HARRISBURG, April 13 -- State Rep. Chris Rabb, D-Phila, is advocating for formal acknowledgement of the extraordinary work of caregivers of Pennsylvania’s veterans through the Hidden Heroes campaign. “Many times, a veteran’s caregiver is a spouse, parent and other loved ones whose lives are transformed, their goals set aside, and they rearrange their lives to help the ones who sacrificed the most for us,” Rabb said. “We need to recognize that these women and men are heroes and sacrifice more than we currently understand.” The Hidden Heroes campaign is an initiative through the Elizabeth Dole Foundation that seeks to raise awareness of the struggles of these special caregivers. It also seeks to establish a national registry where veterans and their caregivers can access resources available to them. Read more
NEWLY LISTED PROGRAMS Commission on Crime and Delinquency: School Safety and Mental Health Grants Who May Apply: Eligible school entities as defined under 24 P.S. §13-1314.1-B of the PA Public School Code. Use: Funding may be used to assist schools with physical safety and/or behavioral health needs. Funds: $100 million is available to be distributed via a formula that stipulates school districts are to receive $100,000 base average and an additional amount based on their 22/23 Adjusted Average Daily Membership. Other eligible school entities are to receive $70,000. Application Deadline: September 26, 2024 More information: PCCD Website Commission on Crime and Delinquency: Targeted School Safety Grants for Nonpublic Schools Who May Apply: Nonpublic schools as defined under Section 924.3-A of the PA Public School Code, municipalities, law enforcement agencies, or approved vendors. Use: Funding may be used to assist schools with physical safety and/or behavioral health needs. Funds: A total of $19,665,000 in state school safety and security funds is being announced to support this initiative. Application Deadline: September 26, 2024 More information: PCCD Website PennDOT: Rail Freight Assistance Program/Rail Transportation Assistance Program Who May Apply: Railroad company, transportation organization, municipality, municipal authority, user Read more
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HARRISBURG, Aug. 1 – State Rep. Chris Rabb, D-Phila., has introduced legislation, H.B. 2525 , which would prohibit corporations from using deceitful and manipulative practices known as “greenwashing” in Pennsylvania. “For decades now, corporations have taken advantage of environmentally conscious consumers by intentionally marketing their products in a manner that makes them appear better for the planet than they really are. This devious and manipulative practice is known as ‘greenwashing.’ You often see it when companies use terms such as ‘net zero,’ ‘low carbon’ or ‘cleaner energy,’ even if those claims are not based in reality or are aspirational at best,” Rabb said . “As we increasingly experience the drastic effects of the climate crisis, such as more intense storms, floods, droughts and wildfires, the last thing Pennsylvania consumers need is to be lied to as they try to make informed purchasing decisions.” This legislation would ensure that there is truth in marketing by amending the Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law to explicitly prohibit deceptive environmental marketing claims. "Corporations should not be allowed to lie to consumers and pretend that dirty and polluting products are healthy or sustainable, but the reality is these deceptive greenwashing practices are rampant across many industries, from Read more
NEWLY LISTED PROGRAMS Commission on Crime and Delinquency: Nonprofit Security Grant Fund Program Who May Apply : Applicant must be a nonprofit organization based in the Commonwealth designated as a 501(c)(3) and principally serve individuals, groups, or institutions that are included within a bias motivation category for single bias hate crime incidents identified by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in its Hate Crime Statistics Publication under the Uniform Crime Reporting program. Use : Eligible expenses include, but are not limited to, safety and security planning, purchase of safety and security equipment, purchase of security related technology (metal detectors, protective lighting, deadbolts, etc.), safety and security training, upgrades to existing structures that enhance safety and security, and more. Funds : $10 million has been appropriated by the General Assembly to the Nonprofit Security Grant Fund. Applicant requests must be between $5,000 and $150,000. Application Deadline : August 27, 2024 More information : PCCD Website Historical & Museum Commission: Cultural and Historical Support Grants Who May Apply: Museums and official county historical societies. Use: Funds are intended to strengthen the museum community and provide operating support to museums and historical societies. Funds: Nearly $2 million in funds are available. Application Deadline: August Read more
