BRADDOCK, April 29 – State Rep. Abigail Salisbury will host her first two town halls of 2025 in Braddock Hills and Rankin on April 30 and May 1, respectively, to hear residents’ priorities for the coming year. Salisbury said she is encouraging everyone to attend and share their thoughts. “Now, more than ever, it's important for people to speak up and share their concerns and priorities, and for their representatives to listen,” Salisbury said. “Nothing is more valuable than a resident’s own perspectives about life in their own home community, and when we take those messages back to Harrisburg, we have greater power to make change happen at the state level. “With puzzling and confusing events happening in Washington, people need to know that their voices are still being heard and that those voices are powerful.” Salisbury said the town halls will be held at the following times and locations: Braddock Hills – April 30 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., Braddock Hills Borough building (lower level), 1300 Brinton Rd., Pittsburgh, PA 15221. Rankin – May 1 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., Rankin Christian Center, 230 3 rd Ave., Rankin, PA 15104. Additional town halls are being planned for those unable to attend the Braddock Hills or Rankin events. Anyone with questions should call 412-273-3400. Read more
HARRISBURG, April 23 – Pennsylvania communities are one step closer to having a powerful new tool to fight blight after the state House today passed Rep. Abigail Salisbury’s bill that would make it easier for land banks to acquire abandoned properties. Salisbury, D-Allegheny, said she introduced H.B. 743 – which would allow a municipality to designate a blighted or abandoned property for acquisition by a land bank – to address a longstanding issue that frustrates residents and small businesses and poses economic problems for municipalities. “When a property owner abandons or severely neglects their property over the years, the entire community pays the price – in higher crime, health and safety hazards, lower property values and the exodus of small businesses and residents,” Salisbury said. “It’s an issue that has frustrated residents, business owners and local officials for decades, but municipalities have had their hands tied. “One way we can attack the problem is by giving communities new tools to deal with properties that have a long history of safety or code violations. By allowing local governments to designate these properties for acquisition by land banks, we can free up these blighted lots for productive use – for parks and green spaces, for construction of affordable housing, for small businesses – for all the beneficial uses that make communities Read more
HARRISBURG, April 23 – The Pennsylvania House today adopted state Rep. Rob Matzie’s resolution designating April 2025 as “Pennsylvania 8-1-1 Safe Digging Month.” Matzie, who is chairman of the House Majority Caucus, said he introduced H.R.34 to remind Pennsylvanians that they have a legal responsibility to call the 8-1-1 “Call before You Dig” hotline before doing any kind of digging. “Most of us rarely think about the extensive network of utilities, pipes and cables buried beneath our feet, but we do need to remember them any time we are planning a project involving digging – from the smallest backyard projects to major excavations,” Matzie said. “State law requires everyone – homeowners and contractors alike – to dial 8-1-1 at least three days before doing any digging so that utilities can mark underground structures beforehand. “It’s a free call that keeps workers safe, protects underground structures from costly damage and prevents service interruptions.” Matzie said calling 8-1-1 is required even for shallow digging projects and those located directly on a homeowner’s private property. More information is available here: https://www.puc.pa.gov/pipeline-safety/pa-one-call/#:~:text=Homeowners%20and%20contractors%20must%20call,begins%20to%20disturb%20the%20earth . Before being appointed to House Read more
HARRISBURG, April 23 – The Pennsylvania House has adopted state Rep. Rob Matzie’s resolution designating April 2025 as “Limb Loss Awareness Month” in Pennsylvania. Matzie, who is chairman of the House Majority Caucus, said he introduced H.R. 33 to recognize the challenges and accomplishments of Pennsylvanians living without a limb and to raise awareness about preventable causes of limb loss. “There are more than 2 million Americans of all ages, races and genders who navigate the world courageously and successfully without a limb,” Matzie said. “We see many of them working, playing, providing for their families and giving back to their community. What we don’t always see are the many physical, psychological and logistical challenges they face and overcome every day. “I introduced this resolution to celebrate them and the example of courage and strength they provide for all of us.” Matzie said he also introduced H.R. 33 to raise awareness about the preventable causes of limb loss. “The main cause of surgical amputations is not trauma, but vascular diseases like diabetes and peripheral artery disease,” Matzie said. “But limb loss doesn’t have to be an unavoidable consequence of these conditions. With lifestyle changes to control risk factors like high cholesterol, high blood pressure, smoking, excess weight and inactivity, it’s Read more
“It remains a priority for me to ensure our veterans receive the benefits and services they have so honorably earned in service to our country,” state Rep. Dan Deasy said. “A good way to be sure that happens is to provide it to them at their place of employment. It is an easy ask of employers to simply post a pre-made poster or letter-sized document that is provided to them by the state in a conspicuous place so vets can easily access it.” Read more
