HARRISBURG, May 21 – Pennsylvania medical marijuana patients are a step closer to better protections after the PA House today passed legislation introduced by state Rep. Dan Frankel that would strengthen the Department of Health’s oversight of the independent laboratories that test cannabis products to be dispensed under the state’s medical marijuana program. Frankel, who is majority chairman of the House Health Committee, said he introduced H.B. 2208 to ensure patients have the full confidence they deserve that the products dispensed are safe, effective and free of contaminants. “Every day, Pennsylvanians fill prescriptions at their pharmacies without worrying for a second about whether their medications are contaminated or inaccurately labeled,” Frankel said. “With this legislation, we are taking action to ensure that level of confidence in our medical marijuana program. “Patients deserve to know that cannabis products are what they say they are in terms of THC levels and that they are uncontaminated by mold, pesticides or heavy metals.” Frankel’s bill would provide for improved compliance testing, product audits, statistical analyses, transparency and inspections of labs, which serve as the last line of defense to prevent patients from unknowingly consuming substances that can have both immediate and long-term health consequences. Frankel said that in Read more
Lottery funds awarded for ADA improvements Read more
HARRISBURG, May 15 – State Rep. Arvind Venkat, D-Allegheny, has introduced bills that would put a flexibility component in place for physician assistants and the supervising physicians they work with and prohibit banks or other financial institutions from charging clients a fee for a paper copy of a statement. The first two pieces of legislation ( House Bills 2294 and 2295 ) would amend the physician licensure acts in Pennsylvania and allow physician assistants to work with either classification of physician, a Doctor of Medicine or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine. Current law on the books mandates that physician assistants and supervising physicians must be licensed by the same state medicine board as the supervising physician. “Cutting all the red tape and connecting medical professionals with patients that need their skills and expertise to recover is one of the foundational tenets of health care and my work as a physician-legislator,” Venkat said. “Doctors want to help as many people as they can, and my bills help to break down the barriers to this mission.” Venkat’s additional legislation ( H.B. 2292 ) would ban entities from assessing an additional fee, as high as $5 monthly, to customers who request a print version of a statement from a given entity. The bill would also specify that any person or entity would still be allowed to create incentives for a consumer to select an alternative to a paper statement. Read more
“This is not a Pittsburgh issue or a Scranton issue. In rural areas, small towns, suburbs, and cities, community pharmacies are closing. Unless we enact reforms, we will continue to lose these trusted institutions that provide personalized service to their customers. My legislation will give them a level playing field with the large corporate pharmacies,” said Rep. Benham, who represents portions of Allegheny County. Read more
Newly listed state grant programs Read more
PITTSBURGH, May 14 – The Stephen Foster Community Center is receiving $62,558 for capital improvements and renovations, state Rep. Lindsay Powell announced today. Powell, D-Allegheny, said the competitive grant from the state Department of Aging is a smart investment in a well-loved community gathering place. “The center plays a key role for so many seniors by offering meals and transportation, health and wellness programs, and classes and trips,” Powell said. “Possibly most important, it brings people together for conversation, community engagement, and all the other activities that go hand in hand with healthy aging. “The new funding will help ensure that the many seniors who love and use the center will be able to do so in the safest, most comfortable setting possible. I’m grateful to the center staff and Catholic Youth Organization for all they do to make the center a vital place in so many people’s lives, and I’m thankful to the Department of Aging and our community partners for the new funding that will keep it thriving.” More information about the competitive grants as well as additional, non-competitive grants to area senior centers is available here . Read more
"The Plum Senior Community Center offers exercise, recreational, and cultural programs, as well as daily activities for older adults in our community. Most importantly, it fosters connections and lasting friendships," said state Rep. Brandon Markosek, D-Allegheny. "With this grant, the community center can enhance programs, services, and the facility to better meet the needs of our older community members who benefit from them." Read more
PITTSBURGH, May 13 – State Rep. Lindsay Powell, D-Allegheny, announced that a total of $75,000 in state grants has been awarded to help communities in Pennsylvania’s 21st Legislative District become safer, easier to navigate and focused on the future. The state Department of Community and Economic Development awarded $50,000 to Reserve Township to finish repairs to Logan Street, which links Millvale Borough to Reserve Township. Powell said this crucial corridor helps facilitate fast travel for each other’s first responders to provide mutual aid and connects residents with area shopping, restaurants and places of worship. These funds will be utilized to install a retaining wall to prevent a future landslide, stabilize the slope, and implement traffic safety improvements to the route. “Reserve Township’s residents and first responders deserve a quick route to and from Millvale Borough because lives literally depend on it,” Powell said. “Our region is prone to landslides, as a result of our beautiful but volatile landscapes, and it was my privilege to bring back these crucial dollars to our neighbors.” “State Representative Powell was instrumental in facilitating a state grant that allowed Reserve Township to rebuild the failing retaining wall and get this route reopened again after a closure of more than two years,” said Jan Kowalski, Reserve Township’s manager. Etna Borough received $25,000 from Read more
