May. 20, 2020 /
![House Approves Schmitt Bill to Protect Police Officers]()
HARRISBURG – Police officers would be afforded further protection from assault under legislation approved by the House today. The bill, authored by Rep. Lou Schmitt (R-Blair), would make it a criminal offense for an officer to be assaulted with bodily fluids, such as spit. It would also provide a stricter penalty for people who have an infectious disease and are convicted of assaulting an officer with bodily fluids.
May. 20, 2020 /
![The House Acts to Safeguard Over 125,000 At-Risk Seniors by Passing the ‘Senior Protection Act,’ Turzai Says]()
HARRISBURG – Acting on published reports and finally released data regarding COVID-19 deaths occurring among Pennsylvanians living in the state’s nursing home facilities, personal care homes and assisted living residences, the House of Representatives today passed the Senior Protection Act, House Bill 2510, authored by Speaker of the House Mike Turzai (R-Allegheny) and Reps. Harry Readshaw (D-Allegheny) and Bill Kortz (D-Allegheny), to help these facilities keep loved ones safe.
May. 20, 2020 /
![Gaydos Demands Greater Transparency from Secretary Levine, Department of Health]()
HARRISBURG – Rep. Valerie Gaydos (R-Allegheny) has asked House Health Committee Chairman Kathy Rapp (R-Warren/Crawford/Forest) to schedule a public hearing to demand greater transparency from the Department of Health with respect to the inputs and criteria used by the governor and the department in making decisions regarding COVID-19. Chairman Rapp has confirmed a hearing will be scheduled in the near future.
May. 20, 2020 /
![PA Unemployment Compensation System’s Performance During Pandemic to be Subject of House Committee Hearing on Thursday]()
WHAT: With approximately one-third of Pennsylvania’s workforce applying for unemployment compensation benefits during the COVID-19 pandemic, the House Labor and Industry Committee will host a virtual informational hearing to learn from members of the administration about why the system failed so many residents during the early stages of the pandemic and what steps have been taken to improve the system.
May. 20, 2020 /
![Yaw, Everett Applaud House Passage of Bills to Allow Restaurants Freedom to Creatively Reopen in ‘Yellow Phase’]()
HARRISBURG - Rep. Garth Everett (R-Lycoming/Union) and Sen. Gene Yaw (R-Bradford/Lycoming/Sullivan/Susquehanna/Union) applauded the passage of House Bill 2506 and House Bill 2513 in the House this week. Both bills were authored by Everett and would help restaurants that are in counties deemed by the Wolf administration to be in the “yellow phase” of reopening to safely allow more customers to patronize their businesses.
May. 20, 2020 /
![South Central Members Disappointed With Wolf’s Actions]()
HARRISBURG – Gov. Tom Wolf yesterday vetoed legislation approved by both chambers of the General Assembly, only to turn around 120 minutes later to enact the same measure by executive fiat.
May. 20, 2020 /
![Southeast House Republican Delegation Members Call on Wolf to Allow Curbside Pickup for All Retailers]()
HARRISBURG – After weeks of working to safely and responsibly reopen businesses across the southeast and allow employees to once again start earning a paycheck, members of the Southeast House Republican Delegation are asking the governor to allow retail operators to offer curbside pickup for their customers.
May. 20, 2020 /
![Stand Your Ground Against Socialism: Metcalfe Confirms 2020 Right to Keep and Bear Arms Rally Will Go on Without Dictator Wolf’s Permission]()
HARRISBURG —State Representative Daryl Metcalfe (R-Butler) sent the following letter to Gov. Tom Wolf to officially confirm that this year’s Rally to Protect Your Right to Keep and Bear Arms will take place as originally scheduled, on Monday, June 8, beginning at 10 a.m., on the front Capitol steps, Capitol Complex, Harrisburg. Metcalfe is also encouraging all law-abiding citizens who attend to practice social distancing according to CDC guidelines:
May. 19, 2020 /
![Property Tax/Rent Rebates Distributed Early Thanks to House Bill, York County House Republicans Say]()
HARRISBURG – In response to the fiscal stress residents are facing because of the COVID-19 pandemic, rebate checks through Pennsylvania’s Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program will begin to be distributed starting tomorrow thanks to House Bill 1076, which is now law.
