House Transportation Committee weighs new legislation in voting hearing

(11 hours ago)

The House Transportation Committee, led by Majority Chair Ed Neilson, held a meeting today to vote on two pieces of legislation that he said are vital to Pennsylvania’s transportation sector. House Resolution 322, introduced by state Rep. Kyle Mullins, would encourage Congress to allow people aged 18-20 with a Commercial Driver’s License to participate in interstate commerce activities. “We are facing an increasing shortage of qualified truck drivers not only in Pennsylvania but across the county.” Neilson said. “In 2022, our state’s truckers moved 897 million tons of freight, valued at $1.1 trillion which speaks volumes about their value to our state’s economy.” Neilson said Pennsylvania ranks fifth in the country in freight moved. As part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration launched the Safe Driver Apprenticeship Pilot Program to expand the pool of qualified CDL drivers. The committee also voted on H.B. 816, authored by state Rep. Jose Giral. It would require that tow truck operators in Philadelphia provide photographic evidence of violations to vehicle owners who wish to appeal the towing and storage fees to the Parking Hearing Examiner. “Philadelphia citizens already have a soured opinion about their ability to park anywhere in the city without the fear of financial burden caused by a towed vehicle,” Neilson said. “I hope this legislation will Read more

 

Bullock, Young natural hair braider bill passes PA House

(12 hours ago)

HARRISBURG, March 18 – A bill ( H.B. 1820 ) introduced by state Reps. Donna Bullock, D-Phila., and Regina Young, D-Delaware/Phila., that would create a license exemption for natural hair braiding passed the PA House unanimously today. The legislation would exempt hair braiders from having to obtain a cosmetology license to practice braiding. “Natural hair braiding has been commonplace in the African American community for centuries,” Bullock said. “The techniques have been passed from generation to generation and are learned from early childhood and do not require formal training to do. Natural hair braiding does not involve any chemical treatments, applying heat, cutting or coloring of hair.” More than 33 states have exempted hair braiders from licensing laws, recognizing that natural hair braiding is a safe, cultural practice that is distinct from hairdressing and barbering. Last year, a Commonwealth Court determined that the state’s licensing requirements for natural hair braiding were unreasonable. “Natural hair braiding doesn’t require formal training and continues to be a technique used often within the African American community,” Young said. “This legislation recognizes natural hair braiding as a safe and natural cultural practice that should not require license to practice. Natural hair braiding requires Read more

 

Prokopiak takes the oath of office

(12 hours ago)

HARRISBURG, March 18 – Surrounded by his family, Jim Prokopiak was sworn in today as the state representative of the 140 th Legislative District in Bucks County. Prokopiak won the special election on Feb. 13 to fill the remainder of the term vacated by John Galloway, who was elected district judge in November. “I am ready to serve the people of the 140 th District,” Prokopiak said. “There are many issues important to our residents and our local neighborhoods and I am set to work in Harrisburg toward a solution to these problems.” Prokopiak will retain Galloway’s former office at 8610 New Falls Road in Levittown. The phone number for his office is (215) 943-7206. His email address is RepProkopiak@pahouse.net . Prokopiak comes to the job with a wealth of experience, having served on the Falls Township Board of Supervisors from 2002-2009 and as a member of the Pennsbury School District board from 2021-2024. “I have already begun working on behalf of the residents in my district,” Prokopiak said. “PennDOT is already repairing roads that were flagged by residents contacting my office.” An attorney by trade, Prokopiak studied and received his undergraduate degree at West Chester University. He then graduated from Temple University Beasley School of Law. He and his wife, Gail, have three Read more

 

Smith-Wade-El: $1.8 million in state grants awarded to Lancaster SD

(Mar 15, 2024)

HARRISBURG, March 15 – State Rep. Ismail Smith-Wade-El, D-Lancaster, today announced that the Lancaster School District has been awarded more than $1.83 million in grant funding though the Pennsylvania Department of Education to help create safe, healthy, and supportive learning environments and to prevent and respond to acts of bullying, violence, and hate in schools. Read more

 

