May. 20, 2020 /
WHAT: Rep. Stephen Barrar (R-Chester/Delaware), chairman of the House Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee, will hold a voting meeting tomorrow to consider several measures including House resolutions honoring veterans, EMS providers, the American Red Cross and the 75th anniversary of VJ Day. The committee will also take up a concurrent resolution terminating Pennsylvania’s disaster emergency in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
May. 20, 2020 /
HARRISBURG –Rep. Meghan Schroeder (R-Bucks) today announced the House of Representatives has approved legislation she authored to update the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE).
May. 20, 2020 /
HARRISBURG – The House of Representatives 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. 20, 2020 /
HARRISBURG—Rep. Frank Farry (R-Langhorne) has introduced House Bill 2541 to allow local county commissioners, in consultation with local health officials, to reopen businesses in counties during a health emergency if certain criteria are met.
May. 20, 2020 /
HARRISBURG – The House today advanced legislation by Rep. Dawn Keefer (R-Dillsburg) to increase criminal penalties for people convicted of aiding or encouraging another person to commit suicide.
May. 20, 2020 /
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 /
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 /
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 /
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 /
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 /
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 /
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 /
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 /
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 /
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 /
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 /
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 /
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 /
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 /
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.