Bill updating Pennsylvania Soil & Plant Amendment Act passes House

(May 23, 2023)

HARRISBURG, May 23 – A bill sponsored by state Rep. Chris Rabb, D-Phila., updating the Pennsylvania Soil & Plant Amendment Act to realign it with the Pennsylvania Fertilizer Act passed the Pennsylvania House of Representatives by vote of 201-0. Last year, when the state Fertilizer Law was updated, the registration and tonnage reporting of fertilizer fell out of alignment with the soil and plant amendment program. The bill would realign the product registration process and tonnage reporting with that of fertilizer. It also would change registration requirements so that a company who paid the registration fee under the fertilizer law would not have to pay the fee under the soil and plant amendment law; however, the product would still need to be registered to show that it is a dual-purpose product. “This is a modest but mighty adjustment to improve this statute,” Rabb said. “Bills often go into effect in an imperfect state and we can always be working to improve them.” The bill now goes to the Pennsylvania Senate for consideration. Read more

 

Ciresi introduces bill to simplify and make predictable the cost of recording documents

(May 23, 2023)

HARRISBURG, May 23 – State Rep. Joe Ciresi, D-Montgomery, today announced the introduction of legislation (H.B. 1244) that will make predictable the cost of recording documents charged by Recorders of Deeds. “My legislation would simplify the recordation process, eliminate the potential for user error, and guarantee predictability for fees, which will benefit consumers, lenders, businesses, attorneys, and others who record documents in the Commonwealth,” Ciresi said. The current method for calculating the cost of recording is dependent on page count, number of names, number of parcels, and number of marginal document references. According to Ciresi, the last-minute addition or removal of a page, or a miscalculation, can lead to the incorrect amount being included for a filing and subsequent rejection, causing uncertainty, delays, and potential harm to those involved in the transaction. In 2016, the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee conducted a review of the fees collected by recorders of deeds. Its findings included: (1) “Fees charged by County Recorders of Deeds are difficult to predict because they can vary based on factors such as the number of pages and the number of names that need to be indexed” and (2) “Many states are moving toward predictable recording fees to avoid delays and penalties at settlement.” “Not only does the current method create potential for surprises Read more

 

Freeman bill would provide voters with earlier information on campaign contributions

(May 23, 2023)

"The change would provide earlier disclosure and greater transparency on who is contributing to candidates for the General Assembly," said Freeman. Read more

 

PLBC celebrates 50 years as a formal caucus with K. Leroy Irvis Day of Action

(May 23, 2023)

HARRISBURG, May 23 – The Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus held its second annual K. Leroy Irvis Day of Action today in honor of the first Black speaker of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives and to celebrate its 50th year as a formal legislative caucus. “Today is a joyous day. It is a reminder of the hard work this caucus has done over the last 50 years and the hard work still left to do,” State Rep. Donna Bullock, D-Phila., chair of the Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus, said. “We honored our past by remembering the life and legacy of former Speaker K. Leroy Irvis, and we invested in our future by presenting scholarships to the bright and promising young men and women who earned them with their scholarly prowess.” Following a 10 a.m. news event on the front steps of the Speaker K. Leroy Irvis building, Black Pennsylvanians — youth, community leaders, small business owners, clergy and advocacy organizations — gathered for a series of panels on the state of Black Pennsylvania, labor, cannabis and voter disenfranchisement. As part of the day of action, the PLBC congratulated the following recipients of the 2023 PLBC James Roebuck Scholarship: Mamadou Bah, Upper Merion High School; Kayla Banks, Cheltenham High School; Jayant Bullet, Cumberland Valley High School; Makalya Coleman, George Washington Carver High School; Ellyssa Elliot, Reading High School; Read more

 

Human Services Committee moves two bills out of committee

(May 23, 2023)