Ciresi: $1M in state grants awarded to Pottstown School District

(Mar 15, 2024)

HARRISBURG, March 15 – State Rep. Joe Ciresi today announced that the Pottstown School District had received $1,057,482 in grant funding from the Pennsylvania Department of Education to help create safe, healthy and supportive learning environments and to prevent and respond to acts of bullying, violence and hate in schools. “You can’t succeed in an environment where you don’t feel supported or safe,” Ciresi said. “This funding will help the Pottstown School District ensure that its schools are safe and welcoming so kids can focus their energies on the thing they are supposed to do in school -- learn.” Through the federal Bipartisan Safer Communities Act Stronger Connections Grant, high-need local education agencies can use funding to promote the social, emotional, physical and mental well-being of students and staff; address family and community engagement; and promote equitable and inclusive policies and practices. A high-need LEA is defined as a school district or charter school that received ESEA Title IV, Part A funding in fiscal year 2022 and meets one or more of the following "high-need" criteria: a high rate of poverty, a lack of mental health supports available to students, high rates of violence and/or traumatic incidents in the school or community, and high rates of school exclusion. “I am very happy that the Shapiro Read more

 

PA Legislative Latino Caucus slams efforts to impose a state fee on international remittances made by migrants

(Mar 15, 2024)

HARRISBURG, March 14 – Members of the Pennsylvania Legislative Latino Caucus today released the following statement on the announcement by state Rep. Mike Cabell, R-Luzerne, that he plans to introduce legislation that would impose a state fee on international remittances made by undocumented migrants. “The idea of imposing an additional 10% fee on money transfers made by immigrants can only be described as absurd and vicious. This proposal clearly discriminates against immigrants; it is targeting a vulnerable group. “This bill is aimed at penalizing people for sharing a marginal percentage of their hard-earned salary with relatives abroad. Where is the logic and humanity in that argument? “Representative Cabell emphasizes that Oklahoma and other states have enacted similar legislation. It doesn’t mean that this is right; he cannot use this as a pass to validate and encourage discrimination in Pennsylvania. “Representative Cabell is also pushing the idea that the revenue will be used to support the Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program. We have excellent news for Representative Cabell: Governor Josh Shapiro's expansion of the Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program delivered the largest targeted tax cut for seniors in nearly two decades, expanding access to nearly 175,000 more Pennsylvanians and increasing maximum rebates from $650 to $1000. And not a single immigrant was sacrificed in the name of Read more

 

Ciresi exploring legislation to increase benefits for Pennsylvanians with disabilities

(Mar 14, 2024)

STOWE, March 14 – Equipped with voice-activated features, plenty of maneuverability for wheelchairs, and small robots that can feed people and offer remote monitoring, a “SMART home” in West Pottsgrove Township opened its doors to state Reps. Joe Ciresi and Joe Webster, both D-Montgomery, this week for a tour of its facility. Joined by staff members from PA Department of Human Services and service provider KenCrest, Ciresi and Webster met with advocates and services providers for the Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities community to discuss how SMART homes can help more people with disabilities to live independently. “SMART homes help people with disabilities live independently during a time when there is a critical home care worker shortage,” Ciresi said. “Unfortunately, this technology can be cost-prohibitive. For example, a device that can assist with eating independently costs approximately $8,600, and under current Pennsylvania law, there is an individual lifetime cap of $10,000 for assistive technology purchases. That’s simply not enough money to help someone live independently. “We need to change the current law to make assistive living technology more affordable for Pennsylvanians with disabilities so they can live on their own during a time when there is a critical home care worker shortage,” he said. “Either through legislation or changes to administrative directives, we are looking to Read more

 

Grant Memo: Agricultural, Educational, Public Safety, Redevelopment and Additional Grant Opportunities

(Mar 14, 2024)

