by Christin Brown | June 27, 2022 | feature, News Releases
HARRISBURG, June 27, 2022 − Seven members of the Pennsylvania Senate Democratic Caucus circulated a memo on Friday afternoon to take steps to codify into state law the personal right to make decisions about health and reproduction, including access to safe and legal abortions.
The co-sponsorship memo was circulated by state Senators Katie Muth (D- Montgomery/Chester/Berks), Amanda Cappelletti (D-Montgomery/Delaware), Lindsey Williams (D-Allegheny), Maria Collett (D-Bucks/Montgomery), Judy Schwank (D-Berks), Christine Tartaglione (D-Philadelphia), and Carolyn Comitta (D-Chester).
“The Supreme Court decision handed down on Friday was not made in the interest of the people and shows that the highest court in our nation has a majority that is being run by harmful right wing special interests,” Muth said. “If we cannot trust the Court to protect the rights of Pennsylvanians, then it is up to us in the state legislature to defend our rights to make decisions about our own bodies. We cannot and we will never back down in the fight to protect our rights, our bodies, and our right to choice.”
The legislation comes on the heels of the devastating ruling handed down by a partisan Supreme Court on Friday that overturned the 1973 Roe v Wade ruling and eliminates the constitutional right to an abortion after almost 50 years.
“Codifying Roe will go a long way to protect the right to determine our own bodily autonomy here in the Commonwealth. Currently, the right to make decisions about our own bodies is under threat because extremists refuse to accept the reality that abortion is a necessary and vital health care procedure,” Cappelletti said. “We must do all that we can to protect and even expand access, and this legislation is the first step to doing so.”
In 1973, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Roe v. Wade that abortion rights being left to the individual states was a violation of the right to privacy and equal protection under the law. This ruling had provided American women the reproductive freedoms and personal health choices they deserve as equal citizens.
“Last week’s Supreme Court ruling took away the federal right for millions of Americans to seek life-saving reproductive healthcare. Abortion is only legal in Pennsylvania right now because the anti-choice bills run by Republicans in the legislature have been vetoed by the governor. The time is now to codify Roe into state law to ensure that reproductive healthcare remains safe and accessible for future generations,” Williams added. “Deciding if, when, and with whom to start or grow a family is a human right. I trust people to make the best decisions about their lives, families and their healthcare. This legislation is about our right to privacy and our right to bodily autonomy and I am proud to support it.”
In the dissenting opinion filed on Friday, Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer wrote that “withdrawing a woman’s right to choose whether to continue a pregnancy does not mean that no choice is being made. It means that a majority of today’s Court has wrenched this choice from women and given it to the States. To allow a State to exert control over one of “the most intimate and personal choices” a woman may make is not only to affect the course of her life, monumental as those effects might be.”
“After nearly 50 years of legal precedent, we are seeing nothing less than a rollback of our fundamental rights to bodily autonomy. This ruling could be devastating to Pennsylvanians, but it does not have to be,” Collett added. “Our legislature must codify Roe v. Wade and ensure safe, legal, and accessible reproductive care for everyone, regardless of their income level or other social barriers.”
According to April 2022 polling done by Franklin & Marshall College, which has regularly polled on the issue since 2009, only 16 percent of Pennsylvanians believe that abortion should be illegal in all circumstances.
“Without Roe, state legislatures across the country will be lining up to restrict, ban or protect abortion access. Given that only 30% of Pennsylvanians agree with the overturning of Roe, I believe this legislation will do what our constituents expect us to do – protect access to abortion,” Schwank said. “We can’t allow the people of this commonwealth’s personal health care decisions to be made by a vocal minority.”
The Senators all agree that it is up to the legislature to step up and take action to protect women’s freedom of choice.
“While abortion currently remains safe and legal in Pennsylvania, we must take steps to keep it that way. In overturning Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court showed just how fragile protections for women’s health, women’s rights, and women’s choice are,” Comitta said. “Codifying these protections into law is a matter of representing the majority of Pennsylvania voters who believe abortion should be legal, standing up for all women, and saying no to an extremist agenda of government-mandated pregnancy.”
