Feb. 10, 2016
HARRISBURG – Rep. Julie Harhart (R-Lehigh/Northampton) today voted along with the majority of members in the House of Representatives to restore $1 million in funding the governor chose to cut from the 2015-16 state budget he partially signed into law on Dec. 29.
“I have been a longtime advocate for child advocacy centers,” said Harhart. “I worked for more than 10 years to bring these essential facilities to the forefront and establish the funding necessary to enable them to continue, and even expand, their work with abuse children.”
Child advocacy centers are essentially a one-stop-shop treatment program for abused children which brings together doctors, nurses, prosecutors, social workers and law enforcement. This multidisciplinary approach gives abused children the best chance to recover and also provides the most effective way to gather evidence to bring perpetrators to justice.
During Gov. Tom Wolf’s multi-billion dollar cuts to the 2015-16 state budget, he eliminated $1 million in funding for these centers. House Bill 1802, which passed the House today, would restore this funding.
Wolf sent a letter this week to members of the General Assembly to let them know he planned to veto
House Bill 1802 and other legislative measures aimed at restoring critical funding he vetoed from the partially signed budget on Dec. 29.
“I am pleased the majority of my colleagues in the House support restoring these funds, which were included in the balanced budget approved by the House and Senate and sent to the governor’s desk at the end of last year,” said Harhart. “I am astounded that anyone would chose to eliminate funding for centers that seek to help the most vulnerable people in our society – abused children. I am hopeful the governor will rethink his position and support the children of Pennsylvania who are in desperate need of help.”
As the bill passed in the House, it now goes to the Senate for consideration.
Representative Julie Harhart
183rd District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Tricia Lehman
717.772.9840
tlehman@pahousegop.com
JulieHarhart.com