NEWLY LISTED PROGRAMS Commonwealth Financing Authority: Public School Facility Improvement Grant Who May Apply: School entities, defined as a school district or an area career and technical school. Use: Facility improvement projects, including but not limited to roof repair/replacement, heating, ventilation and air conditioning equipment, plumbing systems, window repair/replacement, health and safety upgrades, and accessibility projects. Funds: $100 million in total funding is available. Grant requests shall not exceed $5 million per eligible improvement project. School entities may submit more than one application, but no school entity shall receive more than 20% of the total funding available. Application Deadline: May 31, 2024 More information: CFA Website Commission on Crime and Delinquency: STOP Violence Against Women Grant Program Who May Apply: County governments and non-profit victim service agencies are eligible to apply. Faith-based organizations may be eligible to apply under certain circumstances. Use: Funds may be used to support cross-system, collaborative efforts to respond to victims of violence against women crimes. This includes, but is not limited to, personnel and benefit costs associated with specialized units in law enforcement or core direct victim services, supplies and operating expenses related to the STOP project, equipment necessary for implementation, and training or professional development. Funds: A total of $12 Read more

 

State lawmakers take legislative aim to honor Muslim and Jewish Pennsylvanians

(Mar 14, 2024)

HARRISBURG, March 14 – A diverse group of lawmakers proudly joined together today to unveil legislation honoring the heritage and contributions of Jewish and Muslim Pennsylvanians. “Growing up as a Muslim kid in a Jewish neighborhood with a Catholic mom, I saw every day how diversity makes us stronger, better and more empathetic,” said state Rep. Tarik Khan, D-Phila., lead sponsor of the resolution to designate July 2024 as Muslim Heritage Month. “To paraphrase Mahatma Gandhi, ‘different religions are beautiful flowers from the same garden,’ and are equally true and majestic. Today’s resolutions are about celebrating these two equally beautiful and magnificent faiths.” The Muslim American Heritage Month measure will be introduced alongside of a resolution by state Rep. Dan Frankel, D-Allegheny, to designate May 2024 as Jewish American Heritage Month . “These two great faiths and cultures helped shape the world, and they also help shape almost every community in this commonwealth,” Frankel said. “At a time when conflict abroad has Jewish and Muslim Pennsylvanians feeling vulnerable, it’s more important than ever to create space for cultural education and appreciation.” Khan and Frankel were joined by several colleagues in the introduction of the two pieces of legislation: Reps. Robert Freeman, D-Northampton; Matt Gergely, D-Allegheny; Jose Read more

 

Central Cambria School District discusses ‘going solar’ during tour with Fiedler, labor leaders

(Mar 14, 2024)

EBENSBURG, March 14 – Yesterday, state Rep. Elizabeth Fiedler, D-Phila., and labor leaders toured Central Cambria School District and spoke about potentially installing solar panels. Owning a solar array could save the district money on dramatically rising energy costs. Fiedler introduced state Solar for Schools legislation in May to help districts fund the construction and maintenance of solar panels. Visitors heard from district officials about their financial challenges and how solar projects have cost similar school districts hundreds of thousands of dollars. Dr. Jason Moore, superintendent of the Central Cambria School District, said owning a solar array would benefit the district financially, allowing them to eschew volatile market-price energy in favor of cheap renewables. “The work our teachers and staff do each day to support kids and families is only possible with adequate funding,” Moore said. “But in the last school year, our electric bills alone totaled over $540K, an amount that equates to roughly seven teachers’ salaries and benefits. I’d love to know our school can generate its own electricity and not have to worry about that number each month. With the help of Solar for Schools, we could!” Also on the tour were labor leaders, school board members and faith groups, including: Sarah Hammond, legislative director of the Pennsylvania AFL-CIO; Alexander Tomasko, Read more

 

Khan to roll out healthcare workforce legislative package

(Mar 14, 2024)

