News Center

Dignity for incarcerated women extended to juveniles

(14 hours ago) Rep. Morgan Cephas

HARRISBURG, Oct. 9 – State Rep. Morgan Cephas, D-Phila., today said she is pleased to see legislation ( H.B. 1509 ) moving in the General Assembly that would build on current law to protect pregnant and postpartum incarcerated women to have it apply to incarcerated pregnant juveniles. Cephas was the sponsor of a new law (H.B. 900, now Act 47 of 2023) that created important protections for pregnant and postpartum incarcerated women, including restricting shackling and solitary confinement; providing trauma informed care training of corrections officers interacting with pregnant and postpartum women; and providing up to three days of post-delivery bonding time between a mother and newborn child, among other protections. She said the law was unintentionally silent on juveniles involved in the criminal justice system and is glad to see the provision clearly spelled out in H.B. 1509, as amended by the Senate. “For years, my colleagues and I have been fighting to get better prenatal, pregnancy and post-natal protections and support for incarcerated people in Pennsylvania as a matter of compassion and common decency,” Cephas said. “No one should be deprived of compassionate care or respect or be forced to risk the health of their child, even when they are a child themselves under the law.” Cephas is co-chair of the bicameral Pennsylvania Black Maternal Health Caucus and former co-chair and current Read more

 

Solomon’s MVP legislation to become law

(16 hours ago) Pennsylvania House Democratic Caucus

Today, the Pennsylvania House of Representatives passed House Bill 2383, authored by state Rep. Jared Solomon, majority chair of the Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee. Solomon said his legislation will allow young people and seniors to benefit from mentor/mentee relationships. “Our seniors have knowledge to give and our young people have a thirst for knowledge,” Solomon said. “These mentor/mentee relationships can focus around a trade, job, hobby, or other interest. “Bringing retired volunteers who have this experience will go a long way to help steer youth in making good decisions and gaining valuable knowledge. This will also provide a better understanding of the differences between generations and provide new perspectives for both the youth and our seniors,” Solomon said. Solomon added that any older adult volunteer would be vetted with a required criminal background check and other requirements from school districts. “This would provide a list of already approved volunteers for school districts in Pennsylvania so that interests are matched and mentor/mentee relationships can flourish,” he said. The bill also passed the Senate and now goes to Gov. Josh Shapiro’s desk for his signature to become state law. Read more

 

Frankel celebrates House passage of his bill to prohibit health insurance coverage caps, urges state Senate to act swiftly

(17 hours ago) Rep. Dan B. Frankel

HARRISBURG, Oct. 9 – The Pennsylvania House today passed landmark legislation introduced by state Rep. Dan Frankel that would prohibit annual and lifetime limits on health insurance policies across the commonwealth. Frankel, who is majority chair of the House Health Committee, said his H.B. 2562 would ensure that all Pennsylvanians are guaranteed access to essential health care, regardless of federal actions or court decisions that could impact existing protections. “No family should be forced to choose between life-saving treatment and financial ruin because their insurance arbitrarily cuts them off when they need it most,” said Frankel. “By passing House Bill 2562, we are taking a stand to ensure that Pennsylvanians are protected, no matter what happens in Washington or the courts.” Currently, protections against annual and lifetime limits are in place under the Affordable Care Act. However, with ongoing legal challenges and political threats to the ACA, the passage of H.B. 2562 is a crucial step toward enshrining these protections into Pennsylvania state law, providing residents peace of mind and ensuring that health care remains a right, not a privilege. The legislation passed as part of a three-bill legislative package to enshrine ACA protections into state law. The other bills include: H.B. 2563 , by Rep. Eddie Day Pashinski, which would allow parents to keep their adult Read more

 

Pre-existing conditions would remain covered by health insurance under Haddock bill passed by the PA House

(17 hours ago) Rep. Jim Haddock

"This would ensure that everyone has access to health care, and it would protect people from being denied health insurance or facing higher premiums due to their medical history," Haddock said. Read more

 

Isaacson, Bellmon legislation enhancing judicial protections passes PA General Assembly

