survival if they experience cardiac arrest.

H.B. 191 would require schools to provide an automated external defibrillator at all interscholastic athletic events, and to provide CPR and AED instruction to employees and volunteers, as well as a cardiac emergency response plan for them to follow.

I hope the Senate hears the appeals of parents like Dave & Jen Davis, whose 10th-grader son, Spencer, underwent cardiac arrest on the football field but was saved by a school athletic trainer with an AED.

Like my other AED bill to get them into Pennsylvania’s state-owned buildings, it’s now up to the PA Senate to move the legislation forward. If the chamber again opts to let the bills stall out like they did in the previous legislative session, it will be a huge failure. Kids’ lives are on the line.

Progress on my mental health counseling bill

Last week, the House approved my bill with Rep. Jennifer O'Mara that would authorize PA to join a national compact that helps get mental health treatment to more people in need.

We need to do far more to provide and normalize mental health services, and a big part of that is updating relevant policy to meet people’s needs. Due to an increased demand for mental health services but a shortage of providers, people seeking treatment for the first time or moving to a new area typically face a months-long waiting list.

H.B. 668 would address this by authorizing the state to join the National Counseling Compact, an occupational licensure agreement based on the mutual recognition of education and practices for counselors in 37 other states. If PA joins the compact, people will have a greater network and variety of providers to choose from and will be able to maintain their same provider if they move in or out of Pennsylvania.

(And speaking of mental health, make sure to keep reading for news about the new mental health treatment facility that will soon open in Doylestown, The Bright Path Center!)

Visitors from home!

It was a treat to welcome Buckingham Township residents Chase Williams and his family to the PA State House Chamber last week for PA Wrestling Day! Chase is a state wrestling champion from CB East in the AAA 107 bracket. He won in thrilling fashion, breaking a scoreless tie in overtime to win 6-0!

Chase is only the 2nd state champion in wrestling in CB East's nearly 60-year history. He tied the school record by winning 40 matches this season, and he is also the first freshman in East’s history to win the Southeast Regional tournament. It was a pleasure to meet him and his family, and we all congratulate him on this huge accomplishment.

I also recently welcomed some friends from the PA State Education Association (PSEA), including Lisa Laatsch, a teacher and

constituent in my district.

I am very proud of our work in the PA State House, including on the Appropriations Committee, over the last two years to improve funding resources for public education.

We talked about programs to increase support for student teachers, COLAs for retirees, and several programs to improve education for our young people.

Refreshing my lecturing skills for the Dept. of Labor & Industry

I recently taught a seminar for the Department of Labor & Industry at their 24th annual Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation Conference – a small chance to relive my adjunct professor days!

The conference was attended by more than 1,500 representatives from the insurance industry, healthcare, labor, government and more.

For the second year, I completed a program with the PA Chamber and Pennsylvania Association for Justice that provided updates on recent workers’ compensation legislation in Harrisburg. It was a lively discussion that bridged some gaps and passed on valuable information to attendees.

This is a special area of interest for me, as I remain one of just over 200 attorneys statewide who are certified as a specialist in workers' compensation law as authorized by the PA Supreme Court.

Additionally, this year I was appointed to chair the PA House Labor Subcommittee on Workers’ Compensation & Worker Protection.

While in Hershey, I also ran into a few other local panelists, including constituent and fellow expert, Joseph C. Huttemann, Esq., and Dr. Nirav Shah, a neurosurgeon at St. Mary Medical Center.

Meeting with advocates for people with disabilities

June is a busy month for advocacy groups, who scramble to schedule meetings with legislators while they know we’re in Harrisburg to work on the state budget.

I recently had the pleasure of meeting with representatives from Vision for Equality, a statewide network that works on ways to empower people with disabilities and their families to live fulfilling lives in their communities and make sure they have access to the supportive services they need.

In the District

Pedal-Palooza

Last Tuesday, my staff had an amazing time at Doylestown's Pedal-Palooza in Broad Commons Park! The event featured races, activities, and demonstrations for riders of all ages, and benefitted the construction of the Doylestown Pump Track located at Chapman Park — a course designed to let riders navigate through without pedaling.

Members of Doylestown's active cycling community shared information on their events and offerings including local trails and group rides. The Borough of Doylestown's Doylestown Community Bike and Hike Network, which hosts a network of 25 miles of trails, shared roadways and side-paths for cyclists. Organizations including Bike Works, Women Bike D-Town, and Bucks County Classic shared different ways to get involved in biking within the community.

We were also surprised to learn about Doylestown's rich cycling history. On what is now the grounds of CB West High School, the Grand Stand Bicycle Track opened July 4, 1897 and hosted races along its five-mile track until it was disbanded in 1899.

An exhibition of antique bicycles included a bike manufactured right here in Doylestown; the Lenape Cycle initially sold for $50 when introduced in 1896 and was produced right here at the Doylestown Agricultural Works.

My staff and I look forward to the Doylestown Pump Track’s opening and sharing in the rich history of cycling in Bucks County!

Doylestown’s new behavioral health crisis center

I was so excited to see construction of The Bright Path Center, a first-of-its-kind behavioral health crisis center, officially begin on N. West Street in Doylestown.