The Senators indicated that language is currently being drafted to codify the protections of the 1973 Roe v Wade ruling into Pennsylvania law and that it will be introduced soon.
“We just witnessed an unprecedented repeal of the rights of women in America by activist justices acting against the interest of the majority of Americans. Pennsylvania’s legislature needs to act now to ensure we protect the rights of women here in Pennsylvania,” Tartaglione said. “This legislation will ensure women retain the right to safe abortions and protects women from having the government interfere in the private decision-making process between her and her healthcare team.”
Click here to read the co-sponsorship memo that was circulated on Friday.
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by Christin Brown | December 6, 2021 | News Releases
READING, December 6, 2021 – State Senator Katie Muth (D- Berks/Chester/Montgomery), Chair of the Pennsylvania Senate Democratic Policy Committee, today joined Senators Judy Schwank and Christine Tartaglione to host a public hearing on evaluating and improving drug treatment centers in Pennsylvania.
“The alarming rates of substance abuse and drug overdoses have been magnified throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. And when individuals and their families reach out for help and seek treatment, they do not have the resources and information available to make an informed choice about treatment facilities. Pennsylvania families deserve better,” Senator Muth said. “Today’s policy hearing allowed our Committee to hear from families who have tragically lost loved ones to addiction, and it also afforded us an opportunity to discuss possible legislative solutions and policy changes that can improve the evaluation process and treatment outcomes of Pennsylvania’s drug treatment centers. Patient outcome survey data should be guiding treatment plans, not insurance companies that often deny coverage for the care required for successful recovery.”
Pennsylvania has one of the highest rates of drug overdose in the nation and drug overdose deaths have increased in 46 of 67 counties in Pennsylvania throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. The Center for Disease Control’s National Center for Health Statistics indicated that there were over 100,000 drug overdose deaths in the United States during the 12-month period ending in April 2021, an increase of 28.5% from prior year.
“We must rethink our approach to adequately address the ongoing opioid epidemic, and one way to do that is to look at drug treatment centers. Individuals taking the crucial step of seeking treatment for addiction need to be given access to all the information they need to make the right decision for their own particular circumstances,” Schwank said. “This hearing provided us an opportunity to learn directly from individuals impacted by addiction, treatment providers and state regulators. It will give us a chance to better understand what factors make drug treatment more effective.”
Senator Schwank has introduced two bills – Senate Bill 975 and Senate Bill 976 – to address issues with Pennsylvania’s drug treatment facilities and recovery homes. Senate Bill 975 would require the Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP) to distribute an annual survey to all substance use disorder treatment centers and recovery homes operating in PA, record, and publish online for public access the responses provided by those treatment centers and recovery homes. Senate Bill 976 would prohibit any treatment center in PA to refuse admittance to anyone reporting to a treatment facility requesting medical or psychological services addressing substance use disorder – even if an individual is under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time they report. It would also prohibit any health insurance company operating in PA from refusing coverage for admittance and provision of medical and psychological services.
“Today was a crucial step in addressing the crisis that is addiction, and the failure of treatment that surrounds it,” Tartaglione said. “The shifting demographics of addiction and overdoses show us that there is no community in this commonwealth that has not been touched by its devastation, from Erie to Philly and Allentown to Pittsburgh, the PA Senate Democrats are dedicated to bettering and expanding addiction treatment services offered.”
The Senate Democratic Policy Committee heard from several panelists at Reading Area Community College that included representatives from the Opioid Crisis Action Network, the Self-Help Movement, the Caron Foundation, the Council on Chemical Abuse, and the Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs.
All submitted testimony from today’s hearing and the full video is available at SenatorMuth.com/Policy
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Testimony
Panel 1: Affected People
Panel 2: Care Providers
Panel 3: Policy Solutions
by Christin Brown | April 30, 2021 | News Releases
Harrisburg – April 30, 2021 – At the request of Pennsylvania State Senators Judy Schwank (D- Berks), Tina Tartaglione (D- Philadelphia), and Sharif Street (D- Philadelphia), the Senate Democratic Policy Committee held a virtual policy hearing to discuss the issue of food insecurity in Pennsylvania.
