“Connecting folks who are struggling to an easily accessible network of fresh food helps us make inroads against food insecurity,” Matzie said. “Securing this new funding will help RiverWise expand that network through the planning and design of a community food hub. Broader outreach to all parts of the community helps ensure that more families have the fresh food they need.” Read more
“Nearly 500,000 Pennsylvanians served during the Vietnam War era, and an estimated 172,000 directly participated in the war,” Matzie said. “Our troops faced the worst conditions imaginable, but there was another enemy they never anticipated, with deadly consequences that manifested only after the war ended." Read more
HARRISBURG, Oct. 17 – The House today passed legislation introduced by state Rep. Rob Matzie that would prohibit “speculative ticketing” – a practice that allows ticket resellers to list event tickets for resale even though they have not yet obtained – and may never obtain – those tickets. Matzie, who is majority chairman of the House Consumer Protection, Technology and Utilities Committee, said he introduced H.B. 1658 to eliminate a predatory practice that is hurting consumers and businesses alike. “When a consumer pays for a ticket, they have a right to assume the seller has that ticket in hand,” Matzie said. “That’s not always the case because of speculative ticketing – a deceptive practice that allows resellers to sell tickets they don’t yet have but are ‘betting’ they can obtain. If the reseller fails to obtain the ticket, it’s the consumer who loses out. At best case, they may get a refund. At worst case, they’re out the price of the ticket and any other money they’ve laid out on travel, hotels, and other expenses. “Area businesses lose, too. When the promised ticket fails to materialize, the venue loses credibility in the eyes of the public, and businesses like restaurants, bars and parking garages lose vital income.” Matzie’s bill would deter speculative ticketing by barring resellers from selling tickets unless they actually have them Read more
“The new funding will allow the borough to renovate the plaza, install lighting and utilities, ensure handicap accessibility, and add other site improvements," Matzie said. Read more
“These consumer and ratepayer protections are the result of months of hard, bipartisan work over the summer,” Matzie said. “Our goal was to get these measures up for House consideration as soon as possible, and I was proud that we came together to do that for the good of the state’s consumers.” Read more
HARRISBURG, Sept. 15 – The House Consumer Protection, Technology and Utilities Committee is moving swiftly to strengthen safeguards for PA consumers by reviewing bills to ban predatory sales practices and protect utility ratepayers, Majority Chairman Rep. Rob Matzie announced today. Matzie said the committee’s most recent efforts are aimed at banning predatory practices that make it difficult for consumers to afford or obtain concert tickets and other high-demand items. “We’re seeing consumers targeted by increasingly predatory practices,” Matzie said. “From speculative ticketing – in which resellers list tickets before they even have them in hand – to ‘grinch bots’ – which scalpers use to buy up mass quantities of tickets and other high-demand items for resale at inflated prices – consumers are being left out in the cold. The committee is working quickly to keep pace by reviewing bills my colleagues and I have introduced, including my bill to ban speculative ticketing. We can’t afford to wait around as new threats emerge.” Matzie said the committee is also examining bills to help protect utility consumers. “Factors driving utility rates are complex, but that doesn’t mean we can’t examine ways to contain costs and improve conditions for consumers,” Matzie said. “The committee recently reviewed a bill to Read more
“Investments in thriving industries like Selectrode yield great returns for our district and region,” Matzie said. “Securing this new low-interest loan will allow Selectrode to purchase a 17,000-square-foot facility in Aliquippa, and the additional space will allow the company to enhance its metal-drawing operations, improve efficiency and productivity, and grow its base. That’s good for jobs, good for our community, and good for the local economy.” Read more
“Speculative ticketing is not only deceitful, but it is inherently unfair to fans and consumers,” Matzie said. “You should know – without a shadow of a doubt – who you are buying a ticket from and that the ticket is in the possession of the seller. House Bill 1658 addresses a simple question: How can you sell something that you do not have?” Read more
“The building and construction trades offer good-paying, family sustaining jobs, but for too long, women, people of color, workers with disabilities and others have lacked access to the apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship programs that provide the best entry into these careers,” Matzie said. “The new funding is going to help change that by providing new opportunities for these underrepresented workers.” Read more