HARRISBURG, July 17 – The Pennsylvania House Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee held a non-voting informational meeting in Pittsburgh on Tuesday to discuss state Rep. Chris Rabb’s legislation, H.B. 920 , which would establish Urban Agricultural Incentive Zones in the commonwealth. “Urban agriculture is agriculture and needs to be treated as such. No better, no worse. “Urban farmers deserve the same quality and range of opportunities and protections as their rural counterparts. “Urban farmers need help with accessing capital for equipment and fencing; water, irrigation and sewage systems; soil remediation and animal control. “The biggest takeaway from listening to urban farmers yesterday was that their individual and collective efforts enrich whole communities including local residents who don’t consume what they grow, but who still benefit from the fruits of their labor. “I’m certain that the feedback from testifiers at this House Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee hearing will substantially improve my legislation which could be voted on as early as this fall.” Read more
HARRISBURG, July 17 – In light of the recent resignations from the Pennsylvania House of Representatives of former state Reps. Donna Bullock and Stephen Kinsey, both D-Phila., and the announcement that there will be Sept. 17 special elections to replace them, state Rep. Chris Rabb is highlighting special election-related legislation that would save Pennsylvania money and clean up the special election process. “As we’ve seen numerous times over the past two years in the House, the process by which we elect people in special elections is just as important as regularly scheduled elections,” said Rabb, D-Phila. “According to the Pennsylvania Department of State, the state spent almost $1 million on special elections in 2023 alone.” This legislation, H.B. 1831 , 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; allowing for non-partisan participation ; and allowing candidates to electronically obtain nomination petition signatures, he said. “Pennsylvanians deserve special elections that are equitable, transparent, efficient and cost-effective. At the moment, special elections in this state are none of those things,” Read more
HARRISBURG, July 9 – The Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus today laid out a plan for reforming Pennsylvania’s adult use cannabis laws, with a focus on criminal justice reform and social equity. “It is time that we invest in the restoration of communities that have been impacted, we return incarcerated persons to their families, and we provide entrepreneurs with a pathway to lead in this emerging marketplace,” said PLBC chair, state Rep. Napoleon Nelson. The PLBC is advocating for expungement of prior cannabis offenses and the reimbursement of assets forfeited during cannabis-related arrests to be included in any legislation that would legalize marijuana for recreational use. “So many stakeholders and lawmakers in other states have already affirmed these moral imperatives and we are convinced that Pennsylvania will do the same,” Nelson said. “We’re in a commonwealth that has a number of dispensaries, none of which I believe are owned by Black folk — zero — unacceptable,” said state Rep. Chris Rabb, co-founder of the PA Cannabis Caucus. “The origins of the racist war on drugs and cannabis prohibition have been directly and insidiously connected to Black folk and to any number of people who have been marginalized over generations.” “To do so while thousands of Pennsylvanians have their lives, Read more
HARRISBURG, July 9 – After joining colleagues from the Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus for a news conference on adult use cannabis today, state Rep. Chris Rabb, D-Phila., said he is encouraged by the continued groundswell of support among state legislators for equitable and inclusive adult use cannabis legalization. Rabb, founding member of the PA Cannabis Caucus and founding chair of the Pennsylvania House Democratic Equity Committee, has been a long-time advocate and ardent supporter of smart and truly equitable adult use cannabis legalization. “We have to get this right. It’s not about being the next state to legalize cannabis; it’s about being the best,” Rabb said. “We’re going to get it done right when people who are closest to the pain say, ‘this is good;’ it’s not going to be the lobbyists and it’s not going to be the industry elites. “We must commit to establishing a truly independent, autonomous quasi-governmental entity free from the political vicissitudes of the legislative and executive branches that abound. It is one thing to say we are going to set aside some money, but if you don’t empower and generously fund an independent and autonomous entity to steward those funds to do the things that our legislature has failed to do for generations, all is for naught. “The entity that oversees the broad array of social equity measures must be Read more