“The pandemic has exposed many issues over the last year, but perhaps most striking of all is the issue of food insecurity,” Schwank said. “I know few of us will forget seeing the long lines of families waiting for food assistance. Today we learned how our local food banks met the extraordinary challenge of feeding our communities and what we need to consider moving forward as the issue of food insecurity is far from solved.”
Pennsylvania Secretary of Agriculture Russell Redding said that reports compiled by the organization Feeding America show that the number of Pennsylvanians facing food insecurity in 2020 grew substantially to 1.77 million individuals, an increase of 30 percent. The number of children in Pennsylvania facing food insecurity rose to 537,080, an increase of nearly 40 percent in just one year.
“Food Insecurity is defined as the lack of access to enough food for a healthy and active life and at its core equals hunger. Across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, it is estimated that 11% of the population is food insecure with the highest percentage right here in Philadelphia county,” Dixie James, President and COO of Einstein Healthcare Network, said.
Second Lady of Pennsylvania, Gisele Fetterman, also testified at the hearing about her work to address food insecurity through Free Store 15104 and 412 Food Rescue.
“My work exists because of failures in policy,” Fetterman said.
She said that making a state law to prevent perfectly good food from going to waste, as numerous other states have done, would help to address food insecurity by redirecting resources, and also addressing the environmental impact of discarding perfectly good food that could otherwise feed populations.
“We know it is not a lack of food, it is how food gets distributed,” Dr. Kathy Reeves, Senior Associate Dean of Health Equity, Diversity & Inclusion and Director at the Center for Urban Bioethics and Professor of Pediatrics Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, said.
Dr. Reeves also advocated in her testimony to treat food as a prescription to address the overall health of Pennsylvanians.
“Food insecurity is intertwined with so many of Pennsylvania’s chronic ills, problems like poverty and health disparities that have been exacerbated by the lingering coronavirus pandemic,” Senator Tartaglione said. “This thorough conversation is imperative as we seek to make nutrition universally accessible in the Commonwealth.”
Loree Jones, CEO of Philabundance which serves five counties in Pennsylvania, said that 40 percent of the 60 percent increase Philabundance has seen in need this past year were people using the emergency food system for the first time. She said that Feeding America is projecting that nationally more than 42 million people, including 13 million children, may experience food insecurity due to COVID-19.
Secretary Redding said that additional funding to provide food in the pandemic has come from both federal and state resources, providing additional funding for United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) foods purchases through The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP). As of April 17, 2021, food banks in Pennsylvania report having distributed in excess of 2.4 million of these food boxes, weighing more than 51.5 million pounds.
“The lessons learned over this past year have provided us a fresh lens to look at our grant programs to ensure they are equitable and meeting the needs of those we serve. The gaps in the system have been highlighted such as meat processing delays and lack of access to fresh foods. We will continue to enhance our current programs and investigate additional ways to address these needs,” Sec. Redding said. “Additionally, expanding broadband access throughout the commonwealth will assist in providing equal access to resources and e-commerce platforms.”
Scott Cawthern, Acting Deputy Secretary for the Office of Income Maintenance at the PA Dept. of Human Services, also testified about the work that the Dept. of Human Services did in expanding services during the COVID-19 pandemic, and how increased and continued investment in these programs will address food insecurity and improve long-term health outcomes for Pennsylvanians.
“On the state level, we would like to see more coordination between all the food 9 systems in the state including the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), SNAP, NSLP, and others to ensure that eligible families are receiving all the food assistance for which they qualify and to ensure that children and families receive the nutrition supports as they grow,” Cawthern said.
