The legislation, sponsored by State Rep. Ryan Bizzarro (D-Erie), will allow municipalities to use American Rescue Plan funds to fulfill local match requirements for projects under the Public Transportation Trust Fund through fiscal year 2022. Read more
State Rep. Ryan Bizzarro announced on Tuesday, that dozens of grants have been awarded across the county. Read more
“Our municipalities have navigated shut downs and regulations that change by the day,” Rep. Ryan Bizzarro, of Erie, who chairs the House Democratic Policy Committee, said in a statement. Read more
HARRISBURG, June 26 – Legislation sponsored by Policy Chairman Ryan Bizzarro will permit municipalities to use American Rescue Plan funding to fulfill their local match requirements for projects under the Public Transportation Trust Fund. “Our municipalities have navigated shut downs and regulations that change by the day,” said Bizzarro, D-Erie. “Revenues were nowhere near what they would have been in a regular year and they were hit with all the additional expenses of operating during a pandemic. This legislation eases the burden of transportation improvements, and is the least we can do.” House Bill 1348 — awaiting the Governor’s signature — permits the funding to qualify as a local match for the 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 fiscal years. “Municipalities across the Commonwealth reached out to me asking for this flexibility. This legislation is about helping our communities recover by using federal dollars to meet their transportation needs,” explained Bizzarro. The Public Transportation Trust Fund provides sustainable funding for programs to help people get back to work, assists those living with disabilities, and supports public transportation infrastructure. Read more
This budget is a first step, and I am committed to continuing on to expand broadband access, support our hospitals and nursing homes, and generate economic opportunity. Pennsylvania needs those investments now. Read more
While the 2022-23 Grant & Resource Directory is not a comprehensive list of every grant program offered in Pennsylvania, it lists the most popular programs and helpful information on state grants and other resources. Read more
HARRISBURG, June 2 – Today’s roundtable discussion hosted by state Rep. Rick Krajewski further cemented the need for action on how eviction records are handled in Pennsylvania. Krajewski was joined by state Rep. Elizabeth Fiedler, chair of the Subcommittee on Progressive Policies for Working People and members of the House Democratic Policy Committee to discuss how eviction proceedings impact tenants long-term and shared how their legislation would establish eviction expungement procedures. Fiedler explained: “I’m proud to hold his hearing to draw attention to a bill I have, with Rep. Krajewski, that would give people who have faced eviction through no fault of their own, the chance to have their record sealed and move on with their life. An eviction filing can lead to a domino effect of traumatic life-changing events that start with losing your home, and can include losing your community, your support system, your children’s school, your employment and more. We need to do everything we can as a society to prevent that from happening to adults, senior citizens, children and all families.” The committee heard testimony from Catherine Anderson, supervising attorney, eviction diversion program, Philadelphia Legal Assistance; Gale Schwartz, associate director, policy and strategic initiatives, Housing Alliance of Pennsylvania; Anne Wright, chief technology officer, RentHelpPgh; Nicolás Pastore, former legislative intern, Read more
ERIE, June 2 — State Rep. Ryan Bizzarro, D-Erie, announced today that the Presque Isle Light Station is the recipient of a $25,000 grant that will help Presque Isle State Park with the operation of the lighthouse. The funds, awarded via the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission’s Keystone Historic Preservation Grant Program, will allow for the development of a cultural resource management plan for the historic site. A process will be established to aid in the preservation, operation and interpretation of the site. Funds will also be used to help fulfill the PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources’ lease agreement requirements. “The lighthouse has become a beautiful attraction for the park that provides educational and recreational opportunities for our community. This funding will help keep the lighthouse a safe and enjoyable attraction for all who visit,” Bizzarro said. “It gives me great pride to see state investments in our community and I look forward to seeing how the park uses these funds to enhance visitor experiences.” Keystone Historic Preservation Grants are funded by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission and support projects that identify, preserve, promote and protect historic and archaeological resources of Pennsylvania for both the benefit of the public and the revitalization of communities. Read more
