Press Releases
Pennsylvania House & Senate Issue Death Penalty Repeal Act
PHILADELPHIA, PA. February 17, 2023 – Today Senators Katie Muth and Sharif Street resubmitted a co-sponsorship memo to repeal the death penalty in PA, heeding Governor Shapiro’s call for its repeal by the General Assembly following his announcement to extend the...
Senator Fontana Unanimously Elected Chairman of PHEAA Board of Directors
Harrisburg – February 16, 2023 – State Sen. Wayne D. Fontana (D-Allegheny) today was unanimously elected as Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA). Created in 1963 by the Pennsylvania General Assembly, PHEAA...
Sen. Lindsey Williams, S&B USA eMobility Host School Bus Fleet Electrification Forum for Local School Districts, Bussing Operators
McCANDLESS TOWNSHIP, PA – State Senator Lindsey Williams, in partnership with S&B USA eMobility, hosted an informational forum on Monday, February 13, 2023, at the A.W. Beattie Career Center. The forum was geared towards local school districts and bussing...
Schwank Opens Satellite Office in Spring Township Building
Reading — February 14, 2023 — Today, state Sen. Judy Schwank (D-Berks) announced that her office has opened a satellite constituent services office in Spring Township. The office is in the Spring Township Administration Building located on 2850 Windmill Rd,...
Senator Haywood Responds to Racial Incident at IUP Basketball Game
PHILADELPHIA – Feb. 10, 2023 – Today, State Senator Art Haywood (D-Montgomery/Philadelphia) released the following statement in response to a White student’s racist post on social media during a men’s basketball game at Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP)...
Overwhelming Demand for Whole-Home Repairs Program in Counties Across PA
Philadelphia, PA − February 9, 2023 − The Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development recently released information on the overwhelming demand for Whole-Home Repairs Program funding in counties across the Commonwealth: 64 of Pennsylvania’s 67...
Senator Schwank Provides Public Comment on Whole Home Repairs at County Commissioner’s Meeting
Reading — February 9, 2023 — This morning, Sen. Judy Schwank (D-Berks) spoke during the public comment section of the Berks County Commissioner’s meeting to express her interest in collaborating with county officials on the rollout of the Whole Home Repairs program....
Brewster: Court’s Education Decision is Call to Action for PA
Harrisburg – February 8, 2023 – State Sen. Jim Brewster today said yesterday’s ruling by Pennsylvania’s Commonwealth Court that the commonwealth’s education funding system is unconstitutionally unfair and inequitable should be a call to action for the...
Senator Street Applauds Commonwealth Court Decision on Unconstitutional School Funding
Harrisburg, PA - February 8, 2023- Today, Senator Sharif Street issued the following statement in response to the Commonwealth Court’s historic ruling in William Penn School District, et al. v. Pennsylvania Department of Education, et al., which deemed Pennsylvania’s...
Senator Amanda Cappelletti Welcomes West Norriton Township to District 17 with Town Hall
Norristown, PA – February 8, 2023 – Senator Amanda Cappelletti welcomed West Norriton Township to District 17 last night, February 7, by hosting a town hall at The Reformed Church of the Ascension United Church of Christ in the Sanctuary. Senator Cappelletti provided...
Senator Kearney Issues Statement Applauding PA Court Ruling Public Education Funding Unconstitutional
Springfield, PA – February 8, 2023 – On February 7, 2023, the Commonwealth Court issued a ruling in William Penn School District, et al. v. Pennsylvania Department of Education, et al., that Pennsylvania’s system of funding public education is unconstitutional....
Brewster Appointed to PHEAA Board of Directors
Harrisburg, PA – February 8, 2023 – State Sen. Jim Brewster today thanked Senate leadership for his appointment to a four-year term on the board of the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency, one of the leading providers of financial assistance for students...
Senator Lisa Boscola Statement on Commonwealth Court Decision on School Funding
Bethlehem, PA – February 7, 2023- State Senator Lisa M. Boscola released the following statement today regarding the Commonwealth Court decision on School Funding re: William Penn School District et. al v. PA Dept. of Ed et. al: “I am pleased that the...
Pennsylvania Senate Democratic Caucus Applauds Court Ruling Public Education Funding Unconstitutional
(Harrisburg, PA) February 7, 2023 — The Pennsylvania Senate Democratic Caucus applauds the Commonwealth Court’s historic ruling in William Penn School District, et al. v. Pennsylvania Department of Education, et al., that Pennsylvania’s system of funding public...
Senators Nick Miller and Tim Kearney Call for $400M in Level Up Funding in New Legislation
Harrisburg, PA – February 3, 2023 – Today, state Senators Nick Miller (D-Lehigh/Northampton) and Tim Kearney (D-Delaware) announced new legislation that would increase Pennsylvania’s investment in Level Up funding to $400 million. The Senators issued the...
Senator Haywood Responds to Racial Harassment of Cheltenham Basketball Teams
PHILADELPHIA – Feb. 3, 2023 – Today, State Senator Art Haywood (D-Montgomery/Philadelphia) released the following statement in response to racist language and images found in the visiting locker room for the Cheltenham High School boys’ junior varsity and varsity...