(17 hours ago) Pennsylvania House Democratic Caucus

HARRISBURG, Oct. 9 – Today, legislation authored by state Reps. Mary Isaacson and Anthony Bellmon, both D-Phila., to enhance protections for federal judges, judicial officers and their families, passed the Pennsylvania General Assembly. House Bill 1700 would prohibit disclosing the personally identifiable information of federal judges, judicial officers and their families when there is intent to cause harm or interrupt the person from carrying out their duties. “Judges and judicial officers serve a crucial role as arbiters of a fair and balanced justice system,” Isaacson said. “In recent years, we have seen core pillars of our democracy attacked, which causes irreputable harm to our democracy and society. This legislation will serve to provide additional protections so judges can uphold their duty without threats of violence or intimidation.” "The justice system serves as a pillar of American Democracy. Threats and acts of violence against the judicial branch affect each and every one of us," Bellmon said. “As the number of threats against the judiciary continues to rise, we must ensure judges are protected from retaliation so that they can properly serve justice in our commonwealth." The bill passed the PA House unanimously in December and passed the state Senate unanimously today. It now heads to Gov. Shapiro’s desk for his signature to become state law. Read more

 

Bill to designate Diwali as an official Pa. holiday passes General Assembly

(17 hours ago) Rep. Arvind Venkat

HARRISBURG, Oct. 9 – Legislation that would make Diwali an official holiday in Pennsylvania passed the General Assembly with a bipartisan majority today and will soon become law. Senate Bill 402 was introduced by state Sens. Greg Rothman, R-Cumberland/Dauphin/Perry, and Nikil Saval, D-Phila., and would not require school, government or employer closings. “Thousands of Pennsylvanians celebrate Diwali each year, as a time of reflection and gathering,” Rothman said. “Recognizing Diwali as an official state holiday upholds and celebrates our commonwealth’s rich cultural diversity.” “Wherever we’re from and whatever our background, all of us deserve to have our cultures recognized and honored. As the number of Asian Americans grows steadily here in Pennsylvania and across the country, our commonwealth’s official recognition of Diwali sends a clear message of inclusion,” Saval added. “I am so proud to have worked with my colleagues in the state legislature to put Pennsylvania at the forefront by acknowledging Diwali’s deep cultural significance and inviting all people to reflect on the endless struggle of light over darkness.” State Rep. Arvind Venkat’s companion legislation, House Bill 436 , passed the Pennsylvania House in April of last year. “Diwali, the Festival of Lights, is celebrated by over a billion Hindus, Jains, Sikhs and Buddhists worldwide, including hundreds Read more

 

Neilson committee advances legislation to increase transit funding in all 67 PA counties

(20 hours ago) Pennsylvania House Democratic Caucus

State Rep. Ed Neilson, majority chair of the PA House Transportation Committee, announced today that the committee has advanced legislation (H.B. 2625) to increase state funding for transit agencies in all 67 counties. “Residents of all 67 counties rely on public transportation for their employment, education or health care, all of which play a part to keep our economy strong,” Neilson said. “Rural, suburban, and urban communities all need reliable and accessible transit services.” This bill would increase the allocation of existing sales tax revenue going to transit agencies from 4.4% to 6.15% without raising taxes. This increase will provide an additional $1.5 billion over the next five years to transit agencies across Pennsylvania. This amount of funding was recommended by Gov. Josh Shapiro during his 2024-25 budget address last February. The House previously approved two other proposals this session to increase transit funding, but they have not been considered by the state Senate. “I am hopeful that the House and Senate can come together to reach a solution as soon as possible,” Neilson said. The legislation was introduced after Neilson led the House Transportation Committee on a statewide tour, listening to Pennsylvanians and transit experts speak about the importance of a robust and reliable public transportation system throughout Pennsylvania. “We visited Read more

 

Rabb disappointed at lack of perceptible change in Juvenile Justice Task Force-informed legislation

(22 hours ago) Rep. Christopher M. Rabb

HARRISBURG, Oct. 9 – Yesterday, the Pennsylvania House of Representatives passed S.B. 169 , which would accept certain recommendations put forth by Pennsylvania’s Juvenile Justice Task Force that state Rep. Chris Rabb, D-Phila., said represent little to no real change when compared to the breadth and scope of the task force’s full recommendations . The bill would require courts to hold disposition review hearings at least every three months for the purpose of ensuring that each child committed to out-of-home placement is receiving necessary services and treatment. “I can’t help but to feel like this legislation represents reform in only the most minimalist of ways,” Rabb said. “The Juvenile Justice Task Force put forth recommendations that would represent substantial change to the commonwealth’s juvenile legal system. We must act as a legislative body to enact the more substantive proposed reforms in service of justice for adjudicated youth of Pennsylvania.” Recommendation 9 from the task force, which stated that the commonwealth should narrow the criteria for trying youth as adults by eliminating statutory exclusion — also known as “direct file” — from juvenile court, echoed part of legislation, H.B. 1551 , that Rabb introduced this session that would end the charging of youths as adults. That legislation is Read more

