Press Releases
Collaboration Between State and City Lawmakers Leads to Over $1M Investment in West Philadelphia Recreation Center
Philadelphia, PA – July 26, 2023 – Senator Vincent Hughes, Representative Morgan Cephas, and Councilman Curtis Jones Jr. came together to present over $1 million dollars in grants from the state and city of Philadelphia to the Friends of Granahan for improvements to...
Brewster Calls on Legislature to Adequately Fund Education
Harrisburg – July 25, 2023 – State Sen. Jim Brewster today called on lawmakers to return to Harrisburg to address a now-final court ruling that Pennsylvania’s education funding system is unconstitutional, unfair and inequitable. “Since the deadline to file an appeal...
Senator Hughes Shares Statement on Republican Lawmakers Accepting Ruling on Unconstitutional Public School Funding by Commonwealth Court
Harrisburg, PA – July 24, 2023 − “Time is up! No more delays; no more stalling. We must do right by our students and begin immediately to address the court order to adequately and equitably fund our public schools,” said State Senator Vincent Hughes, following the...
Senator Hughes and PA Senate Democrats Remind Pennsylvanians We Are ONE Step Away from Commonsense Gun Laws
Philadelphia, PA – July 21, 2023 – Senator Hughes was joined by Senators Jimmy Dillon, Art Haywood, Tim Kearney, the Pennsylvania and Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office, and community leaders to call attention to two commonsense gun bills that are one step away...
Senator Art Haywood Joins Phila. Ceasefire for Joint Press Conference on Northwest Peace Plan
Philadelphia, PA − July 19, 2023 − Senator Art Haywood (D-4) announces the activities, programs, and current partners involved in one of the first city-wide efforts to increase public safety by means of the Safe Summer 2023 campaign in partnership with Philadelphia...
Senators Cappelletti and Schwank to Introduce Abortion Protections Package in Pennsylvania
Harrisburg, PA – July 18, 2023 – Today, Senator Amanda M. Cappelletti (D-Mongomery/Delaware) and Senator Judith Schwank (D-Berks) circulated a co-sponsorship memo detailing their intent to introduce a legislative package called the Abortion Protections Package....
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...