I would like to extend my appreciation to everyone who participated in 2020’s general election. Act 77, which allowed for mail-in voting, has indelibly changed the way Pennsylvanians vote and it will take us a while to get used to the new timeline and process. Read more
More than 3 million Pennsylvanian voters applied to vote by mail in this general election. According to the latest reports, over 70% of requested ballots have already been returned to counties across the commonwealth. Read more
Last month, Pennsylvania announced the launch of its new state-based health insurance marketplace, Pennie. The new marketplace is the result of a bipartisan effort by the state legislature to simplify the process of finding health insurance coverage and improve the accessibility and affordability of individual market health coverage for all Pennsylvanians. Read more
BLUE BELL, Oct. 16 – State Rep. Liz Hanbidge, D-Montgomery, announced that North Penn Volunteer Fire Company secured a $25,342 grant. This funding will help offset COVID-19-related expenses such as purchasing PPE, heightened sanitation measures and lost revenue due to pandemic restrictions. “Our first responders are always there for us when we need them most, so when they need our help, I’m happy the state could deliver,” Hanbidge said. “Providing them with this much-needed funding ensures that North Penn Volunteer Fire Company will continue helping and protecting community members despite these difficult times.” Hanbidge noted that the purpose of this funding is to provide some much-needed financial assistance to first responders who have found it difficult to keep their operations running due to COVID-19. A full list of fire companies receiving grant awards, along with the recently updated federal guidance, can be reviewed online by visiting the Office of the State Fire Commissioner’s website . Read more
On Tuesday, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of an emergency request made by the Justice Department last week to immediately halt the census count. Hours after the ruling was released, the U.S. Census Bureau announced it would keep accepting responses online and by phone through 11:59 p.m. TONIGHT, October 15. Read more
The initial wave of Montgomery County mail ballots have begun to hit mailboxes across the district! For those of you eagerly awaiting your ballot, it's not time to worry yet. Tens of thousands of ballots are being mailed out daily. Read more
Session in Harrisburg was derailed this week by another positive COVID-19 result among my colleagues in the House. While the PA House undergoes contact tracing and some members begin to self-quarantine, the Speaker has adjourned us until Monday, October 19. Read more
This week, the Montgomery County Election Board approved the placement of eleven secure ballot drop boxes which will be available to Montco voters beginning Saturday, October 3 through Election Day. Read more
BLUE BELL, Sept. 24 – State Rep. Liz Hanbidge, D-Montgomery, announced that Centre Square Park in Whitpain Township received a $225,000 Recreation and Conservation grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Funding will go toward constructing pedestrian walkways, installing nature play equipment with required safety surfacing and enhancing ADA access for the park’s accessible and nature-based playground. “This project will provide inclusive play time to every child in our community,” Hanbidge said. “The proposed playground will go beyond ADA accessibility and ensure that children of all abilities will have the opportunity to engage in sensory, physical, and educational experiences. I’m proud to help bring this funding home and bring families together at Centre Square Park.” Hanbidge added that the project would take advantage of the park’s natural wooded surroundings for educational and recreational inspiration, offering children a mix of physical and sensory play. The DCNR Recreation and Conservation grant program is funded with a variety of state and federal funding sources including, the Keystone Recreation, Park and Conservation Fund (Key 93) which includes Key-Community and Key-Land Trust; the Environmental Stewardship Fund; the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund; Pennsylvania Trails fund; Pennsylvania Heritage Area Read more
Yesterday, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled on several critical election questions. These rulings confirmed that counties will be able to provide ballot drop boxes and extended the deadline for mail-in voting by allowing ballots to be postmarked by the time the polls close and received by the county election board by 5:00 PM on Friday, November 6. Read more
LANSDALE, Sept. 14 – State Rep. Liz Hanbidge, D-Montgomery, authored a resolution urging district attorneys throughout the commonwealth to review juvenile cases with a focus on rehabilitation instead of incarceration. Hanbidge noted that about 250,000 children are prosecuted in adult criminal courts throughout the country each year. This can lead to them facing adult criminal convictions and being incarcerated in an adult prison or jail although they are still minors. “Incarcerating youth and putting them in adult facilities puts them at greater risk for mental health issues, physical and sexual assault and an increased likelihood of recidivism,” Hanbidge said. “Focusing on rehabilitating minors who break the law instead of incarcerating them puts them on a more promising path to lead productive, healthy, law-abiding lives once they reach adulthood. Research shows that our brains aren’t fully developed until our mid-20s, so children should not be destined to a lifelong cycle of crime and jailtime because of mistakes they made in their youth.” Questions may be directed to Hanbidge’s office by calling (610) 277-3230 or emailing RepHanbidge@pahouse.net . Read more