HARRISBURG, March 14 – State Rep. Tarik Khan, D-Phila., today announced that he plans to introduce two bills to help address shortages of healthcare workers so that all Pennsylvanians can receive high-quality medical care. These bills would provide for the recruitment and retainment of nursing faculty members and health care preceptors. The first bill would establish the New Nursing Faculty Grant Program to provide grants of up to $10,000 per year for newly employed, full-time nursing faculty members. The second bill would establish the Pennsylvania Health Care Preceptor Deduction to incentivize qualified individuals to serve as preceptors for advanced practice nurses, physicians, physician assistants and registered nurses by providing a $1,000 tax deduction for doing do. “As a nurse practitioner, I know how important it is to keep our healthcare workforce supply strong,” Khan said. “Recruiting nursing faculty is often difficult, and healthcare preceptors are often hard to find. Our bill will help ensure critical support for both nursing faculty and healthcare professional preceptors.” The nursing faculty grant program is modeled after a Maryland program that was highly successful. The second bill would make Pennsylvania the sixth state to take action to incentivize medical professionals to enter preceptorships. Nearly 80,000 applicants across the nation were not Read more

 

Grant Memo: Agricultural, Educational, Public Safety, Redevelopment and Additional Grant Opportunities

(Mar 13, 2024)

NEWLY LISTED PROGRAMS Commonwealth Financing Authority: Public School Facility Improvement Grant Who May Apply: School entities, defined as a school district or an area career and technical school. Use: Facility improvement projects, including but not limited to roof repair/replacement, heating, ventilation and air conditioning equipment, plumbing systems, window repair/replacement, health and safety upgrades, and accessibility projects. Funds: $100 million in total funding is available. Grant requests shall not exceed $5 million per eligible improvement project. School entities may submit more than one application, but no school entity shall receive more than 20% of the total funding available. Application Deadline: May 31, 2024 More information: CFA Website Commission on Crime and Delinquency: STOP Violence Against Women Grant Program Who May Apply: County governments and non-profit victim service agencies are eligible to apply. Faith-based organizations may be eligible to apply under certain circumstances. Use: Funds may be used to support cross-system, collaborative efforts to respond to victims of violence against women crimes. This includes, but is not limited to, personnel and benefit costs associated with specialized units in law enforcement or core direct victim services, supplies and operating expenses related to the STOP project, equipment necessary for implementation, and training or professional development. Funds: A total of $12 Read more

 

House Majority Policy Committee tours Google, talks artificial intelligence and internet safety

(Mar 13, 2024)

Building off recent conversations on artificial intelligence, the House Majority Policy Committee toured Google’s Pittsburgh offices and participated in a roundtable Wednesday morning to learn more about this new technology and discuss efforts to maintain child internet safety. Read more

 

House Democratic Leadership Praises Gov. Shapiro’s Leadership on Clean Energy

(Mar 13, 2024)

Harrisburg, PA – Pennsylvania House Democratic Leadership issued the following statement today on Gov. Josh Shapiro’s new clean energy plan: “Tackling the growing climate crisis demands a comprehensive approach – one that balances protecting our environment, strengthening our economy and cutting costs for families. Governor Shapiro recognizes that Pennsylvania can and should be a clean energy leader, and House Democrats commend him on his leadership and for prioritizing this critical issue. “House Democrats are committed to reducing harmful greenhouse gas emissions while strengthening our economy and energy infrastructure, investing in our communities and cutting costs for families. Governor Shapiro has brought together many different sectors to explore how Pennsylvania can be a clean energy leader, and today’s announcement represents a step forward toward that goal. We look forward to reviewing this comprehensive plan further and working with the Shapiro Administration on this.” ## House Democrats are committed to promoting better jobs, better schools and better communities. Putting people ahead of politics, House Democrats are leading the charge to lower taxes, help workers save for retirement, put more teachers in local schools, and make communities safer. More information on these successful efforts is at pahouse.com/deliveringforpa . Read more

 

Matzie touts governor’s new energy proposal

(Mar 13, 2024)

“The governor’s announcement highlights policies we have been promoting for some time, the key being an ‘all of the above’ approach when it comes to our energy mix. For me, the inclusion of emerging nuclear and fusion technology in the plan is essential and has been a key initiative I have long supported. " Read more

 

Testifiers, lawmakers discuss positive impact unions have on business

(Mar 12, 2024)

Unions have long delivered for workers with higher wages and dignified benefits, but the House Majority Policy Committee and Rep. Nick Pisciottano (D-Allegheny) learned how the presence of unions benefits local business owners across Pennsylvania through improved productivity, increased retention of workers and productive collaboration between the employer and employees. Read more

 

Testifiers detail need to address blight, increase affordable housing in PA

(Mar 11, 2024)

Community leaders highlighted the need to build more affordable housing in in Allegheny County and across Pennsylvania but pointed to blighted homes and deserted buildings as a major barrier during a House Majority Policy hearing Monday morning. Read more

 

Same Job? Same Pay. It's that simple.

