HARRISBURG, May 2 – Today, the Fairness Act (H.B. 300) passed out of the Pennsylvania House and is headed to the Senate for a future vote. Below is a quote that can be attributed to the co-prime sponsors of this bill: Reps. Malcolm Kenyatta, D-Phila; Jessica Benham, Dan Frankel and La’Tasha D. Mayes, all D-Allegheny; Ismail Smith-Wade-El, D-Lancaster; and Greg Scott, D-Montgomery. “Today is a historic day, as we take a critical step to make Pennsylvania fairer. The Fairness Act is as simple as it is substantive. H.B. 300 would protect LGBTQ+ Pennsylvanians from facing discrimination and allow all individuals in the commonwealth to file complaints with the PA Human Relations Commission. “Now, we call on the Senate to quickly consider and pass this legislation and send it to Governor Shapiro’s desk.” Read more
One-of-a-kind event brings parents, educators, professionals and legislators together Read more
“Family members and survivors of the Oct. 27th attack live with those events every single day, and the court proceedings and media attention they generate stand to intensify those painful memories,” said Frankel, D-Allegheny. “We can’t erase the trauma for those hurting, but by wearing this ribbon, we can let them know that we stand with them and wish them strength." Read more
HARRISBURG, May 1 – Legislation ( H.B. 950 ) introduced by state Reps. Elizabeth Fiedler, D-Phila., and Nick Pisciottano, D-Allegheny, which would give Pennsylvania workers the right to organize, was reported out of the House Labor and Industry Committee today. Currently, the Pennsylvania constitution does not guarantee workers the right to organize and collectively bargain. This legislation proposes to amend Article I of the Pennsylvania Constitution to enshrine these rights for all workers in Pennsylvania. Additionally, the bill would prohibit any other laws that may interfere with or diminish collective bargaining rights. Fiedler said that the passage of H.B. 950 is a step in the right direction for Pennsylvania workers. “Workers fuel our economy. They are the mothers, fathers, aunts and uncles of our commonwealth,” Fiedler said. “Workers deserve to be treated with respect and that’s exactly the goal of this legislation. The Workers’ Rights Amendment will support workers in using their numbers to secure better pay, hours and working conditions.” Fiedler and Pisciottano believe that workplace organizing should be a right, but anti-union employers routinely threaten and scare workers in anti-union workplace seminars, bombard workers with anti-union literature, and bring in consultants that use surveillance technology to sniff out the organizers and fire them. Under the Read more
HARRISBURG, April 26 – State Reps. Dan Frankel and Anthony Bellmon celebrated the first serious legislative action on gun violence prevention measures in years on Wednesday, and they vowed to continue to fight for the bills to become law. “The panic that Pennsylvanians feel over gun violence soars with each tragic headline, and it has been compounded by years of inaction by a Republican-led General Assembly,” said Frankel, D-Allegheny. “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.” State Rep. Bellmon, who has worked in his own community and in Washington to combat gun violence, said the quick but deliberate work of the Judiciary Committee is heartening in view of the relentless news of gun violence impacting Pennsylvania. “The safety of our communities is of the utmost importance, and one crucial way to keep them safe is to tackle gun violence,” said Bellmon, D-Philadelphia. “These four bills being voted out of committee today is a great step in the right direction to keep Pennsylvanians across the commonwealth safe from gun violence.” The Judiciary Committee passed four bills on a party line vote Wednesday. The bills would: Require firearm owners to report the loss or theft of guns ( HB 338 ). Read more
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
In a victory for and celebration of Pennsylvanians of South Asian descent, the House today passed legislation that would designate Diwali, the Hindu Festival of Lights, as a state holiday, according to the bill’s prime sponsor, state Rep. Arvind Venkat. Read more
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
“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
“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
PITTSBURGH, April 20 – State Rep. Aerion A. Abney, D-Allegheny, announced today that a $59,136 low-interest loan is being awarded to Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority by the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority . The loan will be utilized to fix more than 56 miles of collection lines in the sewer system. “Raw water sewage overflow is a major concern for the neighbors I represent during rainy weather,” Abney said. “This project helps mitigate that issue and reduces the amount of spillage into the three rivers.” Nearly 99,500 customers are served by the system. Read more
Reintroduces Stop Price Fixing Act to protect consumers from price gouging Read more
DCED grant to purchase truck for commercial vehicle inspections Read more