Legislation providing pension parity for Pittsburgh firefighters heads to state Senate Read more
HARRISBURG, April 22 – State Reps. Arvind Venkat and Jamie Flick’s bipartisan bill that would create and disseminate materials integral to recognizing the signs of an opioid overdose and inform Pennsylvanians how to save the lives of their fellow citizens passed the Pennsylvania House 195-8 today. House Bill 269 would require PA’s Department of Health to develop a poster explaining: the signs of an opioid-related overdose. what to do in the event of an opioid-related overdose. where to find an opioid antagonist such as Naloxone. where to find additional resources and information. The poster would be made available online to download for private use and displayed in public places to increase awareness of how to recognize and respond to opioid-related overdoses. “The adage that ‘a little knowledge goes a long way’ may not be put into practice more profoundly than when it comes to saving someone’s life,” Venkat, D-Allegheny, said. “Our legislation does exactly that and seeks to limit the future harm of a deadly and still ongoing opioid epidemic. “Rep. Flick has been a great partner on this legislation, and I want to thank him and my House colleagues for their support. I also want to thank the Stop the Judgment Project , led by neighbors of mine in Franklin Park. I remain committed to doing everything in my power to honor the memory of those who have lost their lives in the opioid epidemic Read more
NEWLY LISTED PROGRAMS Department of Environmental Protection: Watershed Planning and Restoration Grant Who May Apply: Incorporated watershed associations, counties or municipalities, county conservation districts, council of governments or other authorized organizations including nonprofit organizations, educational institutions and municipal authorities. Use: Examples of eligible projects include existing WIP revision or updates and design and construction of BMPs, including riparian forest buffers, streambank fencing, agricultural erosion and sediment control and nutrient and manure management practices; animal waste storage systems, animal concentration area/animal heavy use area protection and barnyard runoff controls; design and construction of stormwater control measures; AMD treatment systems and other projects that will reduce nonpoint source pollution in watersheds where streams are impaired. Funds: Funds are provided by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and authorized through Section 319(h) of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act Application Deadline: June 20, 2025 More information: DEP Website Department of Environmental Protection: Growing Greener Plus Grant Who May Apply: Counties Use: To update a county’s Act 167 plan. Funds: Funding was included in the Fiscal Year 2024-25 state budget and grants will range from $40,000 to $60,000 depending on the county’s Read more
“Technology is constantly changing the way we do our jobs, and workforce training needs to keep pace with those developments,” Matzie said. “The new funding will support state-of-the-art apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship programs that train Beaver County job seekers how to work with the latest technology – both in data analysis and farming practices – so they can earn while they learn and develop the skills needed to step into good-paying jobs.” Read more
HARRISBURG, April 16 – State Rep. Aerion A. Abney, D-Allegheny, introduced bills today that would keep Pennsylvania cyber charter schools uniform from a staffing qualification standpoint and get Commonwealth fathers more involved in the birth of their children. House Bill 1209 would mandate that 100% of cyber charter school instructors are certified to teach by the state. Currently, only 75% of educators are required to be certified. “H.B. 1209 is a simple requirement that has the success of cyber charter school students squarely in its focus,” Abney said. “Having certified teachers across the board means every single pupil receives the same quality level of instruction they deserve.” House Bill 1212 , the PA Dads Matter Act, would direct the Pennsylvania Department of Health to conduct a public awareness campaign about the importance of including fathers to improve outcomes during pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum. The legislation, co-authored by Rep. Morgan Cephas, would also encourage health care providers to engage fathers during prenatal care and the birthing process. “Bringing a baby into the world is a team effort between a mother and father, so it makes perfect sense to get dads up to speed on the care and needs of their child and partner alike,” Abney said. “I want to thank Rep. Cephas for partnering with me on H.B. 1212 and look forward to helping families across the Commonwealth.” A Read more
“We included this event during the Black Maternal Health Week Summit because we have introduced Momnibus 2.0, which includes a variety of bills and legislation connected to the work of Beverly’s PGH,” said state Rep. La’Tasha D. Mayes, who co-chairs the Black Maternal Health Caucus and co-hosted the event. Read more
“We are driven in the Black Maternal Health Caucus by one statistic: 93% of maternal deaths are preventable,” said Rep. La’Tasha D. Mayes, who represents portions of Allegheny County and co-chairs the Black Maternal Health Caucus. “The question is why we are not preventing them.” Read more
