This past Saturday, my team and I were in Caln Township for Caln Community Day. We weathered some early showers but once those passed, we were all-in for a fun day. It was great meeting so many new friends and bringing our District Office services out into the community. Read more
Our hearts are heavy this week with the news of Wednesday’s fatal shooting at Apalachee High School near Winder, Georgia, in which two students and two teachers were killed and nine others were injured. Read more
Summer 2024 Newsletter Read more
This week marked the start of the 2024-2025 school year for students and families here in the 155th Legislative District. As a parent of two children in elementary school, I know the first week always brings its challenges, especially getting back into routines, early bedtimes, and school mode, but I hope everyone had a great first week and is excited for the rest of the year! Read more
It’s hard to believe, but another summer has come and gone. For many of my younger constituents, that means it’s time to get ready to head back to school. I know we’re sad to see summer come to an end in the Otten household, but we are also very excited to meet our new teachers and rejoin our friends in the classroom. Read more
Throughout the legislative session, the House Democratic Policy Committee travels across the state holding public hearings that provide a platform for legislators to hear from community members and advocates on the issues that matter most to our respective districts. The testimony we hear can directly impact the legislation we introduce and ultimately vote on. Read more
Gun violence intervention took center stage at Monday’s House Majority Policy Committee hearing as members gathered testimony to understand what more can be done to reduce gun violence in Pennsylvania. Read more
This past weekend, I was in Louisville, Kentucky for the 2024 National Caucus of Environmental Legislators (NCEL) National Forum. For the past three years, I have served as the Pennsylvania State Lead for NCEL. In this role, I have been the NCEL’s main point of contact in the Pennsylvania legislature, as we work to advance environmental issues and legislation. Read more
While the House has been in recess since Governor Shapiro signed the 2024-25 state budget into law on July 11, Team Otten has been staying busy. Read more
With budget season now behind us and the House in recess until September 23, I will be back in the district meeting with constituents, attending local events, and working with my staff to prepare for a busy fall. Read more
The big news this week is that we have a budget! The House approved the state budget for the 2024-2025 fiscal year by a vote of 122-80 last Thursday, July 11, and Gov. Shapiro signed the bill into law the same night. Read more
On Thursday, July 11, the House approved the Pennsylvania state budget for the 2024-2025 fiscal year by a vote of 122-80 . Gov. Shapiro signed the bill into law the same night. I voted in support of this budget, which makes significant investments in public education, affordable housing and healthcare, human services, our workforce, communities, and the future of Pennsylvania – all without raising taxes. This budget is not perfect. It falls short on some of the priorities important to me and our community, but there is also a lot to like. The reality is that we have a Democratic-controlled House and a Republican-controlled Senate, and this budget reflects the compromise that was required for both sides to reach agreement. I believe that on balance, this budget contains more good than bad and will bring relief and growth to our families and communities. Here’s a deep-dive into where the budget delivers, and where I believe it falls short. Please give it a read, and contact my district office at repotten@pahouse.net or 484-200-8259 with your questions or feedback.? The headline in this year’s budget is school funding. Heading into budget season, school funding was the number one priority for me and my House colleagues, and I am happy to say that we delivered. While the budget falls short of the full amount and some of the important reforms we advocated for, it represents an enormous win for students and families across the Commonwealth, including Read more
Last Thursday, minutes after we voted on the state budget, I spoke on the House floor in opposition to Senate Bill 831 . The stated purpose of this bill is to establish a legal and regulatory framework for potential carbon dioxide capture, utilization, and sequestration (“carbon capture,” or CCUS). Carbon capture is an expensive, unproven technology that has shown no real evidence of reducing the negative environmental or public health impacts of the fossil fuel industry and conversely has the potential to do more harm. This legislation declares CCUS to be “in the public interests,” which allows for the corporate use of eminent domain to infringe upon the rights of private property owners. Under this bill, a private corporation could utilize your land for carbon sequestration, without your consent, if they can get 75% of your neighbors to agree. They could then carry out an experimental industrial practice with a history of causing earthquakes and asphyxiation on your land, injecting carbon dioxide -- the polluting byproduct of their fracked gas production -- into the ground below your property. This bill also would weaken property owners’ ability to take action against corporations for damages they cause to private property by limiting corporate accountability and liability for any negative consequences. In doing so, the bill would socialize all the risks and costs of these operations, Read more
