Voting for paid family leave, a livable wage, and marriage equality; keeping data centers from driving up your electric bill; phishing scam alert – and more!

Rep. Abigail Salisbury March 31, 2026 | 9:45 AM

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.

Voting for paid family leave, a livable wage, and marriage equality

No one should be forced to choose between earning a living and caring for a new baby or sick parent. But that’s the choice facing PA workers, who lack paid family leave. Last week in the House, we passed the Family Care Act, which would require Pennsylvania employers to provide at least 12 weeks of paid family leave. The bill is now in the state Senate.

Pennsylvania’s minimum wage has been stuck at $7.25 per hour for the past 15 years, even as all the states around us have raised theirs. This week, we passed legislation that would raise the wage to $15 per hour by 2029. Visit this page to urge the Senate to pass the bill.

Marriage is a right that belongs to all couples. Last week, we voted to codify marriage equality into PA law by passing a bill that would eliminate language defining marriage as a union between “one man and one woman” and replacing it with language defining marriage as a union between “two individuals.” The bill, which also removes PA’s ban on same-sex marriage, passed with bipartisan support and is now in the state Senate.

In other news from the House, I voted for – and the House passed – bills that would:

Put protections in place to prevent data centers from driving up your electric bills.
Amend PA’s Right-to-Know Law to ensure sensitive records created or used to accommodate individuals with disabilities are protected from public disclosure.
Authorize midwives to provide fetal death certificates to lessen the burden on those suffering.
Expand property tax relief for disabled veterans and improve trauma-informed care for veterans who have experienced military sexual trauma.
Require insurers to inform homeowner’s insurance consumers if the policy doesn’t cover flood loss.
Improve rail safety by limiting train length, prohibiting trains from blocking crossings in a way that delays emergency responders, expanding the number of workers and the use of safety monitoring systems, and strengthening oversight of hazardous materials transport.
Protect consumers from unscrupulous pet cremation services.

Visit this page to read more about those bills and others we recently passed.

Around the district

On Friday, I met with CeaseFirePA advocates and local residents to highlight the importance of their advocacy efforts and to discuss the importance of continued state funding for violence prevention in the state’s 2026-27 budget.

Offer your feedback on designs for new green spaces in North Braddock from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, April 15 at Carnegie One Braddock, 419 Library St. Dinner and childcare will be provided. Please RSVP by April 8 to share children’s ages and any dietary or interpretation needs.

The Swissvale Farmers Market is moving to a new location for the 2026 season. The market will be held from 9 a.m. to noon every Saturday, June through October, in the CLASS Facility upper parking lot, located at 1400 S. Braddock Ave.

It’s always great to welcome small businesses to our community. We’re excited to welcome People’s Strength Collective, an inclusivity-focused gym now located in Braddock, and its owner, Elizabeth Stone.

Business owners – please remember that the state offers an online Business One-Stop Shop that can steer you to critical resources. Visit this page to check it out.

Transit news

Pittsburgh Regional Transit will host a community meeting for Braddock, Rankin, Swissvale, and North Braddock to discuss the next phase of public engagement for the Bus Line Refresh project. The meeting will be held on Thursday, April 2 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Woodland Hills Impact Center, located at 235 4th Ave. in Rankin.

In other transit news, with thousands of visitors expected for the NFL Draft April 23-25, local leaders have unveiled a transportation plan that includes select road closures and increased public transit options. Visit this page to learn more.

Watch out for this phishing scam!

The Shapiro administration is warning about text phishing scams that threaten Pennsylvanians with suspension of their driving and vehicle registration privileges for failing to pay a fine or toll violation. PennDOT does not send text messages to customers for any reason. Visit this page to read more.

Holiday office hours

Please be aware that our office will be closed on Friday, April 3 for Good Friday. We will reopen for regular office hours on Monday, April 6.

Finding funding & help with state services

Please remember that our office can help with a wide range of state-related matters – from filing a Property Tax/Rent Rebate or obtaining a Senior ConnectCard, to navigating state benefits and more. Contact us to find out how we can help!

If you’re searching for a state grant, you can find a list of the latest program openings here and a state grant-finding search tool here. You can access the 2026 Pennsylvania Grant and Resource Directory online here or stop by our office to pick up a hard copy!