HARRISBURG, Feb. 26 – Montgomery County state representatives today announced school safety and security grants awarded to school districts throughout the county. The Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency’s School Safety and Security Committee awarded a total of $53.7 million in school safety grants. Montgomery County awards are as follows: Abington School District: $455,550 Agora Cyber Charter School: $143,226 Cheltenham Township School District: $45,000 Colonial School District: $45,000 Hatboro-Horsham School District: $45,000 Jenkintown School District: $30,000 Lower Merion School District: $45,000 Lower Moreland Township School District: $40,000 Methacton School District: $221,370 Norristown Area School District: $467,756 North Montco Technical Career Center: $150,000 North Penn School District: $45,000 Perkiomen Valley School District: $45,000 Pottsgrove School District: $40,000 Pottstown School District: $490,000 Souderton Area School District: $460,437 Springfield Township School District: $40,000 Spring-Ford Area School District: $45,000 Upper Dublin School District: $45,000 Upper Merion Area School District: $45,000 Upper Moreland School District: $40,000 Upper Perkiomen School District: $40,000 Western Montgomery Career & Technology Center: $72,994 Wissahickon School District: $45,000 Below are reactions from Democratic state Read more

Pennsylvanians deserve more protection from mass layoffs and plant closing that can destroy hardworking families and trash local economies. Read more

“The health and safety of vulnerable highway users is clearly of critical importance, which is why we just passed H.B. 1536 by an overwhelming majority,” Daley said. “I’m grateful to PennDOT for highlighting other crucial laws that are designed to make our roadways safer for everybody, and I’m happy to help promote the message.” Read more

“Given Republican leadership’s commitment to inaction, we must get creative to cut gun violence at its roots. Through his work both in Harrisburg and his district, Representative Kirkland has exhibited the leadership needed to fight the scourge of gun violence.” Read more

“Without any doubt, women’s health is a crucial issue in my role as a state representative, and I appreciate and look forward to the opportunity to serve on this panel,” Daley said. “It provides another chance to discuss legislation and social policy that protects and respects women’s health.” Read more

Zabel’s legislation would utilize best practices that have been implemented in other states to make Pennsylvania’s e-waste recycling law more effective. Read more

With pipelines crisscrossing my district, I was very happy to hear Gov. Wolf include pipeline safety and oversight initiatives in his 2020-21 budget plan. Pipeline safety and accountability are enormous concerns in Chester County, and I have worked to ensure those concerns are heard in Harrisburg. In addition to meetings with Energy Transfer Partners, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, and the Public Utility Commission, I also met with Gov. Wolf multiple times to discuss my concerns – and those of my constituents – regarding this issue. Additionally, at my invitation, the governor visited Chester County to tour pipeline sights. The seeds of these meetings bore fruit this past week, as evidenced in the governor’s budget address. The governor has displayed a deeper insight in these matters, and I am very enthusiastic about his prioritization of pipeline issues and his call for immediate legislative action to address glaring gaps in existing law: As it stands, no state agency has authority to review intrastate pipeline routes, essentially allowing pipeline operators to site through densely populated high-consequence areas. Pipeline operators are not currently required to provide pertinent information to schools and childcare centers located near pipelines. Operators are not required to provide residents and municipalities with notification regarding drilling activities at least five days in Read more

The House Democratic Southeast Delegation today elected state Rep. Steve Malagari, D-Montgomery, treasurer. Read more

HARRISBURG, Feb. 5 – A new legislative caucus, the Bipartisan Industrial Hemp Caucus, has been launched to promote and expand the industrial hemp industry in Pennsylvania, announced co-chairs state Reps. Margo L. Davidson and Russ Diamond today. The bipartisan nature of the caucus underscores the importance of the industrial hemp industry to the entire commonwealth, and both parties’ legislative commitment to creating conditions for Pennsylvanians to grow an environmentally safe, profitable, sustainable, and in-demand product. The BIHC will seek to create a more attractive business environment and culture by spreading information about industrial hemp and its many applications. “The industrial hemp industry perfectly synergizes our rural and urban economies. It will spur job development and create new profitable economic opportunities in our agriculture, research and development, and manufacturing sectors.” Davidson, D-Delaware, said. “Pennsylvania once led the nation in industrial hemp production, and we believe the BIHC will help grow our economy and put our Commonwealth on a path to once again be an industry leader.” “No longer should the United States be dependent on over-priced foreign hemp manufacturers to make our products,” said Diamond., R-Lebanon. “I’m excited to get to work with my colleagues on some important bipartisan legislation as we seek to re-open Pennsylvania’s valuable Read more

HARRISBURG, Feb. 4 – Gov. Tom Wolf highlighted state Rep. Ben Sanchez’s bill requiring gun owners to report lost or stolen firearms in his budget address today as part of his plan to reduce gun violence in the Commonwealth. Sanchez’s H.B. 1288 would require any owner or other person lawfully in possession of a firearm who suffers the loss or theft of a weapon to report it to law enforcement within 72 hours of the discovery. If a person fails to do so, he or she could be charged with a summary offense. “I’m pleased that Governor Wolf singled out my commonsense gun safety bill, which would require stronger reporting requirements for lost and stolen firearms and help keep guns off the streets,” said Sanchez, D-Montgomery. “The bill would deter gun trafficking by making firearm owners more accountable for their weapons and make our communities safer for all of us.” If H.B. 1288 becomes law, Pennsylvania would join a growing list of other states such as Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Rhode Island and the District of Columbia that require the reporting of lost or stolen firearms. Sanchez’s bill previously was introduced by former state Rep. Madeline Dean, and has been referred to the House Judiciary Committee. Read more