Apr. 09, 2019 /
HARRISBURG – Today in the state House, two committees approved legislation sponsored by Rep. Clint Owlett (R-Tioga/Bradford/Potter) that would help infants and children impacted by the state’s opioid crisis and ensure parents use private health insurance for their children, if available and financially feasible, before relying on Medical Assistance.
Apr. 09, 2019 /
![Ag Committee to Examine Bill Exempting Milk Trucks from Winter Weather Travel Bans]()
WHAT: The House Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee, chaired by Rep. Martin Causer (R-Cameron/McKean/Potter), will hold an informational meeting on House Bill 915, which would exempt milk trucks from winter-related travel bans in the Commonwealth. Causer introduced the bill in response to the Wolf administration issuing a disaster emergency declaration this winter in which commercial vehicles were banned three times from some portions or all of the state’s interstate highways in anticipation of snow or ice accumulations.
Apr. 09, 2019 /
![House Passes Mihalek’s Victim Protection Bill]()
HARRISBURG – In an effort to better protect victims of crime and abuse, today the Pennsylvania House of Representatives passed legislation authored by Rep. Natalie Mihalek (R-Allegheny) that would shield rape victims from irrelevant cross examination.
Apr. 09, 2019 /
![House Passes Murt Bill to Criminalize Female Genital Mutilation]()
HARRISBURG—The House has passed legislation sponsored by Rep. Tom Murt (R-Montgomery/Philadelphia) to criminalize the act of female genital mutilation (FGM).
Apr. 09, 2019 /
![Kauffman, Boback Call on Inspector General to Investigate DHS Handling of Grace Packer Case]()
HARRISBURG – At the start of a Judiciary Committee meeting this week that focused on legislation to support child sexual assault victims, Chairman Rob Kauffman (R-Franklin) announced that he and Rep. Karen Boback (R-Wyoming/Luzerne/Lackawanna), chairman of the House Children and Youth Committee, had sent a letter to Pennsylvania Inspector General Bruce Beemer asking him to investigate the handling of the case of Grace Packer by the Department of Human Services.
Apr. 09, 2019 /
![Heffley’s Bill to End Monopoly on Code Enforcement Services Advances to Senate]()
HARRISBURG – Legislation sponsored by Rep. Doyle Heffley (R-Carbon), that would give private homeowners and small businesses more options for code enforcement inspection services, was passed by the General Assembly and sent to the Senate for consideration on Monday.
Apr. 09, 2019 /
![House Committee to Consider Child Abuse Legislation]()
WHAT: The House Children and Youth Committee, chaired by state Rep. Karen Boback (R-Luzerne/Lackawanna/Wyoming), will vote on two pieces of legislation dealing with different aspects of child abuse:
Apr. 09, 2019 /
![Committees to Examine Challenges for those with Disabilities when Traveling]()
WHAT: The House Human Services Committee, chaired by Rep. Gene DiGirolamo (R-Bucks), and the House Tourism and Recreational Development Committee, chaired by Rep. David Millard (R-Berwick), will hold a joint informational meeting on the challenges people with disabilities face when traveling.
Apr. 08, 2019 /
![House Passes Ryan’s National Guard Parity Legislation]()
HARRISBURG – The House today passed legislation authored by Rep. Frank Ryan (R-Lebanon) that would equalize the pay received by members of the Pennsylvania National Guard to that which is received by their U.S. Army counterparts.
Apr. 08, 2019 /
![House Approves Hershey’s Bill to Empower Victims in Court]()
HARRISBURG – Crime victims would be guaranteed access to court proceedings under legislation sponsored by Rep. John Hershey (R-Franklin/Juniata/Mifflin) and passed with overwhelming approval by the House today.
Apr. 08, 2019 /
![House Supports Barrar’s Bill to Protect Pennsylvanians Facing Emergencies]()
HARRISBURG – To ensure that Commonwealth residents continue to receive emergency assistance and that services are continually enhanced, the House unanimously supported legislation drafted by Rep. Steve Barrar (R-Chester/Delaware) that would provide for a sunset reauthorization of the Commonwealth’s 911 system under Title 35.