HARRISBURG, June 1 – State Rep. Sara Innamorato hosted an informative hearing and discussion on how alternative housing models, affordability and stability can help Pennsylvanians build wealth through homeownership. Innamorato was joined by Rep. Elizabeth Fiedler, chair of the Subcommittee on Progressive Policies for Working People, and members of the House Democratic Policy Committee. “Everyone deserves to have a roof over their head. That’s true for families, for children and teens, for adults and for senior citizens,” explained Fiedler. “A big part of ensuring housing stability for everyone, is increasing the amount of housing that’s actually affordable. We can — and must — end the current trauma and stress so many people live with when it comes to housing!” The state of housing markets in a post-COVID-19 world was discussed with Regional Housing Legal Services’ Bob Damewood, staff attorney, and Vanessa Raymond-Garcia, policy analyst. “Our existing housing system has many flaws and leaves too many of our neighbors behind,” Innamorato said. “Many of these flaws became painfully obvious over the last year, when the pandemic put families under tremendous stress and exposed just how broken our social safety net programs are. We need to find solutions to provide more affordable and stable housing for our neighbors and empower our communities to create equity through housing policies and Read more
HARRISBURG, May 28 – State Rep. Rick Krajewski, D-Phila., is working on legislation to help people with evictions on their record and the Subcommittee on Progressive Policies for Working People will explore how eviction sealing would impact landlords and tenants. The roundtable discussion will be held at 1 p.m. Wednesday, June 2. The media and public are invited to watch online at www.pahouse.com/policy or on the committee’s Facebook page--@PADemPolicy. Media inquiries may be submitted via email to policy@pahouse.net . Subcommittee Chair Elizabeth Fiedler and members of the House Democratic Policy Committee will join Krajewski for the roundtable discussion that will include how current law negatively impacts tenants and protects bad-acting landlords and how the proposed legislation would tackle that using a commonsense approach to ensure Pennsylvanians have access to safe housing. Information about this and other House Democratic Policy Committee hearings can be found at www.pahouse.com/policycommittee . Read more
HARRISBURG, May 28 – Alternative housing models to increase affordability and stability will be the focus of a virtual hearing of the Subcommittee on Progressive Policies for Working People hosted by state Rep. Sara Innamorato, D-Allegheny. The hearing will be held at 10 a.m. Tuesday, June 1. The media and public are invited to watch online at www.pahouse.com/policy or on the committee’s Facebook page--@PADemPolicy. Media inquiries may be submitted via email to policy@pahouse.net . Innamorato will be joined by Subcommittee Chair Elizabeth Fiedler and members of the House Democratic Policy Committee to discuss innovative approaches to Pennsylvania’s housing needs. Information about this and other House Democratic Policy Committee hearings can be found at www.pahouse.com/policycommittee . Read more
Members of the Edinboro University community told the House Democratic Policy Committee Thursday that consolidating six state schools, including Edinboro, into two would result in a loss of identity, place local communities at risk, and fail to address the core problems facing higher education. Read more
ERIE, May 20 – Positive and negative impacts of the proposed consolidation of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education were vetted at today’s House Democratic Policy Committee virtual hearing. The hearing, hosted by committee Chairman Ryan Bizzarro, and state Reps. Peter Schweyer and Emily Kinkead, included testimony from educators, facility management, PASSHE leadership and students. The committee heard testimony from Dr. Sam Claster, Sociology Department Chair, Edinboro University; Lydia Laythe, Washington Township Councilperson in Erie; and Mary Jo Campbell, Professor Emeritus, Edinboro University; who all cautioned that moving forward without hearing from those directly involved in educating students and keeping schools in operation and how consolidation without addressing investment and system strains may not have the desired intention. “The bottom line is Pennsylvania ranks 48th in investment in higher education. If we want to attract and retain Pennsylvania students and prepare them for a successful future, we must address the system’s shortcomings and invest in students so we can build a stronger higher education system that positions Pennsylvania with a vibrant workforce,” explained Bizzarro. “We do need to take our time and take an approach that can have positive, longstanding impacts on our commonwealth.” Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education Chancellor Dr. Daniel Greenstein and Clarion Read more
