25 de mayo de 2022
HARRISBURG – Mayo 25, 2022 – Today, Pennsylvania Senate Democrats wrote the following letter to Republican leaders in response to rampant gun violence and mass shootings that have become too common in the United States. Just this year, 215 mass shootings have taken place in the country, with the devastating shooting that occurred at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas on Mayo 24, 2022, being the 215th.
In the letter, the caucus calls on the Republican majority to act on “reasonable and responsible legislation and appropriations” that does not infringe on Second Amendment rights but will help keep guns away from bad actors and support gun violence prevention. Senate Democrats list seven bills that have been introduced to mitigate gun violence but have sat in committee with no discussion or votes. They also highlight how American Rescue Plan dollars and Pennsylvania’s current budget surplus can be used to help communities prevent horrific violence.
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Septiembre 23, 2021
Harrisburg – Septiembre 23, 2021 – State Senate Democrats issued the following statement announcing the filing of an application for relief in Commonwealth Court in response to the Senate Republican subpoena of the Department of State, including the request of sensitive personal data of voters:
“Our application for relief requests a delay to the Octubre 1, 2021 response deadline included in the subpoena issued to the Department of State and also seeks to enjoin the Senate Republicans from entering into any binding contract that would commit taxpayer funds to a third-party vendor until such time as the court makes a ruling on the lawsuit we filed last week.
This is a critical step in protecting taxpayer dollars from waste and inappropriate expenditures until the court has an opportunity to consider the legality of the subpoena. Waiting for the courts to review and rule on the subject is warranted due to the sensitive nature of the information being sought, particularly given the very real public concerns that have been raised surrounding privacy concerns.
Notwithstanding any one party’s personal viewpoints, we should all agree that the gravity of this matter constitutes serious and thoughtful consideration.”
A copy of the filing can be found HERE.
The Democratic members of the Intergovernmental Operations Committee are Caucus Whip Anthony H. Williams, Committee Chair; Caucus Leader Jay Costa; Caucus Appropriations Chair Vincent J. Hughes; and Caucus Judiciary Chair Steven J. Santarsiero.
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Septiembre 17, 2021
Harrisburg – Septiembre 17, 2021 – The Democratic members of the Senate Intergovernmental Operations Committee issued the following statement announcing a lawsuit filed today against a Senate Republican subpoena of the Department of State, including the request of sensitive personal data of voters:
“The latest ploy by the Senate Republicans is unprecedented and completely unwarranted. All aspects of the certified 2020 election have been thoroughly reviewed and adjudicated in the courts with no findings of irregularities or fraud. The timeframe to contest the 2020 certified election results is long overdue.
The unprecedented maneuver of collecting the sensitive personal information of millions of voters without their consent, including Social Security information and driver’s license, for political purposes is unjustifiable and a gross misuse of taxpayer resources. The fact that they will not share how that personal information will be stored, used or who will have access to it is astonishing.
Our lawsuit seeks a declaration from the court that it is a violation of Pennsylvania law to convene a legislative standing committee to issue subpoenas for multiple election records, including private voter information, to investigate the allegations of wrongdoing or to confirm election results. The Judiciary has the exclusive power over the trial and determination of contested elections under the Pennsylvania Constitution and the state Election Code. A legislative effort to use taxpayer funds to investigate the allegations of wrongdoing or to confirm election results violates the separation of powers doctrine where the Senate Intergovernmental Operations Committee simply has no statutory authority to proceed in this manner.
The consequences are dire; the committee’s subpoena requests for private voter information applicable to each and every voter in the Commonwealth, which will be provided to an undisclosed third-party vendor with no prescribed limits or protection. Simply put, Senate Republicans seek to go on a fishing expedition for clearly partisan purposes, despite the fact that the Secretary of the Commonwealth, working in concert with the county Boards of Election, has undertaken a thorough review of the election, as has the bipartisan Senate Special Committee on Election Integrity and Reform.
