HARRISBURG, June 25 — Today H.B. 2338 , which would accelerate Pennsylvania’s energy production, passed the House with bipartisan support. The bill was introduced by state Reps. Elizabeth Fiedler, D-Phila.; Jennifer O’Mara, D-Delaware; and Mandy Steele, D-Allegheny. The bill would update the duties and powers of the Pennsylvania Energy Development Authority to enable the body to apply for and leverage billions of federal dollars available through the Inflation Reduction Act. “With the federal government now implementing the $550 billion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the $783 billion Inflation Reduction Act, we have an incredible opportunity in front of us to jumpstart energy production and create good jobs in Pennsylvania. But to do that, PEDA needs the tools to seize these funds,” Fiedler said. “I’m excited to work with my Senate colleagues and get this done for working Pennsylvanians.” The bill is backed by labor unions such as the Pennsylvania Building and Construction Trades Council, the Allegheny County Labor Council, IBEW Region 3 and Local 98, and Operating Engineers Local No. 542. It also has the support of the Philadelphia Green Capitol Corp. and environmental groups, including Conservation Voters of PA, Natural Resources Defense Council, Sierra Club-PA, PennFuture, and the PA Clean Air Council. On June 3, the House Consumer Protection, Utilities and Technology Read more
HARRISBURG, June 25 — State Reps. Elizabeth Fiedler, D-Phila.; Lindsay Powell, D-Allegheny; Tarik Khan, D-Phila.; and Tarah Probst, D-Monroe/Pike, today introduced a bill that would create a School Facilities Office within the Pennsylvania Department of Education. The proposed office would be designed to help lawmakers and school district officials assess school facilities so they can adequately address facilities needs across the Commonwealth. “The deterioration of our school buildings is a statewide educational and public health issue, and we need to start funding them with that importance,” Fiedler said. “But if we are going to use millions of dollars in public money, we have to do it wisely and ensure no funds are wasted. We have a chance now to provide our children with the 21st-century learning spaces they deserve -- let's seize the opportunity and do it right.” In 2023, the Commonwealth Court ruled that Pennsylvania’s school funding system is unconstitutional and that it is not enough for students to learn in facilities that are “generally safe,” the facilities “must be safe, and adequate.” "In Pittsburgh, more than 75% of our schools had to resort to remote learning because they lacked air conditioning and proper ventilation," explained Powell. "The need for an organizing office to help schools access local, state and federal dollars for Read more
HARRISBURG, June 12 – State Rep. Ismail Smith-Wade-El, D-Lancaster, hosted a rally today with other legislators, legal experts and community advocates from across the state in support of fair housing in Pennsylvania. “The lack of affordable housing in Pennsylvania has resulted in evictions and homelessness for many Pennsylvanians,” Smith-Wade-El said. “Every person has the right to a roof over their head. Our rally today called out the continuing inequities in housing in our commonwealth and the legislative and budget initiatives devised to address them. “As Democrats in the PA House, we’re fighting for a person-centered approach to fair housing, from helping the unhoused get back into a safe home, to my bill that would seal no-fault eviction records so people can find housing, to increased support for the Whole Home Repairs program so seniors can fix and stay in their homes,” Smith-Wade-El said. “We understand that having a home to call one’s own is a human right, a matter of justice. I and my colleagues will fight to make sure that every Pennsylvanian can enjoy their fundamental right to a safe and secure place in which to live.” The rally focused on the PA House budget proposal (H.B. 2324), which would increase funding for fair housing initiatives; the need for increased funding for the homelessness assistance program; a House-led proposal to increase PHARE funding to $100 million dollars; the LLC Read more
HARRISBURG, JUNE 11 -- Superintendents and leaders from school districts across Pennsylvania rallied at the state Capitol Monday to voice support for state Rep. Elizabeth Fiedler’s Solar for Schools legislation . Solar for Schools is a proposed grant program that would fund solar energy projects at public K-12 schools, community colleges and career technical schools across Pennsylvania. Fiedler said it enjoys broad bipartisan support from leading labor, environmental and education organizations. The superintendents present at the rally represent school districts in Dauphin, Indiana, Cambria, and Cumberland counties that are already taking advantage of solar energy. Fiedler has visited several on her statewide Solar for Schools tour. “On the Solar for Schools tour we’ve taken over the last year, I have been blown away. We’ve seen firsthand forward-thinking school districts and school leaders putting into place exactly what we talk about in the Capitol: giving kids hands-on, career building opportunities, capturing their attention with exciting projects in the green energy field, and finding ways to partner with entrepreneurs and building trades to put kids to work in meaningful careers,” Fiedler said. Despite passing the House with considerable bipartisan support nearly one year ago, the bill has not been brought up for a vote in the state Senate. Fieler pointed out that due to expiring Read more
