Press Releases
Tartaglione Applauds New Overtime Regulations Granting 200,000 PA Workers Additional Protection
Philadelphia, PA – October 6, 2020 – State Senator Christine Tartaglione applauded new overtime rules published in The Pennsylvania Bulletin on October 3 that require all Pennsylvania employers to pay time-and-a-half wages to employees who earn less than $45,500 a year and who log more than 40 hours in a workweek.
Tartaglione Provides Update on COVID-19 Relief Funding for Small Businesses in and Around the 2nd District
Philadelphia, PA – October 6, 2020 – State Senator Christine Tartaglione today announced that 258 small businesses in and around the 2nd Senate District have received or will soon receive a combined $4.5 million in COVID-19 relief funding through Statewide Small Business Assistance (SBA), a $225 million program created by the General Assembly in May through its comprehensive PA CARES legislation.
Gov. Wolf Announces Additional $96 Million for Small Businesses Impacted by COVID-19
Harrisburg, PA – Governor Tom Wolf today announced that an additional $96 million in state grants have been approved for 5,373 Pennsylvania small businesses that were impacted by the business closure order due to the COVID-19 public health crisis. Businesses in...
Democratic Lawmakers Host Hearing on Electricity Outages, Reliability, and Preparedness
Harrisburg – September 29, 2020 – The Senate Democratic Policy Committee today held a virtual public hearing today at the request of Sen. Steve Santarsiero (D- Bucks) to focus on electricity outages, reliability and preparedness. “At the end of the day, we need to...
Sen. Hughes announces additional $20 million in COVID-19 grants for Philadelphia’s small business
PHILADELPHIA – September 24, 2020 – State Senator Vincent Hughes (D-Philadelphia/Montgomery) applauded the City of Philadelphia’s announcement that it would provide additional grant funding for small businesses in the city Thursday afternoon. The City of Philadelphia...
Democratic Lawmakers Host Hearing on Growing Popularity of Outdoor Recreation During Pandemic
Harrisburg – September 15, 2020 – At the request of Senator Lindsey M. Williams (D-Allegheny), the Senate Democratic Policy Committee today held a virtual public hearing on ways to help manage and support the growing public interest in outdoor recreation during the pandemic.
Philly Black Clergy Joins Senator Street & State/City Leaders for GOTV Event Amid Voter Suppression
Philadelphia, PA – September 15, 2020 – Today Senator Sharif Street joined members of the Philadelphia Black Clergy and state and local leaders to emphasize the importance of free and open elections amid COVID-19 as the Pennsylvania Supreme Court is poised to rule on...
Democratic Lawmakers Host Hearing on the Impact of COVID-19 on the Arts, Cultural, and Historical Institutions of PA
Harrisburg – September 14, 2020 – The Senate Democratic Policy Committee today held a virtual public hearing to focus on issues impacting the arts, cultural and historical institutions across Pennsylvania.
Senate Committee Unanimously Advances Tartaglione-Costa Legislation to Fund PA Higher Education Institutions
Philadelphia, PA – September 9, 2020 − The Pennsylvania Senate Appropriations Committee today advanced legislation sponsored by State Senator Christine Tartaglione and Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa that would allocate $130 million in federal CARES Act funding to help higher education institutions in the Commonwealth manage financial hardships caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Brewster’s Effort to Expand Restaurant Seating Capacity Wins Senate Committee Approval
McKeesport – Sept. 8, 2020 – State Sen. Jim Brewster’s (D-Allegheny/Westmoreland) effort to safely increase indoor and outdoor seating for bars and restaurants moved forward today as the Senate Law and Justice Committee approved legislation to expand...
Boscola Advises UC Claimants that Federal Lost Wage Assistance Program to Begin Making Payments Starting September 10th
Bethlehem (September 4, 2020) − State Senator Lisa M. Boscola stated today that the Commonwealth will begin making payments through the federal Lost Wages Assistance (LWA) program to claimants on Thursday, September 10, 2020. Individuals who apply and qualify will...
