HARRISBURG, June 15 – State Reps. Joe Ciresi, D-Montgomery, and R. Lee James, R-Venango, today announced the introduction of their legislation to create a direct path for dance teacher certification, H.B. 2678. Under current regulations, Pennsylvania dance teachers cannot be directly certified in dance and, instead, are certified in communications or physical or vocational education. According to the legislators, the current certification process has had a negative impact on dance teacher preparedness, continuing education and Pennsylvania school districts’ dance programs. “We introduced this legislation to modernize dance teacher certification in Pennsylvania by enabling dance instructors to be certified in their discipline and ensure our dance teacher certification standards align with national standards,” Ciresi said. “We owe it to our dance teachers, students and school district dance programs to have the PA Department of Education establish a direct path for new dance teacher certification, requiring discipline-specific education in dance for new dance teachers, just as we do for instructors in music, visual art, math and science.” Critics have faulted both the fact that dance teachers’ certification does not have any dance-specific content and that the current different paths to dance teacher certification create undue confusion, promote work-arounds, and make it unreasonably difficult for dance educators to pursue Read more
LANACASTER, June 9 – State Rep. Mike Sturla, D-Lancaster, thanks the Board of the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency for today approving $1,936,000 from the Pennsylvania Housing Affordability and Rehabilitation Enhancement fund for affordable housing initiatives in Lancaster. “As Democratic Chair of the House Urban Affairs Committee, I have been very active this session in working on legislative solutions, including establishing the PHARE fund, to increase affordable housing throughout Pennsylvania,” Sturla said. “I was happy to offer my support for our local PHARE applicants and I congratulate them on their funding.” The local PHARE recipients are: YWCA Lancaster was awarded $250,000 to add 16 newly constructed residential units and renovate their exiting 38 residential units at their downtown facility. SACA Development Corporation was awarded $350,000 to complete the Conestoga North Phase II Project, which will construct nine single family homes for first time homebuyers whose income is below 80% of median. Building and Supporting Entrepreneurship of Southeast Lancaster was awarded $200,000 for its Home Ownership Made Equal (H.O.M.E.) Phase II Program that assists minority families of low to moderate income with owning their first home. The Housing Authority of the City of Lancaster was awarded $336,000 to renovate Read more
HARRISBURG, June 9 – State Rep. Matt Bradford announced today that Mission Kids, located in Ea st Norriton Township, is receiving $367,796 to support their work with children and young adults. The state grant, which was funded through the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency, will focus on critical violence prevention. “This specialized work performed by Mission Kids is incredibly valuable to our community. We are so fortunate to have them in our region,” Bradford said. The PCCD, in collaboration with the Child Maltreatment Solutions Network at Penn State University, announced the Endowment Act funding to support a new pilot prevention research program. Over the last four years, PCCD and CMSN implemented a three-pronged pilot prevention program that served more than 16,000 second graders and 14,000 parents. Due to the success of that project, and the need to implement a more universal parent education component, PCCD and CMSN will implement a two-year pilot that will include two programs to be implemented within different segments of the community. Read more
YORK, June 9 – State Rep. Carol Hill-Evans, D-York, announced that two York County organizations have been awarded $612,297 for child abuse services, education for second graders about appropriate relationships, and substance abuse and education programs by the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency. “Our service organizations really help hold our community together, providing critical education and services to at-risk or abused populations, increasing community safety and providing support for those in treatment programs,” Hill-Evans said. “I am a huge admirer of the York County Children’s Advocacy Center for their clinical care for sexually abused children and educational programs to teach our second graders about appropriate relationships and am very pleased to see their efforts will be supported and expanded by these grants. “This grant money supports people’s engagement with substance abuse treatment programs.” The York County Children's Advocacy Center has received three grants . The center will use its $99,996 grant to continue to fund the position of Intake Coordinator. Thanks to the Intake Coordinator, the CAC has been able to rapidly intake a diverse and growing number of referrals of child victims and their caregivers. As CAC receives approximately 5 to 10 referrals a day, the Intake Coordinator has significantly enhanced the agency’s Read more
HARRISBURG, June 8 – State Reps. Joe Ciresi, Liz Hanbidge and Joe Webster, all D-Montgomery, today announced that three local children and youth welfare organizations would be receiving $494,102 in state grants to support substance use treatment services and education programs and child abuse victims’ programs in Montgomery County from the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency. The state representatives all expressed how meaningful these funds would be in improving lives in vulnerable or critical situations in the county. “There are many people who are struggling here in Montgomery County -- who desperately need assistance -- and thanks to this funding to these amazing organizations, will get the help they deserve,” Ciresi said. “No one is more vulnerable than a child, and so I am very glad that the Child Advocacy Center of Montgomery County has received $199,836 to expand its trauma therapy services and implement a new telehealth trauma therapy program to support underserved victims of child abuse in Montgomery County.” “Addressing the root cause of substance abuse and trauma through comprehensive, evidence-based therapy results in more lives being restored and more success stories being written,” Hanbidge said. “These grant dollars will be earmarked toward ensuring those who need assistance are able to get the high-quality, timely help they Read more