Jay Worrall, President of Helping Harvest Food Bank, testified to the importance of community partners in the distribution of food and resources to families and how increasing funding for its signature food insecurity programs, the State Food Purchase Program (SFPP), and the Pennsylvania Agricultural Surplus System (PASS), and increase the flexibility for how those funds can be expended would assist even more Pennsylvanians in need.
“Unfortunately, many Pennsylvanians have been and still are struggling to meet their basic needs. Working families across our state face countless situations, such as jobs paying only poverty wages due to wealth inequality and corporate greed, food deserts, unexpected bills for car maintenance or medical treatment, layoffs, and now a global pandemic, all of which cause temporary or permanent financial instability, food insecurity and hunger. Pennsylvania food insecurity rates have increased from 11.1% in 2018 to over 33% as of March 2020. According to the PA Department of Agriculture, before the COVID-19 pandemic, more than 1.53 million Pennsylvanians endured chronic hunger every day, including 478,500 older Pennsylvanians and about 437,000 children,” Sen. Katie Muth (D- Berks/Chester/Montgomery), chair of the Senate Democratic Policy Committee, said. “Food insecurity makes it impossible to survive let alone thrive. Every human should have guaranteed access to reliable and nutritious meals. We need to act urgently to end food insecurity in Pennsylvania and across our nation.”
Below are all who participated in today’s hearing:
- Dixie James, President & COO, Einstein Healthcare Network
- Gisele Fetterman, Second Lady of Pennsylvania
- Secretary Russell Redding, PA Department of Agriculture
- Scott Cawthern, Acting Deputy Secretary for the Office of Income Maintenance at the PA Dept. of Human Services
- Dr. Kathy Reeves, MD. FAAP, Senior Associate Dean, Health Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Director, Center for Urban Bioethics – Professor, Pediatrics Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University
- Andy Toy, Development and Communications Director, SEAMAAC
- Tyler Ray, Neighborhood Community Organizer, Urban Creators
- Maddy Booth, COO, Vetri Community Partnership
- Mark Edwards, President & CEO, Food Trust
- Loree Jones, CEO, Philabundance
- Jay Worrall, President, Helping Harvest Food Bank
The full recording of this roundtable, as well as the written testimony from participants, can be found at senatormuth.com/policy. A full recording of this hearing can also be found on the PA Senate Democratic Facebook page.
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by Christin Brown | April 8, 2020 | News Releases
Harrisburg, PA − April 8, 2020 − The Senate adjourned Tuesday afternoon after the House Republicans indicated they would not be taking up Senate Bill 841, legislation that would have enabled local municipalities to hold their meetings remotely, permitted e-notary use; lengthened the time period a property tax payer can receive an early payment discount and delay penalties for late payments to Dec. 31st; and allowed businesses to make delayed payments on EITC. Another important amendment offered by Senator Pam Iovino (D-Allegheny) allowed school districts to renegotiate contracts to ensure contracted school workers can get paid and continue to receive benefits.
The amended SB 841 passed the Senate with bipartisan support. While the Senate Democrats and Republicans chose to put partisan difference aside, the House Republicans were pushing to please special interests and big donors. Intending to use this crisis as leverage, Speaker Turzai and his caucus passed legislation to prematurely allow businesses to reopen during this public health crisis and create a partisan task force to interfere with the Governor’s disaster response, both of which unnecessarily risk lives and threaten to expend the emergency.
“While the Governor and Department of Health Secretary offer leadership on public safety in daily briefings and Democratic members of the PA House and Senate draft legislation to protect working people who are either out of work or employed on the front lines of essential businesses, Republicans are putting lives at risk and undermining the Governor and Secretary Levine’s best efforts to end this crisis,” said Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa, Jr. “Instead of taking the advice of our Health Secretary, they are trying to slow down our response and hasten the re-opening of non-essential businesses against the guidance of every public health entity in the country.”
The House Republicans were seeking even more egregious measures to provide civil immunity to big businesses, upend school districts ability to pay their teachers, and leave our corrections department employees at serious threat of the Coronavirus. Perhaps worst of all, the language does nothing to protect frontline workers, provide assistance to those that are out of work, or to help small businesses weather this crisis.