BRADDOCK, May 13 – More than $2.7 million in new grant money from the state Department of Environmental Protection will fund work to remedy environmental impacts to Chalfant Run caused by acid mine drainage, state Rep. Abigail Salisbury announced today. Salisbury, D-Allegheny, said the grant to Allegheny Land Trust will allow the nonprofit conservation group to address a persistent threat to the watershed and beyond. “Acid mine drainage is a special threat to our region because of the number of abandoned mines that leach heavy metals into the waterways, killing fish, destroying delicate ecosystems and threatening the quality of our drinking water,” Salisbury said. “It’s also a problem that hits close to home, with the impact to Chalfant Run. “Fortunately, there are ways to remediate some of the problems. This new funding will allow Allegheny Land Trust to move forward on a project to construct and manage a passive treatment system that will reduce acidity in the water, remove harmful metals and begin to restore this vital watershed that is so important to our health and the environment.” The funding – awarded under the Abandoned Mine Lands and Acid Mine Drainage Grant Program – is part of $244 million that DEP will receive for Pennsylvania reclamation projects as part of the federal Infrastructure, Investment, and Jobs Act. Read more
“Police and local officials in Rankin, North Braddock and East Pittsburgh deserve a lot of credit for exercising the vision and planning needed to combine forces into a new regional police department,” Salisbury said. “But like other police and first responder agencies around the state, the new department faces the challenge of securing the needed staff power, training, tech equipment and other resources on a limited budget. The new funding will help ensure these frontline heroes have the resources they need to keep our communities safe.” Read more
Bipartisan bill would help local pharmacies stay in business Read more
PCCD awards to enhance school security Read more
“The Carrie Blast Furnaces historic site is a unique, interactive attraction that draws folks to the area to explore, learn and invest back into local businesses,” Salisbury said. “The new funding to make the area around the furnaces shovel ready for new development will build on this amazing landmark by attracting investors and commercial tenants, creating jobs and spurring economic activity. I’m grateful to DCED and the state and local partners who helped make the funding happen.” Read more
“NEC affects babies born prematurely or with medical complications typically,” Deasy said. “But even babies born to term can succumb to this illness. One of my own constituents, Cash Owen Finegan, son of Shannan and Cassius Finegan, lived for 68 brave days before succumbing to NEC complications. After hearing the heartbreaking story and the frustration these families face, I felt it was important to recognize this terrible disease and help to create awareness about it.” Read more
HARRISBURG, May 8 – State Rep. Danielle Friel Otten, D-Chester, and state Rep. Aerion Abney, D-Allegheny, today introduced legislation advancing the Shapiro administration’s Pennsylvania Reliable Energy Sustainability Standard (PRESS) and Pennsylvania Climate Emission Reduction (PACER) Program plans for Pennsylvania, respectively. The plans were first announced by Gov. Josh Shapiro in March . A companion PRESS bill was filed in the Senate by state Sen. Steven Santarsiero, D-Bucks, while state Sen. Carolyn Comitta, D-Chester, introduced the Senate version of the PACER legislation. “Right now in our commonwealth, we must take action to catch up in the race to create clean and reliable energy – to be more competitive, ensure consumers pay less for their electricity bills, and create more jobs and opportunities for our businesses to grow and our workers to get ahead,” Shapiro said. “I have made clear that any energy policy supported by my administration must meet the three-part test of protecting and creating energy jobs, taking real action to address climate change pollution, and ensuring reliable, affordable power for consumers in the long term – and my energy plan is built to do all three. Together with the support of leaders like Representative Abney and Representative Otten in the General Assembly, we’re going to ensure Pennsylvania will continue to be a national energy leader for decades to come.” Read more
HARRISBURG, May 6 – State Rep. Arvind Venkat’s bill that would require health insurers to offer multiple payment options to in-network health care providers for payment for clinical services and disclose any associated fees with each method of payment was unanimously adopted by the PA House Insurance Committee today. The legislation, H.B. 1867 , would eliminate electronic credit card reimbursements being the sole method of payment and allow health care providers to choose the payment option best suited to their needs. Electronic credit card reimbursements with mandatory fees would only be permitted if the in-network health care provider agrees to that arrangement. “Administrative fees associated with only having electronic credit cards as the means of payment unnecessarily drains agreed-upon reimbursements received by hard-working doctors, nurses and other health professionals who have dedicated their lives to safeguarding the health of our community,” Venkat, D-Allegheny, said. “Let’s get our health care providers the full compensation they deserve and continue to support them in all their efforts.” According to a ProPublica article , almost 60% of medical practices said they were compelled to pay fees for electronic payment at least some of the time. These fees can also cost larger medical practices $1 million a year, and small clinics can lose as much as $100,000 due to the fees. The legislation now moves to the full Read more
“This is a very easy way for us to make sure that our veterans get access to the information they need for benefits they have earned,” state Rep. Dan Deasy said. Read more
Legislation to cover remote blood-pressure monitors through Medicaid, CHIP Read more
Light opens at Richland Avenue and Fifth Street intersection Read more
HARRISBURG, May 1 – State Rep. Matthew R. Gergely’s bill to protect plasma donated throughout Pennsylvania and preserve its suitability for use in health and medical forums has been signed into law by Gov. Josh Shapiro at the state Capitol. Act No. 6 of 2024 , formerly H.B. 1795, requires that source plasma undergoes extensive testing upon donation and before it is ultimately integrated into essential pharmaceuticals The new law, co-sponsored by state Rep. Tim Briggs, D-Montgomery, also allows more focus to be devoted to developing such pharmaceuticals by eliminating a signification portion of subsequent testing conducted in labs during the clinical development phase. “Not only am I thrilled that my bill is officially on the books in PA, I’m thrilled to help put a positive step forward into place for Pennsylvanians who depend on donated plasma. Safeguarding their health is crucial, and I’m grateful to Gov. Shapiro for getting this legislation across the finishing line.” said Gergely, D-Allegheny. “Having been in office for a little over a year, I’m proud to be able to facilitate the passage of this bill and work with the Pennsylvania House and Senate and the governor.” “We're thrilled to join the governor in signing this bill and providing a beacon of hope for those facing serious medical challenges,” Briggs added. “Let's celebrate this milestone together and continue to fight for real Read more
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