Senate Democrats will continue the fight to protect the identity of private citizens and their right to vote without intimidation. This is nothing more than an inexcusable attempt to erode public trust in our electoral process. We must not sacrifice the most fundamental principal of our democracy so that some may pursue political gain by perpetuating the Big Lie that this election was somehow stolen.
The Democratic members of the Intergovernmental Operations Committee are Caucus Whip Anthony H. Williams, Committee Chair; Caucus Leader Jay Costa; Caucus Appropriations Chair Vincent J. Hughes; and Caucus Judiciary Chair Steven J. Santarsiero.
Download lawsuit →
15 de septiembre de 2021
Harrisburg - 15 de septiembre de 2021 - Tras la audiencia de hoy del Comité de Operaciones Intergubernamentales del Senado, de la que había un punto en el orden del día - Consideración de una moción para autorizar la emisión de citaciones judiciales - el líder demócrata del Senado Jay Costa, el presidente demócrata del Comité de Operaciones Intergubernamentales, Anthony H. Williams, y los miembros del comité Vincent J. Hughes y Steve Santarsiero celebraron una conferencia de prensa para discutir las acciones legales que emprenderán para desafiar la petición de los miembros republicanos de datos confidenciales del Departamento de Estado, incluyendo una lista completa con los nombres, fechas de nacimiento, números de licencia de conducir, y los últimos cuatro dígitos de los números de seguridad social de todos los votantes registrados dentro de la Mancomunidad de Pensilvania a partir del 1 de mayo de 2021.
Las demandas presentadas por los demócratas del Senado serán una respuesta directa a la citación de gran alcance de los republicanos del Senado, que según ellos constituye una violación de la separación de poderes. La próxima demanda pedirá a los tribunales que confirmen que el Senado no es el lugar adecuado para llevar a cabo una impugnación electoral inoportuna ni para emprender una auditoría que obligue a los funcionarios electorales a violar la ley federal e invadir la privacidad de todos y cada uno de los votantes de Pensilvania. El Senado no tiene autoridad para llevar a cabo ninguna de las dos cosas. Los demócratas del Senado también solicitarán que los tribunales protejan el secreto de las papeletas, que es una protección constitucional en Pensilvania, así como información personal adicional de los votantes que los republicanos del Senado están buscando. Los miembros del comité también planean presentar una medida cautelar contra la citación, pidiendo al tribunal que los retenga hasta que su demanda sea vista en los tribunales.
"Los hechos son los hechos, y la ley no es negociable. Por desgracia para los republicanos del Senado, esas realidades no les auguran nada bueno en esta investigación. A pesar de su búsqueda para participar en un ejercicio partidista que desperdicia los recursos de los contribuyentes y sólo busca probar una Gran Mentira sobre una elección que ya ha sido auditada y certificada, nuestro objetivo no es hacer de esto una lucha entre demócratas y republicanos. Nuestro objetivo es cumplir la ley tanto a nivel estatal como federal", dijo el líder demócrata del Senado, Jay Costa. "Realmente lamento ver al senador Corman comprometerse cada vez más en este camino que él mismo admitió que era erróneo en 2020. No debemos sacrificar el principio más fundamental de nuestra democracia -elecciones justas e igualitarias- para que algunos puedan perseguir beneficios políticos perpetuando la Gran Mentira de que estas elecciones fueron robadas."
El senador Dush confirmó que aún no ha determinado quién gestionará los millones de registros que solicita ni cómo utilizará la investigación las copiosas cantidades de datos. Confirmó que la investigación se pagaría con dinero de los contribuyentes, pero no está dispuesto a hablar públicamente de los proveedores que está investigando. Las decisiones relacionadas con la investigación se tomarán con su "equipo" partidista de asesores jurídicos y, potencialmente, con colegas del Partido Republicano. Si se solicitan millones de registros personales a la Secretaría de Estado, serán custodiados por asesores republicanos, aunque no se compartieron detalles sobre cómo se mantendrán protegidos frente a filtraciones físicas o digitales. La audiencia concluyó con una votación de 7-4 a favor de la citación, con dos miembros republicanos que intentaron activamente anular los resultados de las elecciones de 2020 votando "sí".
