PA state Rep. Tarik Khan believes that LGBTQ+ students deserve to feel safe and welcome in PA public schools, just like any other student. Khan stood with his colleagues in the House Democratic Caucus to roll out a package of bills that would ensure protection and acceptance of all students, regardless of sexual identity or orientation. Read more
By Representative Tarik Khan As published by East Falls Forward, Chestnut Hill Local, and the Roxborough Review The morning of Friday November 3, 2023 was bitter, one of the coldest days this fall. As he approached the entrance of the Khair Community Center in the predawn light, the community member briskly fingered through his familiar key ring. Like most Fridays in Islam, today was special. Fridays are the day of the week when many Muslims congregate together to connect and worship with their friends, family, and neighbors and affirm their commitment to their community. In fact, this new mosque in Montgomery County had just hosted a huge community day the previous week with plenty of food vendors, elected officials, and members of varied faiths in attendance. The event got great press. There was even a nod to the symbolism of the center’s name, “Khair,” which translates to “goodness” in Arabic, The community member took one last breath of cold air and lifted his keys to open the front door. An unfamiliar word written on the glass caught his eye. It stopped him cold. It was a painful word that would shock and traumatize the community that holy day and the days that followed. “Terrorist.” I first heard about the Islamophobic defacing of the Khair Community Center from the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) that Friday afternoon Read more
Pa. state Rep. Tarik Khan took part in the annual Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony in Manayunk. Many special guests were in attendance helping to bring in holiday cheer throughout Main Street. Khan also reminds everyone that the day after Black Friday is Small Business Saturday and there are plenty of shops and restaurants right along Main Street! Read more
HARRISBURG, Nov. 21 – A resolution (H.R. 141) designating November 2023 as “Diabetes Awareness Month,” has been adopted by the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. The resolution was introduced by state Reps. Tarik Khan, D-Phila., and Donna Oberlander, R-Armstrong. More than 1.1 million Pennsylvanians have been diagnosed with diabetes; that’s 11% of the state’s adult population ( Microsoft Word - ADV_2021_State_Fact_sheets_all.docx (diabetes.org) . “One out of every two Pennsylvania adults have diabetes or prediabetes, and nearly 20% of all adults have diabetes but don’t know about it yet,” said Khan, who is a doctorally-prepared nurse practitioner. “Creating awareness about diabetes is critical, and this bipartisan resolution helps us to educate Pennsylvanians on the need to get tested for diabetes and manage the disease if they have it.” A video about the resolution can be found here: ( https://youtu.be/x8LX97kgKU0 ). “As co-chair of the Diabetes Caucus, I was pleased to have the resolution declaring November as Diabetes Awareness Month pass the House of Representatives,” said Oberlander. “The prevalence of diabetes and the increase in both Type 1 or Type 2 makes it essential to educate and spread awareness to the signs and symptoms so that our constituents can get tested and treatment for better health.” Monica Billger, American Read more
Co-chair of the Diabetes Caucus, Pa. state Rep. Tarik Khan’s bipartisan resolution to make November 2023 Diabetes Awareness Month in Pennsylvania passed and is now adopted! As a healthcare provider, Khan knows the struggles of diabetes and how to keep it well managed. Read more
Pa. state Rep. Tarik Khan worked with Reps. Carol Kazeem and Jason Dawkins to pass legislation in the House that would make Eid al-Fitr a state holiday in the Commonwealth. Eid al-Fitr is a Muslim holiday that marks the end of Ramadan - it's about community, charity and the power of forgiveness. Read more
Pa. state Rep. Tarik Khan reminds everyone that Tuesday, November 7th is Election Day in Pennsylvania. There are plenty of local races impacting you, from local judges to county officials to the Mayor of Philadelphia! Get out and vote at your local polling place! Read more
Pa. state Rep. Tarik Khan received his COVID shot at the Capitol and took the time to explain the importance of being vaccinated. Read more
“No one should feel afraid to attend a house of worship. We need to ensure our communities are kept safe, including our mosques, synagogues, and LGBTQ+ centers, said Khan. “I’m proud to have helped lead this bill, which demonstrates that we won’t stand by while acts of violence are committed in our most sacred spaces.” Read more
