Press Releases
Kayden’s Law Unanimously Passes Pennsylvania Senate
HARRISBURG - December 14, 2023 - The Senate of Pennsylvania last night unanimously passed critical legislation to save children’s lives. Senate Bill 55, also known as Kayden’s Law, is legislation that provides urgently needed reform to Pennsylvania’s child...
Senator Williams, Baker, Bartolotta’s Probation Reform Bill, SB 838, Passes through Senate
HARRISBURG – December 14, 2023 – Last night, the Senate voted to pass a bill sponsored by Sens. Anthony Williams (D-8), Lisa Baker (R-20) and Camera Bartolotta (R-46) that will reform Pennsylvania’s probation system. “People deserve a second chance,” Williams...
Senator Hughes’s Celebrates Budget Wins for Teachers, Criminal Justice, and Healthier Schools
Harrisburg, PA – December 14, 2023 – Senator Vincent Hughes, Senator Democratic Appropriations Chair, released the following statement in response to the passage of House Bill 301 and House Bill 1300, budget codes that enable important initiatives and funding for...
Pennsylvania Legislature Passes Code Bills, Finishing Overdue 2023-2024 Fiscal Year Budget
Harrisburg — December 14, 2023 — The Pennsylvania General Assembly passed two education code bills and a fiscal code bill, concluding the 2023-2024 budget months after the June 30 deadline had passed. Although a budget was initially passed in July and signed into law...
Senator Muth, Public Herald Raise Alarm About Workers Injured by Fracking’s Radioactive Waste
HARRISBURG − December 13, 2023 − State Sen. Katie Muth (D-Chester/Montgomery/Berks) joined investigative journalist Joshua Pribanic from Public Herald and oil and gas industry workers at a press conference earlier this week to raise alarm about the dangers to workers...
PA’s Biggest Tax Giveaway to Corporations and Wealthy Individuals Discriminates Against Children
Harrisburg, Pa. − December 13, 2023 − Senator Lindsey M. Williams, Minority Chair of the Senate Education Committee, voted against the 2023-24 School Code today because it continues to take tax dollars away from public education and instead funnels that money to...
Sen. Nick Miller Announces Funding for Community Colleges Authorized by the Legislature, Heads to Governor’s Desk for Signature
Harrisburg, December 13, 2023 – Sen. Nick Miller (D-Lehigh/Northampton) announced that House Bill 301, which will provide planned funding to public libraries and community colleges, among other educational components, passed the legislature. “Passing...
Bill Establishing Permanent WIC Advisory Board Clears Pennsylvania Senate
Harrisburg— December 12, 2023 — Today, Senate Bill 721 passed the Pennsylvania Senate by a of vote of 50-0. The bill aims to establish a permanent Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) advisory board in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Since its inception in...
Senator Art Haywood to Introduce Legislation to Combat Hate Speech
Harrisburg, PA – December 12, 2023 – In a press conference held today, Senator Art Haywood (D-4) unveiled forthcoming legislation to combat hate speech on campuses within the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE). Senator Haywood was joined by Senator...
Senator Hughes Applauds Progress on PA Promise Legislation in the House of Representatives
Harrisburg, PA – December 12, 2023 – Today, Senator Vincent Hughes, Senate Democratic Appropriations Chair, applauded the movement of House Bill 1886 in the House of Representatives. The bill would create the PA Promise Pilot Program to provide “last-dollar” college...
House Approves Ward and Collett Bill to Protect Prescription Coverage for Social Security Recipients
HARRISBURG – December 11, 2023 − The state House today approved legislation introduced by Sen. Judy Ward (R-30) and Sen. Maria Collett (D-12) that would ensure older Pennsylvanians do not lose access to two state prescription medication programs due to an increase in...
Senator Anthony Williams Releases Statement Regarding the Resignation of the University of Pennsylvania’s President, Liz Magill
Philadelphia, PA − December 11, 2023 − Senator Anthony H. Williams released the following statement regarding the resignation of the University of Pennsylvania’s President, Liz Magill: “Given the gravity of the times we are living and our responsibility to defend...
State Senator Steve Santarsiero Calls for the Resignation of the President of the University of Pennsylvania, Elizabeth Magill, and vows not to vote for any state appropriation for the university until she does so
BUCKS COUNTY − December 6, 2023 − Today, State Senator Steve Santarsiero (D 10, Bucks) called on Elizabeth Magill to resign as the president of the University of Pennsylvania in the wake of her congressional testimony on December 5, 2023, in which she failed to...
Policy Hearing Focuses on Minimizing Risk and Harm in Development of PA’s Hydrogen Infrastructure
EAST VINCENT, December 5, 2023 – State Senator Katie Muth (D-Chester/Montgomery/Berks), chair of the Pennsylvania Senate Democratic Policy Committee, joined Senator Carolyn Comitta (D-Chester), Democratic Chair of the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy...
Sen. Nick Miller, PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll, Additional Stakeholders Discuss Major Transportation Projects in the Lehigh Valley, Plan Next Steps
December 4, 2023 − Sen. Nick Miller (D-Lehigh/Northampton) and PennDOT Secretary Mike Caroll joined key stakeholders in the Lehigh Valley last week for a major transportation projects roundtable to take account of timeline, safety and funding. Executive Director of...
Legislation Combating the Rising Cost of Flood Insurance Signed into Law
BUCKS COUNTY − December 4, 2023 − Senator Steve Santarsiero (D-10) and Representative Perry Warren (D-31) joined Governor Josh Shapiro today in Yardley Borough for the bill signing of House Bill 735, establishing a task force to address rising flood insurance...
