Dear Neighbor,
There’s one more discussion from budget hearing season that I have to show you, and the topic happens to align with important legislation we passed in the House this week.
First, the legislation: H.B. 2087, of which I’m a cosponsor, would provide workers’ compensation benefits to volunteer firefighters and EMTs who are injured while undertaking fundraising activities for their volunteer organization.
Fundraising is a necessary source of revenue for volunteer fire departments and ambulance corps to remain in service, but the Workers’ Compensation Act does not currently protect volunteers if they are injured or become sick while engaged in those activities. I believe it is common sense to update the Act to cover volunteers while they are fundraising as part of their duties.
As an attorney, I’ve stood up for injured workers and taken on insurance companies that too often try to deny them what they’re owed. I’ve seen firsthand how quickly a workplace injury can turn someone’s life upside down, and how essential it is that we have a system that treats people fairly when they are fulfilling their duties. If a volunteer firefighter or EMT is injured while doing the work of raising funds to keep their organization going, they deserve the support of our workers’ compensation system. This is one of the most basic obligations we can fulfill for the people who serve our communities without asking for anything in return. The bill now heads to the Senate for consideration.
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That issue is related to a similar funding challenge for emergency services: the cost of running the training programs first responders need to prepare for emergencies. Pennsylvania’s community colleges play a vital role in this preparation, but the high costs of operating these programs—particularly those requiring expensive equipment—mean that these colleges often run them at a financial loss.
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At our House Appropriations Committee 2026–27 budget hearing for higher education, I spoke with leaders from the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education and the Pennsylvania Commission for Community Colleges about my proposal to establish dedicated funding for community colleges to support these programs.
Below are more legislative updates on what I’ve been up to in Harrisburg and around our community on your behalf.
Sincerely,
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P.S. – My staff have done an incredible job planning helpful and fun events for you (and your friends and family!) to attend this spring, so make sure to check out that section below. Here’s a video preview of Outdoor Day on May 2!
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We beat PECO's rate case by working together
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Yesterday, Governor Josh Shapiro announced that PECO — Pennsylvania’s largest utility company — will withdraw its proposed rate increase before the Public Utility Commission. This means NO new hikes on electricity and natural gas bills for 1.7 million residents across southeastern Pennsylvania: a major win for our community and for so many more across PA.
As soon as we heard about PECO filing their rate case, we mobilized the Bucks County Democratic House Delegation and began advocating against their proposed rate increase through every channel possible. With the support of our collective staff, we organized a public response (including a petition -- thank you to all who signed, and who wrote letters & emails!) that clearly had a big impact.
I'm also grateful to Governor Shapiro for standing up for everyday Pennsylvanians.
This is an enormous win for affordability and accountability in Pennsylvania, and it shows that making your voice heard can absolutely have a difference.
From WHYY’s coverage:
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Pennsylvania’s Public Advocate Darryl Lawrence praised the move, saying it’s the first time he knows of a utility withdrawing a rate case in his more than two decades at the Office of Consumer Advocate.
“I’ve never seen this before,” Lawrence said. “I certainly appreciate the governor’s efforts, and I applaud this decision by PECO’s leadership to do the right thing. Because affordability is at the top of everyone’s minds. Now is not the time to increase utility rates.”
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PECO’s previous rate hike, which kicked in at the beginning of 2025, resulted in record profits for the company. Net income shot up 47.7% to $814 million in 2025 over the previous year, according to earning reports by its parent company Exelon.
Exelon President and CEO Calvin Butler earned more than $15.6 million in 2025.
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This is not the end of the fight for affordability by any means. The House is focused on passing and implementing legislative guardrails to address rising costs and help minimize impacts of factors that cause utility rates to increase, including new AI data center development.
We’ve passed the following bills so far this month to protect you from overpaying for life’s necessities in the face of rising cost of living. Now it’s up to Senate leaders to decide whether they will consider them:
1. HB 1834, “Data Centers & Consumers” – Would require the Public Utility Commission to implement regulations that prevent AI data center developers from passing electric infrastructure costs onto residents and small businesses.
