“Whether you’re young or old, renting or buying, housing is a challenge that many people will face in their lifetime. We know that a strong housing market helps build a strong economy. But without it, businesses can’t grow, workers can’t stay, and communities can’t thrive when the cost-of-living pushes people out,” said Kazeem. “Housing is undoubtedly a human right. Making housing more affordable and attainable for everyone is one of the smartest investments we can make to strengthen our neighborhoods and keep our economy moving forward.” Read more

“Private equity consolidation in the fire truck industry is driving up costs beyond what local fire companies can afford, forcing departments to stretch thin budgets just to maintain essential equipment,” said O’Mara. “This isn’t just economic—it’s a safety issue. When outdated equipment fails, lives are at risk. Fire companies shouldn’t face soaring costs and limited options to protect their communities.” Read more

In bipartisan fashion, the House today approved a bill sponsored by state Rep. Jennifer O’Mara, D-Delaware, to bring economic stability to more working families by creating a family and medical leave insurance program in Pennsylvania. Read more

HARRISBURG, March 25 – Patient advocates, disease experts, and water management officials joined state Reps. Ismail Smith-Wade-El, D-Lancaster, and Ed Neilson, D-Phila., at a news conference Monday at the Capitol in support of the legislators’ H.B. 2085, which is aimed at stopping the spread of a severe type of pneumonia, Legionnaires’ disease, that is on the rise in Pennsylvania. The disease is caused by Legionella bacteria, which are found in freshwater, including water that supplies public water systems. Disease symptoms include high fever, chills, cough, muscle aches, headaches, and diarrhea. Smokers, the elderly, those with asthma, and those with chronic lung disease or suppressed immune systems are particularly vulnerable to the disease. “Pennsylvania has one of the highest rates of Legionnaires’ infection and illness in the country, with case rates increasing over 65% over a five-year period and claiming 10% of the lives of those infected, according to the CDC,” Smith-Wade-El said. “It’s time for Pennsylvania to step up to protect its residents’ water sources, so we’ve introduced legislation that would require government agencies, public water systems and some building owners to maintain new minimum standards to better prevent, detect, and control cases of Legionnaires’ disease.” At the press conference, Neilson spoke about his personal experience contracting the disease and Gwen Read more

State Reps. Jennifer O’Mara, Lisa Borowski, and Napoleon Nelson were joined by child and family advocates this week at a news conference to urge the passage of bipartisan legislation to create a family and medical leave insurance program in Pennsylvania. Read more

HARRISBURG, Feb. 12– Legislation introduced by state Rep. Tim Briggs to strengthen Pennsylvania’s judicial system and shield Commonwealth agencies from burdensome federal litigation tactics was signed into law Wednesday by Gov. Josh Shapiro. House Bills 331 and 1934 are designed to improve the administration of justice, increase transparency and accountability, and ensure the responsible use of taxpayer resources. “Both bills tackle important challenges in our legal system,” Briggs said. “House Bill 331 enhances court operations and oversight of justice-related funding, while House Bill 1934 shields state agencies from unnecessary and costly legal burdens. Together, they promote fairness, efficiency, and accountability across the Commonwealth.” House Bill 331 (Act 1 of 2026) introduces targeted reforms to improve justice administration and oversight of judicial and legal aid funds. It includes three main provisions: Judicial training: Allows the court system to cover the $400 annual registration fee for special court judges. Court technology: Redirects local court fees to enhance statewide court technology, without reducing county funding, generating about $7.5 million through 2028. Access-to-justice funding transparency: Requires an independent audit of the Access to Justice Fund to verify proper use of funds and identify ways to expand legal services. Read more

COLWYN, Feb. 5 – Today at Colwyn Borough Hall, state Rep. Regina Young, D-Phila./Delaware, presented a check for three state grants that were recently awarded to the borough from the Commonwealth Financing Authority. Read more

HARRISBURG, Feb. 4 – State Rep. Joe Ciresi, D-Montgomery, reacted to Gov. Josh Shapiro’s proposed 2026-27 budget unveiled Tuesday before a joint session of the General Assembly. “As Majority Chair of the House Communications & Technology Committee, I was very impressed and pleased to hear the Governor’s plan to position Pennsylvania as a leader in the race for AI supremacy in a way that puts Pennsylvanians first and protects our environment. The Governor is clear about setting strong guardrails and protections, especially for the most vulnerable users, reinforcing the critical role of human judgement in the operation of AI, and expanding digital and AI literacy in the commonwealth. I look forward to our committee’s important work on these issues in the months ahead. “The budget will continue to make historic investments in our schools, with $8.31 billion (a $50 million increase) for Basic Education Funding, $1.58 billion (a $50 million increase) for Special Education Funding and $1.95 billion (a $565 million increase) to fulfill the court-mandated third installment to close the funding gap between wealthy and underfunded districts. “As a longtime advocate of cyber charter reform, I was pleased to hear that the necessary reforms we still need to make, which will save school districts and taxpayers another $75 million each year, remains a priority. This would build on the $178 million in estimated savings from the 2025-2026 Read more

HARRISBURG, Feb. 4 – The Pennsylvania House Communications and Technology Committee today advanced two bills aimed at supporting the development of local journalism across the commonwealth. “For the past 20 years, we’ve seen a troubling decline in the number of local newspapers and reporters covering important community issues,” said state Rep. Joseph Ciresi, D-Montgomery. “Thousands of newspapers have closed, and the number of newsroom employees has dropped by more than half. Local journalism in Pennsylvania needs support. The first weeks of 2026 underscore the urgency: the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette announced it will shut down, the Clinton County Record ceased publication, and the LNP Media Group in Lancaster, along with Lehigh Valley Public Media, announced significant layoffs. “The decline in local news reporting is having a devastating impact on our democracy,” Ciresi added. “If residents don’t know what’s happening in their towns and cities, how can they understand what issues need attention or hold leaders accountable? An informed electorate is the foundation of an engaged one.” Ciresi noted that the proposed bills aim to reduce news deserts by placing journalists in communities where they are needed most, preserving a strong local media environment across Pennsylvania. Introduced by state Rep. Chris Rabb, D-Phila., the legislative package addresses the growing shortage of Read more

HARRISBURG, Feb. 4 – Legislation introduced by state Rep. Tim Briggs, D-Montgomery, to strengthen penalties for swatting incidents targeting school entities and institutions of higher education passed the Pennsylvania House of Representatives today and now heads to the Senate for further consideration. House Bill 1935 would increase penalties for anyone convicted of making fake emergency reports—commonly known as “swatting”—that target school entities and institutions of higher education. Specifically, the bill would require the Pennsylvania Commission on Sentencing to provide for a sentencing enhancement in cases involving a terroristic threat against a school entity or an institution of higher education. It also allows judges to order restitution to cover the cost of emergency responses, supplies, equipment and overtime pay for first responders and affected employees. “Swatting is not a prank — it’s a dangerous and costly crime that puts lives at risk, wastes valuable resources, and causes real trauma,” Briggs said. “We saw this firsthand when a false report of an active shooter at Villanova University last year led to a massive police response. Dozens of public schools, colleges and universities across Pennsylvania have faced these types of threats, and it’s time to send a clear message that there will be serious consequences.” In August 2025, Villanova Read more