HARRISBURG, May 18 – The impact of a proposed consolidation of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education on students, staff and communities will be the focus of Thursday’s virtual House Democratic Policy Committee hearing hosted by state Representatives Ryan Bizzarro, Peter Schweyer and Emily Kinkead. The virtual hearing will begin at 1 p.m. Thursday, May 20 and can be viewed online at www.pahouse.com/policy . The public and media are encouraged to tune in and may submit questions via email to policy@pahouse.net . Bizzarro, D-Erie and chairman of the committee will join with Schweyer, D-Lehigh, and Kinkead, D-Allegheny, to discuss how consolidation will impact educational opportunities, extracurricular offerings, employment and the economic impact of the communities state system schools call home. PASSHE’s first plan—the west integration plan—aims to consolidate California University of Pennsylvania, Clarion University, and Edinboro University. The second—the northeast integration – would consolidate Bloomsburg University, Lock Haven University and Mansfield University. Read more
STATE PROGRAMS NOW OPEN FOR APPLICATIONS: Pennsylvania Department of Human Services: Solicitation RFA 16-21 Mental Health & Substance Use Disorder Intervention (Funding Source: General Fund) Who May Apply : Nonprofit organizations that provide prevention, intervention, and treatment services to Pennsylvania residents, and their families, with mental health, substance use, and/or behavioral health needs. Use : Prevention, intervention, and treatment services to support individuals with lived experience, as well as their families. Funds : Awards up to $500,000 for Fiscal Year 2021-22. Solicitation Due Date : June 3 More Information : Click on http://www.emarketplace.state.pa.us/Solicitations.aspx?SID=RFA%2016-21 . Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission: Boating Infrastructure Grant Program (Funding Source: Federal Funding) Who May Apply : Public and private operators of open-to-the-public boating facilities, including municipal agencies (cities, towns, counties, etc.), state agencies (State Parks, DNR, Fish & Wildlife, etc.), and other government entities. Use : The construction, renovation and maintenance of transient moorage (tie-up) facilities serving recreational motorboats 26 feet and longer. Transient means staying 10 days or less. Funds : There Read more
HARRISBURG, May 13 – State Rep. Ryan Bizzarro announced Erie County will receive funding for cleaner fuel transportation projects through the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection’s 2020 Alternative Fuel Incentive Grants. The AFIG Program funds projects that replace older gasoline or diesel-fueled vehicles with cleaner fuel vehicles to reduce greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change and improve air quality. “Reducing air pollution from vehicles helps to improve our health,” said Bizzarro, D-Erie. “Transportation is a significant contributor to ground-level ozone, which has been shown to impact the health of children, older people, those with lung conditions and anyone who spends time outdoors. These projects are aimed at helping all of us breathe in cleaner air.” The funded projects are as follows: $256,745 for Ingevity Corp., which will equip 28 vehicles in eight Pennsylvania-based fleets with its adsorbed natural gas technology and install refueling infrastructure at each fleet’s location to study the environmental and economic impacts of using this renewable natural gas technology. Fleets are based in Allegheny, Erie, Lancaster, Philadelphia, and Washington counties. $149,849 for Northwestern Rural Electric to install two direct current fast chargers for electric vehicles for public use at a Country Fair service station in Read more