Pa. state Rep. Tarik Khan highlighted his bill, H.B. 1772, which would increase grants to nonprofits and houses of worship to help protect them against hate-fueled violence. Read more
Pa. state Rep. Tarik Khan continues fighting for high quality education for all students in Pennsylvania. As a product of the public school system, he knows just how impactful a child’s education is in shaping the rest of their life. Read more
As published in the East Falls Forward and The Chestnut Hill Local This spring, I met with a community group to discuss a lawsuit. A business was suing one of the community group’s members. The litigation was not alleging theft, property damage, or a failure to pay, but instead was filed after the exercise of a constitutionally protected right of free speech. Because of this suit, the tiny community nonprofit faced thousands of dollars in court costs and the steep emotional toll of defending a lawsuit. The group was asking for my help. They wanted anti-SLAPP legislation.” SLAPP stands for Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation. SLAPP suits intend to bully, frighten, and silence. Investigative news outlets like 60 Minutes have been “SLAPPed” for exposing corruption. President Trump lobbed a ½ billion dollar SLAPP suit against CNN for running a critical story about his “big lie” election fraud nonsense. My former boss, Jay Leno, was SLAPPed several times for bad jokes. When I was in high school, Oprah was SLAPPed for millions by the meat industry when she said on air that she would stop eating burgers over mad cow concerns. These celebrity defendants had deep pockets and big-time lawyers who could easily fight back. But all too often, suits are waged against individuals, small nonprofits, and community groups. Victims of abuse and other advocates who speak out. And folks who will Read more
HARRISBURG, Oct. 17 – State Reps. Joe Hohenstein, D-Phila.; Nancy Guenst, D-Montgomery; Paul Takac, D-Centre; Ismail Smith-Wade-El, D-Lancaster; Tarik Khan, D-Phila.; the PA Coalition for Trans Youth; Transgender Advocates Knowledgeable Empowering; NEPA Stands Up and allies held a rally for safe and equal schools on the state Capitol steps in Harrisburg on Tuesday. Speakers highlighted a package of bills that would protect students from gender-based discrimination, bullying and harassment, and provide inclusive accommodations and curriculum. The package includes: Legislation introduced by Guenst that would create a statewide policy for all public schools to prohibit student discrimination and harassment based on actual or perceived sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression through anti-discrimination and harassment prevention and early intervention policies to create a supportive and equal opportunity learning environment. “Our children deserve to step into their learning environments across the commonwealth feeling safe and respected. No child should be made to feel less than their peers due to the real or perceived distinction of belonging to classes that do not currently hold statewide protections,” Guenst said. “This legislation would bridge the gaps currently being filled by individual school districts through policies that cover a wide spectrum; Read more
Pa. state Rep. Tarik Khan voices his support for an anti intimidation bill that unanimously passed the House and is now on its way to the state Senate. The bill would create an efficient process to quickly dismiss SLAPP (Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation) lawsuits based upon protected speech and would also allow defendants to recover costs and fees related to the action. Read more
Pa. state Rep. Tarik Khan spoke against a bill that would criminalize the possession of xylazine, an animal tranquilizer, except by veterinarians. Khan, a healthcare provider himself, says substance abuse is a disease that should be treated by healthcare professionals, not by prisons. Read more
PA. state Rep. Tarik Khan’s first annual Health and Wellness Expo brought together community members and service providers to provide everything from health screenings to yoga lessons, to hand massages! Read more
As printed in the Chestnut Hill Local and East Falls Forward I still serve as a family nurse practitioner at Abbotsford Falls Health Center once a week. My Friday morning shifts have greatly informed my legislative advocacy. For example, my clinical work influenced my bills expanding school-based health centers and allowing nurse practitioners to practice to the fullest extent of their license. Another legislative issue I've frequently considered, due to my continued nursing service, is ensuring that patients are the primary decision-makers in their care. For insurance, I've seen patients with hypertension tell me they do not wish to start blood pressure medication. Some with high cholesterol don't want to be prescribed Lipitor or other similar medicines. And some with diabetes don't want to take insulin or check their blood sugar. While I share with patients from my perspective what is most clinically appropriate, part of my role is to be an educator and an advocate. Not a judge. Not the primary decision-maker for patients. As a healthcare provider, I am a part of the patient's care team and duty-bound to ensure we follow a patient's healthcare decisions. And no time is more crucial to ensure a patient's wishes are carried out than when they are at the end of their life. Recently, a constituent at my Manayunk office came to advocate for a PA Senate bill 631 Read more
