Time is quickly running out to sign up to vote in the May 19 primary election! Residents will be able to have their say for Governor, Lieutenant Governor, State Senate, the State House of Representatives and more.

The final day to register to vote is Monday, May 4. You can visit vote.pa.gov/register for more information.

The deadline to request a mail-in ballot is Tuesday, May 12. Voting with a mail-in ballot is still a simple, safe and secure way to ensure your voice is heard. You can visit vote.pa.gov/ApplyMailBallot to secure yours today.

And as always, you can contact my office at 412-343-3870 if you have any questions or need any further assistance.

We are now just over a week away from the 13th Annual Disability & Mental Health Summit! I am so excited to host this event alongside Reps. Benham and Kinkead, which will include a detailed Resource Fair, a keynote presentation, a special art exhibit and numerous breakout sessions.

Additionally, professionals can receive credits for participating in the Summit. If you’re an educator, rehabilitation counselor, social worker or attorney, the Summit is a great opportunity to pick up some credits and collaborate with fellow professionals.

Visit https://disabilitysummit.com/ to learn more information, and we’ll see you next Thursday.

I joined Rep. La’Tasha D. Mayes and a host of other legislators this week to address a recent ruling that overturned the ban on abortion coverage for Medicaid patients.

This ruling affirmed that women in the Commonwealth have a legal right to reproductive autonomy, regardless of income. I’m proud to stand with Rep. Mayes, the Pennsylvania Women’s Health Caucus, the Women’s Law Project, If/When/How and all others trying to ensure abortion access.

On Wednesday, I joined a hearing of the Finance Committee on House Bill 1678, a digital advertising tax that would make the biggest corporations pay their fair share to do business in the Commonwealth.

We are inundated with advertising every time we use our phone or computer. Any app, any website, they’re always there, and corporations like Amazon and Google reap the benefits without taxation. This legislation would modernize our gross receipt tax for the digital age, and would bring valuable revenues toward road construction, mass transit and other public goods.

Our southern neighbor in Maryland has enacted a digital advertising tax to great results, and it’s time to add a robust tax of our own. This bill is part of the Tax Billionaires, Fund PA revenue plan.

I thank Professor Darien Shanske and Gabriela Betancourt for their testimony and the engaging conversation on this topic. I also thank Reps. Fiedler, Abney and Inglis for bringing this to the table.

On Monday, House Bill 2178, also known as the Environmental Clean Up and Responsibility Act, was reported out of the House Environmental and Natural Resource Protection Committee.

The bill seeks to eliminate gaps in cleanup standards, specifically for addressing active spills, pipeline leaks or emergency situations where contamination poses an immediate threat to residents. It would give the government the power to begin cleanup immediately in these scenarios, protecting Pennsylvanians’ right to clean water and a healthy environment.

I applaud my fellow committee members for passing this legislation, and I hope my colleagues in the House consider this bill.

I voted for House Bill 2103 this week, which is a direct response to efforts by extremist groups to exploit legal loopholes and create segregated communities. This bill would prevent any organization from discriminating against protected groups, under the guise of being a private or member-only club. Closing these loopholes would help disable these exclusionary housing practices.

Additionally, the bill was amended to incorporate provisions known as the “Fairness Act.” These provisions would add protections against discrimination based on sex, sexual orientation and gender identity in employment, housing and public accommodations.

Nobody should live in fear that they may not have housing, employment or proper accommodations because of who they are. This legislation would put a stop to the struggles of so many, and I hope the Senate acts on this bill.

I was out in the community for Earth Week, celebrating everything we do locally to support our environment.

First, I attended the educational session “Less Trash, More Bash” hosted by Lebo Green and the Pennsylvania Resources Council. I learned so much about simple ways we can reduce waste from events, whether they are small meetings or larger parties.

While truly going zero waste for an event may seem intimidating, there are a lot of resources out there to help you get started. Visit www.prc.org and www.mtlebogreen.org to find out what you can do.

This past Sunday, I started the morning cleaning up West Liberty Avenue as part of the annual Dormont Litter Cleanup, then spent some time at Dormont Goes Green and Mt. Lebanon’s Earth Day celebration.

I’m glad we have so many fantastic efforts in the district to help people live sustainably and take care of the environment in our communities all year long.

I had a great time speaking with the members of Cub Scout Pack 38 last week! We talked about what it’s like to be a state representative, what the legislature does, and how elections work in Pennsylvania.

These kids had fantastic questions, most notably about whether I could vote to shorten school hours and ban homework!

We also talked about why the voting age is 18 and the importance of having more women elected to positions of leadership. They even asked about rank choice voting! These kids are ready to go – I’m glad I was able to contribute to the civic education of these young people in the community.

The Castle Shannon Library Tiny Art Show was amazing! This was not only a beautiful celebration of local artists, but a reminder of why our local public libraries are so special – they are places where the entire community is welcome and can come together.

I am so proud to own four new pieces of art for my office, and Millie and I had a lovely caricature drawn by artist M.C. Sturman! Thank you to the Castle Shannon Library staff for hosting this wonderful event and for welcoming us.

A big thank you to Dormont’s Bird Town Committee for hosting a wonderful event at the Dormont Public Library last week! It was great to hear from Tess Wilson from the Audubon Society about bird migration, and Conor from the committee about how to get into birdwatching. Story time and kids crafts were a big hit.

The committee is hosting its first-ever Dormont Bird Week through Saturday, check out the borough website to learn more.

A special congratulations to Mt. Lebanon High School graduate Eli Heidenreich, who was drafted by the Steelers in the seventh round of the 2026 NFL Draft.

Eli helped lead the Blue Devils to a PIAA Championship in 2021, and was a standout player at the Naval Academy. Congrats, Eli, and thank you for doing us proud!

The Allegheny County Area Agency on Aging announced this week that applications are now open for the 2026 Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program. This program helps income-eligible older adults by providing vouchers for usage at local farmers markets.

To be eligible for the program, you must be an age 60 or older resident of Allegheny County that meets income guidelines. Married couples may receive one set of vouchers for each individual.

For 2026, the agency is moving to an online application option and mail distribution process. Vouchers will be mailed directly to the senior, no proxy forms or in-person pickups will be required.

Voucher distribution will begin on June 1. Residents have until September 15 to apply for the program. To apply online, visit the Allegheny County website.

The Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency is reminding higher education students that they can now complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form. FAFSA is an easy way to help alleviate the costs of going to an institution like colleges, business schools and technical schools.

Applications are due by May 1 for many students, so don’t miss out on this opportunity! You can review the checklist for FAFSA submission at this link.

Stay tuned for more updates, and as always, our office is here to help. You can reach us by phone at 412-343-3870 or visit us at 650 Washington Road, Suite 102, in Mt. Lebanon.

District Office

650 Washington Rd., Suite 102
Mt. Lebanon, PA 15228

(412) 343-3870

Pennsylvania State Capitol

117B East Wing

Harrisburg, PA 17120
(717) 783-1850