Toepel, Oberlander and Delozier Stand Against Sexual and Workplace Harassment

Apr. 10, 2018 /

WHAT: Reps. Marcy Toepel (R-Montgomery), Donna Oberlander (R-Clarion/Armstrong/Forest), and Sheryl Delozier (R-Cumberland) are holding a press conference to announce legislation designed to update Pennsylvania’s laws to better protect men and women from sexual misconduct and harassment in the workplace.

Committee to Examine Issue of Deaf, Blind Support Services

Apr. 10, 2018 /

WHAT: The House Human Services Committee, chaired by Rep. Gene DiGirolamo (R-Bucks), will hold a public hearing on House Bill 2069, sponsored by Reps. Dan Miller (D-Allegheny) and Tom Murt (R-Montgomery/Philadelphia), that would put into law an expiring grant program which has provided a lifeline for many deaf and blind Pennsylvanians by providing access to support service providers who facilitate communication and provide sighted guidance. This program has since allowed many more deafblind Pennsylvanians to access their communities and avoid costly in-home care or nursing home placement.

Boback’s Civics Education Legislation Advances

Apr. 10, 2018 /

HARRISBURG – To address the critical need for increased civics instruction in the Commonwealth, Rep. Karen Boback (R-Lackawanna/Luzerne/Wyoming) introduced House Bill 564, which would require school districts to administer a locally developed assessment of U.S. history, government and civics. The bill passed out of the House Education Committee unanimously on Monday.

Local Lawmakers Call for Federal Study to Determine Health Impacts of Water Contamination

Apr. 10, 2018 /

HARRISBURG – Citing local residents’ right to safe, clean drinking water, Reps. Todd Stephens (R-Montgomery), Kathy Watson (R-Bucks/144th) and Bernie O’Neill (R-Bucks) today thanked their House colleagues for supporting a resolution that asks the federal government to study any potential health effects stemming from water contamination at the former Naval Air Station in Willow Grove.

House Passes Nelson Bill to Help Small Businesses

Apr. 10, 2018 /

HARRISBURG – The House today approved legislation sponsored by Rep. Eric Nelson (R-Hempfield) that would permit small businesses to take a full state tax deduction for qualifying purchases.

Grove Bill to Simplify Tax Code Approved by House

Apr. 09, 2018 /

HARRISBURG – Legislation by Rep. Seth Grove (R-Dover) to simplify Pennsylvania’s tax code to ensure mobile telecommunication consumers aren’t subject to double taxation was approved by the House on Monday.

Lawmakers to Unveil Legislation to Boost Transparency of PA’s State-Related Universities

Apr. 09, 2018 /

WHAT: State Reps. Aaron Bernstine (R-Beaver/Butler/Lawrence), Jim Christiana (R-Beaver/Washington) and John Maher (R-Allegheny/Washington) will hold a press conference to unveil a package of legislation to boost the transparency and accountability of Pennsylvania’s state-related universities, which receive more than $560 million of taxpayer dollars annually.

Stephens to Testify on Strengthening Gun Laws

Apr. 08, 2018 /

WHAT: Rep. Todd Stephens (R-Montgomery) will testify before the House Judiciary Committee on his legislation to help families and law enforcement prevent dangerous people from possessing or acquiring guns.

House Committee to Consider Self-Storage, Travel Insurance Bills

Apr. 06, 2018 /

WHAT: The House Insurance Committee, led by Rep. Tina Pickett (R-Bradford/Sullivan/Susquehanna), will hold a voting meeting on two bills involving self-storage facilities and travel insurance. The bills include House Bill 504, sponsored by Rep. Alex Charlton (R-Delaware), which would enable self-storage proprietors to sell content insurance; and Senate Bill 630, sponsored by Sen. Guy Reschenthaler (R-Allegheny), which would make regulatory adjustments in the way travel insurance is sold in Pennsylvania to improve consumer protections.

House Children and Youth Committee to Consider Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Bills

Apr. 06, 2018 /

WHAT: The House Children and Youth Committee, led by Rep. Kathy Watson (R-Bucks/144th) will hold a voting meeting to consider three proposals that seek to help grandparents who are the sole caregivers of their grandchildren: House Bill 2133 would establish the Kinship Caregiver Navigator Program – an informational resource for these grandparents, both as a website and a toll-free hotline; House Bill 1539 would grant temporary guardianship to grandparents when the parents of the grandchildren are unable to care for them primarily due to substance abuse issues; and House Resolution 390 would direct the Joint State Government Commission to study the trend of grandfamilies in Pennsylvania and report its findings and recommendations to the General Assembly. An estimated 82,000 grandparents are the sole caregivers for nearly 89,000 grandchildren in Pennsylvania. That number is increasing due to the devastating opioid crisis across the Commonwealth.

Barrar and Commission Delve into Problems Facing Emergency Services

Apr. 04, 2018 /

COATESVILLE – Rep. Steve Barrar (R-Chester/Delaware) held a meeting of a bipartisan, bicameral commission at the Chester County Department of Emergency Services training facility in Coatesville to continue the conversation about how to address problems facing emergency services in the Commonwealth.