With the General Election fast approaching, there is no question that counties across our commonwealth will be processing a record volume of mail-in ballots. In the June primary, nearly 1.5 million people cast ballots by mail. Read more
UPPER GWYNEDD, Sept. 9 – State Rep. Liz Hanbidge, D-Montgomery, announced that the Upper Gwynedd Township Police Department received a $26,635 grant to help combat underage and dangerous drinking. “Preventing underage drinking and dangerous drinking habits such as public drunkenness or driving under the influence is an essential part of strengthening our community’s public health,” Hanbidge said. “I’m proud to see this funding awarded to our community as it truly benefits everyone by creating a safer environment inside homes, on our roadways and throughout Upper Gwynedd Township.” This funding comes from the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board and will go toward enforcement patrols, educational efforts, community outreach, training and a Drunk Busters Pedal Kart. A complete list of grant recipients is available online. ### Read more
I am writing to you a day early this week, as the mandated 60-day blackout period prior to Election Day begins tomorrow! Read more
Next week, my colleagues and I will return to session. Our schedule is likely to focus on urgent education, transportation, and election reform initiatives. Read more
LANSDALE, Aug. 26 – State Rep. Liz Hanbidge, D-Montgomery, announced that North Penn and Wissahickon School Districts’ special education programs each received Governor’s Emergency Education Relief grants. North Penn received $151,534 and Wissahickon received $59,610. “It’s crucial that as we commence this academic year, we consider the unique needs of every student,” Hanbidge said. “Students with special needs will need additional support as the districts implement enhanced safety measures to combat the spread of COVID-19, whether learning takes place inside classrooms or online. This funding will ensure that students who depend on these programs can stay on track and continue making progress.” Grants may be used to provide enhanced synchronous (real-time) instruction to bolster remote services and supports for students with complex needs; and provide services and support to students with disabilities who experienced a loss in skills and behavior and/or a lack of progress due to the mandatory school closures. This funding comes from the $15 million in the commonwealth’s GEER fund and $5 million from the Department of Education’s federal funding through the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. The federal CARES Act authorizes governors to determine the educational use of GEER funds. Click here for a full list of grant recipients. Read more
As school districts across Pennsylvania turn to remote virtual learning to mitigate community spread of COVID-19, thousands of working parents are now left scrambling to find affordable, reliable full-day childcare before the coming school year begins. Read more
While vital election reform continues to stall in the General Assembly, we are counting on counties across the commonwealth to rise to the enormous challenge of managing large-scale mail-in voting in a general election with an expected historic turnout. Read more
Dear Friends, It is undeniable that the COVID-19 crisis has affected every one of us in innumerable ways. It has led to massive unemployment and widespread economic instability. It has magnified the injustices inherent in our economy, our education system, and our health care system. Read more
LANSDALE, Aug. 7 — State Reps. Steve Malagari and Liz Hanbidge today announced that the North Montco Technical Career Center received a $114,471 grant to help them prepare for the upcoming academic year. The money will help the TCC develop health and safety plans to resume operations in the fall. Such work could include purchasing protective equipment, hand sanitizer/cleaning products; equipment or technology to take classrooms online; installation of barriers or other protective devices in building structures; or to purchase health applications that help with contact-tracing operations and health monitoring. “I’m pleased to see this funding awarded to our local TCC, especially because the programs that they offer require a unique hands-on approach to learning,” Malagari said. “Providing these students, faculty and staff with adequate PPE and other safety necessities will ensure that they can continue their studies this fall and go on to work some of the most in-demand jobs in our commonwealth.” “North Montco TCC trains students to work in careers that make up the backbone of our economy. Ensuring that they're able to do so safely is a valuable investment in their future and the future of our community,” Hanbidge said. The grant was funded through the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief program, which is funded by the federal CARES Act. Governor Tom Wolf announced that $10.5 million in Read more
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1098 W. Skippack PikeBlue Bell, PA 19422-1537
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121 Irvis Office BuildingP.O. Box 202061Harrisburg, PA 17120-2061
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