PITTSBURGH, May 26 – The Pennsylvania Department of Education awarded a $20,000 grant to Hampton Township School District to support students who are interested in becoming special education teachers, state Rep. Arvind Venkat, D-Allegheny, announced today. The funding for this project comes from the Developing Future Special Educators Program, which will give more than 800 Pennsylvania high school students early exposure to a career as a special education teacher and opportunities to earn college credits before graduating from high school. “Special education is a vital part of our school system. This funding will ensure that our students have the teachers they need and that those who want to shape the future of education have access to the resources they need to begin their careers,” Venkat said. “I am proud to support this program, and I look forward to seeing the incredible work that comes out of Hampton with this new funding.” Special education programs as set forth by the Department of Education can support students who have disabilities, which can include autism, deafness and blindness, intellectual disability, multiple-affecting disabilities, orthopedic impairment, emotional disturbance, a specific learning disability or other health impairment, a traumatic brain injury, or a speech or language impairment. Read more
Celebrating our Talented Student-Athletes; Working on Affordable Health Insurance; Park Ranger for a Day Contest – and more! Read more
HARRISBURG, May 20 – Today, the PA House Finance Committee held a public hearing on legislation that would establish a new tax credit for small businesses that contribute to their employees' health insurance premiums. House Bill 2550 would address affordability and accessibility of healthcare insurance plans for working Pennsylvanians, many of whom lost coverage after enhanced premium tax credits under the Affordable Care Act expired at the end of 2025. Read more
Election Day is coming up; Working to provide affordable health insurance; PRT wants to hear from you – and more! Read more
HARRISBURG, May 11 – Today, state Reps. Jen Mazzocco, Arvind Venkat, and Steve Samuelson circulated a co-sponsorship memo for legislation to establish the Small Business Health Care Premiums Contribution Tax Credit. The credit would apply to small businesses that contribute toward their employees’ health insurance premiums through a health reimbursement arrangement purchased through PENNIE, the Commonwealth’s official health insurance marketplace. The bill also includes safeguards related to the quality of health insurance purchased, mirroring laws already enacted in several states. This legislation comes after the end of 2025, when enhanced premium tax credits under the Affordable Care Act expired, leaving hundreds of thousands of Americans uninsured. In Pennsylvania, more than 130,000 PENNIE enrollees dropped their health plans for 2026. Many of the uninsured are employees of small businesses that cannot afford to provide group health insurance policies. “We are in a full-blown affordability crisis, and this extends to the complex issue of healthcare,” Mazzocco said. “Without a solution from the federal government, we need to do what we can to protect Pennsylvania families, and this bill is an important step toward closing coverage gaps while keeping affordability top of mind.” Venkat, who also serves as a board member for PENNIE, worked on the bill following his own experiences in the Read more
HARRISBURG, May 11 – State Rep. Arvind Venkat, D-Allegheny, today announced his intention to introduce legislation that would establish requirements for lay midwives to provide detailed consent forms to patients as they prepare for childbirth. The legislation would require lay midwives, who do not have to meet training, certification or licensure requirements that licensed Certified Nurse-Midwives and Certified Midwives must meet, to provide informed consent forms to patients that explain the lay midwife’s qualifications and training. “In the critical time prior to and around giving birth, it is vital that Pennsylvania women have the highest quality of medical care,” said Venkat. “This legislation would ensure that mothers understand the maternal care they are receiving and make the process safer and more transparent to protect both mothers and their babies.” Consent forms would also require clarification that a lay midwife cannot prescribe medication and that the lay midwife has a written plan to address issues that may occur during labor. The legislation will include an exception for members of religious groups whose practice would be infringed by these requirements. Venkat is currently circulating the proposal among his colleagues for support. Text of the legislation can be found here . Read more
My geothermal legislation passes; Welcoming my intern to Harrisburg; AI and women’s health; Senior artist contest now open – and more! Read more
HARRISBURG, May 4 – With several states beginning to establish regulations for geothermal energy, Pennsylvania has now joined that group with the state House passing bipartisan legislation to foster the development of this clean base load energy source, announced the bill’s co-prime sponsors, state Reps. Arvind Venkat, Craig Williams and Elizabeth Fiedler. House Bill 2076 would establish a framework for the development of geothermal energy, which allows for heat deep beneath the Earth's surface to be harnessed for energy from places it previously was not able to be collected. Before recent technological developments, geothermal energy production historically took place near volcanoes and hot springs. “This legislation will enable us to make bold investments into Pennsylvania’s geothermal resources that we have not been able to use before,” said Venkat, D-Allegheny . “We have been a national leader in energy development, and this legislation would enable us to move forward in the world of clean energy production and create jobs, while also reducing energy costs for consumers.” The framework in this legislation includes several new developments for geothermal energy, including authorizing the state Department of Environmental Protection to regulate geothermal injection wells with a predictable and responsible permitting framework, establish subsurface ownership rights for geothermal resources, Read more
