HARRISBURG, April 9 – Members of the Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus spoke at a news conference today regarding legislation that would create a fairer housing market. April serves as National Fair Housing Month, bringing awareness and advocating policy for individuals that have been discriminated against and wrongfully evicted, and educating residents on their housing rights and the resources available to them. House Bill 96 , introduced by state Rep. Donna Bullock, would prohibit landlords from inquiring or requiring disclosure about certain arrest records of potential tenants as a condition of a lease. “In Pennsylvania, a person can be denied a rental property based off a conviction or even just an arrest — it doesn’t matter if it was years ago or even decades ago. Many times, individuals who are denied a lease were never convicted, completed a deferred judgement or have long since turned their life around. And when landlords use this tactic, it’s overwhelmingly used to be discriminatory toward Black and brown Pennsylvanians,” Bullock said. “We must pass legislation that prohibits landlords from inquiring or requiring disclosure of certain arrest records — such as juvenile records, arrests with no conviction, convictions older than seven years and convictions that aren’t felonies or misdemeanors — as a condition of a lease. Housing Read more
HARRISBURG, April 8 – The Pennsylvania House of Representatives today passed legislation ( H.B. 657 ) introduced by state Reps. Donna Bullock and Morgan Cephas, both D-Phila., which would provide consumer protection against unfair realty agreements for homeowners by establishing prohibitions and requirements for these agreements. “Too often, I hear the horror stories of unscrupulous realty companies preying on unsuspecting homeowners and vulnerable neighborhoods by trapping them in questionable realty agreement contracts and then suing them should they try to cancel the agreement,” Bullock said. “It’s our hope that with this legislation we can ensure homeowners are no longer subjected to these unsavory and underhanded practices.” Under this legislation, unlawful agreements that include certain forbidden content would be deemed unenforceable in Pennsylvania and in violation of the Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Act. “Pennsylvania homeowners spend their lifetime working hard to build home equity and create generational wealth but are too often vulnerable to dishonest realty companies looking to scam them out of that wealth,” Cephas said. “Pennsylvanians deserve protections from fraud, and should they fall victim to predatory practices, then they deserve to have the damages recovered.” The bill will now go to the PA Senate Read more
HARRISBURG, March 27 – State Rep. Ismail Smith-Wade-El, D-Lancaster, was joined by state Rep. Donna Bullock, D-Phila., and community stakeholders in a Capitol news conference yesterday to call for an increase in the 2024-2025 budget to address the upcoming shortfall in supports for homeless youth in Pennsylvania. “Today, there are over 40,000 students without housing in our state, struggling to go to school and learn despite not having a home of their own,” Smith-Wade-El said. “Though our school districts have been able to provide some needed support thanks to the American Rescue Plan for Homeless Children and Youth, they will no longer be able to do so when this aid runs out January 31st, 2025. With evictions still on the rise since the COVID pandemic and affordable housing at a minimum, we should be doing everything we can to provide support to this vulnerable population, but right now there are no plans to make up for this shortfall in the proposed 2024-2025 budget. “I am calling on the state to step up and ensure that these vulnerable members of our society get the supports they need to feel safe and secure so they can succeed in school in the 2024-2025 state budget,” Smith-Wade-El said. “If we do not do this, I promise you that Pennsylvania will be plagued for years to come from the effects of our abandonment of these kids.” “Housing insecurity knows no boundaries. It spans rural townships and cities and Read more
HARRISBURG, March 27 – A bill ( H.B. 98 ) introduced by state Reps. Donna Bullock, Melissa Shusterman and Jenn O’Mara, known as the Equal Pay Law, which would expand protections against wage discrimination, was approved by the Pennsylvania House Labor and Industry Committee today. This legislation would prohibit employers from discriminating and paying workers less because of their gender, race or ethnicity. It would also add protections for retaliation and increase monetary penalties from $50-$200 to $2,500-$5,000 in cases where employers discharge or discriminate against an employee for filing a complaint. “It’s well known that women and people of color, and especially women of color, have been insufficiently paid in the workplace. This is despite doing the same tasks, performing the same jobs, and sometimes doing them much better than our counterparts,” said Bullock, D-Phila. “Enough is enough. The time for economic justice is now. We must move forward and ensure all Pennsylvania workers receive equal pay for equal work and eradicate wage disparity once and for all.” "We could add a staggering $482 billion to the U.S. economy by ensuring equal pay for equal work. We're talking billions in lost wages for women that they could spend on basic necessities, like food and clothing for their families,” said Shusterman, D-Chester. “Simply by Read more