2. HB 2150, “Keep Big Tech Accountable” – Would require the companies that own data centers to report their water and energy usage to the PA Dept. of Environmental Protection for monitoring, so we know when and how to take action.
3. HB 2151, “Community Standards for Data Center Development” – Would give local elected officials the power to adopt ordinances, if they choose, that set requirements for data centers re: sound, location, equipment, and building design.
4. HB 2333, “Ratepayer Protection Act” – Would require utilities to provide customer assistance programs to those who fall behind on payments, and to keep customers connected to services while they make reasonable payments toward unpaid balances without incurring additional charges. It would also reinstate the lapsed “Chapter 14” utility consumer protection framework to regulate practices like security deposits, service termination, billing safeguards and customer notification.
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Meeting up with visitors from Solebury School
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I had a great day showing Hanna Howe and students from Solebury School around our State Capitol in Harrisburg on a lively Session Day earlier this month!
These students, part of the school’s Social Justice concentration, are deeply engaged in civic learning and advocacy. They had the opportunity to see government in action, observing the legislative process up close!
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We’ll be back Saturday, May 2 at the Thompson-Neely Section of Washington Crossing Historic Park hosting a fun morning event highlighting all of the great ways to enjoy nature and the outdoors at this wonderful state park! Come join us along with the PA departments of Environmental Protection and Conservation & Natural Resources, as well as the PA Fish & Boat Commission, for fishing clinics, demonstrations about conservation of our streams and wildlife, and more! More details on that event are below.
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Update on local PFAS treatment projects
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I’m happy to share an update about a much-anticipated project that involved the hard work of so many, and will benefit thousands more. The $6 million in state financial assistance Sen. Steve Santarsiero and I advocated for to make your drinking water safer is in action in Doylestown Borough -– construction began yesterday on the new PFAS treatment upgrades to its water wells. This article includes details on the technology being used, which should be operational in about 4 months.
I’m also excited to share news Sen. Santarsiero and I learned this week that Doylestown Township Municipal Authority, which serves Doylestown Township and parts of New Britain Borough, has been awarded a $4,440,800 grant from the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority (PENNVEST) to implement modern PFAS treatment technology for their water supply, including a new treatment building and 30,000-gallon holding tank to store PFAS waste.
Every resident of every community deserves confidence that the water coming out of their tap is clean. PFAS contamination is a complex and costly challenge, but state grants like these allow municipalities to move forward with new, modern treatment technology that better protects public health without placing the cost burden on local taxpayers.
I’m looking forward to our neighbors having guaranteed safer water for years to come.
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It was great to join Sen. Steve Santarsiero in Solebury Township alongside Supervisors Kevin Morrissey, John Francis, and Mark Baum-Baicker, and Township Manager Chris Garges, to celebrate some exciting investments in our local parks and infrastructure!
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From funding to help transform the former New Hope Crushed Stone Quarry into Lake Solebury as a future public park, to improvements in water infrastructure, and the rehabilitation of the Bond House at Aquetong Spring Park into a publicly accessible space, these are meaningful projects that will benefit the community for years to come. I’ll keep working to bring state resources back home to support projects like these.
Looking ahead, residents have a great opportunity to get involved in shaping the future of Lake Solebury. The Township is forming a new advisory committee to guide what comes next—interested residents are encouraged to apply and help shape this exciting next chapter. You can also follow along and learn more here; and for a moment of Zen anytime, you can visit the live feed of Lake Solebury.
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Takeaways from the Solebury Twp. Attainable Housing Forum
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Last week, I had the opportunity to attend Solebury Township’s Attainable Housing Forum—an important first step in what is intended to be an ongoing community conversation about how to address one of the most pressing challenges facing our region.
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Access to attainable housing is a national and regional issue, but it is also directly impacting Solebury residents, local workers, and families who want to live and remain in the community they serve. This challenge touches every part of our community—affecting local businesses, farms, schools, and public safety workers.
I also hear consistently from organizations across our region—including state agencies such as PennDOT and DCNR, as well as local school districts, municipalities, and first responders—about the extent to which housing affordability is hampering their ability to recruit and retain qualified workers and deliver the level of public service our communities depend on.
