Tartaglione: Senate Legislation Assails Women and Working Families

Abortion restrictions adopted, equal pay effort weakened, worker free speech curbed

Harrisburg – February 8, 2017 – State Sen. Christine M. Tartaglione (D-Philadelphia) issued the following statement harshly critical of the passage of legislation that assails the rights of women and working families. 

Tartaglione said there were a number of anti-women and anti-worker measures adopted by the Senate.  These include a bill (Senate Bill 3) to prohibit abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy instead of 24 weeks; a watered-down equal pay proposal (Senate Bill 241) that preempts local pay equity ordinances and fails to effectively deal with pay discrimination; and a prohibition (Senate Bill 166) from deducting political donations from the wages of employees. 

Tartaglione’s comments follow:

“The new session kicked off with an ideologically driven agenda that assails women and working families.  The Senate approved heavy-handed government involvement in women’s health care choices, a weakening of equal pay efforts and restrictions on free speech. 

“The new abortion restrictions put government between a women and health choices – a place it should never be.  The so-called “pay equity” bill would actually weaken equal pay efforts and reverse important gains made through local ordinances to ensure that women are treated fairly — such as the one adopted in Philadelphia that addresses pay discrimination.  Finally, the prohibition of deductions of political contributions from workers’ paychecks would impact workers’ free speech rights.

“Women, workers and working families continue to be treated unfairly.  Instead of creating jobs, enhancing education and building up health care, the Senate is being saddled with an extreme agenda that rips away rights.”

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