Sen. Collett Hosts Annual Family Health Fair
Ambler, Pa. - December 4, 2023 — On Saturday, December 2, Senator Maria Collett (D-12 Montgomery) hosted her 5th annual health fair event at the Ambler Area YMCA. “As a nurse, I know just how important it is that families have the tools they need to live full, healthy...
Senate Democrats Share Joint Statement on PA Supreme Court Wage Theft Decision
November 30, 2023 – Members of the Pennsylvania Senate Democratic Caucus, including Senator Vincent Hughes, Senator John Kane, Senator Christine Tartaglione, and Senator Lindsey Williams, issued a joint statement in response to the PA Supreme Court’s opinion that...
Sen. Nick Miller, Community Stakeholders Tour Neighborhood of Da Vinci Science Center at PPL Pavilion to Address Potential Improvements Ahead of Spring 2024 Opening
ALLENTOWN, PA – November 30, 2023 − Sen. Nick Miller (D-Lehigh/Northampton) joined Lehigh Valley stakeholders for a walking tour of the blocks surrounding the Da Vinci Science Center at PPL Pavilion, the center’s new downtown Allentown location, which is set to...
Senator Hughes and PA Leaders Celebrate $98M Win for Affordable Rental Housing, Call for More Housing Investments
Philadelphia, PA - November 30, 2023 − Senator Vincent Hughes, Democratic Appropriations Chair, stood with fellow lawmakers and affordable housing leaders to celebrate a new, affordable housing grant program that awarded $98 million dollars to projects that will...
Sen. Muth Accepting Applications from Local High School Students for Youth Advisory Council
ROYERSFORD, November 29, 2023 − State Sen. Katie Muth (D-Chester/Montgomery/Berks) today announced that her office is launching a Youth Advisory Council to engage high school students from across Senate District 44 in state government policy and issue advocacy. ...
Street Statement on Bigoted Shooting of Palestinian American Students
PHILADELPHIA – November 27, 2023 – Senator Sharif Street, released the following statement regarding the bigoted shooting of three Palestinian American students in Vermont this past weekend. “Everyone deserves to live a life free from the violence of hate and bigotry....
Police Officer Scott A. Wertz Memorial Bridge Sign Formally Unveiled at Ceremony Honoring the Legacy of Fallen Reading Police Officer
Reading — November 22, 2023 — Today, the signs for the Police Officer Scott A. Wertz Memorial Bridge were unveiled, and a ceremony was held at the Miller Center for the Arts to honor the late police officer. Wertz dedicated 20 years of his life to public service and...
PA State Legislators Call for Congressional Support for Ceasefire and Release of Hostages
Harrisburg, PA (November 21, 2023)—Today members of the Pennsylvania General Assembly called for congressional support for a ceasefire, for the release of all hostages, and for humanitarian aid to residents throughout the region impacted by the ongoing violence....
Senator Flynn and State Representatives Unite Against “Massive” Water-Rate Increases Proposed by Pennsylvania American Water, Citing Affordability Concerns for Local Residents
Scranton − November 17, 2023 − In a joint effort, Senator Marty Flynn and State Representatives Kyle Mullins, Bridget Kosierowski, and Kyle Donahue are deeply concerned in regards to the substantial water-rate increases proposed by Pennsylvania American Water. The...
Brewster Lauds Passage of Omnibus School Code Bill
Harrisburg – November 17, 2023 – This week, the Senate passed the school funding portion of the 2023-2024 Pennsylvania Budget after amending House Bill 301 to include several programs Senator Brewster and his colleagues have advocated for during this...
Senate Dems Discuss Impacts of Generative AI at Policy Hearing
PHOENIXVILLE, November 16, 2023 – State Senator Katie Muth (D-Chester/Montgomery/Berks), chair of the Pennsylvania Senate Democratic Policy Committee, today joined Senator Jimmy Dillon (D-Philadelphia) and Senator John Kane (D-Chester/Delaware) to co-host a public...
State Senators John Kane and Judy Schwank, and Representative Napoleon Nelson Introduce Bills to Bring Student Mental Health Days to Pennsylvania
Harrisburg, PA – November 16, 2023 – State Senators John I. Kane and Judy Schwank have teamed up to introduce new legislation that will allow K-12 students to take excused mental health days in Pennsylvania. In collaboration, Representative Napoleon Nelson has...
Collett Companion Bill Ending Nonconsensual Pelvic Exams Advances to Governor’s Desk
Harrisburg, Pa. − November 16, 2023 − Today, House Bill 507, the companion bill to Senator Maria Collett & Senator Katie Muth’s Senate Bill 549, was sent to Governor Shapiro’s desk for his signature. The legislation requires medical facilities in Pennsylvania to...
Sen. Nick Miller Votes to Fund State-Related Universities
November 15, 2023 – Sen. Nick Miller (D-Lehigh/Northampton) applauds today’s passage of House Bill 1461 (Harris, D-Philadelphia). House Bill 1461 will provide funding for state-related universities for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024. “Getting beyond the...
Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa Lauds Passage of Funding for State Related Universities
Pittsburgh, PA – November 15, 2023 − Today, the Pennsylvania Senate passed HB 1461, a bill to fund state-related universities, by a vote of 45-5. This was well above the constitutionally required two-thirds vote necessary to fund Penn State, the University of...
Brewster Reappointed to Legislative Budget and Finance Committee
Harrisburg, November 15, 2023 – State Senator Jim Brewster today thanked Senate leadership for his reappointment to a term on Legislative Budget and Finance Committee (LBFC), which conducts a range of research activities pertaining to the operation and...