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Hearing from stakeholders and neighbors made clear just how important it is that we continue to explore thoughtful, balanced solutions.
I encourage anyone interested to learn more about what attainable housing means not just for Solebury, but for all of Bucks County, why it matters, and what a full range of potential approaches and adjustments could look like moving forward. These conversations are essential to shaping a community that remains vibrant, accessible, and sustainable for all.
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Friends of Delaware Canal Cleanup Day
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I had a blast helping the Friends of the Delaware Canal at their cleanup day last week! Crews were out along the length of the canal from Bristol to Easton, and I joined the New Hope contingent to tidy up this highly trafficked stretch through town.
Now this popular park is looking just a bit brighter—even more so with the disco ball New Hope Borough Councilmember Michele Becci rescued from the underbrush, adding a bit of New Hope glam to the morning!
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Supporting the programs that support local kids
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In honor of the Week of the Young Child, I attended the Advocacy Breakfast hosted by the Bucks County Chapter of Pennsylvania Association for the Education of Young Children.
It was a meaningful conversation with educators, advocates, and community leaders about the importance of strengthening early childhood education and supporting the professionals at the heart of it.
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We talked about the real challenges facing child care providers — staffing shortages, long waitlists, and the broader workforce pressures impacting families across our community. I had the chance to see this work in action with a visit to Children’s Village, the on-campus childcare center at PennMedicine Doylestown Hospital. Hearing directly from those doing this work every day reinforces just how critical these investments are to giving every child a strong start.
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While there, I also had the chance to spend time with some of my youngest constituents, helping to lead storytime. The selection for the day was Grace for President by Kelly DiPucchio — a great reminder that confidence, leadership, and civic engagement can start early.
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Fulfilling the role of Hero in a true Library Emergency, Head Librarian Sam Pharo of the Free Library of New Hope & Solebury came through by selecting and hand delivering a copy of the storytime selection. The bookworms of New Hope are in good hands with Sam in charge!
And as a reminder, the Free Library is our gracious host for our mobile office hours there on the 2nd Tuesday of each month, from 1-3 p.m.
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Gratitude for the Tax Season helpers from AARP
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As Tax Season winds to a close, we want to thank the hardworking volunteers who prepare hundreds of tax returns for area residents free of charge each year.
Our office partners with the AARP Foundation Tax-Aide program each year to help schedule appointments (and don’t worry, trained tax preparers handle the actual preparation of returns!). This is easily one of our most popular services; this year alone, we helped schedule nearly 600 appointments from February through today’s closing day.
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We recently stopped by their 'seasonal office' at Wesley Enhanced Living to thank Paul Hale and his team, as well as the staff at Wesley, for providing such an incredible service to our constituents (boxes of Marianne’s pastries not pictured). It was great to see their work highlighted by 6ABC Action News.
AARP Foundation Tax-Aide is one of several organizations providing free tax help in our area, alongside the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program, United Way, and the Bucks County Opportunity Council—ensuring residents have access to trusted support during tax season.
We hope the entire team - and accountants everywhere! enjoy a well-deserved rest once the pencils and calculators are put away for the season!
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My office has plenty of events coming in April and May, helping the community with everything from college prep and outdoor discovery to health information and disability resources.
Also on the calendar is a Scam Jam on May 21st, hosted by Sen. Steve Santarsiero and Rep. Perry Warren in partnership with the PA Department of Banking. The event can help teach you to protect yourself from scams and identity theft. Click here for more information on the event.
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As a reminder from my last newsletter, we’re still dealing with fluctuating temperatures on the roads, with crews using cold patching to temporarily repair potholes. Once the weather consistently warms up, PennDOT will return to locations such as Route 611 (Easton Road/Doylestown Bypass), Durham Road and Bristol Road to make more durable repairs using hot asphalt.
In the meantime, you can report a particularly severe pothole to my office so we can make sure it is flagged for repair. Thank you for your patience as crews continue to work through repairs, and please remember to slow down in work zones and refrain from distracted driving.
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Pennsylvania State Capitol
27B East Wing
Harrisburg, PA 17120
(717) 772-2361
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District Office
80 North Main St., Suite 1A
Doylestown, PA 18901
(267) 884-0395
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