News Center

Pennsylvania’s future depends on access to education

(Oct 27, 2023) Rep. Danielle Friel Otten

This week I had the opportunity to discuss the state of our public schools and higher education in meetings with Downingtown Area School District Superintendent Dr. Robert O’Donnell and representatives from West Chester University. Read more

 

LGBTQ+ and Black Maternal Health caucuses shine in Capitol this week

(Oct 20, 2023) Rep. Danielle Friel Otten

In the House we were hard at work supporting our LGBTQ+ youth in schools, protecting consumers from deceptive junk fees, bots, and speculative ticketing, and addressing maternal health disparities in our state. Heartbreaking also feels like an understatement as we witness the recent events in Israel and Gaza. Read more

 

State Rep. Danielle Friel Otten responds to Mid-Atlantic Clean Hydrogen Hub (MACH2) grant funding/project

(Oct 13, 2023) Rep. Danielle Friel Otten

HARRISBURG, Oct. 13 – State Rep. Danielle Friel Otten, D-Chester, today made the following statement in anticipation of President Joe Biden’s visit to Philadelphia on the heels of announcing $750 million in federal grant funding for the Mid-Atlantic Clean Hydrogen Hub (MACH2) for Southeastern Pennsylvania, South Jersey, and Delaware. “While MACH2 is being promoted as predominantly ‘green’ and ‘pink’ hydrogen, an internal abstract shows that ‘blue’ hydrogen from fracked gas with carbon capture is a key component of the project and will be the hub’s first product,” Friel Otten said. “Hydrogen technology is an important part of a clean-energy transition, with the potential to fuel hard-to-decarbonize sectors like steel and cement manufacturing, chemical production, long-haul transportation, and aviation. But without adequate regulation, oversight, and scrutiny, this proposal has the potential to be the latest exercise in greenwashing. “While I recognize the importance of developing this technology, our path thus far has been too reminiscent of the early days of the fracking revolution - lack of transparency, essentially no community engagement, nor a willingness to bring affected parties to the table to responsibly negotiate a regulatory framework. From a regulatory standpoint, Pennsylvania is woefully unprepared to make an investment of this magnitude while Read more

 

Fighting Breast Cancer Across the State from Harrisburg

(Oct 09, 2023) Rep. Danielle Friel Otten

It was a busy week in Harrisburg this week, with committee meetings, floor votes and debate, Climate Week briefings, and multiple other events at the Capitol. Read more

 

Raising awareness around food insecurity

(Sep 29, 2023) Rep. Danielle Friel Otten

The House was back in session this week for the first time since July. While it was just a short two-day session week, I was busy with meetings for the Human Services, Environmental Resources & Energy, and Health committees, as well as with House session. Read more

 

Climate Week in Pennsylvania is Oct. 1-7

(Sep 29, 2023) Rep. Danielle Friel Otten

HARRISBURG, Sept. 29 – October 1-7, 2023, is Climate Week in Pennsylvania, and the bicameral Pennsylvania Legislative Climate Caucus today announced a schedule of events taking place during the week, as well as information about resources and legislation related to climate action in Pennsylvania and throughout the United States. This year’s Climate Week theme, “Empower Local Climate Action,” reflects the importance of addressing the costs and effects of the climate crisis in rural, urban, and suburban communities across the commonwealth. Climate Caucus members in the House and Senate have introduced more than 50 pieces of climate-related legislation this session, including several bills that would empower and support climate action at the residential, municipal, and regional level. Climate Caucus co-chairs state Rep. Danielle Friel Otten, D-Chester, and state Sen. Carolyn Comitta, D-Chester, shared their thoughts on the importance of empowering local climate action and the work that the Climate Caucus is doing during Climate Week and every week. “The impacts of the climate crisis are felt first and foremost at the local level, as municipalities struggle to cope with the costs and challenges associated with stormwater, flooding, extreme weather events, and excessive heat,” Otten said. “We as state legislators have a responsibility to do everything in our power to support local communities and Read more

 

House returns to Democratic majority; DEP Public Meeting and Hearing Update

(Sep 22, 2023) Rep. Danielle Friel Otten

On Tuesday, all eyes in the legislature were once again on Allegheny County as a special election was held to fill the House seat vacated by former State Representative Sara Innamorato. Her resignation from the House in July left the House at 101-101, and Tuesday’s election results would bring the House back to full its complement. Read more