HARRISBURG, May 23 – Today, the PA House Human Services Committee voted two bills out of committee to address mental health initiatives and funding for programs as well as funding for kinship care legal assistance. The first bill ( H.B. 849 ), introduced by state Rep. Mike Schlossberg, D-Lehigh, would take recommendations from the Behavioral Health Commission on Adult Mental Health on how to appropriate $100 million in one-time ARPA funds. As part of the 2022-23 budget (through Act 54 of 2022), the General Assembly established the Behavioral Health Commission on Adult Mental Health, a 24-person commission tasked with providing recommendations to the General Assembly on how to appropriate $100 million in one-time ARPA funding to address adult behavioral health needs in Pennsylvania. The commission, composed of experts in the behavioral health field, advocates, providers, and legislators, met over the course of four weeks for a total of 17 hours to create a set of recommendations they believe would be the first step towards true change for all Pennsylvanians. H.B. 849 would take the following recommendations from the commission and turn them into actionable legislation, as well as expand these efforts to address the needs of struggling youth: $37 million towards workforce development. $23.5 million to improve the criminal justice system and public safety systems. $39 million to expand access and service delivery. $500,000 to evaluate the Read more

 

Warren: State House passes gun background-check bill, red-flag legislation

(May 23, 2023)

HARRISBURG, May 23 – The Pennsylvania House of Representatives on Monday passed historic legislation that would expand background checks for firearm purchases and provide emergency protection for gun owners who are at risk of harming themselves or others, said state Rep. Perry Warren, who sponsored the background-check bill. The bills, which are now with the Senate for consideration, are: H.B. 714 to enact universal background checks, passed 109-92. H.B. 1018 to create extreme risk protection orders, passed 102-99. “It has been a long time coming, but with a new direction in Harrisburg, we took two really big steps this week toward better protecting the public in the face of a growing gun violence epidemic,” said Warren, D-Bucks. “I’m proud to have sponsored the universal background check bill and happy to see it received bipartisan support in the House. We have a responsibility as representatives to do everything we can to make gun sales the safest and most comprehensive they can be in Pennsylvania." Federal and current state laws require checks for most sales by licensed gun dealers, but they do not cover all types of guns or those sold by unlicensed sellers, including online, at shows and to strangers. Warren’s bill would require checks on all avenues of sales and for long-barrel firearms, as well. “I hope that the Senate has the foresight to move this popular and much-needed Read more

 

Pennsylvania House Labor & Industry votes on worker focused legislation

(May 23, 2023)

HARRISBURG, May 23 – During a voting meeting Tuesday, the Pennsylvania House Labor and Industry Committee reported two pieces of legislation, HB967 and HR60 , out of committee and to the House floor. The bill would increase protections for hotel employees by requiring hotel employers provide devices which serve as “panic buttons” for employees working alone servicing guestrooms. “The hotel and hospitality industry experiences some of the highest rates of workplace sexual assault and harassment. Due to the isolated nature of the work, certain guests feel empowered to take advantage of the unequal power imbalance and act in crude and criminal ways,” Rep. Jason Dawkins, D-Phila., majority chair of the Pennsylvania House Labor and Industry Committee, said. “And we have duty to those hospitality workers to take this issue head on and legislate the protections they need and deserve. Hospitality workers should be able to feel secure and protected in their working environment.” The resolution would designate June 5 through June 9, 2023, as “Union Organizing Week” to honor the workers who fought for their right to organize and bargain collectively at the workplace. “We are fighting for the working people of Pennsylvania in this committee,” Dawkins said. “And we will continue to celebrate working people while I’m majority Read more

 

State House committee OKs $100M for PA mental health needs

(May 23, 2023)

“Approximately 1.7 million Pennsylvanians live in a community that does not have enough mental health professionals. Five Pennsylvanians take their own life every day. The time for hearings and studies is over! We know the problems. We have solutions. It is time to act, and act swiftly,” said Schlossberg. Read more

 

House committee unanimously approves Solar for Schools legislation

(May 23, 2023)

