May. 05, 2020 /
![Struzzi Resolutions to Honor Jimmy Stewart Passed by House Tourism and Recreational Development Committee]()
HARRISBURG – State Rep. Jim Struzzi (R-Indiana) today announced that the House Tourism and Recreational Development Committee has passed House Resolutions 687 and 688 in honor of Indiana, PA, native Jimmy Stewart. House Resolution 687 would designate May 20, 2020, as Jimmy Stewart Day, and House Resolution 688 would honor May 20, 2020, as the 25th anniversary of the Jimmy Stewart Museum.
May. 05, 2020 /
![Farry Bill Intended to Help Veterans and Clubs Passes Committee]()
HARRISBURG – Reps. Frank Farry (R-Bucks), Kate Klunk(R-York) and John Hershey (R-Mifflin/Juniata/Franklin) joined together to introduce House Bill 777, which would allow social clubs to keep a full share of small games of chance funds for one full year after a state of emergency is lifted.
May. 05, 2020 /
![Klunk, Farry and Hershey Bill to Aid Social Organizations During COVID-19 Crisis Heads to House]()
HARRISBURG –During this time of crisis and economic uncertainty, social organizations are also feeling the financial constraints of a closed economy. To aid this these organizations, which provide charity contributions to our communities, Reps. Kate Klunk (R-York), Frank Farry (R-Bucks) and John Hershey (R-Mifflin/Juniata/Franklin) have introduced House Bill 777 to allow social organizations to utilize small games of chance profits to meet financial obligations during the COVID-19 crisis.
May. 05, 2020 /
![Grove: Pharmacists Should be Allowed to Administer COVID-19 Vaccine]()
HARRISBURG – Once a COVID-19 vaccine is available, pharmacists would be allowed to administer the vaccine under legislation Rep. Seth Grove (R-Dover) plans to introduce.
May. 05, 2020 /
![Stephens Calls for Expanded Testing for COVID-19]()
HARRISBURG—Rep. Todd Stephens (R-Montgomery) has called on Gov. Tom Wolf to expand statewide testing for COVID-19.
May. 04, 2020 /
![House Acts to Expand COVID-19 Testing in PA]()
HARRISBURG – Legislation prioritizing COVID-19 testing for first responders, medical professionals and vulnerable populations passed the Pennsylvania House of Representatives earlier today by a vote of 201-1.
May. 04, 2020 /
![Owlett Bill to Ensure Justice for Child Victims Earns Committee Approval]()
HARRISBURG – Rep. Clint Owlett’s (R-Tioga/Bradford/Potter) bill to better support children who are victimized as they seek justice was passed today by the House State Government Committee.
May. 04, 2020 /
![House Acts to Protect Mental Health Coverage During Pandemic]()
HARRISBURG – As the stay-at-home order, business shutdown and many other implications of COVID-19 continue to put a strain on the lives of every Pennsylvanian, the House acted today to ensure insurance coverage for mental health benefits is equal to benefits for medical or surgical coverage.
May. 04, 2020 /
![Lawrence Bill to Expand Coronavirus Testing Passes House]()
HARRISBURG – Legislation prioritizing COVID-19 testing for first responders, medical professionals and vulnerable populations passed the Pennsylvania House of Representatives earlier today by a vote of 201-1.
May. 04, 2020 /
![Murt Bill to Improve Mental Health Parity Passes House]()
HARRISBURG—The House has passed legislation sponsored by Rep. Tom Murt (R-Montgomery/Philadelphia) to require insurance companies show the Pennsylvania Department of Insurance that they are offering mental health coverage with the same parity as they do coverage for physical illness.
May. 04, 2020 /
![Ag Committee OKs Bill to Help Prevent Food Waste, Causer Says]()
HARRISBURG – The House Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee, chaired by Rep. Martin Causer (R-Turtlepoint), today approved legislation to expand liability protections for donated food that may be past its stamped date code.
May. 04, 2020 /
![Judiciary Committee Considers Bills to Protect Health Care Workers, Law Enforcement, Persons with Intellectual Disabilities, Says Kauffman]()
HARRISBURG – Today the House Judiciary Committee, led by Chairman Rob Kauffman (R-Franklin), considered multiple bills dealing with the protection of individuals with intellectual disabilities, law enforcement personnel, health care workers and others.
May. 04, 2020 /
![Bucks County Legislative Contingent Ask Governor to Change Metric for Bucks Reopening]()
HARRISBURG—A bicameral group of Bucks County legislators submitted a letter in support of the Bucks County Commissioners’ bipartisan effort to ask Gov. Tom Wolf and Pennsylvania Department of Health Secretary Rachel Levine to consider nursing home cases of COVD-19 separate when weighing whether to reopen Bucks County.
May. 04, 2020 /
![Schmitt Bill to Protect Police Officers Sent to House for a Vote]()
HARRISBURG – The House Judiciary Committee today approved legislation by Rep. Lou Schmitt (R-Blair) to protect police officers from being assaulted with bodily fluids, such as spit. The bill also carries a heavier penalty for people who have an infectious disease and are convicted of assaulting an officer with bodily fluids.
May. 04, 2020 /
![Struzzi Bill to Protect Victims with Disabilities Passes Judiciary Committee]()
HARRISBURG – The House Judiciary Committee today took steps to strengthen protections for people with physical and intellectual disabilities by passing House Bill 2056, authored by Rep. Jim Struzzi (R-Indiana). This bill would charge any individual who intentionally causes bodily injury to a person with a physical or intellectual disability with aggravated assault, a felony of the second degree. Currently, the law dictates that “serious bodily injury” is necessary for charges to be elevated beyond misdemeanor simple assault.
May. 04, 2020 /
![Ryan Introduces Bill to Freeze Pay for Public Officials]()
HARRISBURG - Rep. Frank Ryan (R-Lebanon) has introduced legislation to freeze Cost of Living Adjustments (COLAs) for Pennsylvania public officials through 2021 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the financial turmoil it is causing at all levels of government and in the lives of Pennsylvania residents.
May. 04, 2020 /
![Turzai to Rivera: What’s the Plan to Bring Kids Back to the Classroom?]()
HARRISBURG – Responding to the state education secretary’s assertion that schools may be closed in the fall, in a letter Speaker of the House Mike Turzai (R-Allegheny) demanded the Wolf Administration share its plan to ensure Pennsylvania’s students return to school in the fall and continue, uninterrupted, their education.
May. 01, 2020 / Newspaper Columns
![Wolf: Call Off the Dogs, Focus on Pennsylvanians in Need]()
Our office is a “catch all” for state government information, which we then disseminate to our constituents. Right now, three out of four calls are from unemployed people trying to figure out where they are in the process of applying for compensation. They don’t contact us to hear “Did you try…” or “I don’t know…” But until Harrisburg starts focusing on these people who are hurting, the level of anger and frustration is only going to escalate.
May. 01, 2020 /
![Kail Responds to Wolf’s Plan to Reopen Part of PA]()
CENTER – Rep. Josh Kail (R-Beaver/Washington) issued the following statement regarding Gov. Tom Wolf’s plan to move to the next phase of reopening in the northwest and north central regions of the state:
May. 01, 2020 /
![Why Not the Southwest, Turzai Asks]()
McCANDLESS, Allegheny County – Following the governor’s announcement of moving 23 Pennsylvania counties from the very restricted red phase to the beginning-to-open yellow phase, Speaker of the House Mike Turzai (R-Allegheny) today questioned why southwest counties were not included?