Bill seeking to fill teacher shortage through a grow-your-own program passes Pa. House

(May 01, 2023)

Schlossberg said this program would help to cultivate teachers from within a community where students live particularly ones with a high percentage of students of color or from diverse ethnic backgrounds or who live in rural areas. Read more

 

Ciresi and Webster dedicate Trooper Branden T. Sisca Highway in Trappe

(Apr 28, 2023)

HARRISBURG, April 28 – State Reps. Joe Ciresi and Joe Webster, both D-Montgomery, held a road dedication ceremony today in Trappe to unveil a memorial sign in honor of Trooper Branden T. Sisca, who was killed in the line of duty in 2022. “Branden Sisca dedicated his life to protecting others in service of the community he loved,” Ciresi said. “Although nothing can fill the void that Branden’s tragic passing left, Rep. Webster and I thought weaving Branden’s legacy into the fabric of the community through the road dedication would help us all heal. From this day forward, everyone traveling through Trappe will be reminded of Branden’s life of public service as a volunteer firefighter and Pennsylvania State Trooper. Thank you to everyone who worked tirelessly to make today’s ceremony a tremendous success.” The memorial sign designates a portion of State Route 4031 (Main Street) between Fifth Avenue and State Route 4048, also known as Seventh Avenue, in Trappe as the Trooper Branden T. Sisca Memorial Highway. “Today we honor the life and service of Trappe Fire Chief and PA State Trooper Branden Sisca who dedicated his life to public service and protection of our community,” Webster said. “This dedication stands as a show of our sincere gratitude for his service and our pledge to honor his memory and sacrifice. Thank you to everyone who ensured today’s ceremony was a fitting tribute.” Read more

 

Matzie introduces bill to maintain safeguards for public utility consumers

(Apr 28, 2023)

"My bill seeks to expand the tools that utility companies have to work with their customers who are struggling to pay their bills, in order to avoid having their service turned off," Matzie said. Read more

 

House Safe Caucus co-chairs applaud step forward for firearm regulations

(Apr 26, 2023)

“Under Democratic leadership, we can finally have research-based conversations and actual votes about life-saving measures that would allow our constituents to move through their lives without fear for themselves and their children," Frankel said. Read more

 

Gergely praises first bill as state representative moving out of committee

(Apr 26, 2023)

HARRISBURG, April 26 – State Rep. Matthew R. Gergely, D-Allegheny, announced today that his first piece of legislation as a state representative has moved out of the House Liquor Control Committee and will now head to the full House for consideration. House Bill 829 would allow employees who work for food/liquor establishments or importing distributors to pursue simultaneous careers with such additional establishments. Current law prohibits that practice. “This legislation is a win-win for restaurants and food/liquor distributors to acquire experienced employees and the employees themselves who will be able to earn extra income,” Gergely said. Read more

 

Fiedler, Hanbidge ‘Patient Consent for Pelvic Exams’ bill passes House

(Apr 26, 2023)

HARRISBURG, April 26 – Today, House Bill 507 introduced by state Reps. Elizabeth Fiedler, D-Phila., and Liz Hanbidge, D-Montgomery, passed the Pennsylvania House unanimously. The legislation would require medical providers to receive explicit consent from a patient before performing an invasive pelvic or rectal exam on an unconscious patient for medical training purposes. Right now in Pennsylvania, medical students can legally perform a pelvic or rectal exam on a patient who is under anesthesia for an unrelated procedure. The invasive exam is done solely for medical students’ training purposes and not to ensure the health of the patient. The patient often is entirely unaware of what is being done to her/his body while are under anesthesia. Fiedler first learned about the practice from a constituent who was disturbed to learn that when she was a patient, a pelvic exam might have been conducted on her. Fiedler shared how her constituent’s experience inspired her to learn more about this practice and ultimately introduce this bill. She also expressed her joy to see this bill pass the House and called on the Senate to get it to Gov. Josh Shapiro’s desk. “The more I researched the situation, the more horrified I was,” Fiedler said. “Making sure we have highly trained medical professionals is incredibly important, and at the same time, patients should be asked for their consent ahead of time. This Read more

 

Philadelphia House Delegation applauds win on gun safety

(Apr 26, 2023)

HARRISBURG, APRIL 26 – The Philadelphia House Delegation today announced that an important set of firearm safety bills was approved by the PA House Judiciary Committee today and is on its way to consideration by the full House. The package of legislation, which cleared its first key committee, is aimed at securing prompt reporting of theft or loss of firearms, keeping guns secure around children, regulating background checks, and repealing provisions relating to the sale or transfer of firearms, among other regulations. Philadelphia House Delegation Chair Morgan Cephas explained that this is a remarkable day for the delegation as another hurdle in efforts to deflate gun violence has been cleared. “This victory is long overdue. We are finally moving gun violence bills out of the Judiciary Committee. We have relentlessly fought for these bills”, Cephas said. “In a republican majority there was no chance for any kind of gun reform, but the time has come, and we couldn’t be more optimistic about this process. State Rep. Darisha Parker indicated that the bill on Safe Storage (H.B. 731) would help to save lives. Parker proposed consolidating statutes for firearms and other dangerous articles, providing for locking device for firearms. "There is no reason that anyone should lose a loved one because of a mishandled firearm," Parker said. "My legislation would Read more