HARRISBURG, June 11 — Today, H.B. 2338 , introduced by state Rep. Elizabeth Fiedler, D-Phila. , was approved unanimously by the House Consumer Protection, Technology and Utilities Committee. The bill would update the duties and powers of the Pennsylvania Energy Development Authority, which was chartered in 1982 with the purpose of financing energy and energy-related projects. If enacted, H.B. 2338 would enable PEDA to apply for and leverage billions of federal dollars available through the Inflation Reduction Act to incentivize investments in Pennsylvania clean-energy projects. With the federal government now implementing the $550 billion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the $783 billion Inflation Reduction Act, Fiedler said she believes this presents an incredible opportunity for Pennsylvania. “These federal investments can jumpstart energy production in Pennsylvania, create good local jobs, and reduce energy costs for consumers, but only if we have the right vehicle to seize the funds,” Fiedler said. “PEDA, our state’s public energy financing authority, is well-suited to play this role, but first we must modernize PEDA to ensure it can maximize its role as an energy accelerator and job creator.” The legislation’s co-prime sponsor, state Rep. Mandy Steele, D-Allegheny, placed the legislation within the context of the state’s long history of energy production. Read more
Harrisburg, June 10 – A bill that would increase awareness of perinatal and postpartum depression and treatment options was a topic of discussion today as mothers and maternal health advocates rallied with members of the House on the bill’s importance and the House passed it. Introduced by state Reps. Elizabeth Fiedler, D-Phila., Gina Curry, D-Delaware, and Lisa Borowski, D- Delaware, H.B. 2127 would empower the Department of Health to create a public awareness campaign to inform Pennsylvanians about the symptoms and effects of PPD. It also would direct the department to centralize access to organizations that provide counseling for PPD on their website and on fact sheets available in doctor’s offices. “New mothers deserve to feel supported, not alone, in the time before and after a new baby arrives. Our current lack of resources for perinatal depression effectively strips new mothers of agency in understanding their mental health,” Fiedler said. “Having widely available education materials on these conditions will empower new parents to support themselves and their babies. All women and pregnant people deserve the opportunity to prioritize their health, whether that means access to miscarriage management medication, abortion, or counselling for postpartum depression.” Fiedler said that PPD is distinct from what some call “baby blues,” feelings of sadness or anxiety that only Read more
HARRISBURG, JUNE 5 -- A coalition of elected officials, students and advocates rallied in the state Capitol today to support a dedicated funding source for after-school programs across Pennsylvania. Led by Sunrise of Philadelphia , a community-based after-school program and family resource provider, advocates spoke about the need for safe environments for students after traditional school hours. After-school programs — sometimes called out-of-school, or OST, programs — are defined as programs that provide learning opportunities, workforce development, or mentoring relationships following the school day. Many of these programs focus on STEM, art, or other areas that may be overshadowed during school hours. They give students space to receive mentorship, develop socially, and learn career and leadership skills to prepare them for the work force. “My daughter went to the after-school program at Shine, and some of my colleagues had their children go through the Shine after-school program. It’s in every community, no matter urban district or rural district, poor district or wealthy district,” said state Rep. Doyle Heffley, R-Carbon , co-chair of the House Afterschool Caucus. “Each student needs that opportunity to learn after school.” Attendees called for dedicated, recurring funding in the state budget for after-school programs. In his budget address earlier this year, Read more
Op-Ed discussing Rep. Fiedler's solar for schools legislation Read more
Harrisburg, May 21 —On Tuesday the House Health Committee voted to advance HB2127, the Postpartum Depression Screening and Care Act (HB 2127), introduced by Reps. Elizabeth Fiedler (D-Phila.), Gina Curry (D-Delaware), and Lisa Borowski (D-Delaware). The bill would create a public awareness push by requiring clinicians to provide expectant and new mothers with information about perinatal or postpartum depression, mood, and anxiety disorders. It would also require patients receive regular screenings for symptoms until their baby is one year old. “Our society expects new parents to be filled solely with happiness, joy, and updates about the baby’s weight and sleep,” Fiedler said. “There is little time—or desire—for talk of depression. The good news is that with greater awareness and diagnoses, there is hope for these new moms, and their babies.” “The health of the mother is directly tied to the wellbeing of the family. As a young mother I can remember feeling overwhelmed and sometimes hopeless. We need to help women put a name on these feelings, know it is normal, and connect them with the best options for support. Postpartum depression can affect even the most seasoned mother,” Borowski said. “I look forward to working with my colleagues on this legislation to help families thrive.” Postpartum depression is distinct from what some call “baby blues,” Read more