STATE PROGRAMS NOW OPEN FOR APPLICATIONS: Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry: DEI in the Building and Construction Trades Grant (Funding Source: General Fund) Who May Apply : Organizations that serve as sponsors or intermediaries of Registered Apprenticeship and/or Pre-Apprenticeship in the building and construction trades. Use : To develop diverse talent pipelines and reach underrepresented populations within the building and construction trades. Funds : $1 million in total program funding. Application Deadline : April 26, 2023 More Information : Click on https://www.dli.pa.gov/Businesses/Workforce-Development/grants/Pages/default.aspx . Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT): Public-Private Partnerships (P3) Program (Funding Source: State, Federal, & Private Funding) Who May Apply : Private companies. Use : To develop innovative ways to deliver transportation projects across a variety of modes including roads, bridges, rail, aviation, and ports. Funds : Varies by award. Application Deadline : April 30, 2023 More Information : Click on https://www.penndot.pa.gov/ProjectAndPrograms/p3forpa/Pages/default.aspx . Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry: Youth Reentry Grant (Funding Source: General Fund) Who May Apply : Read more
“The testimony we heard today highlighted the fact systemic racism and gender-based bias play a major factor in Black maternal mortality,” said hearing co-host Rep. La’Tasha D. Mayes, who represents portions of Allegheny County. “Today’s hearing amplified the message that Black mamas and birthing individuals need to be heard." Read more
PITTSBURGH, April 13 – State Reps. Aerion A. Abney and Jessica Benham, D-Allegheny, announced today that a state grant of as much as $500,000 will be awarded to Allegheny County for the establishment of a regional recovery hub spearheaded by Unity Recovery on Pittsburgh’s South Side. The funding will allow the recovery hub in Allegheny County and in counties across the Commonwealth to conduct an initial needs assessment for recovery support services in their specific region, including an estimate of individuals in need of these services and an analysis of their availability and accessibility. In addition, the hubs will develop a strategic plan, partnering with local organizations, that focuses on the importance of supporting multiple pathways to and through recovery, and will seek to promote recovery services in areas including peer support, family support and self-care. “Addiction is not a circumstance easily overcome by one individual’s own willpower,” Abney said. “These funds are essential to providing needed assistance for all those looking to turn their lives around for the positive.” “Substance use – especially opioid use – has devastated communities across the commonwealth, and South Pittsburgh is certainly no exception,” Benham added. “This is a public health crisis, and I applaud the Shapiro-Davis administration for embracing harm reduction strategies and investing in these recovery Read more
Bipartisan bill to expand tuition waver program headed for House chamber vote Read more
HARRISBURG, April 6 – State Rep. Matthew R. Gergely, D-Allegheny, introduced legislation today that would increase the pool of trained and experienced employees available to restaurants and food/liquor distributors. House Bill 829 would allow employees who work for food/liquor establishments or importing distributors to also work at other licensees’ establishments. Current law prohibits such a practice. “As legislators, we must continue to identify where our small businesses are struggling and implement commonsense policies to assist them,” Gergely said. “This added flexibility will not only benefit businesses struggling to hire workers, but also will give employees the opportunity to earn extra income in a post-pandemic world.” Read more
PCCD grants awarded to potential targets of hate crimes Read more
HARRISBURG, March 31 – State Reps. Jessica Benham, D-Allegheny; Izzy Smith-Wade-El, D-Lancaster; and Malcom Kenyatta, D-Phila., have introduced legislation (H.B. 575) to protect minors from conversion therapy. “There is an overwhelming amount of evidence that tells us efforts to change an individual’s sexual identity through so-called ‘therapy’ causes serious harm to their mental health,” said state Benham, who co-chairs the PA LGBTQ+ Equality Caucus. “It is shameful that in 2023 Pennsylvania still allows the abhorrent practice known as conversion therapy to occur, and I am looking forward to outlawing it to protect and affirm LGBTQ+ youth across our Commonwealth.” “Conversion therapy is anti-gay bias masquerading as science,” said Smith-Wade-El. “This abusive practice has caused immense harm on patients, including depression, trauma, drug use, homelessness and suicide. It reinforces the idea that there is something psychologically wrong with LGBTQ people because of their sexual identity. It’s long past time that PA joins 20 other states and the District of Columbia in banning this abhorrent practice to protect the physical and psychological well-being of LGBTQ minors.” The legislation, the Protection of Minors from Conversion Therapy Act, seeks to address harms associated with conversion therapy by prohibiting a mental health professional from engaging in this archaic treatment with an Read more
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