"Lo que ocurrió en nuestra primera audiencia debería preocupar a todos los implicados", dijo el senador demócrata y miembro de mayor rango del Comité de Operaciones Intergubernamentales, Anthony H. Williams. "Y si la primera audiencia no fue suficiente para justificar la preocupación, considere ahora que los republicanos del Senado están pidiendo información personal de millones de personas en toda la Commonwealth sin ningún plan sobre cómo van a mantener los datos seguros, cómo van a utilizarlos para investigar su teoría de la conspiración, o quién será responsable de limpiar el desastre si hay una violación de datos. Así que, mientras los republicanos del Senado juegan a este peligroso juego con nuestra democracia y la información personal de los ciudadanos de Pensilvania, los demócratas del Senado permanecerán del lado de la ley y la verdad. Espero que nuestros colegas acaben uniéndose a nosotros".
"No necesitamos información personal para elaborar legislación. Este hecho, junto con muchos otros, demuestra claramente que esta supuesta investigación representa la corrupción en todo momento", añadió el senador Vincent Hughes, miembro de la comisión y presidente demócrata de la Comisión de Asignaciones del Senado. "Hasta ahora hemos tenido un testigo en esta investigación. Fue presentado como un funcionario del condado preocupado, pero durante su testimonio nos enteramos de que había estado en contacto con funcionarios electos en 2020 tratando de anular los resultados electorales justos y creíbles. Ahora nuestro comité está emitiendo citaciones para registros personales de votantes relacionados con una elección que ha sido auditada varias veces y certificada. Me pregunto cuál esperan los republicanos del Senado que sea el resultado de todo esto. Donde hay humo hay fuego, y todo lo que he visto hasta ahora es mucho humo que se remonta a una Gran Mentira de un ex Presidente que perdió en Pensilvania. Las pruebas de los intentos republicanos de anular los resultados de unas elecciones legítimas son cada vez mayores".
Hace menos de una semana, el presidente republicano del Comité de Operaciones Intergubernamentales, el senador Chris Dush, convocó una audiencia con un solo testigo: El Comisionado y Presidente de la Junta Electoral del Condado de Fulton, Stuart Ulsh. Durante su testimonio se reveló que el comisionado Ulsh envió un correo electrónico a la senadora Judy Ward y al representante Jesse Topper desde su cuenta de correo electrónico privada el 9 de noviembre de 2020, afirmando: "La gente se pregunta quién es todo en esta pelea con el senador Mastriano". No le haría daño a la campaña de Trump si todos nuestros Representantes estatales se involucraran. Si no detenemos esta elección los problemas de la próxima serán peores. Si hubiera 109 casa y 27 senado con el senador Mastriano sería una gran ayuda. El pueblo necesita esto. Respeten su voto".
"La citación de los republicanos es un intento descarado de utilizar el dinero público de los contribuyentes para financiar un esfuerzo partidista para impugnar las elecciones de 2020", dijo el miembro del comité y demócrata de mayor rango en el Comité Judicial, el senador Steve Santarsiero. "Esto es absolutamente un ataque a la libertad de voto, donde la información confidencial y personal de 7 millones de residentes de Pensilvania se está entregando a entidades privadas que no son responsables ante nadie más que la bancada republicana del Senado". Se reveló hoy que es posible que uno o más de estos proveedores podrían haber estado en el empleo de Donald Trump o alguien asociado con su campaña o el apoyo a su campaña. Esta falta de transparencia y rendición de cuentas debería preocupar a todos los residentes de Pensilvania y a todos los estadounidenses. En cuanto a la información que surgió de la audiencia de la semana pasada, estamos pidiendo al Fiscal General de los Estados Unidos, Merrick Garland, que investigue las actividades que se desarrollaron en el condado de Fulton en diciembre de 2020, que aparentemente implicaron otorgar acceso a consultores partidistas a información sensible de los votantes sin una votación pública. Estas actividades deben ser investigadas por posibles violaciones de la ley federal."