In an amendment to Senate Bill 327, House Republicans designed a task force with partisan appointees to usurp the Governor’s ability to rapidly respond to this quickly-evolving crisis. Their bill would require the Secretary of Health to leave PEMA, take hours away from public health crisis planning and defend her work in front of a redundant, political body.
The Senate Democratic Caucus will not support these bills. Alternatively, this caucus will be supporting legislation on the following issues:
- The American Working Family Relief Action Plan for front-line worker protections (Collett/L. Williams)
- Protecting workers during public health emergencies (Santarsiero)
- COVID-19 Food Worker Safety Act (Tartaglione)
- COVID-19 Grocery Store Worker Safety Act (Tartaglione)
- Payment of contract services in schools (Iovino)
- Childcare assistance (Schwank/L. Williams)
- Emergency expansion of the Family Medical Leave Act to provide paid sick leave (Farnese)
- Crisis grants for volunteer fire and EMS companies due to COVID-19 (Brewster)
- Require business interruption insurance to cover COVID-19 related business closures (Hughes)
- Eviction protection for all disaster emergencies (Farnese)
- Coronavirus disease and schools: allowing for online instruction (Dinniman)
- Creating a Common Wealth Fund to collect donations from individuals to provide for essential needs of those in need (AH Williams)
- Providing a presumption of eligibility for Workers’ Compensation benefits for workers that get sick in the workplace (Tartaglione)
- Ensuring receipt of a stimulus check from the Federal government is not included in an individual’s income for purposes of qualifying for social safety nets (Schwank)
- Exempting stimulus checks from the Federal government from State and local taxation (Brewster)
- Collaborating with financial institutions to mandate mortgage loan forgiveness, assistance to homeowners that were laid off due to state emergencies (Farnese)
“While many working Pennsylvanians are suffering from the COVID-19 pandemic, facing lost hours or even complete unemployment, others who find themselves in more fortunate circumstances have expressed a desire to help their fellow citizens by either donating to a local charity or patronizing local businesses,” said Senator Anthony H. Williams. “By establishing the “Pennsylvania Common Wealth” restricted account, taxpayers could redirect all or a portion of their stimulus check to the state, which in turn would be authorized to direct those funds into programs which help the neediest Pennsylvanians – property tax & rent rebates, temporary assistance for needy families, CHIP or medical assistance.”
“Pennsylvania needs solutions that help protect its working people who have been hit the hardest by the fallout of the coronavirus pandemic,” Senator Vincent Hughes said. “We in the Pennsylvania Senate Democratic Caucus have put forth a number of policy proposals that would do just that, meanwhile House Republicans have chosen to ignore these needs and push an agenda that jeopardizes public health and puts additional pressure on working people by delaying immediate relief. Our mission should be helping people in this unprecedented time of need and we will remain vigilant in protecting hardworking folks across the commonwealth.”
“As public servants, our most important duty is to protect the health, safety and welfare of our citizens. This includes making difficult decisions in challenging times. We all want businesses to reopen, employees back on the job, students back in classrooms and some semblance of normal life to resume, but that cannot happen unless we first continue mitigation efforts and follow the advice of our scientists and experts,” said Senator Wayne D. Fontana. “Anything contrary can set back progress and cause further harm on our economy and most importantly, on human health. The bipartisan legislation the Senate approved provides some necessary guidance and relief to local governments, businesses, school employees and property taxpayers during this unprecedented situation. It is unconscionable that House Republicans blatantly disregarded that duty and have chosen not to act.”
“The spread of coronavirus has not quieted the voice of special interests in Harrisburg and that’s tragic,” said Senator Larry Farnese. “Mitigation through isolation is working and we have to recognize that sacrifice through legislation that actually helps front-line workers instead of just saying nice things on social media.”