PA state Rep. Chris Rabb's legislation to provide additional protection to inheritors to prevent forced sales of inherited properties is one step closer to becoming law. Rabb's Uniform Partition of Heirs Property Acts passed in the PA House and will now go to the Senate for concurrence. Read more
HARRISBURG, July 2 – The Pennsylvania House of Representatives today passed legislation ( H.B. 2232 ) sponsored by state Reps. Chris Rabb, D-Phila., and Napoleon Nelson, D-Montgomery, that would establish the Uniform Partition of Heirs Property Act in Pennsylvania. The legislation would make sure all inheritors are informed when one inheritor wants to sell their share of the property. It would also require the court to appoint a neutral appraiser to determine the property's fair market value. And it would provide other inheritors the right of first refusal to buy the share of the person who wants to sell. “When a loved one passes, it is utterly heartbreaking and an immense challenge to overcome. When they don’t have an estate plan in place it can lead to some difficult decisions and uncomfortable situations for the person’s heirs,” Rabb said. “This leads to the person’s heirs taking ownership of the property as tenants-in-common -- a form of ownership that frequently leads to heirs losing their land through forced partition sale and to families losing immense inherited wealth to real estate speculators.” This legislation would provide additional due process protections to prevent Pennsylvanians from the forced sale of inherited property, Rabb said. This bill will now head to the state Senate for consideration. Read more
HARRISBURG, June 28 – The Pennsylvania House Judiciary Committee approved, with bipartisan support, legislation ( H.B. 1849 ) sponsored by state Rep. Chris Rabb, D-Phila., that would allow for restorative justice practices to be used in the state’s criminal legal system as a voluntary, pre-trial diversion option. “Restorative justice is an approach to criminal justice that seeks to understand and repair the harmful consequences of a criminal act, focusing on the restoration of the victim and mending damaged relationships, as opposed to punishing the offender,” Rabb said. “Ample research has been conducted on restorative justice and it has consistently shown to result in higher rates of victim satisfaction, lower rates of recidivism and enhanced offender accountability. “By emphasizing accountability and reconciliation, we can find a better approach to harm reduction that will allow our communities to heal, centering the concerns of victims and redemption of those who caused the harm while also reducing the cost and case load in our court system.” The bill will now go to the House floor where it will await a vote. Read more
PA state Rep. Chris Rabb voices his support for legislation that promises to bring clean energy projects and the federal funding to implement them into the commonwealth. Rabb says that this bill, similar to his own green bank legislation , would create extraordinary opportunity to focus on the type of energy we desperately need while also addressing the current climate crisis. Rabb has also introduced legislation that would require Pennsylvania to transition to 100% renewable energy by the year 2050 . Read more
State Rep. Chris Rabb, D-Phila., state officials and industry experts held a news conference today at Jenkins Arboretum and Gardens to highlight the importance of Pennsylvania’s pollinators. Read more
HARRISBURG, June 14 – State Rep. Chris Rabb, D-Phila., is drafting legislation that would prohibit corporations from using deceitful and manipulative practices known as “greenwashing” in Pennsylvania. “For decades now, corporations have taken advantage of environmentally-conscious consumers by intentionally marketing their products in a manner that makes them appear better for the planet than they really are. This devious and manipulative practice is known as ‘greenwashing,’” Rabb said . “You often see it when companies use terms such as ‘net zero,’ ‘low carbon’ or ‘cleaner energy,’ even if those claims are not based in reality or are aspirational at best.” This legislation would ensure that there is truth in marketing by amending the Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law to explicitly prohibit deceptive environmental marketing claims. “As we increasingly experience the drastic effects of our warming climate, such as more intense storms, floods, droughts and wildfires, the last thing Pennsylvania consumers need is to be lied to as they try to make informed purchasing decisions,” Rabb said. "Corporations should not be allowed to lie to consumers and pretend that dirty and polluting products are healthy or sustainable, but the reality is these deceptive greenwashing practices Read more