HARRISBURG, March 20 – A bill ( H.B. 1399 ) introduced by state Rep. Donna Bullock, D-Phila., that would require law enforcement to have their badge, with all pertinent identifiable information, visible at all times passed the Pennsylvania House by vote of 201-0 today. “This is a really simple bill that would go a long way toward building police and community relations and ensuring that there is day-to-day law enforcement accountability,” Bullock said. “There is no reason to be out in the community with a badge covered or partially obstructed by tape or bands. Pennsylvanians deserve to know, and be able to identify, the officers tasked with keeping communities safe.” The legislation was prompted by on-the-ground reports of badges being covered during protests after the tragic killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police, said Bullock. The bill now heads to the PA Senate for consideration. Read more
HARRISBURG, March 18 – A bill ( H.B. 1820 ) introduced by state Reps. Donna Bullock, D-Phila., and Regina Young, D-Delaware/Phila., that would create a license exemption for natural hair braiding passed the PA House unanimously today. The legislation would exempt hair braiders from having to obtain a cosmetology license to practice braiding. “Natural hair braiding has been commonplace in the African American community for centuries,” Bullock said. “The techniques have been passed from generation to generation and are learned from early childhood and do not require formal training to do. Natural hair braiding does not involve any chemical treatments, applying heat, cutting or coloring of hair.” More than 33 states have exempted hair braiders from licensing laws, recognizing that natural hair braiding is a safe, cultural practice that is distinct from hairdressing and barbering. Last year, a Commonwealth Court determined that the state’s licensing requirements for natural hair braiding were unreasonable. “Natural hair braiding doesn’t require formal training and continues to be a technique used often within the African American community,” Young said. “This legislation recognizes natural hair braiding as a safe and natural cultural practice that should not require license to practice. Natural hair braiding requires Read more
Tuesday, March 12 is Women’s Equal Pay Day – it’s how far into 2024 a woman has to work to earn the same money a man did by the end of 2023 when they both started counting on New Year’s Day 2023. Read more
“Community solar allows urban consumers to be able to partake in this green energy,” Bullock said. Read more
HARRISBURG, Feb. 20 – During a voting meeting today, the Pennsylvania House Housing & Community Development Committee approved legislation, H.B. 657 , co-sponsored by state Reps. Donna Bullock and Morgan Cephas, which would provide consumer protection against unfair realty agreements for homeowners in the commonwealth by establishing prohibitions and requirements for these agreements. “All too often, I hear the horror stories of unscrupulous realty companies preying on unsuspecting homeowners and vulnerable neighborhoods by trapping them in questionable realty agreement contracts and then suing them should they try to cancel the agreement,” Bullock said. “It’s our hope with this legislation that we can ensure that homeowners are no longer subjected to these unsavory and underhanded practices.” Unlawful agreements that include certain forbidden content would be deemed unenforceable and in violation of the Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Act, should this legislation become law. “Companies seeking to swindle home equity from Pennsylvania’s most vulnerable homeowners must be stopped,” Cephas said. “Pennsylvanians deserve protections from such unsavory realty companies, and should they fall victim to such companies then they deserve to have the damages recovered.” The legislation will now go to the full House, where Read more
Check out my Winter 2023 NL! Read more
"It can be really confusing for new drivers, folks not used to our city, cyclists and tourists coming to visit the art museum," says State Representative Donna Bullock. Read more
Read the Children & Youth Committee Fall Newsletter Here! Read more
PHILADELPHIA, Dec. 22 – State Rep. Donna Bullock, D-Phila., today announced that more than $500,000 in statewide Local Share Account Program grants have been approved for projects throughout the community. “This grant funding is about enhancing our community in a variety of ways and is a great use of tax dollars for residents,” Bullock said. “One of the highlights of this job is bringing state resources and funding back to the community. I’m excited to see how the 19th and Montgomery Street Environmental Remediation and ‘A Home for Returning Citizens’ projects turn out.” Projects receiving funding include: $220,280 for Habitat for Humanity Philadelphia for the 19th and Montgomery Street Environmental Remediation project , which includes the removal and disposal of contaminated soil, backfilling the site, site stabilization, soil sampling, analysis, and the creation of a combined cleanup plan. The project will ensure that the site is safe and complies with PADEP Act 2 residential statewide health standards, as well as site-specific standards, and will also prepare the site for eventual development of needed safe and affordable housing in the future. $303,699 for The Urban League of Philadelphia for the A Home for Returning Citizens project , which will provide a nine-unit multifamily property located at 1843 N. 17th St. as a safe and affordable housing option for Read more