HARRISBURG, Sept. 7 – State Rep. Tarik Khan, D-Phila., and several other state legislators on Wednesday circulated a bipartisan co-sponsorship memo that would designate September 2023 as National Recovery Month in the commonwealth if passed by the state House. “As a nurse, I’ve seen the impact of substance use on persons in our community. Too often, individuals struggle with substance use because of the failures of our healthcare system, including unscrupulous drug companies, inadequate policies and regulations,” Khan said. “I’m proud to have helped lead this bipartisan legislation to recognize that recovery is possible and highlight the importance of supporting recovery efforts in our commonwealth.” Rep. Jamie Flick, R-Lycoming/Union, a prime co-sponsor, echoed Khan’s remarks. “Recovery is possible. Treatment works. There are programs and people in place to help every person struggling with addiction, and resources for families of addiction. I cannot stress enough that every person – regardless of how long they’ve been struggling with addiction – is deserving of recovery,” Flick said. Another co-prime sponsor, Rep. Mike Cabell, R-Luzerne, highlighted the horrors of substance use disorder, adding that this is an area of major concern for legislators on both sides of the aisle. “National Recovery Month holds special meaning for me due Read more
By: State Representative Tarik Khan As published in the East Falls Forward and Chestnut Hill Local I stood in the middle of the room and gazed at the walls. The afternoon light streamed through the blinds, partially illuminating some familiar objects – an Eagles banner, a Bryce Harper bobblehead, a framed photo of a former Democratic President. "This guy reminds me of me," I thought. As my eyes continued to scan the room, I saw an old Philadelphia Daily newspaper hanging on the wall with a triumphant-looking man on the cover. "What was that about?" I inquired. "You never heard about Michael's case?" his father asked. "Michael" was Michael Anderson, a legislative advocate from The Arc of Philadelphia. I first met him Zoom call not long after being sworn in as a state representative from Manayunk/Roxborough to learn how to better advocate for persons with disabilities in the legislature. The organization Michael works for, The Arc, champions the needs of people with developmental disabilities and their families. Michael is a "do-er," with an honest and direct manner and contagious optimism. He also has cerebral palsy (spastic quadriplegia), which means that he has limited use of his arms and legs and relies on his caregivers for all the activities of daily living. When Michael asked me to visit his home, I was eager to take him up on the offer. Read more
PHILADELPHIA, Aug. 30 – In response to a series of violent incidents involving landlord-tenant officers taking place in the city, members of the Philadelphia House Delegation today said the organization has been working hand in hand with the House Housing and Community Development Committee to help end the practice of private contractors performing eviction services. As part of this collaboration, both organizations held a public hearing Tuesday in the Philadelphia City Council Chambers on proposed reforms regarding landlord and tenant officers and evictions. Rep. Morgan Cephas, chair of the Philadelphia House Delegation, explained that a vital concern is that the eviction services are executed by people without the proper training, and carrying guns. “Moving forward there needs to be accountability and transparency with an agency that is responsible to the citizens of Philadelphia,” Cephas said. “We are determined to take this task away from the unaccountable, private entities. “We respect the need for landlords to run their business and receive their payments in a timely manner. However, the need for compassionate, respectful interaction with tenants was made obvious in the hearing,” she added. Rep. Mike Sturla, chair of the PA House Housing and Community Development Committee, highlighted that when it comes to housing it is important to look at the Read more
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