HARRISBURG, June 12 – The Pennsylvania House Finance Committee today approved legislation that would allow tech and bio-tech startups with unused net operating loss carryover to sell the tax benefits for use by other taxpayers subject to the Corporate Net Income tax. The bill passed with an amendment included by state Rep. Chris Rabb that would make sure businesses in impacted communities are explicitly included in opportunities created by this legislation. Rabb said his amendment improves the legislation while maintaining its scope and ensuring that startup owners who live in impacted communities are affiliated with technology-centered entities and have operations that address clean energy production or provide offerings that relate to energy efficiency or environmental resiliency efforts. “A lot of start-ups are technology-based firms that can create good, sustainable jobs. We are fortunate to have institutions that support this work; yet, we have brain drain. Our workforce is being pulled into other states because we haven’t fostered an environment that supports them,” Rabb, D-Phila., said. “I am particularly interested in those businesses that have a disproportionate influence on communities that could benefit the most from technologies whose residents have been most harmed by predatory business models. “We can use good judgment and data to find and support the types of businesses that have the most Read more
HARRISBURG, June 11 – State Rep. Chris Rabb, D-Phila., recently introduced legislation ( H.B. 2405 ) that would establish the Freedom School Grant Program. The Freedom School Grant Program would provide grants to schools and other organizations to help them establish more Freedom Schools , which were created in the 1960s by the nonprofit Children’s Defense Fund to provide well-rounded educational opportunities to Black children who were not given such opportunities in Mississippi public schools, Rabb said. “These schools improve reading, language skills and interpersonal relationships; strengthen families; connect children to medical and other needed social services; and develop the skills needed to improve conditions for children and families in their communities,” Rabb said. “They are an exceptional tool for building success and equity and for bridging the gaps in educational opportunity.” Today, 24 states have faith-based organizations, schools and school districts, community-based organizations and nonprofits, colleges and universities, and juvenile detention facilities that offer Freedom Schools. However, Pennsylvania has only one Freedom School, which is why legislation is needed to expand and enrich the breadth of learning so valuable to students across the state, Rabb said. Read more
PA state Rep. Chris Rabb has been working to fix the Commonwealth’s broken, unconstitutional, racist system of education funding since taking office seven years ago and now, finally, legislation promising full and fair funding to all PA school districts has passed in the #PAHouse. Read more
As more Pennsylvanians are trying to make environmentally conscious purchases, PA state Rep. Chris Rabb wants to make sure that the companies selling those goods and services are being honest in their claims of environmental friendliness and sustainability. Rabb has introduced legislation to protect PA consumers from “Greenwashing,” a manipulative practice used by many corporations to market their products as green, net-zero, or 100% natural. Read more
HARRISBURG, March 30 – State Rep. Chris Rabb has introduced legislation that would provide protections for consumers against predatory rent-to-own companies. “These predatory companies often use the taxpayer-subsidized criminal court system as a de facto collection agency to take money they claim is owed to them for household and other items, which they leased to people who could not afford to purchase the items in full at point of sale,” said Rabb, D-Phila. “And often even despite the fact that the company has recovered the cost of the property, they will seek criminal charges and use threats of jail time to collect money in excess of the value of the leased property. “It is just another way that companies use institutional violence to squeeze as much as they can out of our most vulnerable populations,” Rabb said. The legislation ( H.B. 2359 ) would ensure that these predatory practices would be prohibited by giving the courts the ability to cap the demand at $50 if the lease of property has exceeded the retail value. Read more
Restorative justice is a philosophy of criminal justice that seeks to repair the harmful consequences of a criminal act, focusing on the restoration of the victim rather than prioritizing punishment of the offender. Read more
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