Sen. Muth Supports Ensuring Mortgage Servicers’ Compliance with Federal Cares Act to Protect Homeowners
Royersford, PA, September 3, 2020 – Sen. Katie Muth (D-Berks, Chester, Montgomery) Minority Chair of Housing and Urban Affairs, and the members of the Senate Democratic Caucus sent a letter to the Pennsylvania Department of Banking and Securities, fully...
Senator Collett Introduces Legislation Toughening Penalties for Attacks on Employees Enforcing Public Health Guidance
Harrisburg, Pa. - August 28, 2020 — Senator Maria Collett (D-12 Montgomery/Bucks) has introduced a bill memo for co-sponsorship to upgrade the assault of an employee enforcing public health guidance, such as wearing a mask or practicing social distancing, to...
PA Senate Democrats & Small Businesses Rally Behind Legislation Supporting Business Interruption Insurance Claims
Harrisburg, PA – August 27, 2020 – Today, State Senators Iovino, Street, Brewster, Schwank, and Hughes joined members of the Commonwealth’s small business community via Zoom to advocate for bipartisan legislation that would help Pennsylvania businesses file claims on...
Senator Katie Muth Asks for Pause in all Drilling Near Marsh Creek Lake, Allow for Comprehensive, Independent Investigation
Royersford, Pa. − August 27, 2020 − Senator Katie Muth called for all drilling near the spill site at Marsh Creek Lake to be halted while the Department of Environmental Protection undergoes a comprehensive, independent investigation. Calls from residents in...
Kearney Introduces “Breonna’s Law” to Ban No-Knock Warrants
HARRISBURG (August 19, 2020) – Senator Tim Kearney (D – Delaware, Chester) today introduced "Breonna's Law" to ban no-knock warrants, which allow law enforcement to forcibly enter a person's home without warning. The bill is named after Breonna Taylor, a...
Sen. Hughes announces $440K in COVID-19 small business relief grants awarded in the 7th Senatorial District
PHILADELPHIA — August 18, 2020 — A total of $440,000 in pandemic relief grants have been awarded to the businesses in the 7th Senatorial District, State Senator Vincent Hughes (D-Philadelphia/Montgomery) announced Tuesday. The grants were awarded...
Sen. Hughes touts $50 million in hazard pay grants awarded to PA’s front-line businesses
PHILADELPHIA – August. 17, 2020 — State Senator Vincent Hughes (D-Philadelphia/Montgomery) announced that $50 million in hazard pay grants had been recently awarded to Pennsylvania businesses through the Department of Community and Economic Development...
Legislators Call on Wolf Administration to Revoke Mariner East Pipeline Permits in Chester County
Harrisburg – August 2020 – State legislators representing five House districts and three Senatorial districts in Chester County have signed a letter to Secretary Patrick McDonnell of the PA Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine of...
Muth, Innamorato Proposes Legislation to Protect Health, Environment
Bills would close the loophole allowing toxic drilling waste in Pennsylvania landfills Harrisburg, PA − August 13, 2020 − In the wake of a scathing Grand Jury report on the public health and environmental harms of fracking in Pennsylvania, state Rep. Sara Innamorato,...
Democratic State Legislators Host Virtual Hearing on Maternal Mortality During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Harrisburg – August 12, 2020 – At the request of state Senator Judy Schwank (D- Berks) and state Representatives Morgan Cephas (D- Philadelphia) and Mary Jo Daley (D- Montgomery), the Senate Democratic Policy Committee today held a joint virtual public hearing with...
Senator Muth Calls for Mariner East Permits to be Withdrawn, Following Multiple Dangerous Spills
Upper Uwchlan Township, Pa. − August 11, 2020 − Late yesterday afternoon, drilling fluid from a Mariner East horizontal directional drilling (HDD) site upstream of Marsh Creek State Park spilled into a tributary of Marsh Creek Lake and ultimately into the lake...