Apr. 08, 2019 /
![House Sends Maloney POW-MIA Bill to Senate]()
HARRISBURG – The House today passed legislation authored by Rep. David Maloney (R-Berks) that would require the POW/MIA flag to be flown on state grounds and buildings when the American flag is also being flown and when the POW/MIA flag can be reasonably accommodated at the location.
Apr. 08, 2019 /
![House Approves Delozier’s Victims Bill of Rights]()
HARRISBURG – Voters are one step closer to having the opportunity to decide if a victims bill of rights should be added to the Pennsylvania Constitution after the House today passed Marsy’s Law legislation authored by Rep. Sheryl Delozier (R-Cumberland).
Apr. 08, 2019 /
![Lawmakers to Speak at Press Conference on Medical Assistance Transportation Program Legislation]()
WHAT: Reps. Jonathan Fritz (R-Susquehanna/Wayne), Aaron Bernstine (R-Beaver/Butler/Lawrence), and Pam Snyder (D- Fayette/Greene/Washington) will outline their legislation, House Bill 986, which would delay the implementation of using a statewide or regional broker to help run the current Medical Assistance Transportation Program.
Apr. 08, 2019 /
![Kauffman: Committee Advances PA Hidden Predator Act to Support Child Sexual Abuse Victims]()
HARRISBURG - April is National Child Abuse Awareness Month and today the House Judiciary Committee approved legislation known as the Pennsylvania Hidden Predator Act to help empower victims of child sexual abuse, said Rep. Rob Kauffman (R-Franklin), chairman of the committee.
Apr. 08, 2019 /
![Lawmakers to Discuss Medical Assistance Transportation Program Legislation]()
WHAT: Rep. Aaron Bernstine (R-Beaver/Butler/Lawrence) will join Reps. Jonathan Fritz (R-Susquehanna/Wayne), John Hershey (R-Franklin/Juniata/Mifflin) and Pam Snyder (D-Fayette/Greene/Washington) to outline their legislation, House Bill 986, which would delay the implementation of using a statewide or regional broker to help run the current Medical Assistance Transportation Program.
Apr. 08, 2019 /
![Turzai Issues Statement on the Passing of Former State Rep. L. Eugene “Snuffy” Smith]()
HARRISBURG -- Speaker of the House Mike Turzai (R-Allegheny) issued the following statement on the death of L. Eugene “Snuffy” Smith, a former member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.
Apr. 08, 2019 /
![Rural Business Issues to be Focus of Policy Committee Roundtable]()
WHAT: The House Majority Policy Committee, chaired by Rep. Donna Oberlander (R-Clarion/Armstrong/Forest), will travel to Wellsboro, Tioga County, to host a roundtable discussion with local businesses, education institutions and organizations. Topics to be discussed will include rural broadband access, workforce development, and deregulation and government barriers to small business. This is part of the House Republican Caucus’s #GoodJobs4PA legislative package.
Apr. 08, 2019 /
![Committee to Gather Information on State’s Prescription Drug Monitoring Program]()
WHAT: The House Human Services Committee, chaired by Rep. Gene DiGirolamo (R-Bucks), will hold an informational meeting on maximizing the effectiveness of Pennsylvania’s Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP). The meeting will include discussions on ways to use best practices to streamline warm hand-offs to treat people struggling with addiction.
Apr. 05, 2019 /
![Judiciary Committee to Vote on Pennsylvania’s Hidden Predator Act]()
WHAT: Rep. Rob Kauffman (R-Franklin), chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, will hold a meeting to vote on House Bills 962 and 963. House Bill 962, sponsored by Rep. Mark Rozzi (D-Berks), would change the civil statutes of limitations for child sexual abuse, allowing childhood victims until age 55 to file suit, and provide for waivers of sovereign and governmental immunity relating to claims of childhood sexual abuse. It would also abolish the criminal statute of limitations for child sexual abuse moving forward. House Bill 963, sponsored by Rep. Jim Gregory (R-Blair), would amend the Pennsylvania Constitution to provide for a two-year window in which civil lawsuits alleging childhood sexual abuse may be filed in court, notwithstanding any otherwise applicable statute of limitations defense.