Limiting law enforcement’s use of masks; state budget update; reverse mortgage bill; legal needs survey – and more!

Rep. Abigail Salisbury July 22, 2025 | 11:48 AM

Limiting masks to keep law enforcement agents identifiable

It’s essential for residents to be able to trust their public servants But when government agents and law enforcement officers conceal their faces with masks, it undermines that trust, prevents them from being identified as law enforcement, and threatens public safety. To address the issue, my colleagues and are I introducing legislation that would:

Prohibit government agents and law enforcement officers from using face coverings, masks, or other apparel that conceals or obscures their identity during official operations (except in narrowly defined circumstances such as health or safety emergencies or sanctioned undercover work).
Require government agents and law enforcement officers to wear identifiable uniforms or clothing clearly indicating their department, agency, or affiliation.

Visit this page to read more about our proposal.

Working to deliver a state budget – and other PA House news

Last week in the PA House, my colleagues and I passed a state budget bill. While no budget is perfect, our plan reflects compromise – it would cut nearly $1 billion from the governor’s plan – and deliver essential investments for our public schools, health care, the State Food Purchase Program, and other programs, all without raising taxes.

The state budget is still a work in progress – the state Senate still needs to consider and vote on it, together with other enabling legislation. I’ll keep you posted on our progress in the days to come.

In other news from the House, I supported – and we passed – bills that would:

Help address the teacher shortage by updating PA’s teacher certification levels to make it easier to fill open positions.
Ensure youth who enter into the juvenile justice system have adequate protection and support.
Better educate consumers about reverse mortgage loans.
Raise awareness about the 988 suicide and crisis lifeline.
Add union members to the state university system board.

Visit this page to read more about these bills and other news from the House.

Around the district

Our community is lucky to have some amazing nonprofit groups staffed by caring citizens. On Saturday, I joined Pastor Gary Germany of Jesus' Dwelling Place church in North Braddock to help some residents who were in serious need of air conditioning units.

The Greater Valley Coalition for Peace & Justice is looking to recruit community members committed to reducing violence and promoting peace in our region. If you are interested, please check out their event on Tuesday, July 22 at 6:30 p.m. at Greater Valley Community Services, 300 Holland Ave. in Braddock.

In other district news, congratulations to Forest Hills Mayor Frank Porco, above left, for winning the Pennsylvania State Mayors’ Association’s Mayor of the Year Award!

‘Seeds in the City’ cultivates new roles for urban agriculture

Last Monday while I was in Harrisburg, our district office director Aaron Gray (above left with state Rep. Emily Kinkead) and our intern Dani Stewart (above far right, with Grow Pittsburgh Executive Director Denele Hughson) attended Rep. Kinkead's third annual “Seeds in the City” event. This excellent forum – which included Department of Agriculture Secretary Russell Reading, other agency leaders, and members of Grow Pittsburgh – brought folks together to explore new ways that urban agriculture can combat hunger and grow our regional economy.

You can learn more about Grow Pittsburgh and the power of urban agriculture here.

Neighborhood Legal Services and Summit Legal Aid are conducting a Legal Needs Assessment to better understand the most urgent civil legal challenges in our communities and how legal aid services can be improved to meet those needs. If you have ever tried to get help from legal aid, please consider taking the quick, anonymous survey at this page.

Veterans’ resources

The Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs offers financial assistance to veterans who are facing unexpected financial hardship. The Veterans Temporary Assistance program provides eligible veterans and their surviving dependents with financial relief for necessities of life such as food, shelter, fuel, and clothing. Visit this page to learn more.

The DMVA is also reminding veterans that the department can help veterans locate lost paperwork, including DD-214 and DD-215 discharge papers that are needed to access benefits. Visit this page to read more.

Wastewater management webinar

Sustainable Pittsburgh is hosting a webinar on how Pennsylvania communities can strengthen stormwater systems and hazard response plans in the face of increasingly extreme weather. More information is available here.

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 the Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program 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.