Joining forces for a stronger storm response; protecting firefighters from toxic ‘forever chemicals’; Medicaid coverage for maternal blood pressure monitors – and more!

Rep. Abigail Salisbury July 8, 2025 | 1:38 PM

Join me, representatives from PEMA, and local emergency management personnel on Thursday, July 10 from 6:45 p.m. to 7:45 p.m. for a public town hall to address strengthening our storm response at all levels of government. The event will be held at the Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers Local 9 union hall, 100 Kingston Drive, Pittsburgh. Please come add your voice!

Protecting consumers from unfair sales tactics

Last month in the House, we passed legislation to end hidden, last-minute “junk fees” on consumer transactions. (That bill is now in the state Senate). Last week, we passed new consumer protections, including bills to:

Cap overdraft and nonsufficient fund fees at $15 or the actual transaction cost – whichever is lower – and bar imposition of NSF fees for a declined transaction.
Ban the use of “negative option” tactics, in which companies automatically sign consumers up for paid services after their free trial ends, leaving those who forget to cancel on the hook for months of charges. The bill would require companies to change their rules to automatically opt consumers OUT of a subscription instead of automatically signing them up.

In addition to the consumer protection bills above, I voted for – and the House passed – bills to:

Require Medicaid and CHIP to cover maternal blood pressure monitors.
Distribute more life-saving naloxone by allowing EMS providers to leave a one dose package of naloxone with the on-scene caregiver of a patient who overdosed in case of a repeat occurrence.
Require that patients be allowed to ask pharmacies about the actual cost of prescription drugs and require pharmacies to have information on hand about applying for low-cost health insurance through Pennie.
Protect firefighters by banning the use of toxic PFAS “forever chemicals” in firefighting foam and add flexibility to make it easier for entry-level firefighters to progress through training.
Enhance reporting about state drug and alcohol initiatives, including use of benchmarks to evaluate how well programs are working.
Publicize company votes that impact electricity rates.
Support anti-blight redevelopment by providing land banks and redevelopment authorities with long-term, low-income loans.

Visit this page to read about other bills we passed this week.

A big, ugly bill with big, ugly consequences

The “Big, Ugly Bill” that passed Congress on Friday is an abomination that will strip resources away from Pennsylvanians who need them most – all to give large tax breaks to billionaires. While we can’t change policymaking at the federal level, we can work together at the state level to try to mitigate the impact to our community.

The House Democratic Caucus has already passed a number of bills to better protect Pennsylvanians and put more money in people’s pockets. You can read about them here. Our work is far from over, though, especially as we address the impact of drastic cuts coming from Washington.

As I work with colleagues across the aisle to hammer out a state budget deal, I will be focused on keeping funding flowing to the programs and resources that help residents and small businesses thrive. I’ll keep you updated on our progress in the days to come.

More than $250 million in Property Tax/Rent Rebates going out – have you filed for yours?

More than 425,000 Pennsylvania seniors and residents with disabilities have begun receiving a total of $258 million in rebates on property taxes and rent paid in 2024.

The Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program benefits income-eligible seniors 65 or older, widows or widowers 50 or older, and residents with a disability 18 or older. I recently voted to expand the program to provide larger rebates and a higher qualifying income threshold. (The limit is now $46,520 for both homeowners and renters, and half of Social Security income is excluded for income calculation purposes.)

The deadline to apply has been extended to Dec. 31, 2025, but the sooner you apply, the soon you can receive a rebate. Please remember that my office can help you apply!

Check out the Swissvale Edible Garden Tour

Neighbors – check out the Swissvale Edible Garden Tour on Saturday, July 12. Gardens will be open between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m., followed by a community picnic at the Swissvale Farmers Market from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Full details are available at this page.

Finding funding – and help with state services

If you’re searching for state grant funding, please remember that the state has a handy search tool, which you can find here. Visit this page to see a list of all the latest grant openings.

Finally, please remember that our talented staff can help with a wide range of state-related services, from filing for a Property Tax/Rent Rebate to obtaining a Senior ConnectCard or disability placard, to solving questions or problems involving any state agency. Contact us to see how we can help!

You can read my e-newsletter in a way that’s preferable to you by visiting my legislative website here and clicking on the accessibility icon in the lower right corner.