Press Releases
Seventeen Years and Counting – Senate Democrats Continue to Fight to Raise PA’s Minimum Wage
Harrisburg, PA – July 7, 2023 − Sunday, July 9th, marks seventeen years since Pennsylvania lawmakers last raised the minimum wage. On July 9th, 2006, Governor Ed Rendell was joined by Senator Christine Tartaglione, Senator Vincent Hughes, and Senator Jay Costa, to...
Senator Nikil Saval Praises State Commitment to Whole-Home Repairs, Calls for Continued Public Investment
Harrisburg, PA − July 5, 2023 − Today State Senator Nikil Saval (D–Philadelphia) released the following statement on the passage of the state budget: “Pennsylvanians deserve investment—in our homes, in our labor, in our schools, and in our public spaces. A thriving...
Senator Hughes Shares Statement on Recent Supreme Court Decisions
Harrisburg, PA – July 3, 2023 − Senator Vincent Hughes (D-Philadelphia/Montgomery) issued the following statement in response to recent Supreme Court decisions that end affirmative action, support the discrimination of LGBTQ individuals, and strike down President...
Senator Hughes Applauds Bipartisan Support to Expand Pennsylvania’s Property Tax and Rent Rebate Program
Harrisburg, PA– On Friday, the Pennsylvania Senate passed HB 1100, a bill that would amend the Property Tax and Rent Rebate (PT/RR) Program to expand eligible income thresholds to include an additional 173,000 individuals and to increase the maximum rebate amount for...
Senator Tartaglione’s Budget Reaction
Senate Democratic Whip Christine Tartaglione released the following statement regarding her no vote on the Commonwealth’s budget today: “The budget is supposed to reflect our Commonwealth’s moral priorities and aspirations for the future. The bill we voted on today...
Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa Statement on Senate-Passed Budget Proposal
Harrisburg, PA – June 30, 2023 − Today, State Senator Jay Costa, D-43, released the following statement on House Bill 611: “The plan we voted on today is not a final agreement and is just one more step in negotiations. “As we move through the process, it is imperative...
State Senator Jay Costa Applauds Property Tax Rent Rebate Bill Passage
Harrisburg, PA – June 30, 2023 − Today, State Senator Jay Costa, D-43, proudly voted Yes on HB1100, a bill amending the Property Tax and Rent Rebate Program to increase income thresholds to qualify for the program to expand eligibility and to increase the amount of...
Senator Street Statement on SCOTUS Rulings, “We’re in a collective fight for fundamental rights…”
HARRISBURG, PA – June 30, 2023 – Senator Sharif Street issued the following statement after a second day of United States Supreme Court rulings that will profoundly impact communities, ending federal student debt relief and further eroding LGBTQ+ protections:...
Senator Art Haywood Responds to The Supreme Court Decision on Student Loan Forgiveness
HARRISBURG – June 30, 2023 − Senator Art Haywood (D-4) issued the following statement in response to the US Supreme Court Decision to prohibit the student loan forgiveness by the executive branch: “Today, the Supreme Court decision to prohibit the executive branch...
Sen. Lindsey Williams Releases Statement Criticizes Senate Passage of School Privatization Bill
Harrisburg − June 29, 2023 − Sen. Lindsey Williams released the following statement on the passage of HB 479: I oppose tonight’s passage of HB 479 as amended because I support our public schools and because I believe in the separation of church and...
Schwank Applauds Shapiro Administration for Securing Small Business Administration Assistance for Businesses Impacted by R.M. Palmer Explosion
Reading − June 29, 2023 − State Sen. Judy Schwank applauded Gov. Josh Shapiro’s announcement this afternoon that the U.S. Small Business Administration has agreed to his request to provide up to $2 million in loan assistance through the Economic Injury Disaster...
Senator Street Statement on SCOTUS Affirmative Action Ruling “A Further Erosion of Equity”
HARRISBURG, PA – June 29, 2023 − Senator Sharif Street issued the following statement after this morning’s SCOTUS ruling finding affirmative action unconstitutional. " I am deeply disappointed in today’s U.S. Supreme Court's decision finding affirmative action in...
State Senator Jay Costa Reacts to Supreme Court Decision Striking Down Affirmative Action, Expresses Disappointment
Harrisburg, PA – June 29, 2023 – Today, the Supreme Court decided in a 6-3 decision to strike down affirmative action in the case of Students for Fair Admissions Inc. v. President & Fellows of Harvard College. Democratic Leader Jay Costa, representing...
Senator Art Haywood Responds to The Supreme Court Decision on Affirmative Action
HARRISBURG – June 29, 2023 – Senator Art Haywood (D-4) issued the following statement in response to the US Supreme Court Decision to strike down affirmative action programs at Harvard, UNC and across the nation. “Today, the Supreme Court put our nation in...
Senator Collett Celebrates House Passage of Patient Safety Act
Harrisburg, Pa. - June 28, 2023 — Today, Senator Maria Collett (D-12 Montgomery) joined her colleagues in the legislature and fellow nurses from across the Commonwealth to celebrate the passage of HB 106, the companion to Senator Collett's Patient Safety Act (SB 247),...
State Senators Dillon and Farry Rally Support for Emergency Declaration Extension in Response to I-95 Bridge Collapse
Harrisburg, June 28, 2023 – The Pennsylvania Senate today passed S.R. 136 from State Senators Jimmy Dillon (D, Philadelphia) and Frank Farry (R, Bucks) by a vote of 50 to 0. The bi-partisan resolution extends Governor Shapiro's emergency disaster proclamation in...