“This crisis and the Commonwealth’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic requires leadership, transparency and cooperation – not partisan politics,” said Senator John Blake. “While we’ve worked well with the Senate majority on real solutions that actually help people in this crisis, the House majority looks to undermine the executive authority of the Governor as well as the advice of medical and scientific experts regarding public health. I applaud the work being done by Governor Wolf and his administration to keep Pennsylvanians safe and to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. I will continue to support important legislation to help our business community, front-line workers and medical professionals; and to protect our citizens, schools and local governments across this state. We need to remain vigilant in following the recommendations of the PA Department of Health and the federal CDC.”
“Issues that the Commonwealth was already facing have been exacerbated by this pandemic, and child care services and early learning programs are near the top of the list. Childcare centers are teetering on the brink of insolvency, which is why part of our legislative package addresses early childhood learning and safe, quality childcare. We will not be able to restart Pennsylvania’s economy without this key component,” Senator Judy Schwank said. “Additionally, it’s vital that the income requirements of state programs like PACENET and Property Tax and Rent Rebate are adjusted so that Pennsylvanians receiving federal aid are not penalized later.”
“The key to an effective response to the pandemic is to ensure that our citizens are protected, health risks are addressed, and our economy restarts quickly,” Senator Jim Brewster said. “That’s why I introduced a six-point stimulus plan that will help small business, protect workers and create jobs once we are clear the threat posed by the pandemic. In addition, we need to make sure to address the immediate and long-term needs of first responders and all workers and businesses who are providing essential services during this time of extraordinary stress.”
“There is no segment of our Commonwealth that hasn’t been upended by this crisis. Everything is a priority. But in order to save livelihoods, we must first save lives,” said Senator Maria Collett. “As a nurse, I know firsthand the challenges our health care workers are up against and the urgency of passing legislation like the American Working Family Relief Action Plan for Front-Line Workers. Our doctors, nurses, first responders, senior care aides and others should not have to worry about getting sick or infecting others while performing their essential work.”
“It is irresponsible for the state to reopen businesses at the height of the COVID-19 outbreak. Those who are not essential workers should remain home,” said Senator Art Haywood. “We need to do all we can as legislators to support essential employees risking their lives on a daily basis,” said Senator Haywood (D-Montgomery/Philadelphia). “I will continue to support the work Governor Wolf and Secretary Levine have done to inform the public to remain safe and stay home.”
“The citizens of Pennsylvania are counting on their elected representatives to save lives by responding swiftly, pragmatically, and in a bipartisan manner to slow the spread of this highly contagious virus,” said Senator Pam Iovino. “To fulfill our duty to the public, we must follow the consensus guidance of public health professionals, focus on protecting front-line essential workers, and put in place protections that allow furloughed or unemployed workers and small businesses to weather the economic disruption.”
“As the Democratic chair of the Local Government Committee, I worked with stakeholders for weeks to craft the provisions of SB 841, I am disappointed these commonsense measures, which passed the Senate with bipartisan support, are being held up by House Republicans for little reason,” said Senator Tim Kearney. “The House should immediately pass SB 841 and focus on bringing relief to Pennsylvanians, rather than sabotaging the Governor’s efforts to keep our families safe.”
“Yesterday, the majority party in both chambers failed to use their legislative power, where they can literally pass any bill they want to, and instead decided to pack up and go home without,” said Senator Katie Muth. “Failing to pass meaningful bills when people are fighting for their lives is simply negligent.”
“Now is not the time to play politics,” said Senator Steve Santarsiero. “Saving lives has to be the first priority. In order to do that, we must all do our part and follow the Governor’s and Department of Health’s plans as they’ve been explained to us countless times. SB 841 is just one of many ways our caucus has worked in a bipartisan effort to provide relief to those who need it most. However, SB 327 is exactly what our healthcare professionals warn us against. Promoting a premature return to normalcy will only undermine our effort to keep the public safe, and further endanger thousands of lives.”
“Government’s most important role is the protection of its people. Since the COVID-19 crisis the Senate has met three times, with little to show for it. Communities across the commonwealth have no interest in the paralysis of government especially in the most desperate of times. What they do care about is the protection of our essential workforce, the interruption of our small businesses, job loss, staying in their homes and educating their children. The only thing that matters is the preservation and protection of every resource needed to keep families safe during this health crisis,” said Senator Sharif Street.