WAYNESBURG, May 9 – Last Friday, state Sen. Camera Bartolotta, R-Beaver/Greene/Washington, and state Reps. Bud Cook, R-Washington/Greene, and Elizabeth Fiedler, D-Phila., visited West Greene School District to discuss the possibility of building a solar array on West Greene’s campus. The legislators met with school officials, labor leaders and technical experts from the PA Solar Center to discuss locations, financing and workforce development options. Officials at West Greene School District are interested in installing a solar array to reduce high, market-rate electricity costs. The federal Inflation Reduction Act would fund 30% to 50% of any renewable energy project, and Fiedler’s Solar for Schools legislation (H.B. 1032) would fund up to 50% of solar projects for PA public schools. House Bill 1032 passed the state house in June of 2023 and is awaiting consideration in the state Senate. “The cost of energy is huge. If we can alleviate that by using Solar for Schools and providing that wonderful resource with some federal funding, I think that is a win-win-win for all of us,” Bartolotta said. “I commend West Greene School District officials for exploring solar as an option that may help save taxpayer dollars,” Cook said. “Now is the time to think outside the box when it comes to dealing with rising energy costs.” Labor leaders expressed support for exploring a solar project Read more
PA state Rep. Elizabeth Fiedler stands with House and Senate Democrats and Make the Road PA to call on her Republican counterparts to fix the state’s broken, outdated public school funding system. Read more
PHILADELPHIA, April 29 -- On Friday, state Reps. Elizabeth Fiedler and Roni Green, both D-Phila., attended a news conference at City Hall to voice their support for investing in public education and rejecting voucher schemes in the 2024 state budget. Organized labor, education advocates, and community organizations were in attendance to support fully funding Pennsylvania’s public schools. The event followed the bipartisan Basic Education Funding Commission’s recommendations to address Pennsylvania’s unconstitutional K-12 school funding system, recommendations that included $300 million for facilities upgrades last year. Private school vouchers divert tax dollars that could be used to repair school buildings, instead affording them to the elite (more than half the time to families making over $200,000 ) to support institutions that openly discriminate against students, the legislators said. “Every tax dollar given to voucher programs is another tax dollar diverted from our neighborhood public schools,” said Fiedler. “At a time when so many of our schools are struggling to stay open due to toxins and overdue repairs, our priority must be fully funding public schools and their buildings. As Democrats, we cannot allow vouchers to have a place in our state budget.” "We can't afford entitlement programs. We must first fix what's broken," said Green. Read more
PHILADELPHIA, April 18 – On Thursday, Philadelphia City Council unanimously approved a resolution urging the state legislature to pass Solar for Schools , a bill introduced by state Rep. Elizabeth Fiedler, D-Phila. Solar for Schools would create a grant program using a combination of state money and federal Inflation Reduction Act funds to help Pennsylvania public schools install solar panels. The bill is touted by education, labor, environmental, and faith-based organizations thanks to its potential to save schools money on high energy costs, create union jobs, and boost Pennsylvania’s production of renewable energy. “I was thrilled to introduce a resolution in City Council calling on the Pennsylvania General Assembly to adopt state Representative Elizabeth Fielder’s Solar for Schools Act,” said Council Majority Leader Katherine Gilmore Richardson, At-Large. “Not only is this legislation a win for the education and environmental communities, but it would be a victory for skilled labor as well. We have a unique opportunity to provide Pennsylvanians, especially our young people, with a pathway to a family sustaining and supporting career opportunity. I am hopeful that the Pennsylvania Senate will pass this legislation and help us achieve these goals and much more.” Councilmember Jamie Gauthier (3rd District), chair of City Council's Committee on the Environment, said: "Today, City Read more
CARLISLE, April 11 – On Thursday, state Rep. Elizabeth Fiedler, D-Phila. toured a solar array at Carlisle Area School District with labor and environmental leaders. The visitors met with school officials and discussed the benefits of their solar project and Fiedler’s Solar for Schools legislation . Bellaire Elementary School in Carlisle Area School District is run 100% on solar energy. District-wide, energy bills have been cut 14% thanks to its solar array. Superintendent Colleen Friend said that the economic benefits to the district have been “incredible,” and she’s looking forward to sharing the benefits of the solar array, from energy costs and educational opportunities, with more schools. Friend even described a “Shark Tank”-style student project, in which eighth grade students pitched school administrators on ways to make their school buildings more energy efficient. “Carlisle has always looked toward the future. Since our adoption of solar energy more than 10 years ago, we’ve been able to save on energy costs and bring educational opportunities to our students,” said Friend. “Now, we want to share what we’ve learned about the technology, savings, and maintenance to help other Pennsylvania schools explore renewable energy. Solar for Schools will make it easier for the next generation of districts to adopt solar in a way that works for their schools’ unique needs and Read more
