Legislation Passed Into Law:

• PA Voter Protection and Recount Act
• The HIV Confidentiality, Counseling, and Preventative Education Act, 1996-Prime Sponsor
• The Right to Use Contraceptives Act, 1989-Prime Sponsor
• The Insurance Policy Holder Protection Act, 1995-1996-Prime Sponsor
• Ending Discrimination Against Survivors of Domestic Abuse Act, 1996-Co-sponsor
• Mother and Infant Health Security Act, 1996-Co-sponsor
• Emergency Room Accessibility Act, 1996-Co-sponsor

Completed Goals:

• Youth Smoking Prevention: In 2000 and 2001, I stopped big cigarette retailers from pre-empting Philadelphia’s local tobacco control ordinance; introduced legislation to raise price of cigarettes, control teen use of cigarette vending machines, fine retail management for selling to underage youth, provide for undercover sting operations, and end the possibility of pre-emption of local tobacco ordinances.



• Fifty Million Dollars for Mass Transit: In 1997, I introduced an amendment to the Budget which gave $50 million dollars to mass transportation across the commonwealth.



• Contraceptive Rights: In 1989, I introduced and successfully secured passage of an amendment that guaranteed the right of all Pennsylvanians to use contraceptives. The amendment was one of only five pro-choice measures ever passed in the Pennsylvania legislature. In 1996, Governor Ridge cited the Josephs Amendment when he vetoed restrictive language in the contraceptive appropriations in the Budget.



• AIDS Prevention and Education: In 1990, I wrote and secured passage of the HIV Counseling Act, legislation which has saved lives by guaranteeing confidentiality of HIV records, and requiring pre-test and post-test HIV counseling. The law, a national model now being emulated in other states, was also the first to unite the insurance industry, physicians, lawyers; labor unions, AIDS advocacy groups and civil libertarians in a coordinated strategy against the transmission of HIV.



• Insurance Policy Holder Protection: I authored the 1992 Insurance Policy Holder Protection Act that protects consumers from insurance company bankruptcy. I gained support for the act from consumer groups, the Pennsylvania insurance industry and the National Association of Insurance Commissioners.



• First Amendment Advocacy: I have been at the forefront of battles in the State legislature in which the freedom of speech and protest were at stake. I am fighting state imposed censoring of adults who view the internet in public libraries. I am the only State House member with a perfect voting record on First Amendment issues. And I am the only member of the House of Representatives to vote against forced prayer in public schools and daily mandatory flag pledging in public and private schools.



• Advocate for Philadelphia: I co-sponsored the first-ever dedicated funding source for SEPTA, facilitated the creation of the Center City Special Services District, secured increased funding -- more than $200 million more in 1991 -- for Philadelphia's children and youth, prisons and schools. Over the years, I have obtained over $150,000 in special grants for the 182nd district's neighborhood groups, re-greening project, town watches, business development and cultural institutions.