(Mar 09, 2024)

Tuesday, March 12 is Women’s Equal Pay Day – it’s how far into 2024 a woman has to work to earn the same money a man did by the end of 2023 when they both started counting on New Year’s Day 2023. Read more

 

Main Street Matters

(Mar 08, 2024)

It was a great morning touring Fishtown businesses with DCED Secretary Siger as part of Governor Shapiro’s Main Street Matters initiative! Our local small businesses are the pulse of each of our neighborhoods and Main Streets, and I am proud to stand behind Governor Shapiro and Secretary Siger in bringing home state resources to make certain they thrive. Read more

 

House Consumer Protection, Technology and Utilities Committee holds informational hearing on electric vehicle infrastructure

(Mar 08, 2024)

HARRISBURG, March 8 – With more Pennsylvania drivers turning to electric vehicles, state Rep. Rob Matzie said the House Consumer Protection, Technology and Utilities Committee met Wednesday for an informational hearing on the state’s EV infrastructure. Matzie, who is majority chairman, said the committee heard testimony from stakeholders and discussed key issues such as the role public utilities will play, ratepayer protections, public demand and expectations for EV charging and other issues that will guide development of policy and legislation. “Electric vehicle infrastructure is a hot topic, with federal money pouring in to help expand that infrastructure,” Matzie said. “Today, we heard from stakeholders regarding what kind of legislative guidance is needed and how things are progressing. “We know utilities must have long-term plans in place to ensure that the needed infrastructure is ready, and I anticipate we’ll be having more conversations about those plans. Right now, we want to make sure we’re having conversations with all the stakeholders to make sure PA does it right.” Matzie added that Pennsylvania’s energy independence and ability to maintain a diverse energy portfolio will remain a central part of the dialogue. “I have said many times how important the grid is and how important it Read more

 

House Transportation Committee weighs new legislation in voting hearing
11 hours ago

Bullock, Young natural hair braider bill passes PA House
12 hours ago

Prokopiak takes the oath of office
12 hours ago

Smith-Wade-El: $1.8 million in state grants awarded to Lancaster SD
Mar 15, 2024

Ciresi: $1M in state grants awarded to Pottstown School District
Mar 15, 2024

PA Legislative Latino Caucus slams efforts to impose a state fee on international remittances made by migrants
Mar 15, 2024

Ciresi exploring legislation to increase benefits for Pennsylvanians with disabilities
Mar 14, 2024

Grant Memo: Agricultural, Educational, Public Safety, Redevelopment and Additional Grant Opportunities
Mar 14, 2024

State lawmakers take legislative aim to honor Muslim and Jewish Pennsylvanians
Mar 14, 2024

Central Cambria School District discusses ‘going solar’ during tour with Fiedler, labor leaders
Mar 14, 2024

Khan to roll out healthcare workforce legislative package
Mar 14, 2024

Grant Memo: Agricultural, Educational, Public Safety, Redevelopment and Additional Grant Opportunities
Mar 13, 2024

House Majority Policy Committee tours Google, talks artificial intelligence and internet safety
Mar 13, 2024

House Democratic Leadership Praises Gov. Shapiro’s Leadership on Clean Energy
Mar 13, 2024

Matzie touts governor’s new energy proposal
Mar 13, 2024

Testifiers, lawmakers discuss positive impact unions have on business
Mar 12, 2024

Testifiers detail need to address blight, increase affordable housing in PA
Mar 11, 2024

Same Job? Same Pay. It's that simple.
Mar 09, 2024

Main Street Matters
Mar 08, 2024

House Consumer Protection, Technology and Utilities Committee holds informational hearing on electric vehicle infrastructure
Mar 08, 2024