HARRISBURG, May 23 – The House Consumer Protection, Technology, and Utilities Committee voted unanimously today in support of House Bill1032, state Rep. Elizabeth Fiedler’s Solar for Schools legislation. Solar for Schools would provide grants to install solar to public k-12 schools, community colleges, and career technical schools across Pennsylvania. The program would fund 50% of the cost of project construction. Federal funds from the Inflation Reduction Act would cover 30- 50% of the remaining installation costs, with school districts responsible for the remaining 0- 20%, plus costs associated with operation and maintenance. The vote comes on the heels of Fiedler’s tour of solar arrays at various schools across Pennsylvania. "I've been able to see firsthand the value that solar arrays bring by reducing costs for school districts and taxpayers, limiting our carbon footprint, and creating new jobs,” Fiedler, D-Phila., said. “I am thrilled Solar for Schools passed the committee. This legislation merges labor and environmental priorities to improve our environment and bring new jobs to our commonwealth.” Committee Chair Robert Matzie, D-Beaver, commended the legislation after voting in favor of the bill. “Solar for Schools is a solid bill that will help school districts and taxpayers save money,” Matzie said. “As chairman of the committee, I was happy Read more

 

Bill to boost funding for road and bridge projects advances in Pa. House

(May 23, 2023)

Legislation designed to use the state’s gas tax revenue in its entirety for road and bridge work is advancing in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. Read more

 

PA lawmakers form Progressive Caucus

(May 23, 2023)

Focusing on prioritizing people over profit, fighting social inequality Read more

 

Frankel, Bellmon applaud House passage of gun safety measures

(May 22, 2023)

HARRISBURG, May 22 – Pennsylvania Safe Caucus Chairmen Dan Frankel, D-Allegheny, and Anthony Bellmon, D-Phila., hailed the historic passage Monday of two bills that would meaningfully address the devastating epidemic of gun violence. “Today, for the first time in years, Pennsylvania House members were given the opportunity to take a position on legislation to protect Pennsylvanians from gun violence, and I am overjoyed to find that we have bipartisan support for serious, research-backed policy solutions that will save lives,” Frankel said. “Now, all eyes are on Senate leaders, who can choose to have a public debate and see where the votes are on basic firearm regulations, or choose to do nothing.” Bellmon, too, celebrated a milestone for two bills that will undoubtedly save lives once they become law. “With the current gun violence crisis taking place in Philadelphia and around the commonwealth, today’s passage of two bills out of the House is a step in the right direction to prevent future tragedies,” Bellmon said. “As co-chair of the PA Safe Caucus, I applaud my colleagues who voted to make the commonwealth a safer place.” The bills that passed are: H.B. 1018 to create Extreme Risk Protection Orders, passed 102-99. H.B. 714 to enact universal background checks, passed 109-92. The bills now head to the state Senate for consideration. Read more

 

O’Mara’s ‘red flag’ legislation passes House

(May 22, 2023)

“I introduced this bill because I lost my dad to gun suicide, and I want to do what I can to ensure no other family has to go through the tragedy that mine went through,” O’Mara said. Read more

 

Committee OKs Haddock bill to remember 9/11 in schools

(May 22, 2023)

“I introduced my bill to ensure future generations of Pennsylvanians understand the events of 9/11, as well as the impact it continues to have on the lives of all Americans," Haddock said. Read more

 

House Education Committee advances bills to help military families take next steps and plan their future

(May 22, 2023)

“The House Education Committee is committed to improving educational opportunities for all Pennsylvanians and efforts to deliver better schools for every student,” said Schweyer. Read more

 

House committee reports out Burns bill to ensure children of deployed military members retain in-state tuition

(May 22, 2023)

“The nature of military service requires them to go where and when they’re needed, so miltary parents can’t control where they’re sent,” Burns said. “That unpredictability shouldn’t penalize them or their children when it comes to their child’s higher education. My bill would make sure they aren’t.” Read more

 

Rabb, Friel Otten announce legislation instituting zero-emission standards for space and water heaters

(May 19, 2023)

