Barrar Asks Governor to Sign Bill to Increase State Active Duty National Guard Pay

Jun. 23, 2016 /

HARRISBURG – Majority chairman of the House Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee Rep. Steve Barrar (R-Chester/Delaware) requests that Gov. Tom Wolf sign legislation that received unanimous support in both the House and the Senate. The bill would increase the minimum state active duty pay for Pennsylvania National Guard members from $75 to $100 per day.

Corbin Applauds Efforts to Combat Prescription Painkiller Misuse

Jun. 23, 2016 /

HARRISBURG – Rep. Becky Corbin (R-Chester) today took part in a bipartisan Capitol news conference to highlight legislation passed out of the House and recommended by the Task Force and Advisory Committee on Opioid Prescription Drug Proliferation. Additionally, she joined legislative leaders in calling for a September special session to address the growing public health crisis posed by prescription drug and heroin misuse.

House Approves Masser’s Bill to Require Doctors and Pharmacists Receive Opioid and Addiction-Related Training

Jun. 23, 2016 /

HARRISBURG – On Thursday, Rep. Kurt A. Masser (R-Columbia/Montour/Northumberland) stood with House leaders and more than 100 House members, as well as the governor, at a press conference in Harrisburg to announce the completion of the recommendations from the Task Force and Advisory Committee on Opioid Prescription Drug Proliferation. The next step in addressing this crisis will hopefully include a special session in the General Assembly this year, where legislators will solely focus on the opioid crisis.

Everett Lauds Bipartisan Actions on Pennsylvania Opioid Crisis

Jun. 23, 2016 /

HARRISBURG – Rep. Garth Everett (R-Lycoming/Union) today issued the following statement after joining bipartisan caucus leaders, dozens House colleagues and Gov. Tom Wolf at a press conference in Harrisburg. New steps were revealed to help Pennsylvania deal with the ongoing opioid addiction crisis, including the calling of a special legislative session in September.

Grove: Reform Needed for Human Rights Commission Before Additional Funding is Considered

Jun. 22, 2016 /

HARRISBURG –Today, Senate Democrats called for increased funding for the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission (PHRC), which investigates claims and enforces state laws that prohibit discrimination regarding employment, housing or public accommodations. The PHRC was created by Act 222 of 1955. In recent years, PHRC has come under fire for the amount of time it takes to respond to alleged acts of discrimination.

The Bill That Started in the Kitchen

Jun. 22, 2016 /

Occasionally, I hear people say the only responsibility the General Assembly has is to get the state budget passed. Considering the many issues that are important to Pennsylvanians, I think that statement could not be further from the truth.

Grove, Wagner Praise Passage of Another Taxpayer Caucus Policy Proposal

Jun. 22, 2016 /

HARRISBURG – State Rep. Seth Grove (R-York) and Sen. Scott Wagner (R-York) today praise the passage of House Bill 1888 sponsored by state Rep. Marguerite Quinn (R-Bucks) in the House of Representatives. The legislation would re-institute a tax amnesty plan, where taxpayers who owe back taxes would benefit from reduced penalties and interest payments—if they make payments on their owed taxes within a defined 60-day window. The legislation passed with strong bipartisan support, 167 to 28.

Ward Supports Legislation to End Late-Term and Dismemberment Abortions

Jun. 21, 2016 /

HARRISBURG – In order to better protect both mothers and babies, Rep. Judy Ward (R-Blair) today supported House passage of legislation that would revise the state’s Abortion Control Act to limit elective abortions to within five months of gestation, instead of the current six months, and end the practice of dismemberment abortions.

Speaker Applauds House Vote to Protect Babies, Mothers

Jun. 21, 2016 /

HARRISBURG – Speaker of the House Mike Turzai (R-Allegheny) issued the following statement today in response to the Pennsylvania House advancing House Bill 1948 to the Senate for consideration. The bill would lower the risk to mothers and babies by limiting abortions to cases of medical necessity after 20 weeks of pregnancy, instead of the current 24-week ceiling, and ending the practice of dismemberment abortions.

Grove Applauds Passage of Legislation Banning Grisly “Dismemberment Abortions”

Jun. 21, 2016 /

HARRISBURG – Legislation to ban horrific “dismemberment abortions” was approved with bipartisan support, by a 132-65 vote, today in the House of Representatives, reports state Rep. Seth Grove (R-York). The legislation, House Bill 1948, is sponsored by state Rep. Kathy Rapp (R-Warren/Forest/Crawford) and would ban the use of dismemberment abortions, which is defined as: the act of knowingly and purposefully causing death of an unborn child by means of dismembering the unborn child and extracting the unborn child one piece at a time from the uterus through the use of clamps, grasping forceps, tongs, scissors or similar instruments. The legislation now heads to the Senate for consideration.