Slated to open in early 2026, the facility will offer 24/7 care for people experiencing mental health or substance abuse crises – a solution proven to dramatically decrease emergency room crowding and arrests for infractions like disorderly conduct.

Bright Path will employ about 85 people, including physicians and nurse practitioners. Services will include on-site detox and residential units for both adults and adolescents in crisis.

I admire the outstanding collaboration among Lenape Valley Foundation, Doylestown Health, Bucks County Dept. of Behavioral Health & Developmental Programs, Bucks County Drug & Alcohol Commission, Magellan Behavioral Health and NAMI Bucks County to get this project off the ground. And it’s funded entirely by grants and donations from our remarkable community!

Learning about “regenerative agriculture” in Solebury

Have you heard of Spring Creek Farm? I toured this impressive Solebury destination a couple weeks ago and am excited to share a bit of what I learned.

The opportunity came about when I responded to an email from a constituent, Dr. Deborah Bernstein, requesting that I promote efforts to allocate state funding to foster regenerative agriculture.

This concept refers to approaching farming practices with conservation in mind: using fewer inputs, maintaining soil health, and reducing runoff of pesticides and fertilizers into waterways are some of the key tactics.

Unfamiliar with the term at the time, I contacted Dr. Bernstein for more information, which is when she arranged for us to tour Spring Creek Farm and speak with its livestock manager, Hunter Tini, about the farm’s regenerative approach to growing produce and raising livestock.

While the term may seem new to many of us laypeople, regenerative farming is one of the most traditional ways farmers have maintained their land, using everything it has to offer. You could even say it’s the opposite of the large-scale agricultural operations whose growth many rural farmers worry is outpacing that of family-owned and small corporate farms across the country.

Spring Creek Farm grows organic fruits & vegetables and raises grass-fed beef and pasture-raised hens. Their regenerative approaches -- which also benefit the greater surrounding habitat -- include conservation tillage, cover cropping, using fresh spring water to irrigate crops, and rotationally grazing their animals. They also use solar panels to generate electricity, and annually install native trees and increase pollinator habitat acreage for Bucks County's growing honeybee populations and migratory birds.

Check out this story on the Bucks County Foodshed Alliance’s website to read more about what I learned! (And click here for details on the farm's market-style CSA program.)

Celebrating the 75th A-Day at DelVal

This year’s A-Day at Delaware Valley University marked the 75th anniversary of this annual celebration! The event showcases the university’s rich agricultural heritage, bringing together students, faculty, community members and vendors for an exciting weekend of activities.

I got to extend a belated congratulations recently to President Rusiloski and the students who organize and run the event.

Congratulating local scouts

I was so proud to head to the Solebury Township building to acknowledge the hard work of Willard Tresler, Bucks County’s newest Eagle Scout. A scout since 2013 and volunteer firefighter for his community, he’s been working toward this day for some time.

For his Eagle Scout project, Willard used his head and his hands, teaching flag etiquette and securing a flag retirement box at the Solebury Township building.

Willard clearly worked very hard, and I extend kudos to his parents, John and Lynda, for raising an exceptional young man.

Wishing Willard the best of luck when he starts at the University of Scranton this fall with the goal of becoming an FBI agent!

I also had the recent honor of joining New Hope's Girl Scout Troop 21724 and their troop leader, Lori Subotkowski, in recognizing winners of the Presidential Volunteer Service Awards.

These awards are provided to exceptional members of our community who have demonstrated a strong commitment to volunteering and service. Four members of Troop 21724 reached this achievement for volunteer hours logged in the prior year:

Sandra Vandermeer achieved Award Level Bronze, with 71 hours of volunteer service in the past year, including using her martial arts training to teach kids through Amerikicks.

Lucia Durbin achieved Award Level Silver, with 87 hours of volunteer service helping with the local Brownie troop, serving as a mentor to the next generation of Girl Scouts.

Kaylee Heller achieved Award Level Gold, with 120 hours of volunteer service helping after school at the Bucks County Children’s Museum.

Lene Subutkowski achieved Award Level Gold, with 189 hours of volunteer service with Dream Riders and in support of the Delaware Valley Food Pantry.

I commend these young women for their remarkable achievements and dedication, and am grateful for their service to our community.

Recognizing outstanding youth at the Boomerang Awards

Congratulations to all the young people honored at this year’s Boomerang Youth Recognition Awards Ceremony! A program of BC Cares Educational Foundation, the awards recognize Bucks County students who have demonstrated exceptional character and key qualities & skills including resilience, persistence, kindness, and service to others.

These assets don’t just make for good students – they make for good citizens.

Students are nominated by those in their own communities – coaches, parents, school staff, mentors, and neighbors – demonstrating just how broad an individual’s impact in their community can be.

I’m grateful to these inspiring young people for their desire to be good citizens in their communities, and to the hardworking people at BC Cares who nurture and empower our young neighbors.

FYI

Picnics on Pine

My family and I go to the free concerts provided by Picnics on Pine whenever we can, and I encourage you to check them out! The photos below are from Don McCloskey's show in May.

The series began during the pandemic and is now in its 5th season of bringing live music to downtown Doylestown. The concerts are held at 4:30 p.m. at 84 E. Oakland Ave. on select Saturdays for the rest of this month and then will pick back up in September. Check out their website for the schedule.