Burns to host Policy Committee hearing on bullying Thursday in Johnstown

Rep. Frank Burns October 1, 2018 | 1:03 PM

EBENSBURG, Oct. 1 – State Rep. Frank Burns will host a House Democratic Policy Committee public hearing on the problem of bullying and efforts to curb that damaging behavior at 10 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 4, at the Hiram G. Andrews Center, 727 Goucher St., Johnstown.

Burns, D-Cambria, will be joined by House Democratic Policy Committee Chairman Mike Sturla, D-Lancaster, and other committee members. They will hear testimony about the seriousness of bullying and curative efforts, including Burns’ package of anti-bullying bills (H.B.s 2217, 2218 and 2219).

Those measures seek to hold parents, school administrators and state officials more accountable, including fining parents whose children repeatedly bully others. Burns also is co-sponsor of a House resolution that designates October as “Bullying Awareness Prevention Month.”

The current hearing agenda is:

10 a.m. Welcome and opening remarks

10:10 a.m. Panel One:

Jason Moore

Superintendent, Central Cambria School District
Shiryl Barto

Manager, Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention
Allison Messina

Director of Evaluation, Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention

10:50 a.m. Panel from HIBster:
Dominic Cannizzaro

Chief Executive Officer
James Budzilek

Director of Education

11:20 a.m. Closing Remarks