PHILADELPHIA, Oct. 30 – State Rep. Joanna McClinton, D-Phila./Delaware, is demanding accountability from the Philadelphia Police Department after officers snatched a Black woman out of her SUV during the unrest, beat her, separated her from her 2-year-old child for hours, and handcuffed to her in the hospital where she received treatment for her injuries. McClinton called the incident that took place in her community deeply concerning and charged for transparency from the police department for their actions. “The Philadelphia Police Department must come forward with a clear explanation as to why officers swarmed that vehicle, busted out its windows, dragged out a mother, beat her, and took her child--who was also left injured,” said McClinton, who is also House Democratic chairwoman. “Recounting what was seen in the video that captured the ordeal is difficult, and I know the trauma that this mother and her baby will continue to suffer from is unimaginable. This situation will not go unquestioned.” The high-ranking legislator also condemned the National Fraternal Order of Police for posting a picture of a white female police officer holding the toddler after he was pulled from the vehicle that was falsely captioned: “This child was lost during the violent riots in Philadelphia, wandering around barefoot in an area that was experiencing complete lawlessness. The only thing this Philadelphia police officer Read more

' HARRISBURG, Oct. 28 – State Reps. Leanne Krueger, Kevin Boyle and Tina Davis today discussed legislation to expand and protect access to contraceptives. Krueger, Boyle and Davis introduced H.B. 2813 following a U.S. Supreme Court decision that allows virtually any employer to opt out of the Affordable Care Act mandate to provide contraceptive coverage if they object to birth control on religious or moral grounds. The bill would protect access to this important form of health care by making sure insurers in Pennsylvania provide coverage for contraception. “Now more than ever, we need Pennsylvania to take action. Creating barriers to this basic preventative care puts the health and well-being of millions of Pennsylvania women at risk,” said Krueger, D-Delaware. “In addition to preventing unintended pregnancies, contraceptives are often used to address a variety of women’s health issues. This legislation would help make sure women are able to make their own medical decisions and receive quality care.” Boyle, D-Montgomery/Phila, said, "Birth control is health care, and health care should be accessible to everyone. With the recent decision by the Supreme Court potentially cutting off access to birth control for 2.5 million women, it's vital that we act to provide another option to ensure women have access to the health care they need." Davis, D-Bucks, added, “Contraception is a fundamental aspect of Read more

HARRISBURG, Oct. 27 – State Rep. Stephen Kinsey, chairman of the Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus, along with its members and members of the Pennsylvania Police Reform Working Group and the Philadelphia House Delegation, are demanding justice for West Philadelphia resident Walter Wallace Jr., a 27-year-old Black man, who was killed by police on Monday afternoon in the Cobbs Creek section of the city. Members of these respective legislative bodies also called on the legislature to expeditiously pass the multiple pieces of police reform legislation languishing without action, some of which address procedures on non-lethal de-escalation methods and would instill policies for safer police interactions with residents experiencing mental health crises. “A mother watched her son, suffering from mental illness, be met with a barrage of bullets before her eyes, and a neighborhood saw the same. A mother and father lost their son, and children have lost their father--generations of one family and an entire community are now forced to bear that trauma for the rest of their lives,” said Kinsey, D-Phila. “Indeed, it’s trauma that we are all forced to bear as we have yet to receive justice for the countless other Black lives killed with impunity at the hands of police. Furthermore, during a time when seeking mental health resources is strongly encouraged, this tragedy reveals that living with mental illness while Black, however, and crying for help is Read more

HARRISBURG, Oct. 21 – State Rep. Rosita C. Youngblood, D-Phila., today announced that her House resolution recognizing Oct.10, 2020 as National Period Day in Pennsylvania, an effort to normalize discussions of menstruation and raise awareness of the very real struggle that so many individuals endure simply to afford period products, was unanimously adopted by the House. Youngblood said her measure, H.R. 1055, acknowledges that despite how common it is, menstruation is often spoken about in hushed tones, if brought up at all. Because of this taboo, so many remain unaware of the existence of period poverty in America and that one in four people nationwide struggle to afford period products. “Unfortunately, menstruation continues to be viewed as something shameful, and therefore it often is not discussed. However, when the lack of access to safe and affordable products becomes a factor, it can be especially devastating to a person’s life, causing them to be absent from school, work, and miss out on other important events,” Youngblood said. “My resolution raises awareness of these plights, while also seeking out solutions by way of mobilizing our legislature to assist groups like the Alliance for Period Supplies, Period, Inc., No More Secrets Mind Body Spirit Inc., and the Red Box Project as they work to put an end to the stigma in their mission to equalize access to products.” Read more