 

Escapee reminds us to be ready; Chester County town halls coming up

(Sep 15, 2023) Rep. Danielle Friel Otten

It has been an eventful two weeks in our county, to say the least. Read more

 

Communities must have more say on mega-developments

(Sep 08, 2023) Rep. Danielle Friel Otten

On Wednesday, the Pennsylvania House Local Government Committee held a public hearing on HB 782, legislation that would allow municipalities to evaluate the impact development projects have on local communities. Testifying before the committee were David Fertell and Matt Hanes, both Uwchlan Township residents, and Uwchlan Township Supervisor Bill Miller, who submitted written testimony. Read more

 

Uwchlan Township Residents Testify Before Pa. House Local Government Committee

(Sep 07, 2023) Rep. Danielle Friel Otten

EXTON, Sept. 7 – Uwchlan Township residents David Fertell and Matt Hanes on Wednesday offered testimony before the Pennsylvania House Local Government Committee regarding legislation that would allow municipalities to evaluate the impact that development projects have on local communities. The public hearing, held in Allentown, was requested by state Rep. Michael Schlossberg, D-Lehigh, who is the prime sponsor of H.B. 782. State Rep. Danielle Friel Otten, D-Chester, is one of the bill’s 10 listed cosponsors. H.B. 782 would amend Pennsylvania’s Municipalities Planning Code to: Require mega-development developers to provide a detailed analysis of the impacts of development, including the real cost on traffic, future infrastructure costs, emergency management services, sewer, storm water, damage to agricultural lands, parks, and open space, impact on neighborhoods, natural resources, and wildlife, and harm to neighboring properties. Allow the host municipality to use this analysis to consider conditions that address the impacts and costs of the development and give neighboring municipalities the opportunity to have their concerns addressed. This legislation could have a direct impact on a proposed development project in Uwchlan Township, where residents have pushed back against the proposed sale and development of Lionville Station Farm, owned by the by the Downingtown Area School District, to Audubon Read more

 

Fighting alongside unions for Labor Day and every day

(Sep 01, 2023) Rep. Danielle Friel Otten

As we head into the Labor Day weekend and mark the 60th anniversary of the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, the fight for workers’ rights continues in Pennsylvania and across the country. Read more

 

Look out for buses next week; The PA Budget and what it means for schools

(Aug 25, 2023) Rep. Danielle Friel Otten

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. Read more

 

Working to Make PA a Leader in Green Technology

(Aug 18, 2023) Rep. Danielle Friel Otten

Dear Neighbor, It’s been a busy week here in the 155th Legislative District. Last week, I attended the National Conference of Environmental Legislators National Forum in Indianapolis. It was great to meet so many inspiring legislators from across the country and hear what is being done in other states to combat the climate crisis like investing in emerging energy technologies and implementing sound environmental and utility policies. I even made it back to the district just in time to attend the 25th Annual Lionville Community Day. We have a lot of news to cover this week, so let’s get into it! Read more

 

Working for you at the National Caucus of Environmental Legislators Forum

(Aug 11, 2023) Rep. Danielle Friel Otten

Dear Neighbor, While the House been out of session since we passed a budget on July 5, I have been able to enjoy some time back in the district spending time with family, meeting with constituents, and working with my team on legislation for our return to session in the fall. I look forward to finalizing this year’s budget season with the passage of the related code bills and hitting the ground running with new legislation once this budget is finally behind us. Read more

 

PA Budget Impasse Ends with Senate Action

(Aug 04, 2023) Rep. Danielle Friel Otten

After a month-long impasse, the Senate reconvened this week to sign the budget the House passed on July 5 and delivered it to Governor Shapiro for his signature. Read more

 

Staying cool this summer

(Jul 21, 2023) Rep. Danielle Friel Otten

Dear Neighbor, Summer is in full swing, and we are fortunate here in Chester County and the 155th Legislative District to have beautiful trails, streams, scenery, and even our very own state park right here in our own backyards. This weekend’s weather is shaping up to be some of the nicest we’ve had in weeks, and with that in mind, my staff and I wanted to share some of Pennsylvania’s best summer attractions. Read more

