State Rep. Angel Cruz, D-Phila., was instrumental in securing an RACP grant worth $1.5 million for Impact Services at the A & Indiana Campus in Philadelphia. This funding will renovate the Mill Building into a mixed-use space with affordable housing and a multi-tenant community services building. It will be renovated, keeping historic requirements and include new floors, historic windows, roofing and provide parking access for the building. “This project will make a huge difference in the lives of many people,” Cruz said. “I am proud to help secure this grant, which will help alleviate Philadelphia’s housing crisis, and provide much needed services to the community, and thankful to Governor Wolf for releasing this funding to help our constituents.” The Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program, from which this grant was awarded, is a commonwealth grant program overseen by the Office of the Budget to assist with regional cultural, economic, civic and historical projects that improve a community’s economic growth by creating jobs. Read more
State Rep. Angel Cruz, D-Phila., praised S.B. 663, which included language he had written, as it passed the House Tuesday and moved to the governor to be signed into law. Senate Bill 663 allows for the involuntary termination of parental rights, but specifically prohibits termination of support obligations, when a child is conceived as a result of certain sexual offenses. It also limits custody awards to a parent convicted of such offense. Read more
Following his negative vote today on the Republican-created budget bill, state Rep. Angel Cruz, D-Phila., issued the following statement: “For the past four years, we suffered through entirely too many budgets full of smoke and mirrors that didn’t truly help Pennsylvania. Unfortunately, that’s the same type of budget we voted on today. Read more
Rep. Angel Cruz says it’s long past time for Pennsylvania to raise its minimum wage, which is currently $7.25 an hour. An increase in the minimum wage would help thousands of hardworking Pennsylvanians put food on the table and climb out of poverty, and would also increase productivity in the workplace. By supporting H.B. 250, which would raise the minimum wage to $10.10 an hour, and other similar measures, Cruz continues to fight for the rights of workers across the state. Read more
HARRISBURG, April 2 – State Rep. Mike Schlossberg, D-Lehigh, today participated in a House Human Services Committee public hearing titled "Eliminating Stigma in Mental Health," supporting a change in societal perception he believes is long overdue. “Too often, people live in fear and embarrassment about their mental health struggles. This is unnecessary and results in wasted lives and needless pain," Schlossberg said. "The purpose of this hearing was to learn more about what we, as a government and as elected officials, can do to combat this stigma. I am incredibly grateful for the work of the groups who joined us today in shining light on this important issue.” State Rep. Angel Cruz, D-Phila., Democratic chairman of the Human Services Committee, said, “One of the biggest issues facing those who suffer from mental health disabilities is the stigma that comes attached to their diagnosis. It can be debilitating and often times compound the issues that they are already having.” Echoing Schlossberg’s concern, Cruz added, “Discussions like the one we had today will go a long Read more
Citing the importance Latino culture in Pennsylvania, state Rep. Angel Cruz, D-Phila., thanked Gov. Tom Wolf today for appointing several Latinos to prominent positions in his administration. Read more
HARRISBURG, Feb. 12 – State Rep. Angel Cruz, D-Phila., today announced creation of an informal, bicameral and bipartisan Latino Affairs Caucus within the Pennsylvania General Assembly. “With the Latino population in Pennsylvania continuing to grow exponentially each year, I truly believe it is time to finally recognize the importance of Latinos in our public policies,” Cruz said. “I’m especially proud that the Latino Affairs Caucus will be represented in a bipartisan, bicameral manner. This will serve as a benefit to all Pennsylvanians as we work together across party lines and across both chambers to education the public about Latino issues and advance Latino causes.” Cruz said the Latino Affairs Caucus will focus on issues important to Pennsylvania’s Latino communities and explore what public policies are necessary to address the needs of Latinos across Pennsylvania. The caucus is open to all members of the General Assembly, regardless of ethnicity or whether they represent a large Latino population in their district. Read more