 

Howard’s horseracing regulation extension bill passes House

(22 hours ago) Pennsylvania House Democratic Caucus

“Sadly, the prior safety standards of racehorses in Pennsylvania were lacking and threatened the health of horses,” Howard said. “These standards adopted by the State Horse Racing Commission ensure horseracing is safe for the horses involved until the new federal requirements are known and can be incorporated into the industry. I thank my colleagues for uniting on this issue to keep these great standards in place, instead of allowing horseracing to fall by the wayside.” Read more

 

Warren measure advances Flood Insurance Premium Assistance Task Force’s recommendation

(22 hours ago) Pennsylvania House Democratic Caucus

NEWS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE State Rep. Perry Warren D-Bucks County www.pahouse.com/ Warren Warren measure advances Flood Insurance Premium Assistance Task Force’s recommendation HARRISBURG, Oct. 8 – Acting on a recommendation from the Flood Insurance Premium Assistance Task Force, state Rep. Perry Warren successfully amended Senate legislation (S.B. 1241) to add two hours of flood insurance training to the continuing education requirements of insurance brokers. The bulk of S.B. 1241 , sponsored by state Sen. Chris Gebhard, R-Berks/Lancaster/Lebanon, deals with pre-examination education requirements for insurance producer licensees. The bill passed the House today and heads back to the state Senate for a concurrence vote. Warren, the vice-chair of the House Insurance Committee, proposed the flood insurance continuing education amendment in the committee. “The House passed this bill as Hurricane Milton is approaching landfall in the United States. The Flood Insurance Premium Assistance Task Force met throughout the first half of this year to work to lower the rates of flood insurance and mitigate the impact of floods for residents and municipalities,” Warren said. “This amendment implements one of the recommendations of the task force and I look forward to working Read more

 

Ciresi presents $50K check for The Carousel at Pottstown’s renovations

(1 day ago) Pennsylvania House Democratic Caucus

HARRISBURG, Oct. 8 – State Rep. Joe Ciresi, D-Montgomery, presented a mock check representing the $50,000 grant he secured from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development for renovations to The Carousel at Pottstown. Read more

 

Pa. House passes legislation freezing property taxes for longtime homeowners

(1 day ago) Rep. Christina Sappey

HARRISBURG, Oct. 8 – The Pennsylvania House on Monday unanimously passed a bill aimed at freezing property taxes for longtime homeowners. House Bill 2536 would amend the state constitution by removing the limitation permitting Longtime Owner-Occupant Programs only in Allegheny and Philadelphia counties, thereby enabling future legislation to allow all local taxing authorities the option to adopt such a program to provide greater levels of tax relief to seniors. LOOPs provide property tax relief to homeowners who have lived in their homes for at least 10 years by exempting or deferring property tax increases – even if their home assessment values increase in future years. “We’ve been hearing about the impact high property taxes have, particularly on our senior citizens, for decades, so I am very pleased that my colleagues in the House unanimously supported our bill,” said state Rep. Christina Sappey, D-Chester , who sponsored the bill. “This legislation would provide local governments a way to help those who have lived in their homes over a decade and have felt the burden of rapidly rising property taxes the most. Our state constitution already allows Philadelphia and Allegheny counties the option of creating LOOPs. It’s time to make this mechanism available to the whole state. I believe creating options to address property tax burdens on an ever-aging state is a worthwhile endeavor.” Read more

 

Children & Youth Committee hosts informational meeting on protecting public benefits for foster youth

(1 day ago) Pennsylvania House Democratic Caucus

The PA House Children & Youth Committee held an informational meeting today to discuss legislation (H.B. 2617) recently introduced by state Reps. Rick Krajewski and Sheryl Delozier. By requiring counties to screen for and conserve foster youth benefits in a savings account for when a foster youth exits care, the bill would ensure that foster youths receive the public benefits to which they are legally entitled, such as Social Security, disability and veterans’ benefits. Under existing state regulations, and despite efforts for reform in Philadelphia , county foster care agencies regularly intercept and spend tens of thousands in benefits intended for foster youth. “Orphaned and disabled foster youth are some of the most vulnerable children in the state and have extremely limited resources. Just like other foster youth, children who receive public benefits should not be charged for their own care,” said Krajewski . “This legislation will give our counties the go-ahead they need to fully advocate for the youth in their care and provide many children life-altering financial support when they age out of the system.” “The children in the foster care system deserve for their government to do everything they can to help them,” said Delozier . “The testimony we heard at our informational meeting will help us craft a bill to make sure the youth in our foster system get the benefits Read more