 

PA LGBTQ+ Equality Caucus holds rally for Fairness Act

(Apr 26, 2023)

HARRISBURG, April 26 – Today, the PA House LGBTQ+ Equality Caucus, chaired by state Reps. Malcolm Kenyatta, D-Phila., and Jessica Benham, D-Allegheny, held a rally on the PA Capitol steps in Harrisburg promoting the Fairness Act (H.B. 300), anti-discrimination legislation currently moving through the state House. House Bill 300 would prohibit discrimination in PA based on sex, sexual orientation, or gender identity/expression. On Monday, the bill was voted out of the House Judiciary Committee and is headed for an eventual vote by the full House. Today’s rally saw a huge turnout of legislators, advocates and the public. Kenyatta and Benham were joined by the other co-prime sponsors of H.B. 300, state Reps. Dan Frankel and Latasha D. Mayes, both D-Allegheny; Ismail Smith-Wade-El, D-Lancaster; and Greg Scott, D-Montgomery; to speak on their bill. “Pennsylvania is better when it’s fairer. Passing the Fairness Act is the right thing to do for our families, our commonwealth and for our economy. This legislation was first introduced 22 years ago -- leaving committee once before -- and never receiving a full vote,” Kenyatta said. “It’s time for that to change. Pennsylvanians are good and decent people. They know every single one of us should be treated with dignity and respect. We have a chance to deliver on that basic principle and we will.” “The Fairness Act is as Read more

 

Sanchez legislation to modernize the home care hiring process unanimously passes House

(Apr 26, 2023)

“My legislation simply aims to modernize the home care industry’s hiring process and have a further reach when attracting quality care providers,” Sanchez said. Read more

 

House unanimously passes Harkins’ bill to rid School Code of offensive language

(Apr 26, 2023)

“Hurtful, stigmatizing language has no place in our public law books,” Harkins said. Read more

 

Bill to protect children from accidental carbon monoxide poisoning passes House

(Apr 26, 2023)

“Given that carbon monoxide is an odorless and colorless gas, it’s difficult to know if you’ve been exposed to it, and since the symptoms of exposure are similar to other common illnesses, carbon monoxide poisoning wouldn’t be the first ailment to come to mind at a daycare,” said McNeill, D-Lehigh. “That’s why it is absolutely essential that childcare centers are equipped with these detectors.” Read more

 

House Education Committee advances bills to address teacher shortages & student protections

(Apr 26, 2023)

These measures would help school districts recruit and maintain the high-caliber teachers that are needed and also help students to achieve the best possible pathway to success. Read more

 

Property tax circuit breaker that would provide property tax relief and fairness proposed by Freeman

(Apr 25, 2023)

“This proposal would offer Pennsylvania homeowners needed property tax relief and build fairness into the property tax system by capping property taxes to reflect household income,” Freeman said. Read more

 

Ciresi introduces bill to ensure proper use of electric vehicle charging spots

(Apr 25, 2023)

HARRISBURG, April 25 – State Rep. Joe Ciresi, D-Montgomery, today announced the introduction of legislation that would ensure the proper use of electric vehicle charging spots in Pennsylvania. There are currently more than 2 million electric vehicles on the road nationwide, with more sold each year, but there is a limited availability of public charging stations. According to Ciresi, the blocking of charging stations for reasons other than charging is a common frustration among many EV owners and has been cited by planners in Pennsylvania as a challenge to EV deployment. His legislation, H.B. 1043, would ensure that spots clearly marked as reserved for electric vehicle charging are properly utilized and cannot be used by non-electric vehicles or vehicles not connected for charging, similar to existing laws restricting improper use of reserved disability parking spaces. “We want to make it easy for people to adopt electric vehicles to alleviate our reliance on fossil fuels to support a clean environment and reduce the impact of climate change,” Ciresi said. “Unfortunately, too often EV drivers find the reserved and marked EV charging stations blocked when they need it, leaving many electric vehicle owners struggling to find places to charge their vehicles. The lack of charging station availability is a serious impediment, impacting EV owners from everything from planning a trip to going about daily errands.” Eighteen states, including Read more

 

Fiedler, Madsen, Harris join Steelton-Highspire High School solar tour

(Apr 25, 2023)

HARRISBURG, April 25 – Today, state Reps. Elizabeth Fiedler, D-Phila.; Dave Madsen, D-Dauphin; and House Democratic Appropriations Chair Jordan Harris, D-Phila.; joined a tour of the solar panel array at Steelton-Highspire High School. The tour was hosted by Generation 180, a nonprofit organization working to inspire and equip people to adopt clean energy. Last year, Steelton-Highspire School District unveiled a solar panel field to power the district’s schools and buildings. Fiedler recently introduced ‘Solar for Schools’ legislation that would create a grant program to fund solar energy projects at school districts, intermediate units, community colleges, and career and technical schools. She said she was pleased to see Steelton-Highspire’s new solar panel field. “Today, we got to see how much positive change solar panel arrays can bring to schools like Steelton-Highspire,” Fiedler said. “If we pass Solar for Schools legislation, we can save schools thousands each year in energy costs, bring federal money for green energy projects back to Pennsylvania, generate good-paying jobs for skilled workers, reduce pollution, create opportunities for hands-on education, and inspire a new generation of leaders.” Madsen, whose legislative district includes Steelton-Highspire School District, praised the school’s leadership. “I am proud of Read more