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9 de septiembre de 2021
Harrisburg – Septiembre 9, 2021 – The Senate Intergovernmental Operations Committee held a hearing today to allegedly examine the PA Department of State’s evolving guidance to counties during the monumental 2020 general election. Testimony today from the Chairman of the Fulton County Commissioners and the Board of Elections revealed that despite all evidence indicating the elections in the county were run smoothly with regular communication and information from the PA Dept. of State, investigations occurred on Fulton County voting machines recommended by Senate Republican members with no information on who paid for such investigations.
“It is disgraceful that Senate Republicans have chosen to waste our time calling into question the legitimacy of an election that four of their members on the Intergovernmental Operations committee were elected in, and that have been certified and held up in numerous courts of law,” Sen. Anthony H. Williams (D- Delaware/Philadelphia), Democratic Chair of the Intergovernmental Operations Committee, said.
Senate Democratic Leader, Jay Costa (D- Allegheny) continued, “The Intergovernmental Operations Committee should not be examining elections because their committee simply does not have the authority to do so. Despite this fact, we heard in sworn testimony today that the Department of State did their due diligence in effectively communicating with counties about new voting procedures as a result of Act 77 of 2019 and the further implications of an unprecedented global pandemic.”
Fulton County Commissioner and Chair of the county Board of Elections, Stewart Ulsh, said in today’s hearing that in his five years and a half years overseeing elections, he has never had so much contact with the Pennsylvania Department of State. Ulsh stated, under oath, that despite numerous changes to voting procedures as a result of Act 77 of 2019, Fulton County found no fraud in their elections and faced no major challenges in conducting the 2020 elections.
During the hearing, Sen. Steve Santarsiero (D- Bucks) asked Ulsh about the election assessment conducted in Fulton County by Wake Technology services and published in Febrero of 2021.
Ulsh said that he felt an investigation was needed after the Noviembre 2020 elections, and a member of the Senate Republican Caucus gave him the name of Wake Technology Services for the purposes of reviewing the Fulton County 2020 lection.
Ulsh repeatedly stated that he does not know where the money came from to pay Wake Technology Services, even though they were given full access to voting information in the county, and Ulsh was also unwilling to answer why a draft report of the election assessment was altered before being posted to the county website to include information regarding potential issues with county voting machines.
Despite insistence by Commissioner Ulsh that the report by Wake Technology Systems listed who paid for the assessment, no mention of this is found in the actual report found in full on Fulton County’s website.
Members of the Senate Democratic Caucus said they found it extremely disconcerting that information about payment regarding county election assessments is being withheld from the public domain.
Sen. Vincent Hughes (D- Montgomery/Philadelphia) also stated in the hearing that reporting has shown that Commissioner Ulsh, along with fellow Fulton County Commissioner Randy Bunch, contacted sitting Republican members of the legislature to urge them to support the calls of former President Trump and Sen. Doug Mastriano (R- Adams/Cumberland/Franklin/York) to label 2020 as rigged and stolen election, despite absolutely no proof of any wrongdoing.
“There is a nationally-orchestrated effort to deny people the right to vote,” said Sen. Steve Santarsiero (D- Bucks), member of the Senate Intergovernmental Operations Committee. “It’s a scam. We are standing up to protect our citizens’ right to vote and not allow some elected officials pick the winners. It’s time for us to focus on protecting our communities, our healthcare system and our economy from the ravages of the pandemic. It’s time for us to focus on helping our residents and businesses racked by the damage of tornadoes and floods that are the effects of climate change.”
Senate Democrats continue to assert that it’s time to move past further review of the fair and credible election results of 2020 and get down to doing the people’s business. This includes actual improvements to the election system that the counties are requesting to assist them in carrying out elections more efficiently. Items like pre-canvassing of mail-in ballots, drop box security and ensuring sufficient resources to support poll workers as well as any new technology requirements are the Democratic Caucus’ priorities.
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19 de marzo de 2021
Chester, PA – Marzo 19, 2021 – Yesterday, a bipartisan group of Senators representing Bucks, Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery Counties sent a letter to Governor Wolf, Acting Health Secretary Alison Beam, and the members of the COVID-19 Vaccine Joint Task Force, supporting requests by county officials that the state distribute coronavirus vaccine doses to county-run clinics rather than sending them to a single mass vaccination site for the entire region.