 

House Consumer Protection, Technology and Utilities Committee advances Senate bills mirroring House PA One Call, motorcycle lemon law bills

(Oct 07, 2024) Rep. Robert Matzie

HARRISBURG, Oct. 7 – The PA House Consumer Protection, Technology and Utilities Committee today advanced two Senate bills that match or closely track previously approved House bills, moving the proposed laws closer to the governor’s desk, Majority Chair Rob Matzie announced. Matzie said he was encouraged by the alignment of the House and Senate bills – which deal with reauthorizing PA’s One Call safe digging law and establishing Lemon Law protections for motorcycle consumers – because that meeting of the minds promises speedy enactment of both measures. “We’re always glad when we can successfully negotiate both across the aisle and across chambers with our colleagues in the state Senate,” Matzie said. “Today, our committee advanced two important pieces of legislation – one that closely mirrors my bill the House recently passed to reauthorize PA One Call and a second that is identical to my House colleague’s bill to establish a motorcycle Lemon Law in PA. “It’s great to have that meeting of the minds, because it allows us to get important legislation across the finish line quickly, where it can go to work protecting folks.” The bills are S.B. 1237 and H.B. 2189 (reauthorizing PA One Call) and S.B. 155 and H.B. 360 (amending the state Lemon Law Read more

 

Probst looks to enhance computer literacy skills in K-12

(Oct 07, 2024) Rep. Tarah Probst

"Research has shown that exposure to computer science as part of school curricula can lead to more students pursuing careers in computer science,” said Probst. Read more

 

Matzie receives 2024 Distinguished Service Award from Pennsylvania Municipal Authorities Association

(Oct 04, 2024) Rep. Robert Matzie

HARRISBURG, Oct. 4 – State Rep. Rob Matzie has been awarded the Pennsylvania Municipal Authorities Association’s 2024 Distinguished Service Award for his legislative efforts to strengthen protections for ratepayers and municipal water authorities. Matzie – who has introduced legislation to protect the interests of consumers when private companies seek to purchase municipal water and wastewater systems – said he was honored to work with PMAA to safeguard ratepayers and bring greater fairness to these transactions. “Municipal water authorities and their workers provide safe and reliable water to millions of Pennsylvanians, including those in my legislative district,” said Matzie, who is majority chairman of the Pennsylvania House Consumer Protection, Technology, and Utilities Committee. “I appreciate PMAA’s work to support and strengthen those authorities. “I’m honored and humbled to receive this award, and I continue to advocate for Act 12 reform in Harrisburg to protect ratepayers and ensure an even playing field between municipal authorities and private water companies.” “Representative Matzie has been instrumental in raising awareness about Act 12 reform and the impact of so-called ‘fair market value’ on the ratepayer,” said PMAA President Bill Ross. “He is also the prime sponsor of House Bills 1862, 1863, 1864 Read more

 

Ciresi’s bill to prevent confusion in insurance ambulance reimbursement

(Oct 03, 2024) Pennsylvania House Democratic Caucus

HARRISBURG, Oct. 3 – State Rep. Joe Ciresi, D-Montgomery, today introduced legislation (H.B. 2618) designed to prevent confusion when patients receive insurance reimbursement checks for ambulance services. According to Ciresi, many people receiving these payments from their insurance company in the mail misspend the funds, not realizing the money is to pay for an ambulance ride or other EMS services and are then liable for delayed or missed payments to the EMS provider, collection efforts, or even theft charges. Ciresi stressed that EMS providers are losing hundreds of thousands of dollars in needed revenue as a result of this confusion and are forced to divert resources to trying to collect that money. “My legislation would resolve this confusion by simply requiring a noticeable, red-colored letter to be included with any insurance reimbursement checks for EMS services sent directly to the patient,” Ciresi said. “The letter would clearly explain the purpose of the check and outline the patient’s responsibilities so that they don’t keep or spend it by mistake. At a time when our EMS agencies are already struggling with funding, they would greatly benefit from this simple solution to a chronic issue that is causing them financial distress.” Read more

 

Rabb lauds passage of consumer protection legislation tackling utility reconnection fees