STEELTON, June 3 – State Rep. Patty Kim joined Department of Aging Secretary Robert Torres and Department of Human Services Acting Secretary Meg Snead and community leaders today to echo Governor Tom Wolf’s call for the Pennsylvania General Assembly to immediately use a portion of the $1.7 billion in unspent American Rescue Plan Act dollars to help older adults and individuals with disabilities through property tax and rent rebates to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. "Our seniors are the foundation of our communities,” said Rep. Kim. “Seniors navigate their everyday lives on a fixed income, trying to make the best of a post-pandemic world despite rising costs for necessities. This is the reason I'm advocating for the General Assembly to act to make sure federal dollars from the American Rescue Plan can be used for this one-time bonus rebate to help seniors, people with disabilities, widows and widowers.” In February, Gov. Wolf proposed his $1.7 billion action plan, which includes a proposal to direct $204 million to provide property tax relief to Pennsylvanians by investing in the existing Property Tax Rent Rebate program. This investment would be a one-time bonus rebate to current program users, doubling existing rebates with an estimated 466,000 Pennsylvanians receiving an additional average rebate of $475. While Democratic leaders in the Senate and House have introduced legislation, Senate Bill 1187 and House Bill 2560, to Read more
“About one year ago, following the deadly shooting in Atlanta where a gunman killed eight women – including six women of Asian descent – I joined lawmakers in participating in a listening tour involving the Asian community across the commonwealth,” Kim said. “People were fearful, people were frustrated and one of the topics that kept coming up was the need to educate to combat the hate. Asian Americans are tired of seeing their children bullied in our schools and being perceived as ‘forever foreigners’ in their own country.” Read more
If a kid wants to compete, let them. If that kid happens to be an excellent athlete and outstanding person, celebrate them. That’s it. Please stop these unnecessary and hateful attempts to target certain populations just because you’ve been led to believe some lie about fairness. Read more
The Schuylkill River Passenger Rail Authority will be the regional coordinating body between Berks, Chester, and Montgomery counties for the restoration of train service through the execution of contracts, selection of a service operator, and seeking and obtaining state and federal funding. Read more
HARRISBURG, April 26 – State Rep. Carol Hill-Evans, D-York, today announced that 6 projects in York County will receive a total of $14 million in Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program grants. “This $14 million in RACP funding will help improve quality of life in York County, from preserving and protecting our environment to helping to alleviate food insecurity to constructing a community center,” Hill-Evans said. “We will all benefit from the state’s support of these critical community projects in our beloved York County.” The following is the listing of the organizations’ projects and their grant award amounts: York County Economic Alliance -- $5 million to assist in the current phase of the Codorus Greenway, which will build upon the previous phase to make improvements to the section of the Codorus Creek from the rail bridge north of Philadelphia Street in the city of York to the Army Corps of Engineers access point downstream of North George Street in the city of York. Construction will include repair and reconstruction of flood walls to expand the capacity of the levee system and create riparian buffer areas adjacent to the creek and allow for an ADA compliant access point; remediation of contaminated soil; and in-channel improvements that enhance water quality and mitigate flooding. The York County Industrial Development Authority -- $2 million for its Ballpark Commons Northern Read more
“It was wonderful to join Sen. Comitta, Secretary Snead, Secretary Berrier and students from the Dub-C Autism program today,” said Rep. Sappey. “We’ve learned so much about autism over the last 20 years so, it’s truly heartening to see inclusion in practice here. Neuro-diverse individuals want to be productive members of the community just like all of us, and this supportive programming keeps young people moving forward in their education and on the path to independent living. I am extremely proud of West Chester University for their leadership in this area.” Read more
HARRISBURG, April 13 – State Rep. Joe Ciresi, D-Montgomery, this week introduced legislation (H.B. 2511-- Click to Cancel) that would increase consumer protections by requiring service providers to provide notification before each automatic renewal of a service, to be transparent about renewal terms, and to allow consumers to cancel subscription services exclusively online if they initially subscribed over the internet. “I’ve introduced legislation, ‘Click to Cancel,’ that would amend the Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Act to make consumers aware of their active subscriptions and their renewal terms and empower them to easily cancel their subscriptions,” Ciresi said. “I firmly believe that subscriptions should be transparent and easy to understand, and that consumers should be able to cancel them as easily as they can begin a subscription. “The situation too many consumers face today is that their online contracts often automatically renew without them being notified or even aware. Making matters worse is that some subscription services require consumers to jump through hoops just to cancel their subscription, such as by forcing them to call or speak to an online representative before they can end the service. “When it is passed, consumers in Pennsylvania will be better protected from companies’ subscription practices that have burdened them with fees for subscriptions they no longer want or Read more