“We need to be back in Harrisburg, we need to get back to work. We must work together to ensure our communities are protected during uncertain times.”
“As thousands of Pennsylvanians continue to get sick and hundreds die, now is no time to play partisan politics,” Senator Tina Tartaglione said. “As public leaders, we must unite behind the common goal of reducing the threat of this virus and mitigating the harm being done to our constituents. The package of bills we have proposed will directly help all Pennsylvania families, including essential workers, displaced workers, first responders, school children, those who have become sick, and those in need. I urge all legislators from all political parties to support these bills.”
“Stopping the spread of COVID-19 and saving lives is our top priority. We also need to protect and support our constituents, our communities, and our businesses,” said Senator Lindsey Williams. “Our front-line essential workers – our hospital workers, grocery store workers, emergency service personnel and others – cannot afford to wait for PPE. They needed it weeks ago. Our childcare facilities need our help to stay open and provide care to the children of our essential workers while they risk their lives for us. Our small businesses need financial support to stay afloat. Our municipalities need the ability to meet remotely and make decisions that will ensure the safety of all of residents. There are a lot of needs right now and our constituents do not have time for us to waste playing partisan games or naming bridges. The Senate Democrats have offered concrete solutions that will help people. We should all be working together to get them to the Governor’s desk for signature as soon as possible.”
More information on the work of the Pennsylvania Senate Democratic Caucus during the COVID-19 crisis can be found at pasenate.com/covid19.
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by Christin Brown | August 27, 2019 | News Releases
HARRISBURG, August 27, 2019 – After a months-long review of a sexual misconduct complaint against a former Pennsylvania House member, a Dauphin County grand jury has called for the Pennsylvania Legislature to create a new, independent Office of Legislative Responsibility to create a centralized reporting system for victims to report sexual harassment and sexual misconduct.
Among other things, the grand jury recommended the new independent office be led by a qualified investigator, have subpoena power in consultation with the district attorney in the relevant jurisdiction and have authority to investigate any alleged misconduct, not limited to sexual harassment or assault.
Members of the Pennsylvania Senate Democratic Caucus have welcomed this idea and plan to move forward when the legislature returns in September.
“Women in the capitol deserve to be safe, to feel safe, to be heard, and to be respected,” said Sen. Larry Farnese (D-1). “We must act swiftly and stand together to enact these policy changes to create a better working environment for everyone in the Capitol.”
“To protect the safety of all individuals in and around the Capitol, as well as those who interact with the General Assembly anywhere throughout the Commonwealth, we must empower and encourage victims to report alleged incidents of harassment and misconduct as soon as possible,” said Sen. Christine Tartaglione (D-2). “By creating an office dedicated to investigating these incidents independently, we will be sending a powerful message that the Pennsylvania Legislature takes all allegations seriously and that every voice will be heard.”
“This process has revealed the deficiencies in policy and reporting that has failed to keep women safe in and around the Capitol for years,” said Sen. Judy Schwank (D-11). “It is time that we take this conduct seriously and create a reporting process that affords victims the opportunity to come forward in safety and with dignity. It is time for today’s legislative leaders to lead the way in creating a path forward to ensure that the workplace is a safe place for all.”
“The findings of the Grand Jury Report reiterate what we already know and what the #MeToo Movement has made clear for years: there can be no tolerance for workplace harassment. Period,” said Sen. Maria Collett (D-12). “Our General Assembly needs to hold itself to the highest standards and lead by example by implementing and improving the procedures in which we address all claims of workplace harassment by adopting these recommendations. I look forward to working with my colleagues in the legislature as we take up this issue when we return to session.”
“Having an independent office as a central reporting and investigation unit makes some sense,” said Sen. Lisa Boscola (D-18). “It will help ensure consistency and efficiency in all caucuses and both Chambers.”
