Keeping Government Focused on What Matters

Rep. Jen Mazzocco June 24, 2026 | 4:10 PM

House Bill 2473, legislation I introduced to streamline outdated insurance laws, passed the House unanimously this week.

The bill does some much-needed housekeeping. It removes obsolete insurance laws and eliminates requirements for studies and reports that were completed years ago. Just as important, it helps ensure taxpayer dollars and staff time are focused on current priorities instead of outdated paperwork.

The legislation also repeals a redundant flood-insurance-education law, since the Pennsylvania Insurance Department already provides extensive public education and outreach through modern programs and resources.

Good government isn’t always about creating something new. Sometimes, it’s about taking a hard look at what no longer makes sense and cleaning it up. I appreciate the bipartisan support this bill received in the House and am hopeful the Senate will take it up soon.

Cracking Down on Text Message Scams

Another bill that passed the House this week that I proudly co-sponsored, House Bill 2551, takes aim at a scam many Pennsylvanians have likely seen firsthand.

Scammers increasingly impersonate government agencies to trick people into sending money or sharing personal information. As these scams become more common and more sophisticated, this legislation would give Pennsylvanians a simple rule of thumb: If you receive a text claiming to be from a state agency demanding payment, it’s a scam.

Family Care Act

I stood with my colleagues on Wednesday advocating for the Family Care Act currently stalling in the Senate.

My predecessor in the district, Rep. Dan Miller, originally authored this bill that would establish new family and medical leave benefits for working Pennsylvanians, including granting eligible employees up to 12 weeks of partial wage replacement for personal or family situations. I thank Rep. Jennifer O’Mara for picking up this important legislation that I’m proud to co-sponsor.

As I said back in March, this act would allow stability at home for students and would give peace of mind to working families. It is time for the Senate to do what is right by all Pennsylvanians and move this legislation to the Governor’s desk.

Transportation Technology Showcase

The House Transportation Committee held its Transportation Technology Showcase on Wednesday, featuring different types of vehicles and technology from various manufacturers accompanied by local experts! It was a great time learning about technology like self-driving vehicles, electric vehicles, e-scooters and delivery devices.

Committee Highlights

Several bills moved during my committee meetings this week, including three bills in the House Transportation Committee.

A local bill the committee voted to advance was House Bill 2479, which would allow armed probation officers in Allegheny County to have light bars and other emergency lights on their vehicles. The bill would allow these officers to alert their presence to the public, other emergency vehicles and other first responders; making law enforcement easily recognizable in the community.

The committee also voted to advance House Bill 1941, which would expand the authority of firefighters and fire police to direct traffic during emergencies, helping keep roads clear and allowing first responders to do their jobs safely and efficiently.

The third bill that advanced, House Bill 2582, would grant emergency-vehicle authorization to Fugitive Apprehension Search Team (FAST) parole agents, helping them respond more quickly when pursuing violent offenders.

During a meeting of the Communications & Technology Committee, members voted for House Bill 634, which would implement panic alarms in school classrooms to help ensure the safety of students and school employees.

The committee also passed House Bill 2006, which would require greater transparency and safety measures for AI-powered companion apps and chatbots. As these technologies become more popular, the legislation would help to ensure users have more protection and understand when they are interacting with artificial intelligence.

Additionally, House Bill 2553 advanced in the Environmental & Natural Resource Protection Committee. As households update technology such as smartphones, smart TVs and laptops more frequently, this bill would update Pennsylvania’s electronic waste laws to help communities better manage and recycle old electronics, reducing landfill waste and supporting a cleaner environment.

Hail to Pitt!

My staff is composed almost entirely of Pitt alumni, so we were very happy to welcome Charlie McLaughlin, Senior Director of Commonwealth Relations at Pitt, to my office last week! Charlie shared news of Pitt’s ongoing accomplishments, like receiving 76,000 admission applicants last year.

We also talked about the new Pitt Regional Campus Free Tuition Program at the campuses of Pitt at Greensburg, Bradford, Johnstown, and the Titusville nursing program. The program offers free tuition for any student whose household income is less than $75,000. No applications separate from FAFSA are required, as the benefit is applied to their account automatically.

I’m so proud to be an alum of this amazing university, and I’ll continue being a strong supporter of public higher education in the Commonwealth!

Save the Date for My Fall Senior Fair!

Finally, my office has nailed down a date for the Fall Senior Fair! It will take place on Friday, September 25th at The Salvation Army, 1060 McNeilly Road. I can’t wait to get seniors connected to all of the services my office can provide, and I’ll have more updates as the date draws nearer!

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.