HARRISBURG, April 6 – State Rep. Joe Ciresi, D-Montgomery, announced that he secured a $130,000 grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development for sewer extension design and permitting in Limerick Township. “After a lot of hard work, I’m very happy that state funding has been awarded to extend public sewer access to the western portion of Ridge Pike in Limerick Township,” Ciresi said. “Following communication with Aqua PA, which owns the sewer system, to find out what they needed from the state to make the extension happen, I worked with DCED to secure the grant money required to finally, after decades, make real progress on extending public sewer access to this area. This grant is an excellent example of local service providers and state government coming together to achieve a solution that will benefit the whole community for years to come.” “Assisting the needs of our constituents is a continued high-priority objective of the board and with this grant from DCED, the township will be able to support Limerick property owners along Ridge Pike who are dealing with the burdens of failing on-lot septic systems,” said Limerick Board of Supervisors Chairman Kenneth W. Sperring Jr. “We thank Representative Ciresi for his support of this important project. These grant funds will not only provide for the engineering design of sanitary sewer Read more
“Taking a good look at conservation corridors would provide us with valuable information that would have benefits for both Pennsylvania residents and wildlife," Daley said. Read more
Clean energy like wind, solar, and nuclear produced here is not dependent on international market forces and is much less vulnerable than oil and gas to price shocks. Read more
“By its action, the U.S. Congress both recognized the critical need to reform child custody law and provided funding to support reform,” said Warren. “Kayden’s Law would protect children and ensure that the best interest of the child is the top priority in custody proceedings. This funding would help Pennsylvania courts implement Kayden’s Law and protect Pennsylvania children.” Read more
“An important aspect of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is the emphasis and funding placed on the research, development and transmission of clean energy,” Malagari said. Read more
HARRISBURG, March 8 – State Rep. Joe Ciresi, D-Montgomery, introduced legislation to create signage requirements for subdivision and land development. The legislation would amend the Municipalities Planning Code to ensure that posted signs meet minimum size standards, are conspicuously posted, and include required information on the development and construction schedule. This signage would be required for land undergoing subdivision and land development. “Currently, property developers can provide ‘notice’ with nothing more than an 8½-inch by 11-inch sheet of paper, which is often easy to miss for anyone passing by and leaving many residents unaware of development happening near them,” Ciresi said. “My bill would guarantee more transparency with specific requirements for posted signage on property under development, giving residents a better understanding of what is happening in their community.” The legislation has been introduced as H.B. 2375 and referred to the House Local Government Committee. Read more
Act 77, which created mail-in voting in Pennsylvania, was introduced as a simple bill to eliminate straight ticket voting. While introduced by a Democratic senator, Republicans leapt to support it, and the bill became anything but the bipartisan victory the Republicans claimed it as. In 2019, when the bill was introduced, Pennsylvania was one of only seven states permitting straight ticket voting in presidential elections. Initially a simple voting reform, the Republicans turned Act 77 into something far less noble. The Republican senators on the State Government Committee made what turned out to be a very astute observation – then-president Donald Trump was an albatross around their party’s electoral neck. By eliminating straight ticket voting, the Republicans figured they could improve the chances of their candidates down ballot by distancing them, however subtly, from a president less than popular with many of their voters. In a bid to assuage any partisan opposition, the bill was amended to include the creation of no excuse mail-in voting. However, the majority of Democrats voted against what was ultimately more electoral smoke and mirrors than genuine voting reform, leaving the bill an example of anything but the triumph of bipartisanship it was claimed to be. Not only did the Republicans not raise any legal or constitutional objections to mail-in voting at the time, but they also pushed the idea from the jump, with only two Republican House members Read more
HARRISBURG, Feb. 9 – State Reps. Joe Ciresi, D-Montgomery, and Melissa Shusterman, D-Chester/Montgomery, have introduced H.B. 2327, which would exempt at-home COVID-19 tests from the state sales tax. “As the pandemic rages on, we need all the tools in our arsenal to fight the virus,” Ciresi said. “By exempting at-home COVID-19 tests from the sales tax, we can help our residents and improve access to convenient diagnostic testing by removing this financial barrier. These tests are vital to public health and should not be taxed when Pennsylvanians are fulfilling their duty to their neighbors by testing themselves for the virus.” “Accessing at-home COVID-19 tests allows people to quickly get results so they do not put others at risk,” Shusterman said. “These important medical devices should be exempt from sales tax because they serve the greater good of the community.” Read more
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