ICYMI: Times-Tribune Editorial: Fight Fraud with False Claims Law
“Many members of the state Legislature have detected fraud in state election results where, as abundant evidence shows, it is vanishingly rare. They should focus their fraud radar, instead, on the distribution of billions of dollars in state money. The fundamental...
Sens. Haywood, Dillon, and Tartaglione Present $1.1 Million Check to Temple Health
PHILADELPHIA – Feb. 2, 2023 – Today, Sen. Art Haywood (D-Montgomery/Philadelphia) joined Sens. Jimmy Dillon (D-Philadelphia) and Christine Tartaglione (D-Philadelphia) for a check presentation and press conference at the Fox Chase Cancer Center in the Northeast...
Senator Haywood Responds to Murder of Tyre Nichols in Memphis
PHILADELPHIA – Feb. 1, 2023 – Today, State Senator Art Haywood (D-Montgomery/Philadelphia) released the following statement in response to the kidnapping and murder of Tyre Nichols at the hands of police in Memphis, Tenn. this month: “On 7 January, five Black...
Oxford Borough Honored with Statewide Beautification Award
West Chester, Pa - February 1, 2023 – State Senator Carolyn Comitta recently presented Oxford Borough officials with the Community Pride Award from Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful Comitta nominated the borough for the honor for its overall community beautification...
Protecting Whistleblowers and Taxpayer Money: Senators Lindsey M. Williams and Kristin Phillips-Hill Reintroduce Commonwealth Fraud Prevention Act
Harrisburg, PA- January 31, 2023 --- Senator Lindsey M. Williams (D-Allegheny) and Senator Kristin Phillips-Hill (R-York) announced today that they plan to reintroduce the Commonwealth Fraud Prevention Act for Taxpayer Accountability (CFPA) this session. This...
Senator Marty Flynn Introduces Proposal for “Damar’s Law” to Require AEDs at School Sporting Events
HARRISBURG, PA – January 30, 2023 – Senator Marty Flynn (D-Lackawanna/Luzerne) has introduced a co-sponsorship memorandum for legislation that would require automated external defibrillators (AEDs) to be present at any sporting event hosted by a school district. The...
Comitta Secures Funding for Brandywine Valley SPCA Upgrades
West Chester, PA- January 30, 2023 – The Brandywine Valley SPCA (BVSPCA) will receive $50,000 in state funding to improve their West Chester shelter and expand their animal veterinary services thanks to State Senator Carolyn Comitta. “The Brandywine Valley SPCA is a...
Senator Street’s Statement on Tyre Nichols
PHILADELPHIA, PA - Jan. 30th, 2023) - Following the vicious beating and death of Tyre Nichols, Senator Street released the following statement: “Tyre Nichols’ life mattered and to die at the hands of those responsible for protecting and serving is tragic. My...
Senator Jimmy Dillon Appointed to Pennsylvania Athletic Oversight Committee
Philadelphia, January 25, 2023 – State Senator Jimmy Dillon (D, Philadelphia), has been appointed to the Pennsylvania Athletic Oversight Committee (PAOC) by Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa. The PAOC, created by Act 70 of 2004, is a legislative oversight committee...
Brewster Bill Would Allow Free Fishing at Recovery Events
Harrisburg – January 24, 2023 – Veterans and other Pennsylvanians enrolled in recovery programs that involve fishing events would be exempt from paying for a state fishing license under legislation introduced again this week by State Senator Jim Brewster....
Senator Steve Santarsiero Issues an Open Letter to the Pennsylvania State Senate in Response to Senator Doug Mastriano’s Attack on the Rainbow Room
BUCKS COUNTY- January 24, 2023 - State Senator Steve Santarsiero issued the following open letter to all members of the Pennsylvania State Senate in response to a recent memo by State Senator Doug Mastriano proposing legislation and in which he attacked Planned...
Schwank Issues Statement on Purchase of Clover Farms
Reading, PA - January 24, 2023 - State Sen. Judy Schwank issued the following statement regarding Cream-O-Land Dairy, Inc.’s purchase of Clover Farms. "I've been aware that the owners of Clover Farms were looking at the possibility of selling for quite some time now....
State Senator Jay Costa Lends Support to Gainey Plan for Assessment of Compliance with Public Charity Law
PITTSBURGH, PA - Today, State Senator Jay Costa today expressed his support for Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey’s call for an assessment of tax-exempt organizations compliance with PA’s Purely Public Charity Law. Currently, about a third of Pittsburgh real...
Brewster Reappointed as Chair of McKeesport Housing Authority
Harrisburg – January 23, 2023 – State Senator Jim Brewster will again lead the McKeesport Housing Authority. “It has been a privilege to be the Chairman of the McKeesport Housing Authority,” Brewster said. “We have achieved many things during my tenure as...
WholeHomeRepairs
Senate Approves Bipartisan Bill to Strengthen First Amendment Rights for Teachers
HARRISBURG – The Senate of Pennsylvania approved a measure to eliminate a section from the state’s Education Code that prohibits a teacher from wearing any dress, mark, emblem, or insignia indicative of his or her faith or denomination, according to the measure’s...