 

Passing the Budget

(Jul 07, 2023) Rep. Danielle Friel Otten

Dear Neighbor, The House returned to session Wednesday afternoon to continue our work on the 2023-2024 state budget. On Wednesday night, we passed House Bill 611, the general appropriation budget bill sent back to us with amendments from the Senate, by a vote of 117-86. Read more

 

Rep. Otten's 2023-2024 State Budget Statement

(Jul 06, 2023) Rep. Danielle Friel Otten

Last night the House approved a budget for the 2023-2024 fiscal year, by a vote of 117-86. With the governor’s assurance that there will be a line-item veto to remove the proposed private and religious school vouchers from the budget, and in an effort to move the process forward and avoid an extended impasse with painful, negative impacts to our communities, especially our public schools, I voted yes to advance House Bill 611, the general appropriation bill. This budget is not perfect. It is missing many of the priorities that are important to me and to our community. But the Democratic-controlled House was at an impasse with the Republican-controlled Senate, and that is the reality that we live with in a divided legislature. If we had failed to pass this version of the budget, or if we had amended it further in the House, it would have gone back to the Senate, risking deeper cuts in programs to help Pennsylvania families and communities and a prolonged wait for appropriations to be dispersed at a critical time for our public schools and universities. I believe we would have ended up with less funding for our priorities, not more. In the end, we have a budget that keeps year-over-year funding level for most state agencies and programs, while making additional investments in important priorities like education, property tax relief, and the Whole Home Repair program, which was newly launched in 2022. That said, Read more

 

Budget Update

(Jun 30, 2023) Rep. Danielle Friel Otten

Dear Neighbor, Today is June 30, the date by which the General Assembly is supposed to pass the new state budget for the fiscal year that begins on July 1. On June 5, the Democratic-controlled House fulfilled our constitutional obligation by passing a budget bill and sending it to the Senate. As of this writing, the Republican-controlled Senate has not sent back their own budget draft, revisions on our draft, or anything for the House to respond to. Read more

 

Otten 2023-2024 Budget Priorities

(Jun 30, 2023) Rep. Danielle Friel Otten

Dear Chairman Harris,As we enter the final stretch of budget discussions and negotiations for the Fiscal Year 2023-2024 budget, I write to convey my district’s most urgent budget priorities.I am encouraged by the steps our caucus has taken to build on the proposals set forth byGovernor Josh Shapiro this spring. I strongly support the additional investments in childcare,health care, home repairs, and programs for veterans proposed in the amendments to HB 611 thatpassed in the House on June 5, as well as the proposed increases for public school funding andthe restoration of Level Up funding. Read more

 

Pennsylvania’s future depends on access to education
Oct 27, 2023

LGBTQ+ and Black Maternal Health caucuses shine in Capitol this week
Oct 20, 2023

State Rep. Danielle Friel Otten responds to Mid-Atlantic Clean Hydrogen Hub (MACH2) grant funding/project
Oct 13, 2023

Fighting Breast Cancer Across the State from Harrisburg
Oct 09, 2023

Raising awareness around food insecurity
Sep 29, 2023

Climate Week in Pennsylvania is Oct. 1-7
Sep 29, 2023

House returns to Democratic majority; DEP Public Meeting and Hearing Update
Sep 22, 2023

Escapee reminds us to be ready; Chester County town halls coming up
Sep 15, 2023

Communities must have more say on mega-developments
Sep 08, 2023

Uwchlan Township Residents Testify Before Pa. House Local Government Committee
Sep 07, 2023

Fighting alongside unions for Labor Day and every day
Sep 01, 2023

Look out for buses next week; The PA Budget and what it means for schools
Aug 25, 2023

Working to Make PA a Leader in Green Technology
Aug 18, 2023

Working for you at the National Caucus of Environmental Legislators Forum
Aug 11, 2023

PA Budget Impasse Ends with Senate Action
Aug 04, 2023

Staying cool this summer
Jul 21, 2023

Passing the Budget
Jul 07, 2023

Rep. Otten's 2023-2024 State Budget Statement
Jul 06, 2023

Budget Update
Jun 30, 2023

Otten 2023-2024 Budget Priorities
Jun 30, 2023