HARRISBURG, Feb. 9 – State Rep. Angel Cruz, D-Phila., Democratic chairman of the House Human Services Committee, praised Gov. Tom Wolf’s announcement today that Pennsylvania would fully expand Medicaid. “I applaud Governor Wolf’s decision to finally do what should’ve been done during the last governor’s term and bring full Medicaid expansion to Pennsylvania,” Cruz said. “The Healthy PA, or lite version of Medicaid expansion which was not nearly as beneficial, was ill-conceived, confusing and unnecessarily complicated. It’s time we moved to a system that will work for Pennsylvania. “This expansion makes complete sense for the people of Pennsylvania. It’s estimated to create between 35,000 and 40,000 jobs and cover hundreds of thousands of uninsured Pennsylvanians, including over 20,000 veterans. Furthermore, it will bring an infusion of federal dollars into our state as we face a nearly $2 billion budget shortfall, thanks to the failed policies of the last administration and the legislature's refusal to enact Medicaid expansion sooner. “It’s really a no-brainer. Pennsylvania will see more jobs, federal funding, and most importantly, healthier citizens. I look forward to working to ensure that the expansion is fully implemented and Pennsylvanians around the state are aware of how to benefit from the expansion.” Read more
State Rep. Angel Cruz, D-Phila., was sworn into his eighth term as state representative for the 180th Legislative District during a swearing-in ceremony at the state Capitol today. The ceremony marked the beginning of the 199th legislative session for Cruz and the rest of the state House. Read more
Pennsylvania's children have a new protection thanks to Hannah's Law, named after Hannah Ginion of Bristol Township, who suffered from the rare genetic disorder called Krabbe disease. Hannah passed away on Dec. 28, 2014. Read more
Recently, my office received information about phone calls received statewide in which an individual claimed to be from the IRS and demanded payment on taxes owed. Please be aware – this phone call is a scam, and the IRS will NOT initiate first contact with you on the phone about taxes owed. Always be wary of unsolicited phone calls in which an individual claims to represent a business or government entity and aggressively demands payment. The IRS does not operate this way and will always send official correspondence through the mail to make its first contact with you. Read more
Landmark legislation passed during the 2013-14 Legislative Session now allows first responders, including law enforcement, fire fighters, EMS or other organizations the ability to administer a medication known as naloxone, a life-saving opioid-overdose antidote. The law also allows individuals such as friends or family members who might be in a position to help a person at risk of experiencing an opioid-related overdose to obtain a prescription for naloxone. Additionally, Act 139 provides immunity from prosecution for those responding to and reporting overdoses. Read more
House Bill 993, which renamed the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare as the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services, was signed into law as Act 132 during the 2013-14 Legislative Session. According to advocates for the change, renaming the department was long overdue, and as the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported, the name change better reflects the department’s mission. Read more
As we get into the coldest months of winter, many people are worried about affording their increasing heating costs. If you or someone you know qualifies, my office could help you take advantage of a program set up to curtail high home heating bills. Read more
The open enrollment period for health care coverage is now underway. If you or someone you know is in need of health insurance, please consider visiting the federal Marketplace at www.HealthCare.gov. Applicants have until Feb. 16, 2015 to enroll. Everyone, no matter what age, needs health insurance. A random accident or unexpected illness could put you in danger of losing not only your good health but also your financial future. Read more
To register for the Pennsylvania and national do-not-call lists, visit http://www.attorneygeneral.gov/dnc.aspx or call 1-888-777-3406. Registration is free. There is a rolling enrollment; individuals may sign up at any time and the registration is good for five years. After that, you can re-enroll. And, signing up on Pennsylvania's list automatically adds those numbers to the national do-not-call list. Read more
Last year’s bitterly cold winter left many people struggling to pay higher-than-normal home energy bills. As we head toward the coldest months of the year, there are ways you can winterize your home to keep heat in, cold air out, and money in your pocket. Many businesses offer professional home energy audits, but you can perform your own by inspecting areas where heat escapes and cold air leaks in. Read more
While it may be the season for charitable giving, scammers don't take a holiday. The Pennsylvania Department of State offers a simple way to ensure a charity is legitimate and that your donation will be used properly. Read more
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