Grant Memo: Cultural, Health, Environmental, Public Safety, Transportation, and Redevelopment Opportunities

(Jan 03, 2024)

NEWLY LISTED PROGRAMS Department of Human Services: OCDEL Keystone STARS Continuous Quality Improvement Who May Apply: Eligible childcare providers will be notified via an eligibility letter from their Early Learning Resource Center. Providers must meet the requirements outlined here . Use: Staff qualifications and professional development, early childhood education programs, partnerships with families and communities, leadership and management, and accreditation costs. Funds: Grant amounts vary by provider. Grant funding comes from $12 million of federal Childcare Development Fund funds. Application Deadline: Feb. 15, 2024 More information: Keystone STARS Website Department of Transportation: State Transportation Innovation Council (STIC) Incentive Program Who May Apply: To be eligible for STIC Incentive funding, the STIC or other equivalent task force, committee or group must be formally established with a charter, include public and private members, meet regularly, and comprehensively consider sources of innovation. Use: The State Transportation Innovation Council Incentive Program provides funding to help STICs foster a culture of innovation and make innovations standard practice in their states. Examples of allowable activities include but are not limited to: developing standards and specifications; developing training to facilitate widespread use of innovation, developing memoranda of agreement; preparing a report summarizing the lessons Read more

 

PA House Democrats approve legislation to increase nonprofit security grant program to $10 million

(Nov 02, 2023)

"As antisemitism continues to rise and animus toward groups is felt daily, we need to protect faith-based institutions by investing in their physical security and mental well-being,” said Solomon. “Our bill does this work. Our founder -- William Penn -- held out the promise of embracing religious difference, and we help deliver on that promise with this legislation." Read more

 

NOVEMBER 2023

(Nov 01, 2023)

NOVEMBER 2023 District Office Leases $3400.00 Office Supplies $195.52 Bulk Mail $123.20 Postage $7.72 Lodging/Meals $434.00 Mileage $145.41 ______________________________ TOTAL $4305.85 Read more

 

Time is running out to fund Pennsylvania 911 centers

(Oct 17, 2023)

House Bill 1304 has already passed the House in a 121 to 82 vote and is now sitting in the Senate Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee. Read more

 

Solomon’s open primaries legislation voted out of House State Government Committee

(Oct 17, 2023)

Solomon said today’s vote is a step forward to embracing over 1.2 million disenfranchised voters in Pennsylvania, who are currently unaffiliated with any political party. Read more

 

Conklin: House State Government Committee will consider legislation to create open state primaries

(Oct 11, 2023)

“We have the opportunity to give a voice to over a million Pennsylvanians," Solomon said. "Opening our primary elections will give people a stake in our democracy, ensuring that all voices, regardless of party, have the opportunity to help shape our state's future.” Read more

 

Kenyatta, Solomon bill proposing April 2 primary election date passes House

(Oct 05, 2023)

HARRISBURG, Oct. 5 – State Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta, D-Phila., today announced the passage of H.B. 1634 , which would change the presidential primary date in Pennsylvania to the first Tuesday in April. “I’m grateful my colleagues noticed the importance of this bill and the potential impact it could have on the commonwealth,” Kenyatta said. “Pennsylvania currently is one of the last states to vote in the primary. While this bill doesn’t contain the same date as the Senate proposal — it is a way forward that advances our shared goal of an earlier primary in presidential years. I urge the Senate to give it thoughtful consideration and a quick vote.” State Rep. Jared Solomon, D-Phila., a co-prime sponsor of H.B. 1634, echoed Kenyatta’s remarks. “With this legislation passing out of the House, we are one step closer to Pennsylvania becoming a heavyweight in the political arena,” Solomon said. “And as someone whose faith is incredibly important to me and my family, I'm grateful that I will no longer have to choose between my civic duty and my religious obligations.” Historically, Pennsylvania’s presidential primary election takes place during Passover, which hasn’t been convenient for some residents who participate in the Passover holiday, Kenyatta said. If signed into law, H.B.1634 would rectify this issue for all future presidential Read more

 

Legislation to move Pennsylvania's primary election day passes House committee

(Oct 03, 2023)

"Jewish Pennsylvanians shouldn't have to choose between celebrating Passover and going to the polls. We don’t want to have any tension between our religious beliefs and our civic duty,” Solomon said. “My legislation to move up Pennsylvania’s primary election would solve this issue while at the same time giving Pennsylvania more of a say in all future presidential races so that we are in the mix with other early states." Read more

 

Pennsylvania primary: State House committee advances one bill to change the date, rejects another

(Oct 03, 2023)

Kenyatta added that moving the primary from its current April 23 date to April 2 positions Pennsylvania to be part of a regional group of states holding primaries on that date, including Arkansas, Delaware, Mississippi, New York, Rhode Island and Wisconsin. He acknowledged concerns about how changing the date would affect county elections officials and the logistics involved in making a change with just over seven months before the primary. Read more

 

Kenyatta, Solomon’s election legislation voted out of State Govt. Committee

(Oct 03, 2023)

The legislators maintain that moving up the primary date would give Pennsylvania increased political weight commensurate with the state’s size and importance in deciding elections. Read more

 

October 2023

(Oct 01, 2023)