Senator Santarsiero and Representative Warren Bills Combating the Rising Cost of Flood Insurance Unanimously Pass Senate Committee
HARRISBURG − June 28, 2023 − Senator Steve Santarsiero (D-10) and Representative Perry Warren (D-31) announced that Senate Bill 442 and House Bill 735, each of which would establish a task force to address rising flood insurance premiums, were voted unanimously out of...
Senator Williams, Baker, Bartolotta’s Probation Reform Bill Passes through the Senate
HARRISBURG – June 27, 2023 – Today, the Senate voted to pass a bill sponsored by Sens. Anthony Williams (D-8), Lisa Baker (R-20) and Camera Bartolotta (R-46) that will reform Pennsylvania’s probation system. “I’ve said this before, and I will continue to say it—people...
State Sen. Nick Miller Advocates to Expand Property Tax and Rent Rebates for Older Pennsylvanians and Cut Excess Cell Phone Bill Taxes
Harrisburg, PA − June 27, 2023 − Sen. Nick Miller (D-Lehigh Valley), the Democrat chair of the Finance Committee, supported two bills considered by the committee to help Lehigh Valley residents save on rent, homeownership and cell phone taxes. House Bill 1100,...
Senate Passes Boscola Bi-Partisan Resolution on Health Care Needs of Women Veterans
Harrisburg − June 22, 2023 – The Pennsylvania Senate today unanimously approved legislation, State Senate Resolution 46, aimed at ensuring the health care needs of women veterans are met in Pennsylvania introduced by Senator Lisa Boscola and her colleagues,...
Sen. Fontana Statement on His Blight-Fighting Bill Soon to Become Law
Allegheny County, June 22, 2023 – Senator Wayne Fontana issued the following statement today, after the Pennsylvania House of Representatives passed his Senate Bill 202, which provides land banks in Allegheny County a streamlined process for acquiring abandoned and...
Schwank’s Severe Maternal Morbidity Bill Passes House, Sent to Governor to Become Law
Harrisburg − June 22, 2023 − The Pennsylvania House of Representatives has unanimously passed SB 262, which will require the Department of Health to annually publish severe maternal morbidity data using hospitalization discharge data. The CDC defines severe...
Senate Approves Collett and Ward Bill to Protect Prescription Coverage for Social Security Recipients
HARRISBURG – June 19, 2023 –The state Senate today approved legislation introduced by Sen. Maria Collett (D-12) and Sen. Judy Ward (R-30) that would ensure older Pennsylvanians do not lose access to two state prescription medication programs due to an increase in...
News Digest:: June 19, 2023
Legislature What other newspapers are saying: Electric vehicle fee for road use is only fair | News, Sports, Jobs - Williamsport Sun-Gazette (sungazette.com) Tree of Life, community react to guilty verdict in Pittsburgh synagogue shooting trial – WPXI After...
State Senator Jay Costa Reacts to Robert Bowers Verdict
Pittsburgh, PA – June 16, 2023 − Today, a jury found Robert Bowers guilty of 63 charges related to the deadliest antisemitic attack in recent history, which left eleven Jewish worshippers dead in Squirrel Hill. State Senator Jay Costa, whose senatorial district...
Senator Hughes Applauds Advancement of Legislative Impact Statement Bill
Harrisburg, PA – June 12, 2023 –Senator Vincent Hughes applauded the advancement of House Bill 1188 from the House Judiciary Committee. The bill, sponsored by Representative Chris Rabb, provides Pennsylvania legislators the ability to request demographic impact...
State Senator Jimmy Dillon Reacts to I-95 Collapse
Philadelphia, June 12, 2023 – State Senator Jimmy Dillon (D, Philadelphia) has been actively engaged with city, state, and local officials to ensure a coordinated response to the fire that caused a partial collapse of Interstate 95 in his Northeast Philadelphia...
Senator Santarsiero Urges Eligible Constituents to Apply for Property Tax and Rent Rebates Ahead of June 30th Deadline
BUCKS COUNTY – June 9, 2023 – Senator Steve Santarsiero (D-10) today urged all eligible constituents to apply for Property Tax and Rent Rebates through the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue ahead of the June 30th deadline. “Each year my office assists...
Senator Santarsiero and Representative Davis Host Scam Jam to Help Residents Stay Safe from Scams and Identity Theft
BUCKS COUNTY – June 9, 2023 − Senator Steve Santarsiero (D-10) and Representative Tina Davis (D-141) hosted an event in partnership with the Pennsylvania Department of Banking and Securities to help constituents learn how to avoid becoming the victim of a scam or...
News Digest:: June 9, 2023
Legislature 'Keystone Saves' aims to help millions of working Pennsylvanians | State | wfmz.com National Association to Stop Guardian Abuse: Senate Judiciary Committee advances bill strengthening guardianship laws (nasga-stopguardianabuse.blogspot.com) Education...
Senator Street & Act. DHS Secretary Arkoosh Host N. Phila. Mental Health Tour as PA Budget Talks Near
PHILADELPHIA − June 7, 2023 – On Thursday May 25th Senator Sharif Street joined Dr. Val Arkoosh, Acting Secretary of the Department of Human Services, for a Mental Health Awareness Tour in North Philadelphia, closing out Mental Health Awareness Month. Acting DHS...
Schwank’s Severe Maternal Morbidity Bill Passes Senate
Harrisburg — June 6, 2023 — Today, SB 262, sponsored by Senator Judy Schwank (D-11th), passed the Pennsylvania Senate by a vote of 50-0. Schwank’s bill is part of a legislative package on maternal mortality. SB 262 adds “severe maternal morbidity” to the...