Health and Human Services
One basic tenet underpins the efforts of the Senate Democrats: health care is a human right. As a country and a state, we have a moral and ethical obligation to provide access to healthcare to deliver the best opportunity for people reach their full potential.
Whether it’s battling drug and alcohol addiction, treating mental health issues, addressing permanent, chronic, and high-risk health problems, or simply helping a sick child, we all confront circumstances that require health care throughout our lives. We are better off using collective action than fighting them on our own.
Providing insurance, access to safe hospitals and services, and ensuring equitable opportunities to receive care are at the heart of the Senate Democrats agenda.
We must:

Protect the Affordable Care Act (ACA)
ObamaCare has covered 20 million previously uninsured individuals. Now Republicans want to take that coverage away. ObamaCare has strengthened the healthcare industry and provided new opportunities to millions. However, should the worst happen, and the Republican Congress or federal courts eliminate ObamaCare we will pass legislation to:
→ Continue to require coverage of pre-existing conditions
→ Cover essential health benefits
→ Cover the children up to the age of 26 on their parent’s health insurance
→ Protect Medicaid expansion
→ Prevent insurance companies from imposing annual or lifetime limits on coverage.

Women Have a Right to Reproductive Autonomy
It is not the job of government to stand between a woman and her doctor, but we consistently see attempts from anti-choice legislators to restrict access to abortion. We will continue to fight all of these attempts.

Guarantee that Women and Minorities Have Access to High Quality, Affordable Healthcare
If health care is a right, it must be provided to all, regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, disability, age, or sexuality. For too long, health care has not been equitably available to women and minorities. Insurance and hospital access has been denied, too expensive, or not covered necessary services in the past. We will fight to ensure everyone has equal access in the future.

Fight Opioid Abuse and Addiction
The opioid crisis has been declared a national and state emergency. We will fight to:
→ Establish more entry points and beds for treatment;
→ Strengthen prescription writing guidelines;
→ Make naloxone even more readily available to treat overdoses;
→ Allow families to petition for mandatory treatment of their addicted loved ones;
→ Work with pharmaceutical companies to identify solutions and prevention methods for addiction;
→ Impose an assessment on the wholesale import of opioids into Pennsylvania; and
→ Increase educational addiction programming in schools.

Fight for CHIP
The Children’s Health Insurance Program covers 180,000 kids in Pennsylvania and 9 million nationally. The Republicans have turned it into a political football by using it a vehicle for discrimination and political leverage in Washington D.C. We must continue to fund the program and ensure its existence on the state level.

Ensure Additional Funding for Human Service Block Grants
Moving to a block grant has provided counties with much needed flexibility to address specific concerns such as mental health, drug and alcohol treatment, child welfare services, homelessness, and intellectual disabilities. However, we need more resources to truly address the scope of the problem. Huge cuts were made to these programs under the Corbett Administration that we are still trying to dig out from. The Senate Democrats want more money to go to our counties to help address these pressing issues.

Gun Violence is a Public Health Crisis
One that We Can Address Through Violence Prevention Policy.
→ Ban Assault Weapons – We must prohibit ownership of assault weapons such as the AR-15 including its high capacity ammunition feeding devices and other accessories, as they have become the tool of choice in mass murders.
→ Extreme Risk Protection Orders – This would allow courts to order an extreme risk protection order (ERPO) if a person is demonstrating dangerous behavior, providing much needed protection to the public. Such an order would temporarily suspend an individual’s access to firearms if there is documented evidence that a person is
threatening to harm themselves or others.

Mental Health in Schools
Recognizing the particular vulnerability that exists in our schools, every school should provide school psychologists, school counselors, and school social workers to meet the mental health needs of their students.