OCTOBER 2023 District Office Leases $3400.00 Office Supplies $185.02 Bulk Mail $107.29 Postage $6.15 Lodging/Meals $793.38 Mileage $436.23 VA&EP Committee $312.48 ______________________________ TOTAL $5240.55 Read more

 

September 2023

(Oct 01, 2023)

SEPTEMBER 2023 District Office Leases $2793.33 Office Supplies $332.23 Bulk Mail $3945.82 Postage $8.51 Lodging/Meals $245.00 Mileage ' $145.41 ____________________________ TOTAL $7470.30 Read more

 

August 2023

(Sep 27, 2023)

AUGUST 2023 District Office Lease $2000.00 Office Supplies $120.63 Postage/Mail $3993.63 Refreshments $72.14 Mileage $294.75 VA&EP Committee $588.20 ______________________________ TOTAL $7,069.35 Read more

 

July 2023

(Sep 27, 2023)

JULY 2023 District Office Lease $2000.00 Office Supplies $295.36 Postage/Mail $149.87 Lodging/Parking $234.00 Business meals $26.03 Mileage $145.41 ______________________________ TOTAL $2,850.67 Read more

 

June 2023

(Sep 27, 2023)

JUNE 2023 District Office Lease $2000.00 Office Supplies $266.47 Postage/Mail $131.45 Lodging/Parking $702.00 Meals expenses $87.32 Mileage $835.78 Shredding Event $1950.00 Notary Fees $307.35 VA&EP Committee $125.64 ______________________________ TOTAL $6,406.01 Read more

 

Open Primaries Would Strengthen Democracy in Pa.

(Sep 22, 2023)

Prestigious newspaper editorial boards, Pennsylvania’s past five governors and more have voiced their support for open primaries. As representatives of the people of Pennsylvania, we must ensure everyone’s voice is heard.We hope our colleagues in the General Assembly will realize that bringing more people into the electoral system ensures faith in the democratic process. Read more

 

Support rises for Rabb and Solomon’s open primary legislation

(Sep 14, 2023)

Support continues to grow for voting access legislation authored by state Reps. Jared Solomon and Chris Rabb, both D-Phila. Philadelphia’s prestigious newspaper of record, The Philadelphia Inquirer, recently endorsed their bill to bring more voters into Pennsylvania’s election process. Rabb and Solomon said that the fastest growing group of voters in Pennsylvania are unaffiliated voters. Their proposed legislation would open primary elections to unaffiliated voters, which make up more than one million voters in Pennsylvania. “As a strong and established advocate of voters’ rights, I don’t believe there should be any one disenfranchised or a so-called second class of voters,” Rabb said. “Independent voters have a right to cast their ballot and be a part of the democratic process.” Solomon reiterated, “Opening the closed primary system in Pennsylvania would allow over one million more people to participate in the democratic process. An open primary system would go a long way to create more civic engagement, introduce fresh ideas and promote a healthy democracy.” Due to bipartisan support across the state, demonstrated in polling data, Rabb and Solomon are calling on the House State Government Committee to call this bill for a vote and move the bill to the House floor. According to Rabb and Solomon, 30 states have chosen to include unaffiliated voters in their primary elections, allowing voters who Read more

 

State Grant Programs Open For Application (09/05/2023)

(Sep 05, 2023)

PROGRAMS NOW OPEN FOR APPLICATIONS: Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency: Regional Policing Assistance Program Who May Apply: Applicants for the Regional Policing Assistance Program may be any municipality – a city, borough, township, home-rule municipality, or county. Applicants may also be a public or quasi-public body, or its representative, duly authorized to act on behalf of one or more municipalities. All applications must be accompanied by fully executed Articles of Agreement or an Intergovernmental Agreement that establishes a Regional Police Department. Use: Funding will support efforts in establishing or expanding regional police departments that would improve the following: uniformity and consistency of enforcement across municipalities; recruitment; distribution and deployment of police personnel; training and personnel efficiency; career enhancement opportunities; enhanced professionalism; and reduction of costs. Funds: A total of approximately $1,000,000 in federal funds is being announced to support this initiative. Applicants may apply for up to $150,000 for the formation of a new regional police department or up to $50,000 for the expansion of an existing regional police department by adding a chartered municipality(ies). Application Deadline: September 6, 2023 More information: PCCD Website Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency: Legal Standing Video Read more

 

Pennsylvania working on plans to celebrate nation's 250th anniversary

(Sep 05, 2023)

“We are trying to do something transformational,” said Rep. Jared Solomon, D-Philadelphia, a cosponsor of the law and committee member Tuesday. He said the celebration can shape how we look at Pennsylvania’s past, its present in 2026 and future in decades to come. Read more

 

Pa. lawmakers consider moving up state’s presidential primary date

(Sep 05, 2023)

Pennsylvania is a pivotal battleground state and moving up the primary election will provide Pennsylvanians the political weight we deserve by giving us a voice earlier in the process,” Solomon said. “At the same time, Jewish Pennsylvanians shouldn’t have to choose between celebrating Passover and going to the polls.Kenyatta added that April 2 is also the presidential primary date for Wisconsin, “another battleground,” and neighboring Delaware and New York. Read more