We’re now in the first week of July, and with the June 30th state budget deadline behind us, the House is back in session, and budget negotiations are ongoing. I remain hopeful that House and Senate leaders will put forth a people-first budget that prioritizes the needs of Pennsylvanians and invests in our schools, workforce, and communities. We are scheduled to be in session for the remainder of this week and through the weekend, with a one-day break for the Fourth of July. Read more
With the June 30th budget deadline looming, House leadership has been meeting with the Governor’s office and Senate leadership all week to push for a people-first budget that prioritizes the needs of Pennsylvanians and invests in our schools, workforce, and communities. Although it is now assured that we will not have a final budget by June 30, those discussions will continue throughout the weekend, and both the House and Senate will return to Harrisburg on Monday for session to avoid any long-term delays in the state budget. Read more
With the June 30th budget deadline less than 10 days away, I wanted to take the opportunity to continue our discussion on the most pressing issue facing the General Assembly this budget season: funding our public schools. Read more
It was a busy week in Harrisburg with both the House and Senate in session, as both chambers continue to work toward budget negotiations. The House is scheduled to return to session the week of June 24, prior to the June 30th deadline. In the meantime, I will be back in the district meeting with constituents and working with my staff to prepare for the busiest time of the legislative year. Read more
EXTON, June 11 – State Rep. Danielle Friel Otten, D-Chester, will host a Period Products Drive through Friday, June 28, at her legislative district office, 631 N. Pottstown Pike in Exton. The drive will support local organizations in need of donations to ensure that members of the community have access to the essential menstrual hygiene supplies they need. Donations of new, unopened packages of pads and tampons can be dropped off at Otten’s district office between 9 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday throughout the month of June. Additionally, Otten hopes to raise awareness around period poverty as the General Assembly considers legislation to address this issue. Period poverty, or the inability to afford and access necessary menstrual products, is real, and it’s affecting people throughout Pennsylvania, including here in Chester County. Across our commonwealth, one in four women and girls struggle to afford period products, directly impacting their ability to fully participate in school, the workplace and society. “Pads and tampons are not luxury items; they are necessities that every individual who menstruates needs and deserves access to,” Otten said. “When students miss class time or entire school days because of a lack access to these basic necessities, this becomes an equity issue. Period poverty isn’t just someone else’s problem – it’s happening right here in Read more
June marks the end of the school year for students across Chester County, and my team and I send our heartfelt congratulations to all of the new graduates and to everyone moving up! Best wishes especially to all the seniors graduating this month in the 155th Legislative District. I am certain that the skills and strength you have gained will help you face whatever challenges life may present. Your community is proud of you and excited to see what the future holds. Read more
The end of the school year is just around the corner, and I’m sure students (and teachers!) across the 155th Legislative District are excited for summer vacation to be here. I know the Otten kids are! Read more
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631 North Pottstown PikeExton, PA 19341
P*: (484) 200-8259
F*: (484) 200-8269
Hours of Operation - Monday through Friday: 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Constituent services available by email, phone, or in-person by appointment. If you need an appointment outside our regular business hours, please call us at 484-200-8259 or email repotten@pahouse.net and we will do our best to accommodate.
122 Wallace Ave.Downingtown, PA 19335-2643
Hours of Operation - Fourth Wednesday of every month from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
34 East WingPO Box 202155Harrisburg, PA 17120-2155
P*: (717) 783-5009
F*: (717) 772-2943