HARRISBURG, Oct. 9 – In their ongoing efforts to keep people in their homes, state Reps. Morgan Cephas, Malcolm Kenyatta and Sara Innamorato held a public hearing today to discuss legal aid for tenants facing eviction amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The three brought members of the House Democratic Policy Committee and experts together to discuss legislation they are introducing to provide legal representation to low-income tenants facing an eviction hearing. "A study from the Center for American Progress shows nearly 90% of landlords and property managers across the country have access to legal representation compared to just 10% of tenants. And in most eviction cases, tenants without representation lose," said Cephas, D-Phila. "This ultimately comes down to fairness and the need to prevent our most vulnerable neighbors from being tossed out on the street. Our plan aims to connect them with the quality protection they need to help keep a roof over their head, especially during this health crisis." “The CDC’s moratorium will only stave off evictions until the end of the year, but the threat of a large-scale housing crisis still looms, so we must act now,” said Kenyatta, D-Phila. “During these uncertain and incredibly stressful times in which medical experts are urging everyone to stay at home, Pennsylvanians should be able to take solace in having a home of their own to retreat to. Read more

PHILADELPHIA, Oct. 7 – State House lawmakers representing the House Philadelphia Delegation and Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus today pledged their full weight behind major legal action being taken against the commonwealth for preventing local governments from enacting their own gun-safety laws. The lawsuit filed by the city and private law firms on behalf of Pennsylvanians who have been impacted by gun violence was announced at a news conference in Philadelphia today. Philadelphia Delegation Chairman Jason Dawkins and PLBC Chairman Stephen Kinsey said it was long past time for the many people who have been impacted by gun violence to receive true acknowledgement and justice for their pain. They said the delegations they lead have worked for years to enact sensible gun-safety measures in the state but have been hampered by a Republican majority legislature determined to give no one in the state the ability to reduce gun violence and save lives. “Philadelphia and municipalities across the state took action tragedy after tragedy on behalf of the residents they serve when the state would not, only to be met with callous laws specifically designed to prevent them from doing so,” Dawkins said. “I am equally tired of the hallow promises to help reduce gun violence being made by the Republican majority following each tragedy. They hold the power to move the commonsense gun safety legislation we put forward. Yet, they continue to deny Read more

HARRISBURG, Oct. 2 – Days before the annual kick-off of “Love Your Avenue Week,” state Rep. Donna Bullock, D-Phila., today announced that her resolution designating the week of Oct. 4-10, 2020, as “Love Your Avenue Week” in Pennsylvania —an effort to raise awareness about community revitalization — was unanimously adopted by the House. Throughout the year, Bullock said, communities across Pennsylvania host various initiatives, such as corridor clean ups, festivals, parades, and sidewalk sales to mark the occasion. “‘Love Your Avenue Week’ enforces a sense of pride among residents in their communities. It’s especially notable in the 195 th Legislative District, where we have a huge celebration along Girard Avenue,” Bullock said. “However, the pandemic has put a damper on many of these plans, ultimately coming as a blow to the strength of countless business corridors. The adoption of my resolution not only serves as an ongoing reminder as to how critical these central local businesses are, but also raises awareness to how dire community support is during these times.” Bullock pointed to the Pennsylvania Downtown Center as among the proponents for revitalization. PDC is the only statewide nonprofit dedicated solely to the revitalization of the commonwealth’s core communities. By providing outreach, technical assistance and educational services, the PDC assists communities in Read more

HARRISBURG, Sept. 23 – State Rep. Danilo Burgos, D-Phila., on Tuesday chaired a public hearing on legislation he introduced, H.B. 2835 , that would extend the privilege to obtain a driver’s license to undocumented Pennsylvanians. The hearing featured testimony from advocates, policy experts and undocumented residents about the importance of his legislation to Pennsylvania’s economy and workforce. “Throughout this pandemic, countless undocumented Pennsylvanians have sacrificed their lives, and the lives of their families, filling the role of essential workers to ensure communities across the commonwealth aren’t without critical supplies,” Burgos said. “ We express our gratitude for their labor during this time, but it falls flat when we fail to make them feel like esteemed members of our community. My legislation would provide them—our neighbors—with the safety and the dignity they deserve. “From an economic perspective, the revenue generated from application costs to PennDOT and purchases on car insurance policies would greatly benefit Pennsylvania’s economy -- a much needed relief as our economy struggles to gain stability during this crisis,” he said. Burgos’ legislation would allow people without a Social Security number to apply for a driver's license or learner's permit using secure alternatives such as a federal taxpayer identification Read more

HARRISBURG, Sept. 15 – State Rep. Kevin Boyle, D-Phila./Montgomery, today joined Gov. Tom Wolf in urging swift action on legislation that would provide the support county election officials need to make sure Pennsylvanians can vote safely and have their ballots timely counted. Boyle, Wolf and other public officials met in York today to outline the legislation the General Assembly should pass this month to improve the mail-in ballot process ahead of the Nov. 3 general election and give county officials the time they need to count ballots and return election results quickly. “The House State Government Committee is planning to meet this Wednesday to discuss legislation related to the election code. We have an opportunity in committee this week to make vital, time sensitive changes to allow counties more time to pre-canvass mail ballots so they can return election results timely on Election Day,” said Boyle, who serves as Democratic chairman of the committee. “Immediate action is needed to address the enormous volume of mail-in ballots expected to be cast. We need to ensure that Pennsylvania does not become a national embarrassment on Election Day. “To that end, I am introducing several amendments this week during committee, to expand counties’ ability to pre-canvass mail-in ballots, and to expand county residents’ eligibility to serve as poll workers.” Boyle said the committee is Read more