Senators Kane (D, Delaware/Chester), Comitta (D, Chester), Cappelletti (D, Delaware/Montgomery), Collett (D, Bucks/Montgomery), Kearney (D, Delaware/Chester), Muth (D, Berks/Chester/Montgomery), Santarsiero (D, Bucks), Tomlinson (R, Bucks), and Williams (D, Delaware/Philadelphia) signed onto the letter in support of county officials. In their letter, the Senators highlighted both the continued concerns with distribution equity posed by establishing a single site for 2.5 million resident and the superfluousness of creating a new mass site on top of existing county infrastructure.
“We’ve been facing issues with equitable vaccine distribution here in Southeast PA for weeks. Our vaccine allotment has been severely limited, and residents are already being forced to travel for their appointments, meaning access for working people, folks without reliable transportation, and caretakers of children is often all but non-existent,” said Senator Kane. “Creating a single mass vaccination site for the entire southeast, a single mass vaccination site for 2.5 million people, will only serve to exacerbate these disparities. I’m standing in support of our county health officials and asking for the additional vaccine doses to be distributed between the four counties for allocation through their existing infrastructure. I’m tired of vulnerable communities being sent to the back of the line when times are hardest, and I won’t stop fighting for my constituents.”
The proposed single mass vaccination clinic is only the latest in a serious of hurdles residents of the collar counties have been facing in attempting to schedule vaccine appointments. Three weeks ago, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported that the four collar counties had received many fewer vaccine doses by population than other counties. Since then, legislators have faced continued hurdles in advocating for increased doses, including responses by the Department of Health that it is irrelevant where constituents are receiving their vaccines so long as they are getting vaccinated.
However, residents of the collar counties continue to face difficulties in scheduling appointments and finding accurate information. “My constituents are beyond frustrated at the confusion and lack of coordination on how to obtain a vaccine,” said Senator Muth. “I cannot understand the purpose of the $11.6 million dollar contract with a consulting firm for vaccine distribution and yet, here we are, many questions unanswered, incomplete data, and inconsistent information day-to-day. Only providing one vaccination site for the entire Southeast region will simply disproportionately harm seniors who do not drive, single parents struggling to balance child care while working multiple frontline jobs, and so many who are just unable to travel an hour or more to a single vaccination site. We can and must do better. I urge the administration to listen to our local elected county leaders on this issue and ensure the true equitable distribution by showing all data and numbers.”
The letter follows a joint statement issued Miércoles, in which county officials from the four collar counties asked the Department of Health to reconsider their plans for a single mass vaccination clinic and to instead allocate the doses among the four counties.
Senator Kearney highlighted the added hurdle in creating a mass vaccination clinic when counties are already prepared to distribute additional doses. “We don’t need to reinvent the wheel by creating a single mass vaccination site that will somehow serve 2.5 million residents across Southeastern Pennsylvania. Our counties have the infrastructure in place to get shots in arms – all they need is the supply. If our counties get the doses, our counties can get it done,” said Senator Kearney.
A full copy of the Senators’ letter can be found here.
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SEPA Delegation Letter Marzo 18 2021
Diciembre 11, 2020
HARRISBURG – Diciembre 10, 2020 – Today the following members of the Pennsylvania State Senate signed a joint statement – set forth below – denouncing the brazen attempt of the attorneys general of Texas and seventeen other states to disenfranchise millions of Pennsylvanians and voters in three other states by asking the United States Supreme Court to prevent electors in Pennsylvania and those other states that voted for Joe Biden from certifying him the winner when they meet in Harrisburg and the other state capitals on Lunes, Diciembre 14.
The statement reads as follows:
“The lawsuit by the attorneys general of Texas, Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah and West Virginia is based on the outright lie that voter fraud prevented Donald Trump from getting re-elected. Since Election Day, the Trump legal team has filed scores of such suits trying to overturn the will of the people. Time and again, the judges in those matters – in many cases conservative, Republican judges, some of whom Donald Trump appointed himself – have found that there was no evidence to support those claims and dismissed the suits accordingly.