Universal Background Checks
Currently certain gun show purchases and person-to-person sales do not require a basic background check. Every firearm sale in Pennsylvania needs to undergo a background check.
Our Members at Work
Democratic State Senators Reintroduce Bills to Protect Quality, Stable Health Care in PA
HARRISBURG – January 28, 2021 – State Senators Vincent Hughes (D-Philadelphia/Montgomery), Maria Collett (D-Montgomery/Bucks), Wayne Fontana (D-Allegheny), and Tim Kearney (D-Delaware), reintroduced package of bills to ensure Pennsylvanians maintain quality, stable...
PA Senate Democrats Announce Series of Virtual Health Care Enrollment Events
Statewide, Pa. − November 9, 2020 − Pennsylvania Senate Democrats today announced a series of virtual health care enrollment events to help constituents through the process of selecting an insurance plan through the new Pennsylvania state exchange, Pennie. The...
Senate Approves Boscola Bill that Would Qualify More Nurses for Work in PA
Harrisburg, June 24, 2020 – The Pennsylvania Senate today unanimously approved State Senator Lisa Boscola’s legislation (Senate Bill 655) that would cut red tape and qualify more nurses for licensure in Pennsylvania. “Joining this Nurse Licensure Compact will expand...
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Wheatley, Hughes hold event recognizing National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day in Pennsylvania
HARRISBURG, February 5, 2020 – State Rep. Jake Wheatley, D-Allegheny, and state Sen. Vincent Hughes, D-Philadelphia/Montgomery, today held an event in Harrisburg recognizing Feb. 7, 2020, as National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day in Pennsylvania. “We...
Senate Approves Sen. Boscola’s Physical Therapist Compact Bill
HARRISBURG, February 5, 2020 – The state Senate today unanimously approved Sen. Lisa Boscola’s (D-Lehigh/Northampton) legislation that would authorize Pennsylvania to join the Physical Therapist Compact (PTC). To date, 23 states have adopted legislation to join the...
Senator Santarsiero Responds to Suicide Prevention Task Force Report
BUCKS COUNTY — January 15, 2020 — The following statement is attributable to Senator Steve Santarsiero (D-10) in response to the release of the initial report from Governor Wolf’s Suicide Prevention Task Force: The initial report from Governor Wolf’s Suicide...
Senator Iovino and Senate Colleagues Request Action on Legislation to Protect Quality and Stable Healthcare in PA
HARRISBURG – January 7, 2020 – Today, Senators Pam Iovino (D – Allegheny & Washington), Vincent Hughes (D -Philadelphia & Montgomery), Steve Santarsiero (D - Bucks), Maria Collett (D - Montgomery & Bucks), and Tim Kearney (D – Delaware & Chester)...
Senator Maria Collett Highlights Pennsylvania’s Primary Care Loan Repayment Program
North Wales, Pa. – November 18, 2019 – Senator Maria Collett (D-12 Montgomery/Bucks) would like to call attention to the Pennsylvania Department of Health’s recent notice of requests for applications under the Pennsylvania Primary Care Loan Repayment Program. ...
Committee Approves Boscola’s Infant Opioid Addiction Reporting Bill
Harrisburg, November 18, 2019 – The state Senate Aging and Youth Committee today unanimously approved Sen. Lisa Boscola’s bill that would mandate the reporting of any infant born with an addiction to opioids. “My bill (Senate Bill 368) would ensure the coordination of...
Senator Anthony H. Williams to Introduce Expanded Syringe Exchange
Philadelphia, Pa. − November 7, 2019 − Senator Anthony H. Williams today announced plans to introduce legislation that would expand access to needle and syringe programs throughout Pennsylvania. “As Pennsylvanians continue to deal with the impact of the opioid crisis,...
A. Williams Introduces Legislation to Allow Municipalities to Authorize Supervised Injection Sites
Harrisburg – October 29, 2019 – Sen. Anthony H. Williams (Delaware/Philadelphia) has introduced Senate Bill 933 which would allow municipalities to authorize by ordinance or resolution the operation of a supervised injection site. The legislation also lays out...
Dinniman, Kearney Discuss Support for Brain Injury Community
HARRISBURG − October 23, 2019 – Pennsylvanians living with traumatic and acquired brain injuries came to the state capitol this week to share their stories of survival, recovery, and hope. State Senator Andy Dinniman, who serves as co-chair of the Senate Brain...
Senator Hughes announces Senate Bill 913 aiming to create a housing trust fund for abuse victims, survivors
HARRISBURG – October 24, 2019 – State Senator Vincent Hughes (D-Philadelphia/Montgomery) unveiled his bill that would create a housing trust fund to increase resources for programs that provide housing access to victims fleeing abusive situations, such as domestic...
Senator Kearney Denounces Bill to Ban Abortion Before Many Women Know They’re Pregnant
SPRINGFIELD, PA − October 23, 2019 – Sen. Tim Kearney (D – Delaware, Chester) today announced his staunch opposition to Senate Bill 912, which would criminalize most abortions after six weeks of pregnancy. Introduced by Senator Doug Mastriano (R – Franklin), the...
Senators Santarsiero, Iovino, Hughes and Brooks to Introduce Legislation to Protect Healthcare Rights of Pennsylvanians
HARRISBURG − October 15, 2019 − In an effort to protect the healthcare rights of Pennsylvanians in the event the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is overturned through judicial actions at the federal level, state Senators Steve Santarsiero (D-10), Pam Iovino (D-37), Vincent...
Sen. Street: Bipartisan Healthcare Bills Moving Through the Senate
HARRISBURG - July 2, 2019 – Sen. Sharif Street (D- Philadelphia) announced today a bipartisan healthcare bill is moving through the Pennsylvania Senate. House Bill 3 will create a Pennsylvania based health insurance exchange for individual market plans. “I am very...
Democratic Senators to Introduce Emergency Relief Program Legislation
HARRISBURG - June 2, 2019 - Following the elimination of General Assistance, several members of the Pennsylvania Senate Democratic Caucus circulated a cosponsorship memo to create an emergency relief program that would serve the population now without cash assistance....
Senate Democrats Highlight Funding for Affordable Housing in the PA 2019-2020 Budget
HARRISBURG - July 1, 2019 - The just-passed state budget for Fiscal Year 2019-20 included a large increase in funding for the Pennsylvania Housing Affordability and Rehabilitation Enhancement Fund (PHARE). Several members of the Senate Democratic Caucus...
Senator Haywood, Members of the General Assembly, & Statewide Advocates Defend General Assistance Program
HARRISBURG – June 24, 2019 – Health and Human Services Committee Democratic Chairman State Senator Art Haywood (D-Montgomery/Philadelphia) joined members of the PA General Assembly and statewide advocates to fight to protect the General Assistance program. House Bill...
Former Penn State Kicker, Joey Julius, Joins Sen. Santarsiero, Rep. Murt to Promote Eating Disorder Parental Education Bills
HARRISBURG - June 17, 2019 —State Senator Steve Santarsiero, state Representative Tom Murt, Dr. Rachel Levine, Secretary of Health for Pennsylvania, Joey Julius, former football kicker for the Penn State Nittany Lions, and representatives from the National Eating...