Voter registration deadline approaching; Supporting our healthcare workers; Local students head to international competitions – and more! Read more
Cleaning up for Earth Day; Recognizing a successful semester with my intern; Celebrating our local students; Make sure you register to vote – and more! Read more
My legislation to support pharmacists passes; Upcoming Earth Day clean ups; Apply for the FAFSA today; Standing up for affordable higher education – and more! Read more
HARRISBURG, April 15 – The Pennsylvania House today unanimously passed bipartisan legislation that would update the membership of the State Board of Pharmacy to provide input from more pharmacy professionals, announced the bill’s co-prime sponsors, state Reps. Arvind Venkat and Andrew Kuzma. The bill, H.B. 980 , would expand the board’s knowledge and expertise by adding a second acute care institutional pharmacist and a registered pharmacy technician. This would increase the board’s membership from five to seven. “These new appointments will provide the Board of Pharmacy with a deeper pool of knowledge and broader perspectives on pharmacy practice in Pennsylvania,” said Venkat, D-Allegheny. “I have worked with pharmacists throughout my medical career, and I know this legislation will ensure Pennsylvania has more informed, inclusive, and insightful oversight of pharmacy practice. I thank Rep. Kuzma for his partnership on this bill.” “Adding professional representation to the board allows for a broader range of perspectives to be considered when making decisions and shaping policies,” said Kuzma, R-Allegheny/Washington. “I’m happy to see this bill move forward and partner with Rep. Venkat on this issue. We remain dedicated to bipartisan collaboration to enhance the well-being of Pennsylvanians.” House Bill 980 will now move to the state Senate for Read more
HARRISBURG, April 13 – Today, members of the House Energy Committee voted favorably to report three bills out of committee that would expand energy generation in Pennsylvania and improve grid efficiency.The bills are:•Geothermal Energy Development, H.B. 2076.•Advanced Transmission Technologies (ATTs), H.B. 2223.•PEDA Modernization, H.B. 2347. Following a series of public hearings and informational meetings on the Commonwealth’s surging energy needs, state Rep. Elizabeth Fiedler, D-Phila., chair of the House Energy Committee, convened a voting meeting on these key bills. Read more
HARRISBURG, April 13 – On Monday, members of the House Blue-Green Caucus stood with leading labor and environmental advocates to unveil a new package of bills designed to accelerate Pennsylvania’s clean energy production and create union jobs in growing energy sectors. This package comes at a crucial moment as energy prices rise, renewable energy sector jobs are under threat, and Pennsylvania continues to rank among the lowest in renewable energy production. From Trump’s disastrous war with Iran to the systematic rollback of federal clean energy investments, working Pennsylvanians are currently bearing the brunt of skyrocketing electricity costs and ballooning prices at the gas pumps. With federal decisions driving up prices, the 58-member Blue-Green Caucus chaired by Rep. Elizabeth Fiedler, D-Phila., said that Harrisburg must step up to provide real, state-level solutions. “Pennsylvania is an energy leader, with a highly skilled workforce and the resources and space for energy development: there’s no reason why we should be falling behind states like Texas when it comes to renewable energy production,” Fiedler said. “We have 581 million square feet of warehouse rooftop space to install solar panels, we have hundreds of schools eager to apply for Solar for Schools grant funding, and we have working people who want and deserve good, family-sustaining jobs. This package is a win-win-win for Read more
Supporting our local government; Upcoming Earth Day clean ups; Local students heading to state and national competitions – and more! Read more
Working with our first responders; Holiday office closure; Recognizing local student performers; Prepare for the NFL Draft in Pittsburgh – and more! Read more
A successful shred event; Protecting healthcare access; Youth Trout Day this weekend; Prepare for the NFL Draft in Pittsburgh – and more! Read more
HARRISBURG, March 27 – The PA House Energy Committee convened a public hearing on a bipartisan clean energy bill (H.B. 2076) sponsored by state Reps. Arvind Venkat, D-Allegheny; Craig Williams, R-Chester; and Elizabeth Fiedler, D-Phila., chair of the committee. The bill would establish regulations for the generation of energy from geothermal resources within the Commonwealth. Read more
McCANDLESS, March 23 – Two McCandless-based first responder organizations will receive a total of $300,000 in grant funding from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development for equipment purchases due to the advocacy of state Rep. Arvind Venkat, D-Allegheny. The grants awarded include $235,000 to the McCandless-Franklin Park Ambulance Authority for the purchase of six Lucas CPR devices and a new heart monitor, and $65,000 to the Peebles Volunteer Fire Department for necessary equipment purchases. “As an ER doctor and legislator, I know how critical our first responders are to the well-being of our community,” said Venkat. “I am proud to prioritize our EMS professionals and firefighters who do so much for all of us and ensure they get the support they need.” Venkat said he advocated at the state level for these organizations to bring the grants to fruition. Read more
My shred event tomorrow; Standing up for family leave; Fish fry season in our region; New grant funding – and more! Read more
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