 

Frankel unveils teledentistry bill

(Apr 25, 2023)

HARRISBURG, April 25 – As part of his ongoing effort to increase access to health care, Health Committee Chairman Dan Frankel began gathering support Tuesday for legislation that would establish teledentistry and require insurance plans to cover it. “Adults and children throughout this commonwealth are not getting the dental care they need, which sets them up for years of pain and additional health consequences,” said Frankel, D-Allegheny. “My legislation would ensure that dental providers are able to use every tool to get that care to the patients most at risk for unmet dental needs, including rural and low-income populations.” Frankel announced the legislation in an address to the Pennsylvania Coalition for Oral Health, which brings together individuals from schools of public health, philanthropic organizations, businesses, dental organizations, health insurance firms, advocacy organizations and state agencies to advocate for improved oral health care in Pennsylvania. His memo to legislators, seeking cosponsors, can be found here . Read more

 

Frankel cheers step forward for the Fairness Act

(Apr 24, 2023)

“Every single district in Pennsylvania has LGBTQ+ people living there, and many more who want to live in an inclusive and fair commonwealth.” Read more

 

‘Fairness Act’ reported out of House Judiciary Committee

(Apr 24, 2023)

HARRISBURG, April 24 – Today, The Fairness Act (H.B. 300) was voted out of the House Judiciary Committee 12-9 and will now head to the House floor for a vote. Prime sponsors of the bill, state Reps. Malcolm Kenyatta, D-Phila; Jessica Benham, Dan Frankel and Latasha D. Mayes, all D-Allegheny; Ismail Smith-Wade-El, D-Lancaster; and Greg Scott, D-Montgomery; issued the following statement following the Judiciary Committee vote. “The Fairness Act has been in the works for years and never received fair consideration. With today’s vote in the Judiciary Committee, we took a huge step toward making Pennsylvania fairer for our LGBTQ+ residents. “As H.B. 300 heads to the house floor for a vote, we are ready to defend the rights of LGBTQ+ Pennsylvanians. “Most Pennsylvanians believe what we believe; Pennsylvania is better when it’s fairer. We hope our colleagues in the House can see eye to eye with us and most Pennsylvanians, so they can meet this monumental moment for our commonwealth and pass H.B 300 out of the House and to the Senate.” Read more

 

Committee approves Conklin pre-canvassing legislation

(Apr 24, 2023)

"By giving election workers the time they need to tabulate votes, my bill would expedite the process and help eliminate the delays that can slow or obstruct a fair, democratic process.” Read more

 

Lawmakers unveil state anti-hate crimes legislation

(Apr 24, 2023)

“Pennsylvania cannot address the growing danger of hate crimes with 40-year-old laws. It’s long past time for this commonwealth to use every tool out to there to deter and identify these crimes, and to stop them before they start,” Frankel said. Read more

 

Bill seeking to fill teacher shortage through a grow-your-own program passes Pa. House
May 01, 2023

Ciresi and Webster dedicate Trooper Branden T. Sisca Highway in Trappe
Apr 28, 2023

Matzie introduces bill to maintain safeguards for public utility consumers
Apr 28, 2023

House Safe Caucus co-chairs applaud step forward for firearm regulations
Apr 26, 2023

Gergely praises first bill as state representative moving out of committee
Apr 26, 2023

Fiedler, Hanbidge ‘Patient Consent for Pelvic Exams’ bill passes House
Apr 26, 2023

Philadelphia House Delegation applauds win on gun safety
Apr 26, 2023

PA LGBTQ+ Equality Caucus holds rally for Fairness Act
Apr 26, 2023

Sanchez legislation to modernize the home care hiring process unanimously passes House
Apr 26, 2023

House unanimously passes Harkins’ bill to rid School Code of offensive language
Apr 26, 2023

Bill to protect children from accidental carbon monoxide poisoning passes House
Apr 26, 2023

House Education Committee advances bills to address teacher shortages & student protections
Apr 26, 2023

Property tax circuit breaker that would provide property tax relief and fairness proposed by Freeman
Apr 25, 2023

Ciresi introduces bill to ensure proper use of electric vehicle charging spots
Apr 25, 2023

Fiedler, Madsen, Harris join Steelton-Highspire High School solar tour
Apr 25, 2023

Frankel unveils teledentistry bill
Apr 25, 2023

Frankel cheers step forward for the Fairness Act
Apr 24, 2023

‘Fairness Act’ reported out of House Judiciary Committee
Apr 24, 2023

Committee approves Conklin pre-canvassing legislation
Apr 24, 2023

Lawmakers unveil state anti-hate crimes legislation
Apr 24, 2023