LEHIGH, May 13 – At a tour of the Lehigh Valley Center for Independent Living, PA House Democrats saw first-hand the strain on nonprofits that provide services to people living with disabilities and shared how the PA Rescue Plan could alleviate some of those challenges with an investment of federal funding. The tour, led by the center’s executive director, Amy Beck, highlighted how empowering people living with disabilities is an integral component of operation. LVCIL is one of 17 centers for independent living in the state. Centers are governed, managed and staffed at all times by a majority of people with disabilities. State Rep. Mike Schlossberg said, “This pandemic has exposed significant injustices and shortfalls in our world. In most of our communities, access to emergency resources starts with the friendly face and compassionate heart of community-based nonprofit organizations. While performing miracles, these organizations have seen their bottom lines take enormous hits. The staff are overworked and underpaid. Volunteers have put their health on the line with no expectation of personal gain. The Pennsylvania Rescue Plan will offer these organizations, serving our most vulnerable neighbors, extra support to offset increased expenses and lost revenue from contributions or events so they can meet demand in our community.” “The PA Rescue Plan provides a unique opportunity for us to invest in humans, not government,” added state Read more
HARRISBURG, May 12 – The vital role childcare facilities play in society is beyond apparent and state Rep. Patty Kim hosted a tour of Harrisburg’s Keystone Early Learning Center to highlight how the PA Rescue Plan’s proposed investments could support facilities and their employees. The proposed plan would invest $170 million in onsite childcare startup grants, a facility capital program and a Keystone STARS redesign . “Today’s tour of the Keystone Early Learning Center provided a glimpse at the positive effects targeted investments from the PA Rescue Plan would have on our community, our workers and our children’s education,” said Kim, D-Dauphin. “This should be a bipartisan priority and a step forward to improve Pennsylvania’s future for all families.” At the tour, legislators had the opportunity to see the benefits of onsite child care and the efforts this facility has taken to implement COVID-19 safety measures while providing a quality educational childcare experience for their students. Lana Stitzel, director of the Keystone Early Learning Center, shared the many ways the facility has adapted during COVID-19, but also shared the struggles they have faced in retaining employees and keeping child care affordable. State Rep. Ryan Bizzarro, chairman of the PA House Democratic Policy Committee, added, “We’ve seen how important childcare facilities and their staff and educators are to Read more
ALLENTOWN, May 11 – The pandemic further strained those providing services to our most vulnerable Pennsylvanians and state Reps. Mike Schlossberg and Pete Schweyer will explain how proposed investments of over $350 million via the PA Rescue Plan would close the service gap by helping the helpers provide much-needed services. The media are invited to join members for the tour of Lehigh Valley Center for Independent Living at 1 p.m. Thursday, May 13, followed by a 2 p.m. opportunity to discuss the impact investments with legislators and Lehigh Valley Center for Independent Living. The PA Rescue Plan aims to ensure federal American Rescue Plan funding is invested for immediate impact and long-term success. Additional information about the plan is available at www.pahouse.com/parescueplan . Read more
ERIE, May 11 – State Rep. Ryan Bizzarro, D-Erie, said he was thrilled to welcome House Democratic leadership to Erie for a tour of how Pennsylvania Rescue Plan investments could help generate job opportunities with redevelopment and transportation infrastructure projects. Tina Mengine, chief executive officer of the Erie County Redevelopment Authority, led legislators on the tour of the former Quin-T Paper Company, located at East 16th and French streets; the former Erie Malleable Iron, located at 12th and Cherry streets; and Colony Plaza, Millcreek Township, located at West 8th Street. “Erie is perfectly situated to be a great hub for business and economic development. There is great potential in our community, and we have the chance to capitalize on federal funding to help accelerate pandemic recovery efforts. We are all eager to return to a new normal and the investments would help us recover, restore and reimagine a brighter future for our state. I’m proud to have my colleagues from across Pennsylvania join me at home and see first-hand the opportunities Erie can offer that will have statewide benefits,” said Bizzarro, chairman of the House Democratic Policy Committee. The PA Rescue Plan aims to ensure federal American Rescue Plan funding is invested for immediate impact and long-term success. Additional information about the plan is available at www.pahouse.com/parescueplan . Read more
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