PHILADELPHIA, Dec. 19 – State Rep. Donna Bullock, D-Phila., applauded the more than $350,000 in Pennsylvania Arts and Culture Recovery Program grants awarded today to nonprofit organizations throughout her legislative district and surrounding neighborhoods. “I’m thrilled to see the more than $350,000 in grant funding that will be coming to our district,” Bullock said. “This funding will help arts and culture organizations continue to operate and thrive in our community. Art is how we express ourselves and our experiences and is a key part of the fabric of any community.” Funds distributed through the PA Arts and Culture Recovery Program provide grants to nonprofit arts and culture organizations located in the commonwealth. Act 54 of 2022 appropriated $15 million of American Rescue Plan Act funds to the COVID-19 ARPA PA Arts and Culture Recovery Program. The nonprofits receiving funding include: Al-Bustan Seeds of Culture: $23,434. Black Pearl Chamber Orchestra Inc.: $11,418. Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site Inc.: $95,000. Jeanne Ruddy and Dancers Inc.: $16,292. Philadelphia Museum of Art: $95,000. Piffaro, the Renaissance Band: $16,989. The Barnes Foundation: $95,000. The city of Philadelphia received 394 arts grants totaling $5,546,750. Read more
HARRISBURG, Dec. 14 – A bill ( H.B. 666 ) sponsored by state Rep. Donna Bullock, D-Phila., passed the Pennsylvania Senate Wednesday by vote of 43-7. This legislation would remove the requirement in the Housing Authorities Law that executive members of the Philadelphia Housing Authority be “at will” employees, enabling the PHA board to negotiate performance-based contracts and compensation arrangements. “This bill will bring the Philadelphia Housing Authority back into alignment with the other 89 public housing authorities in Pennsylvania,” Bullock said. “Once this legislation is in place, Philadelphia will be able to better retain talent, be competitive with other major cities and keep our public housing authority on its current upward trajectory.” The provisions requiring PHA executive members to be “at will” employees were primarily established in 2011 in response to governance issues with the city housing authority under a prior city administration and previous PHA board. The board was dissolved and the PHA was put in the hands of the Department of Housing and Urban Development under an administrative receivership until 2013. In the years since, the PHA and its board have operated to a high standard and earned back the trust of stakeholders, Bullock said. “I look forward to Gov. Josh Shapiro signing this legislation Read more
"Housing insecurity should not be a barrier to a quality education," Rep. Donna Bullock said. "One of the most troubling consequences in youth homelessness, however, remains the number of children forced to live on the streets because of the difficulty experienced by their parents or guardians.” Read more
HARRISBURG, Nov. 15 – A resolution ( H.R. 255 ) introduced by state Rep. Donna Bullock, D-Phila., designating Nov. 13 through Nov. 17, 2023, as “Pennsylvania Education for Youth Experiencing Homelessness Awareness Week” and Nov. 15, 2023, as “Red Shirt Day” was approved by the Pennsylvania House Children and Youth Committee on Tuesday. The resolution would show statewide solidarity with children experiencing homelessness and encourage Pennsylvanians to wear red on Wednesday, Nov. 15 for “Red Shirt Day.” “Today, as many as 40,000 Pennsylvania students are without adequate housing,” Bullock, chair of the Pennsylvania House Children and Youth Committee, said. “Housing insecurity presents a unique set of educational challenges for children and youth experiencing homelessness, and we must encourage schools, communities and individuals throughout the commonwealth to plan for and support assistance programs for youths experiencing homelessness as they look to complete their education.” Read more
HARRISBURG, Nov. 15 – A bill ( H.B. 1820 ) introduced by state Rep. Donna Bullock, D-Phila., that would create a license exemption for natural hair braiding passed the PA House Professional Licensure Committee today. The legislation would exempt hair braiders from having to obtain a cosmetology license to practice braiding. “Natural hair braiding has been commonplace in the African American community for centuries,” Bullock said. “The techniques have been passed from generation to generation and are learned from early childhood and do not require formal training to do. Natural hair braiding does not involve any chemical treatments, applying heat, cutting or coloring of hair.” More than 33 states have exempted hair braiders from licensing laws, recognizing that natural hair braiding is a safe, cultural practice that is distinct from hairdressing and barbering. “Natural hair braiding doesn’t require formal training and continues to be a technique used often within the African American community,” said state Rep. Regina Young, D-Delaware/Phila., a co-prime sponsor of the legislation. “This legislation recognizes natural hair braiding as a safe and natural cultural practice that should not require license to practice. Natural hair braiding requires simply this: a comb, a brush and a head full of hair to work with.” Read more
The Pennsylvania House Democrats have drafted and passed significant, bipartisan legislation that would give our students hope and show them that we are not only fighting for their education — but their futures as well. Read more
As Chair of the PA House Children and Youth Committee, Rep. Donna Bullock knows that quality education plays a key role in the development of tomorrow’s leaders. She and her colleagues in the House Democratic Caucus are fighting to expand the teaching pool, reduce class sizes, and clean up toxic school buildings. Read more
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