“Having fresh produce available for kids during the school day encourages them to choose healthy snacks over starchy, sugary junk food and helps them stay alert, energized, and ready to learn,” Matzie said. “It directly impacts their classroom performance. Securing this new funding is going to allow our school districts to keep those healthy options going for kids." Read more
“Intersection collisions account for a high number of traffic deaths and injuries,” Matzie said. “We can’t control some factors, like driver inattention, but we can do everything possible to make sure highly traveled areas are equipped with the latest safety devices. Securing this funding gets motorists, pedestrians and bikes those added protections.” Read more
"Securing this funding is going to allow more folks to stay in their homes, find sustainable housing and receive the services they need to become self-sufficient. When that happens, we all win.” Read more
" ... there has been no bigger supporter of freight rail in the legislature during my tenure than me,” said Matzie, who is majority chair of the PA House Consumer Protection, Technology, and Utilities Committee. “The intention is not to hurt railroads, but to enhance and strengthen rail safety for the public, the workforce and emergency responders." Read more
“The center provides a place for thousands of area seniors to connect, engage and stay active,” Matzie said. “It’s hugely popular, but staff have identified some improvements needed to ensure visitors continue enjoying the best possible experience. Securing this new funding will enable those renovations to move forward.” Read more
"My bill seeks to expand the tools that utility companies have to work with their customers who are struggling to pay their bills, in order to avoid having their service turned off," Matzie said. Read more
"Our area is one of the most heavily traveled in the country for rail traffic, which means that safety problems create a very real and immediate threat for residents right in our own backyards,” Matzie said. “As the recent East Palestine derailment made clear, we can’t rely on federal safety standards to protect us." Read more
“These dollars are funding projects that keep our water clean, our sanitary sewer systems functioning and our buildings safe,” Matzie said. Read more
AMBRIDGE, March 9 – State Rep. Rob Matzie, D-Beaver, issued the following statement today in response to news that Texas energy company Vistra Corp. will acquire the Beaver Valley Power Station nuclear power plant: “Vistra Corp. has a strong track record of success and a demonstrated commitment to Pennsylvania. They have been a good corporate citizen, not just in Beaver County but across our commonwealth. “I look forward to working with them to ensure the continued safe and successful operation of Beaver Valley Power Station for our county and our region.” Read more
HARRISBURG, March 8 – State Rep. Rob Matzie announced today that he has been appointed majority chairman of the House Consumer Protection, Technology and Utilities Committee. Matzie, D-Beaver, said he is looking forward to continued leadership as the majority chairman and the role he can play in developing and promoting bills to better protect the state’s consumers. “I appreciate the confidence House leadership has shown in me by appointing me to lead the committee for the next two years,” Matzie said. “Whether protecting consumers, overseeing broadband deployment, keeping tabs on new technologies or monitoring energy generation, our committee’s purview touches on many aspects of daily life in all corners of our state. I’m ready to work.” Formerly known as the House Consumer Affairs Committee, the House Consumer Protection, Technology and Utilities Committee has jurisdiction over the Public Utilities Commission and reviews bills related to a broad range of consumer matters, including, but not limited to, consumer privacy, utilities, broadband and other technology-related issues. Read more
AMBRIDGE, Feb. 22 – New grant funding of $50,177 to the Aliquippa School District will help cafeteria staff prepare and store school meals more efficiently, state Rep. Rob Matzie, D-Beaver, announced today. Matzie said the funding includes $35,225 to Aliquippa Elementary School for the purchase of a tilting kettle and $14,952 to Aliquippa Junior Senior High School for a blast chiller freezer. “Quick, safe food production and storage help busy school cafeteria staff and ensure smooth delivery of meals to kids,” Matzie said. “The new tilting kettle – which increases cooking capacity and improves distribution – and the blast chiller freezer – which allows safe storage of pre-prepared foods – will accomplish those things.” The funding, which is administered by the state Department of Education, is part of a package of competitive grants awarded to 130 education agencies statewide. The grant funding comes from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and is awarded to schools participating in the National School Lunch Program. Schools can use the funding to purchase or upgrade equipment such as refrigerators, freezers, stoves and dishwashers. The full list of schools receiving grants can be found on the PDE website at: https://www.education.pa.gov/Teachers%20-%20Administrators/Food-Nutrition/programs/Pages/2022FSEAGrantAwards.aspx . Read more
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