“As a career public servant, I believe that members of the General Assembly should be held to the highest standards of ethics and behavior to uphold the public trust,” said Sen. Pam Iovino (D-37). “The establishment of the Office of Legislative Responsibility will serve to ensure that public trust. An independent office will secure credible due process for all victims, regardless of gender, as well as all accused.”
“Our current system of reporting and investigating claims of workplace harassment is woefully inadequate and, in many cases, damaging to the very people it is designed to serve,” said Sen. Lindsey Williams (D-38). “We need to take this opportunity to implement the Grand Jury’s recommendations and create a system that ensures all victims and witnesses alike are protected from retaliation and encouraged to report instances of workplace harassment.”
“The recommendations of not pursuing criminal charges in this incident is a direct example of how the “justice” system and old boys club enable rape culture and abuse of power in our government,” said Sen. Katie Muth (D-44). “How many more of us have to be harassed, bullied, assaulted, and raped before real accountability is enforced? The recommendations made by the grand jury should’ve been mandated decades ago. Until there is true, unbiased, outside oversight of the members of the General Assembly, the current system of internal regulation and self-policing will continue to cause more harm, corruption, and wasted taxpayer dollars on salaries for predators and those that enable them.”
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by Christin Brown | June 24, 2019 | News Releases
Harrisburg, Pa. − June 24, 2019 − Members of the Pennsylvania Senate Democratic Caucus today jointly sent a letter to Governor Tom Wolf requesting a disaster declaration for gun violence in the Commonwealth.
“We believe it is necessary to raise the public’s awareness of the massive loss of human life and the suffering inflicted on affected family, friends and neighbors where this tragedy is unfolding daily,” they wrote. “Just as you have signed six disaster declarations to provide every tool at the Commonwealth’s disposal to combat the opioid epidemic, the death toll and impact from illegal guns should merit immediate and coordinated attention.”
Specifically, a disaster declaration could do the following:
- Establish a task force led by the Department of Health to create and implement a public health framework for addressing gun violence
- Establish a command center in the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency to coordinate state and local law enforcement response
- Enhance the Joint-Local State Firearm Taskforce through additional personnel and funding to take illegal guns off the street
- Expand information gathering and sharing between all levels of law enforcement and community groups
- Increase law enforcement presence, both local and state, in targeted areas where gun violence is most prevalent
- Expedite and expand grants and other funding sources for community groups and nonprofit associations with a proven record of violence reduction and prevention
- Provide additional state resources for behavioral and mental health
- Bringing to bear the significant wealth of knowledge and experience in the Departments of Health and Human Services to provide de-escalation and de-confliction training throughout the community
- Require the Pennsylvania Department of Education provide training and professional development on trauma-informed education
View full letter →
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by Christin Brown | October 3, 2017 | News Releases
Harrisburg – October 3, 2017 – A Senate resolution urging the President and Congress to make emergency financial assistance available for Puerto Rico as it seeks to recover from the devastation wrought by Hurricane Maria was introduced today by state Sen. Christine M. Tartaglione (D-Philadelphia).
“Hurricane Maria left a trail of death and destruction in its wake,” Tartaglione said. “The federal government must move swiftly and bring resources to the island to relieve suffering and despair.
“There are American citizens in need of our help. They are depending on an effective government response.”
Tartaglione, along with resolution co-sponsors Sen. Sharif Street (D-Philadelphia) and Judy Schwank (D-Berks), gave speeches on the Senate floor in support of the aid for Puerto Rico, which is called for in Senate Resolution 211.
In her floor speech, Tartaglione said that the debt crisis had already strained the island’s infrastructure and its resources were spread thin and now the hurricane has made those problems exponentially worse.
“We have all seen the horrific images of the devastation,” Tartaglione said. “We are urging that emergency financial resources are swiftly made available to assist the residents of Puerto Rico so they may return to their normal everyday lives.”
Pennsylvania ranks fourth in the number of Puerto Ricans who live in the United States, with one-third residing in Philadelphia.
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