Yesterday, Governor Josh Shapiro signed Senate Bill 402(opens in a new tab) into law — officially recognizing Diwali as a state holiday in Pennsylvania while attending a Diwali, Tihar, and Bandi Chhor Diwas celebration hosted by the Governor’s Advisory Commission on Asian American & Pacific Islander Affairs in the atrium of the Keystone Building in downtown Harrisburg. Read more
HARRISBURG, Oct. 9 – Legislation that would make Diwali an official holiday in Pennsylvania passed the General Assembly with a bipartisan majority today and will soon become law. Senate Bill 402 was introduced by state Sens. Greg Rothman, R-Cumberland/Dauphin/Perry, and Nikil Saval, D-Phila., and would not require school, government or employer closings. “Thousands of Pennsylvanians celebrate Diwali each year, as a time of reflection and gathering,” Rothman said. “Recognizing Diwali as an official state holiday upholds and celebrates our commonwealth’s rich cultural diversity.” “Wherever we’re from and whatever our background, all of us deserve to have our cultures recognized and honored. As the number of Asian Americans grows steadily here in Pennsylvania and across the country, our commonwealth’s official recognition of Diwali sends a clear message of inclusion,” Saval added. “I am so proud to have worked with my colleagues in the state legislature to put Pennsylvania at the forefront by acknowledging Diwali’s deep cultural significance and inviting all people to reflect on the endless struggle of light over darkness.” State Rep. Arvind Venkat’s companion legislation, House Bill 436 , passed the Pennsylvania House in April of last year. “Diwali, the Festival of Lights, is celebrated by over a billion Hindus, Jains, Sikhs and Buddhists worldwide, including hundreds Read more
HARRISBURG, Oct. 17 – State Reps. Morgan Cephas , D-Phila.; Gina H. Curry , D-Delaware; and La’Tasha D. Mayes , D-Allegheny, today launched the Pennsylvania Black Maternal Health Caucus at a news conference in the Capitol Media Center. Joining the launch event were advocates from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Community Health Workers and AmeriHealth Caritas/Keystone First, along with a series of other stakeholders from across the state. The Pennsylvania Black Maternal Health Caucus seeks to address disturbing trends of Black maternal mortality and morbidity and pass the Pennsylvania MOMNIBUS, a legislative package modeled after the federal MOMNIBUS legislation to change the trajectory of maternal health outcomes in Pennsylvania. “I am thrilled to be a part of the Black Maternal Health Caucus as this is a subject close to my heart, a cause that I have been championing for years,” Cephas said. “We join forces to bring visibility to Black maternal health as a critical issue and cause of action. We want to advance legislation and solutions by working with our colleagues in both the House and Senate. One of the keys focuses of our work will be proper data collection, as initiated with Act 5 of 2023 signed into law by Governor Josh Shapiro. Accurate and regular tracking is essential for comprehensive research on medical issues linked to Black maternal health. We need Read more
“I’m committed to working with AAPI communities in my district and across the Commonwealth to ensure they feel safe and have access to the resources they need to thrive,” said Senator Collett. “This legislation is a critical first step to addressing prejudices before they take root and ensuring our education system reflects all of our peoples’ histories.” Read more
HARRISBURG, May 1 – State Rep. Patty Kim, D-Dauphin, joined legislators, community members and fellow Asian Americans to celebrate the start of Asian American and Pacific Islander Month. The event also celebrated the formation of the Pennsylvania Legislative Asian Pacific American Caucus. The goal of the caucus is to ensure the full participation of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and reflect the concerns and needs of the Asian American and Pacific Islander communities. “This is about giving Asian Americans a voice in our state legislature and also creating a group that gives us a way to share a piece of our heritage,” Kim said. “I’m so happy to see so many people of different backgrounds come out to celebrate with us.” The Pennsylvania Legislative Asian Pacific American Caucus is comprised of members of the General Assembly who have a strong dedication to addressing the needs and promoting the well-being of the Asian American and Pacific Islander community. Personal experiences about life as an Asian American were shared by state Rep. Tarik Khan, state Rep. Arvind Venkat and Hossain Akbar. PA House Speaker Joanna McClinton and state Sens. Nikil Saval and Maria Collett also spoke at the event. The event began and closed with performances by the Nandanik Dance Troupe, a Pittsburgh-based nonprofit organization that seeks to promote, propagate and preserve Indian Read more
Please join the Pennsylvania Legislative Asian Pacific American Caucus as we celebrate our official formation and our first conference. Read more
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