Pa. state Rep. Patty Kim held her annual Senior Fair in Harrisburg Friday. By brining over 30 agencies and vendors together, Kim wants to give seniors one-stop convenience for any help they need as they get older. Even if folks couldn't make it out to the event, Kim is ready to help them at her offices in Harrisburg and Steelton. Read more

Pa. state Rep. Patty Kim speaks in support of the state’s new criminal record expungement and pardon process. Criminal expungement can positively impact those who have served their time and are again trying to become responsible, contributing members of society. Read more

HARRISBURG, August 1 – State Rep. Patty Kim, D-Dauphin, and state Sen. Rob Teplitz, D-Dauphin/Perry announced that they are hosting an informational session on the recently enacted “Second Chance Law” for ex-offenders from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, August 27 at the Boys and Girls Club, 1227 Berryhill St., Harrisburg. Doors open at 9:15 a.m. and will close at 10:15 a.m. The event will include information about the state’s new criminal record expungement process and the pardon process. "Criminal expungement can positively impact those who have served their time and are again trying to become responsible, contributing members of society ,” Kim said. “I urge anyone with questions to attend to find out about opportunities to potentially clear their records.” “Giving ex-offenders a second chance to obtain employment and housing reduces recidivism and, more importantly, helps them get on the right track,” Teplitz said. “I’m pleased to team up with Representative Kim for this unique opportunity to assist the community and I encourage interested individuals to register and attend this informative event.” Free one-on-one expungement legal counseling is available to those who pre-register on Rep. Kim’s website at www.pahouse.com/kim , by calling her office at 717-986-1673 , on Sen. Teplitz’s website at www.senatorteplitz.com/RSVP or by calling his Read more

Pa. state Rep. Patty Kim comments on the importance of reforming life sentences for certain inmates, giving them a chance to have a parole hearing when certain criteria are met. Read more

HARRISBURG, March 7 – State Rep. Patty Kim, D-Dauphin, today applauded Gov. Tom Wolf for signing an executive order to provide a minimum wage of $10.15 per hour for all employees who work under his jurisdiction and for employees of state government contractors. "Thanks to Governor Wolf, no state employee who works full-time will have to live below the poverty line," Kim said. "I am hopeful that this is a first step towards the passage of my bill, which would increase the minimum wage for all workers in Pennsylvania." Kim’s bill, H.B. 250, would increase the minimum wage from the current $7.25 per hour to $9 per hour and then to $10.10 per hour a year later. Increasing the minimum wage to $10.10 per hour would boost the earnings of a full-time worker by more than $5,900 to $21,008. For a single mother with two children who works 40 hours per week, this would get her family above the poverty line, which is $19,790 for a household of three. Currently, someone earning minimum wage who works 40 hours per week only makes $15,080, which is more than $4,700 below the poverty line, requiring many people to use government assistance programs just to get by. Kim also said that a minimum wage increase will help the state’s economy because most workers making minimum wage need their paychecks to make ends meet. "They don’t save their money because they can’t," Kim said. "They spend their money quickly, which Read more

As Governor Tom Wolf signed an executive order today that ensures employees under the governor’s jurisdiction will be paid no less than $10.15 an hour, Pa. state Rep. Patty Kim continues to fight for a minimum wage increase for all Pennsylvanians. Read more

Pa. state Rep. Patty Kim took her opportunity to speak at the multi-agency celebration of Black History Month and addressed the children in the audience from Harrisburg area schools. Kim talked about her own path to becoming proud of where she came from and encouraged the students to do the same as they work to build a better future. Read more

Pa. state Rep. Patty Kim joined Governor Tom Wolf today as he signed into law a bill that expands criminal record sealing in Pennsylvania in order to reduce recidivism, relieve the pardon system, and provide ex-offenders greater opportunity to join the workforce. Rep. Kim knows this will give a second chance to tens of thousands of Pennsylvanians who are held back by a minor crime or charge years ago. Read more

HARRISBURG, Jan. 27 – Language that would allow criminal record expungement in certain situations, written by state Reps. Patty Kim, D-Dauphin, and Jordan Harris, D-Phila., is on its way to becoming law. “I am thrilled that criminal expungement legislation will finally become law in Pennsylvania,” Kim said. “There are too many cases in which people make a mistake when they're young and it wreaks havoc on their life for years to come. Making record expungement more accessible prevents a completed sentence from becoming an indefinite sentence.” Kim and Harris’ language is in S.B. 166 , which would allow people convicted of a third- or second-degree misdemeanor, if at least 10 years have passed since they completed their sentence, to request the opportunity to appear before a judge and ask for an order for limited access of their criminal record. Criminal justice and government agencies would not be subject to the order for limited access, and they still would be able to see a person’s entire criminal record information. “This will help thousands of Pennsylvanians who have turned their lives around to find employment and contribute to society,” Kim said. “The more people who are successful after prison means less of a financial drain for prison costs and court systems.” The governor is expected to sign the bill in the next few days. ### Read more

Forms for Pennsylvania’s Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program for the 2015 tax year are available at my district office – and my staff is ready to help you file yours for free ! The rebate program benefits eligible Pennsylvanians 65 or older, widows and widowers 50 or older, and people with disabilities 18 or older. The income limit is $35,000 a year for homeowners and $15,000 annually for renters. Half of Social Security income is excluded and the maximum standard rebate is $650. Claimants must reapply for rebates every year because they are based on annual income and property taxes or rent paid each year. Spouses, personal representatives or estates may file rebate claims on behalf of deceased claimants who lived at least one day in 2015 and meet all other eligibility criteria. The oft-extended deadline to apply for a rebate on property taxes or rent paid in 2015 is June 30, 2016, and the rebates normally are distributed by the Deparment of Revenue beginning July 1. So, the sooner you file, the sooner you will receive your money. Read more