(Oct 02, 2024) Rep. Christopher M. Rabb

HARRISBURG, Oct. 2 – Legislation ( H.B. 675 ) introduced by state Rep. Chris Rabb, D-Phila., that would better protects consumers in danger of having their utilities shut off was included in a bill ( H.B. 1077 ) passed by the PA House today. The legislation would reauthorize Chapter 14 and protect consumers with lower incomes from public utility reconnection fees by prohibiting reconnection fees for customers below 250% of the federal poverty level and requiring a provision for fees paid by consumers between 250% and 400% of the federal poverty to be applied to any arrearage they have. “This win for consumers is a result of diligent work, tireless effort and constant communication with the House Consumer Protection, Technology and Utilities Committee,” Rabb said. “It’s not perfect, but it will help a lot of folks. I am thrilled that legislation I’ve been continuously fighting for years for could play a part in getting this process underway.” The PA House-passed bill will now go to the state Senate for consideration. Read more

 

Philadelphia House Delegation applauds the work of the Stop and Go Legislative Task Force

(Oct 02, 2024) Pennsylvania House Democratic Caucus

The Philadelphia House Delegation today applauded the efforts of the Stop and Go Legislative Task Force as they released their final report and recommendations. The task force was charged with suggesting remedies to quality-of-life issues in communities surrounding nuisance establishments. The group studied existing laws, toured impacted neighborhoods and establishments, and held public hearings to receive testimony to inform their work. Read more

 

Rabb highlights legislation to remedy wrongful convictions on International Wrongful Conviction Day

(Oct 02, 2024) Rep. Christopher M. Rabb

HARRISBURG, Oct. 2 – On this International Wrongful Conviction Day, state Rep. Chris Rabb, D-Phila., highlighted legislation ( H.B. 987 ) that would compensate people who have been wrongfully convicted in Pennsylvania. “When the state unjustly takes a person’s liberty, it has a responsibility to help repair the damage,” Rabb said . “Pennsylvania, as one of 15 states that does not have a law to compensate the wrongfully convicted, is not upholding its responsibility to exonerees who have lost years of their lives to wrongful imprisonment.” This legislation would help exonerees re-enter society by: Providing monetary compensation to those wrongfully convicted and those wrongfully imprisoned. Providing additional monetary compensation to those wrongfully placed on the state sex offender registry, on parole or on death row. Establishing a mechanism for additional supports, including education, housing and reasonable reintegrative mental and physical health services. This legislation would also establish the Exoneree Community Trust Fund, a restricted fund housed in the Office of the State Treasurer. Staff would be responsible for creating an investment policy statement, managing these investments and reporting to members of the fund’s investment advisory board, some of whom may be exonerees themselves, Rabb said. “This bill is the result of extensive conversations with, Read more

 

Dignity for incarcerated women extended to juveniles
14 hours ago

Solomon’s MVP legislation to become law
16 hours ago

Frankel celebrates House passage of his bill to prohibit health insurance coverage caps, urges state Senate to act swiftly
17 hours ago

Pre-existing conditions would remain covered by health insurance under Haddock bill passed by the PA House
17 hours ago

Isaacson, Bellmon legislation enhancing judicial protections passes PA General Assembly
17 hours ago

Bill to designate Diwali as an official Pa. holiday passes General Assembly
17 hours ago

Neilson committee advances legislation to increase transit funding in all 67 PA counties
20 hours ago

Rabb disappointed at lack of perceptible change in Juvenile Justice Task Force-informed legislation
22 hours ago

Howard’s horseracing regulation extension bill passes House
22 hours ago

Warren measure advances Flood Insurance Premium Assistance Task Force’s recommendation
22 hours ago

Ciresi presents $50K check for The Carousel at Pottstown’s renovations
1 day ago

Pa. House passes legislation freezing property taxes for longtime homeowners
1 day ago

Children & Youth Committee hosts informational meeting on protecting public benefits for foster youth
1 day ago

House Consumer Protection, Technology and Utilities Committee advances Senate bills mirroring House PA One Call, motorcycle lemon law bills
Oct 07, 2024

Probst looks to enhance computer literacy skills in K-12
Oct 07, 2024

Matzie receives 2024 Distinguished Service Award from Pennsylvania Municipal Authorities Association
Oct 04, 2024

Ciresi’s bill to prevent confusion in insurance ambulance reimbursement
Oct 03, 2024

Rabb lauds passage of consumer protection legislation tackling utility reconnection fees
Oct 02, 2024

Philadelphia House Delegation applauds the work of the Stop and Go Legislative Task Force
Oct 02, 2024

Rabb highlights legislation to remedy wrongful convictions on International Wrongful Conviction Day
Oct 02, 2024