“The ability to support and retain trained and skilled workers in the highest growing industries is only possible because of the strength of life sciences,” said McAndrew, who represents portions of Allegheny County. “From cutting-edge medical innovations in devices to our innovative hospital systems, our region is doing the type of work that will power Pennsylvania’s economy for years to come.” Read more
HARRISBURG, April 14 – State Rep. Lindsay Powell’s bill that would ban the unauthorized tracking of victims using AirTags and similar programs passed the Pennsylvania House of Representatives 201-2. House Bill 407 would forbid the misuse of this technology for purposes like stalking. There have been cases where individuals placed AirTags on vehicles to pinpoint the location of victims, but Pennsylvania still hasn’t outlined penalties for abusing this technology. “My bill not only gives neighbors their peace of mind and privacy back, but it would protect them from those seeking to do them harm. It's crucial that the legislature stays proactive when it comes to preventing bad actors from misusing this technology,” Powell said. “Thank you to my House colleagues for voting to keep Pennsylvanians safe.” Multiple plaintiffs filed a class-action lawsuit against Apple in December 2022 for remote stalking and despite the company’s attempt to dismiss the case, it is moving forward. AirTags, launched more than three years ago, are intended to help individuals find items that are often misplaced, such as keys, wallets or bookbags. House Bill 407, previously H.B. 416, passed with a near unanimous vote in last year’s session as well. The bill now moves to the state Senate for consideration. Read more
PITTSBURGH, April 10 – State Rep. Dan Frankel joined state Sen. Jay Costa today to announce the reintroduction of a package of bills meant to strengthen law enforcement’s response to hate crimes, improve tracking, advocate for victims and prevent future hate-based crimes. This legislation is a direct response to the 2018 mass shooting at Pittsburgh's Tree of Life building, during which a white supremacist murdered eleven worshippers in three Jewish congregations. To this day, this was the single deadliest act of antisemitic violence in American history. However, since then, the instance of hate crimes has only risen against racial minorities, religious groups, and members of the LGBTQ+ community. As noted in the Senate co-sponsorship memorandum , “According to the Pennsylvania State Policy Uniform Crime Reporting System, between 2020 and 2021, hate crime incidents in Pennsylvania more than doubled statewide. Between 2021 and 2023, the Department of Justice reports hate crimes almost doubled again in Pennsylvania. Worse, hate crimes are often misreported because of a lack of training or tracking.” Already, Frankel and Costa have championed the creation and growth of the Nonprofit Security Grant Program. Signed into law in 2019, Act 83 directs PCCD to administer grants to nonprofit organizations who principally serve individuals, groups or institutions that are included within a bias motivation category for single bias hate crime Read more
A state House bill that originally sought to relieve some Pennsylvanians’ medical debt now has a different goal: making it easier for those in need to access health care financial-aid programs. Read more
“These are former teachers who taught our kids, PennDOT workers who answered the call to keep roadways safe, human services workers who helped those in need – they’ve served our communities, and they’ve waited too long for a COLA increase,” state Rep. Dan Deasy said. “They are a small group of individuals who were not included in the new COLA formula, but they are largely in their 80s and 90s. Many can barely afford to pay for food or needed prescriptions and, after all they have done for the commonwealth, it is unconscionable that we would not do right by them and provide this increase so they can pay for necessities like groceries.” Read more
HARRISBURG, April 9 – State Reps. Arvind Venkat, Nate Davidson, Tarik Khan, Bridget M. Kosierowski, Andrew Kuzma, Jim Rigby and Tim Twardzik’s bill that would aid Commonwealth residents with avoiding medical debt was voted out of the Pennsylvania House Health Committee unanimously today. House Bill 79, originally introduced as a measure to create the PA Medical Debt Relief Program, was amended to focus on consistent transparency for hospital-based financial assistance policies and programs. “Countless individuals receive outstanding care through Pennsylvania hospitals every day, but too often, patients do not know if they might be eligible for existing hospital-based financial assistance programs -- resulting in medical debt. With this legislation, we can ensure all Pennsylvanians who might be eligible can understand how to access hospital-based financial assistance,” Venkat, D-Allegheny, said. “I want to thank my co-prime sponsors for their continued support and look forward to moving this bill through the legislature to increase health care affordability in the Commonwealth.” In H.B. 79’s updated form, the PA Department of Health would develop standardized financial assistance forms. These forms, based on input from hospitals and the general public, would reflect an individual hospital’s financial assistance programs. Additionally, they would be shared with patients upon admittance and discharge at all Read more
Lawmakers in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives voted Tuesday to pass legislation that would make stalking using an Apple AirTag or other electronic tracking devices a misdemeanor offense under the state’s stalking statute as policymakers look to stem the growing misuse of such items. Read more
Proposal to recognize 911 telecommunicators as first responders clears House Read more
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