HARRISBURG, April 17 – On Tuesday, Labor and environmental advocates from across Pennsylvania joined members of the state House of Representatives’ Blue-Green Caucus to announce a joint legislative agenda to combat climate change while creating good-paying union jobs. The 11-bill package would boost clean energy production, advance key conservation goals, and create union jobs in growing clean-energy fields like weatherization and the solar energy industry. Bills in the package would also lower energy costs for consumers, increase funding for public transit, and protect Pennsylvania families and union workers from attempts to privatize water and wastewater systems. The 55 member Blue-Green Caucus, led by state Rep. Elizabeth Fiedler, D-Phila., have been convening labor and environmental leaders to break down imposed barriers that often polarize the groups and instead tapping into their shared belief that strong environmental policies must go hand-in-hand with labor protections. “Everyone, from electricians to clean-air advocates, wants the same thing: a better future for their kids,” said Fiedler. “It’s time to challenge the narrative that labor and environmental interests are at odds. This package of nearly a dozen bills proves we can unite around a vision for a blue-green future.” “Pennsylvanians don’t have to choose between good jobs and protecting the environment,” Read more
HARRISBURG, March 26 – Today, state Rep. Elizabeth Fiedler, D-Phila., announced that state funding worth $300,000 was awarded to Wharton Piers JCE LLC to construct roads and sidewalks for new development at Wharton Piers. Fiedler, who represents Pennsylvania’s 184th Legislative District in south Philadelphia, emphasized the importance of this project to the community. “Safe roads and sidewalks promote connection between neighbors and access to new areas,” Fiedler said. “I’m glad to see state funding awarded to support transportation, including walking, in south Philly. I look forward to seeing the finished product.” This funding comes from the Multimodal Transportation Fund from the Commonwealth Financing Authority. The MTF provides grants to encourage economic development and ensure that a safe and reliable system of transportation is available to the residents of the commonwealth. Read more
HARRISBURG, March 25 – State Reps. Ismail Smith-Wade-El, D-Lancaster, and Elizabeth Fiedler, Rick Krajewski and Majority Appropriations Committee Chairman Jordan Harris, all D-Phila., today introduced H.B. 1769 that would seal some records in certain cases such as no-fault evictions. “Millions of renters across the commonwealth are struggling to find housing because one mistake or emergency had led to an eviction on their records,” Smith-Wade-El said. “After these no-fault evictions, households often struggle -- sometimes for months -- to find housing, which can result in devastating consequences, including the breakup of families, the loss of employment, and even ending up homeless. This legislation would help give Pennsylvania renters a fair chance at finding housing by establishing procedures for limited access to eviction records. Our Fair Housing Access legislation is a commonsense step that would make it easier for working-class Pennsylvanians to access housing.” According to the legislators, as soon as an eviction is filed, it becomes a permanent mark on someone’s background, making harder to find housing. The record remains even if the case was withdrawn, the tenant endured domestic violence, or the court found in favor of the tenant. Smith-Wade-El said that evictions disrupt workforce development for large swaths of communities and strain existing social support systems throughout the state. These records can put vulnerable Read more
The bill is cosponsored by Rep. Gina Curry and Rep. Lisa Borowski and is part of a “Momnibus” legislative package introduced by the PA Black Maternal Health Caucus. Other bills in the package propose expanding Medicaid coverage for doula services, requiring private insurance coverage of blood pressure cuffs for new parents, distributing “welcome baby kits” to some new mothers and more. Read more
The co-chairs, as well as Reps. Lisa Borowski, D-Delaware, Elizabeth Fiedler, D-Phila., and Mandy Steele, D-Allegheny, modeled Pennsylvania’s Momnibus legislation after federal bills introduced by U.S. Rep. Lauren Underwood, D-Illinois, and U.S. Sen. Cory Booker, D-New Jersey. Read more
PA state Rep. Elizabeth Fiedler and labor leaders toured Central Cambria School District in Cambria County and spoke to students and staff about the benefits of her Solar for Schools legislation. Students shared excitement about taking climate action and using solar panels to create new educational opportunities at their school. Read more
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