HARRISBURG, May 19 – State Reps. Chris Rabb, D-Phila., and Danielle Friel Otten, D-Chester, have introduced legislation that would adopt zero-emission standards for space and water heaters in Pennsylvania. “For Pennsylvania to be the climate leader we want it to be, and to meet our long-term climate goals, we need to take decarbonization seriously,” Rabb, a founding member of the PA Climate Caucus, said. “By reducing the amount of energy needed in buildings through energy efficiency upgrades, reducing carbon content of energy resources and appliances, and shifting energy usage with available technology, we can be one step closer to reaching our climate goals as well as saving money, improving both indoor and outdoor air quality, and reducing health risks associated with pollutants found in buildings.” This legislation would require that beginning Jan. 1, 2030, all new space and water heaters for new construction and replacement of worn-out equipment in existing buildings sold in the commonwealth meet the zero-emission standards. “Heating systems and water heaters have a long lifespan, so it’s important to plan now for the technology we’ll be living with seven, 10, or 25 years from now,” Friel Otten, chair of the PA Climate Caucus, said. “Energy-efficient, zero-emission systems may have a higher upfront price tag, but failing to adopt new standards would Read more

 

Rabb highlights election-related legislation following Tuesday’s special elections

(May 17, 2023)

HARRISBURG, May 17 – State Rep. Chris Rabb, D-Phila., is highlighting multiple election-related bills in the wake of Tuesday’s House of Representative special elections and municipal primary elections in Pennsylvania. “The special elections that occurred yesterday decided the fate of who will control the House of Representatives,” Rabb said. “The process by which we elect people in special elections is as important as regularly scheduled elections. That is why I have reintroduced legislation to modernize the process.” Rabb said his legislation to modernize the special election process would ensure special elections are timely, cost effective and accessible by requiring that special elections happen sooner when a seat becomes vacant more than 90 days before the next election; requiring automatic mail-in voting for all elections while providing county boards of election the option to establish satellite voting sites; subsidizing special elections from restitution paid by elected officials who have vacated their seats because of a felony conviction; and allowing candidates to electronically obtain nomination petition signatures. Rabb also has legislation in the works that would establish rotating ballot positions for candidates , requiring the randomization of each precinct’s list of candidates so that no individual precinct would reflect the same order on the ballot, Read more

 

PA House Democratic leadership issues statement on 2023 Primary Election results

(May 17, 2023)

House Democratic Leaders congratulate the two newest soon-to-be Members of the PA House. Read more

 

Harkins appointed to Veterans’ Home Advisory Council for Pennsylvania Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Home

(May 17, 2023)

“Service and sacrifice are more than a calling for these residents – they are a way of life," Harkins said. "Now, as they enjoy their golden years, it’s incumbent on us to make sure they have the quality of life they deserve. I’m thrilled to be working with fellow council members and the home’s dedicated staff and administrators to keep that legacy of care and respect going.” Read more

 

Bill updating Pennsylvania Soil & Plant Amendment Act passes House
May 23, 2023

Ciresi introduces bill to simplify and make predictable the cost of recording documents
May 23, 2023

Freeman bill would provide voters with earlier information on campaign contributions
May 23, 2023

PLBC celebrates 50 years as a formal caucus with K. Leroy Irvis Day of Action
May 23, 2023

Human Services Committee moves two bills out of committee
May 23, 2023

Warren: State House passes gun background-check bill, red-flag legislation
May 23, 2023

Pennsylvania House Labor & Industry votes on worker focused legislation
May 23, 2023

State House committee OKs $100M for PA mental health needs
May 23, 2023

House committee unanimously approves Solar for Schools legislation
May 23, 2023

Bill to boost funding for road and bridge projects advances in Pa. House
May 23, 2023

PA lawmakers form Progressive Caucus
May 23, 2023

Frankel, Bellmon applaud House passage of gun safety measures
May 22, 2023

O’Mara’s ‘red flag’ legislation passes House
May 22, 2023

Committee OKs Haddock bill to remember 9/11 in schools
May 22, 2023

House Education Committee advances bills to help military families take next steps and plan their future
May 22, 2023

House committee reports out Burns bill to ensure children of deployed military members retain in-state tuition
May 22, 2023

Rabb, Friel Otten announce legislation instituting zero-emission standards for space and water heaters
May 19, 2023

Rabb highlights election-related legislation following Tuesday’s special elections
May 17, 2023

PA House Democratic leadership issues statement on 2023 Primary Election results
May 17, 2023

Harkins appointed to Veterans’ Home Advisory Council for Pennsylvania Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Home
May 17, 2023