Delaware County lawmakers call for investigation into violence against Black Lives Matter supporters
HARRISBURG – August 7, 2020 – Today, a group of state lawmakers from Delaware County called for District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer to investigate violence and intimidation aimed at Black Lives Matter supporters during a march in Ridley Township on Saturday, August...
Senators Santarsiero and Yaw Ask Pennsylvania Congressional Delegation to Include Funding for Well Plugging in Next Stimulus Bill
BUCKS COUNTY – August 6, 2020 – State Senators Steve Santarsiero (D-10) and Gene Yaw (R-23), as chairs of the Pennsylvania Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee, sent a letter to all members of the Pennsylvania Congressional Delegation requesting...
Senator Costa to Pilot Civic Engagement App, “Be the Change”
Pittsburgh, Pa. − August 4, 2020 − Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa, Jr will be the first elected official to participate in the civic engagement mobile application “Be The Change.” Senator Costa will be part of a several month pilot period on the new app. “Even...
State Senate Committee Holds Online Hearing on Strategies to Safely Reopen Schools
Harrisburg – August 3, 2020 – At the request of state Senators Tim Kearney (D-Chester/Delaware), Maria Collett (D-Bucks/Montgomery), Andrew Dinniman (D-Chester) and Larry Farnese (D-Philadelphia), the Senate Democratic Policy Committee today held an online...
Senator Tartaglione and Congressman Boyle Fight for Nonprofits Amid COVID-19 Pandemic
The legislators jointly authored a letter to U.S. House leadership calling for 100% federal reimbursement of unemployment insurance costs that nonprofits incur. Philadelphia, PA – August 3, 2020 − Pennsylvania State Senator Christine M. Tartaglione (D-Philadelphia),...
Senators Collett, Kearney, Muth, L. Williams Announce Bill to Suspend Per Diem Pay for Legislators During COVID-19 Pandemic
Harrisburg, Pa. - July 30, 2020 — Senators Maria Collett (D-12 Montgomery/Bucks), Tim Kearney (D-26 Delaware/Chester), Katie Muth (D-44 Berks/Chester/Montgomery) and Lindsey M. Williams (D-38 Allegheny County) have introduced a bill memo for co-sponsorship to suspend...
Senator Costa to Introduce Cap and Invest Bill For Pennsylvania
Harrisburg, Pa. − July 30, 2020 − Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa, Jr. today introduced Senate Bill 15, creating a “Cap and Invest” program for the state’s electric power sector, along with the support of 17 cosponsors. “The federal government has...
Senator Santarsiero Announces Elcon Will Not Pursue Hazardous Wastewater Processing Facility in Falls Township
BUCKS COUNTY – July 24, 2020 – State Senator Steve Santarsiero (D-10) announced today that Elcon Recycling Services will be withdrawing its applications for a proposed hazardous wastewater processing facility in Falls Township, ending a years-long fight in the...
Senators Jim Brewster & Pam Iovino Propose $100 Million COVID-19 Grant Program & Financial Relief Package for PA Restaurants & Taverns
Allegheny County, PA – July 23, 2020 – Today, State Senators Jim Brewster and Pam Iovino announced a comprehensive proposal to provide emergency relief to Pennsylvania’s restaurants and taverns, which have seen significant financial loss due to the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting shutdown. The seven-point plan includes a $100 million grant program to retail liquor licensees using federal CARES Act funds, as well as a suite of policy changes to financially benefit these struggling businesses.
Senator Anthony H. Williams Hosts Racial Equity Solutions Tour Kickoff Event with Special Guest Van Jones
Harrisburg – July 22, 2020 – Sen. Anthony H. Williams (D- Philadelphia/Delaware) hosted a kickoff event for the Senate Democrat’s Racial Equity Solutions Tour. The event was held via Zoom for safety as we continue to battle the COVID-19 pandemic. Van Jones, Reform...