May. 19, 2020 /
![Struzzi Applauds Citizens Advisory Council for Rejecting RGGI Recommendation, Asks Committee to Move on Anti-RGGI Bill]()
HARRISBURG – State Rep. Jim Struzzi (R-Indiana) today stated his support and gratitude for the Citizens Advisory Council’s (CAC) vote against recommending that the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) move forward with Gov. Tom Wolf’s plans to join the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI).
May. 19, 2020 /
![House Passes Mihalek’s Bill to Ensure Election Integrity]()
HARRISBURG – Rep. Natalie Mihalek (R-Allegheny/Washington) announced today the Pennsylvania House of Representatives has passed her legislation that would help ensure election integrity under Pennsylvania’s new election laws.
May. 19, 2020 /
![Gov. Wolf Follows Polinchock’s Lead in Opening Real Estate in Pennsylvania]()
HARRISBURG - Rep. Todd Polinchock (R-Bucks) today applauded the governor for recognizing real estate is an essential business and people do need housing by allowing the real estate business to reopen in Pennsylvania.
May. 19, 2020 /
![Allegheny County’s Poll Consolidation Plan Violates Law and CDC Guidelines, House Delegation Says]()
HARRISBURG – Allegheny County Republican House members today slammed the consolidation of county polls for the June 2 primary which will disenfranchise voters. The state legislators, including Speaker Mike Turzai and Reps. Natalie Mihalek, Jason Ortitay, Bob Brooks, Lori Mizgorski, Mike Puskaric and Valerie Gaydos, issued the following statement:
May. 19, 2020 /
![House Approves Ecker COVID-19 Record Retention Extension Bill]()
HARRISBURG – With bipartisan support, the House of Representatives today unanimously approved a bill by Rep. Torren Ecker (R-Adams/Cumberland) to require Gov. Tom Wolf’s administration to retain records created during the COVID-19 emergency declaration for an extended time period.
May. 19, 2020 /
![Diamond Resolution Urges Immediate Levine Removal or Resignation]()
HARRISBURG - Rep. Russ Diamond (R-Lebanon) has introduced House Resolution 879, which urges the immediate removal or resignation of Pennsylvania Department of Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine in response to the horrific results of the department’s COVID-19 policy in regard to nursing homes and other facilities where Levine has direct oversight. As of May 15, 2,991 of Pennsylvania's 4,342 COVID-19 deaths, or 68.8%, occurred in such facilities.
May. 19, 2020 /
![Stephens’ Bill to Extend School Property Tax Deadlines Passes Finance Committee]()
HARRISBURG—Legislation introduced by Rep. Todd Stephens (R-Montgomery) with Reps. Rosemary M. Brown (R-Pike/Monroe) and Steven R. Malagari (D-Montgomery) to extend the tax filing deadlines for Pennsylvanians who pay school property taxes has unanimously passed the House Finance Committee.
May. 19, 2020 /
![Governor Continues to Shut Out Voice of the People]()
“Gov. Wolf has made it clear; he does not support any alternative plans to reopen our state. While millions of Pennsylvanians watch their livelihoods evaporate, the governor continues to arbitrarily choose who can thrive, and who will fail.
May. 18, 2020 /
![Cutler’s Special COVID-19 Response Committee Passes House]()
“This pandemic has stretched the government response and the reach of the government into so many aspects of our daily lives, like no other event in our lifetime,” House Majority Leader Bryan Cutler (R-Lancaster) said. “Making sure the response was effective, appropriate and in the best interest of all Pennsylvanians is crucial to every decision we make now, and arguably more importantly, to being better prepared should we ever have to face this type of an event ever again.”
May. 18, 2020 /
![Brown Continues to Bring Awareness to Lyme Disease and Tick-Borne Illnesses in the Commonwealth]()
HARRISBURG –With most citizens focused COVID-19, Rep. Rosemary M. Brown (R-Monroe/Pike) wanted to highlight and bring awareness to Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses. Currently, Brown is sponsoring House Resolution 760, which designates May 2020 as Lyme and Tick-borne Disease Awareness Month in Pennsylvania, and the House is expected to vote on the resolution this week. Lyme disease is a bacterial infection transmitted primarily by ticks and is caused by the spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi.
May. 18, 2020 /
![Warner Bill to Prevent Welfare Fraud Advances]()
HARRISBURG – Rep. Ryan Warner’s (R-Fayette/Westmoreland) legislation aimed at ensuring proper use of Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) cards was approved today by the House Health Committee.