Quiet and deadly, people from all walks of life are afflicted by opioid addiction. Every day, 192 American lives are lost to opioid overdose. These victims have families, friends, communities. This epidemic affects more than those who abuse the drugs – it devastates the lives of everyone in its orbit. Sadly, our society is alarmingly susceptible to this deadly habit. In fact, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , Pennsylvania has one of the highest overdose-related death rates in the country, behind only Ohio and West Virginia, as of 2017. That same year, Chester County alone saw 107 deaths as a result of the horrors of this epidemic. And the deaths are only a part of the picture. Since the start of 2018, there have been more than 21,000 ER visits in Pennsylvania alone for opioid overdoses. Solving this crisis requires “all hands on deck.” A united, bipartisan effort is essential to treating those currently addicted and to implementing preventative measures that will halt this epidemic. We must collaborate with law enforcement, healthcare providers and our schools to provide a holistic solution. Profit-obsessed pharmaceutical manufacturers have created a line of products that undercuts patients’ wellbeing, all too frequently replacing existing problems with new ones. It is my personal mission to continue fighting this crisis on behalf of those battling addiction, as well as their loved ones. Along with other Read more
NEWS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE State Rep. Kristine Howard D-Chester www.pahouse.com/Howard Howard to host Policy Committee hearing on opioid epidemic Monday in Exton, followed by constituent listening event at 6 p.m. EXTON, Feb. 18 – State Rep. Kristine Howard, D-Chester, will host a House Democratic Policy Committee public hearing on the opioid epidemic in Pennsylvania. The hearing will be held at 2 p.m. Monday, Feb. 24 at West Whiteland Township Building, 101 Commerce Drive. Howard will also hold a listening session for constituents at 6 p.m. at the same location. Discussion will center on what Pennsylvania has done and plans on doing to address the ongoing opioid crisis. Howard will be joined by fellow legislators from across the state, including Policy Committee Chairman Mike Sturla, D-Lancaster. The current agenda is: 2 p.m. Welcome and opening remarks 2:10 p.m. Panel One: Nathan Schenker , first assistant public defender, Chester County Vince Cocco , assistant district attorney, Chester County 2:45 p.m. Panel Two: Vincent H. Brown , executive director, Chester County Department of Drug and Alcohol Services Jamie Johnson , deputy director, Chester County Department of Drug and Alcohol Services Karen Archambo, clinical Read more
For many, the phrase human trafficking conjures images of elsewhere. They may have heard that the U.S. Department of State estimates some 12 million victims of human trafficking worldwide. But not here, surely. Not in my backyard. Yet sadly, terrifyingly, it is here. The Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape estimates over 100,000 U.S. citizens are victims of human trafficking each year, plus tens of thousands of undocumented citizens are suffering forced labor within our borders. More shockingly still, the Philadelphia area has been identified as a major American hub for human trafficking. Traffickers profit from abusing and exploiting others, most often through forced labor and sex crimes. These traffickers wield immense power over their victims by forcing them into extreme dependency. That these appalling acts happen today, in our own community, is mind-boggling. Something must be done, and I am happy to say that my fellow legislators – on both sides of the aisle – and I recently voted nearly unanimously on the following bills to support victims and to toughen penalties for human trafficking: H.B. 161 – Would amend the Crimes Code to increase the grading for a conviction for dealing in infant children from a first-degree misdemeanor to a first-degree felony. H.B. 2174 – Would amend the Crimes Code to ensure it affords victims of human trafficking the same protections contained Read more
With pipelines crisscrossing my district, I was very happy to hear Gov. Wolf include pipeline safety and oversight initiatives in his 2020-21 budget plan. Pipeline safety and accountability are enormous concerns in Chester County, and I have worked to ensure those concerns are heard in Harrisburg. In addition to meetings with Energy Transfer Partners, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, and the Public Utility Commission, I also met with Gov. Wolf multiple times to discuss my concerns – and those of my constituents – regarding this issue. Additionally, at my invitation, the governor visited Chester County to tour pipeline sights. The seeds of these meetings bore fruit this past week, as evidenced in the governor’s budget address. The governor has displayed a deeper insight in these matters, and I am very enthusiastic about his prioritization of pipeline issues and his call for immediate legislative action to address glaring gaps in existing law: As it stands, no state agency has authority to review intrastate pipeline routes, essentially allowing pipeline operators to site through densely populated high-consequence areas. Pipeline operators are not currently required to provide pertinent information to schools and childcare centers located near pipelines. Operators are not required to provide residents and municipalities with notification regarding drilling activities at least five days in Read more
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