The bedrock of our democracy is the right to vote and the right of voters to be sure that their votes will be counted. This lawsuit and others like it are a direct attack on that fundamental principle. It seeks to perpetuate the lie that the presidential election was somehow stolen. While partisan politics – and a desire to appease the president’s restive base – may be the motivation for this latest court challenge, allowing it to go forward in silence is dangerous and, we believe, would constitute a dereliction of our duty as elected representatives of the people to uphold the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
The facts are these: Joe Biden received over 81 million votes, more than any candidate for president in the history of the United States and about 7 million more than Donald Trump. He received 80,555 more votes than the president in Pennsylvania. Mr. Biden received the most votes in 25 states and the District of Columbia, and, therefore, on Diciembre 14 when the Electoral College convenes, will be awarded 306 electoral votes, 36 more than the 270 needed to be elected president. Every vote cast for Joe Biden was cast freely and fairly, whether in person or by mail. In each state the vote-counting process was transparent and undertaken pursuant to law. Local and state officials, both Republican and Democratic alike, have attested to those facts, and, as noted, the courts have agreed. Joe Biden won the election.
Donald Trump has lost his bid for re-election; he seems incapable of accepting that fact. For the first time in American History, a sitting president who lost re-election has refused to acknowledge his loss, acting instead like a would-be autocrat who cannot accept any outcome that does not have him staying in power. While that may be a commentary on the character of the man, it cannot be a cause for setting aside the will of the people.
All of us have a responsibility – indeed we would go so far as to say a sacred duty – to ourselves, our fellow Americans and generations to come to prevent the lie that this election was stolen from living on and undermining future elections. For these reasons we have signed this statement and call upon others to likewise speak out and denounce this lawsuit against our state for what it is: an attack on our democracy.”
Signed,
Senator Steve Santarsiero, 10th District
Senator Vincent Hughes, 7th District
Senator Maria Collett, 12th District
Senator Judy Schwank, 11th District
Senator Tim Kearney, 26th District
Senator Christine Tartaglione, 2nd District
Sen.-Elect Amanda M. Cappelletti, 17th District
Sen.-Elect Carolyn Comitta, 19th District
Senator Jay Costa, 43rd District
Senator Anthony H. Williams, 8thDistrict
Senator Katie Muth, 44th District
Senator Art Haywood, 4th District
Senator Sharif Street, 3rdDistrict
Senator Lindsey Williams, 38th District
Sen.-Elect Nikil Saval, 1st District
Sen.-Elect John Kane, 9th District
Abril 8, 2020
Harrisburg, PA − Abril 8, 2020 − The Senate adjourned Martes afternoon after the House Republicans indicated they would not be taking up Senate Bill 841, legislation that would have enabled local municipalities to hold their meetings remotely, permitted e-notary use; lengthened the time period a property tax payer can receive an early payment discount and delay penalties for late payments to Dec. 31st; and allowed businesses to make delayed payments on EITC. Another important amendment offered by Senator Pam Iovino (D-Allegheny) allowed school districts to renegotiate contracts to ensure contracted school workers can get paid and continue to receive benefits.
The amended SB 841 passed the Senate with bipartisan support. While the Senate Democrats and Republicans chose to put partisan difference aside, the House Republicans were pushing to please special interests and big donors. Intending to use this crisis as leverage, Speaker Turzai and his caucus passed legislation to prematurely allow businesses to reopen during this public health crisis and create a partisan task force to interfere with the Governor’s disaster response, both of which unnecessarily risk lives and threaten to expend the emergency.
“While the Governor and Department of Health Secretary offer leadership on public safety in daily briefings and Democratic members of the PA House and Senate draft legislation to protect working people who are either out of work or employed on the front lines of essential businesses, Republicans are putting lives at risk and undermining the Governor and Secretary Levine’s best efforts to end this crisis,” said Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa, Jr. “Instead of taking the advice of our Health Secretary, they are trying to slow down our response and hasten the re-opening of non-essential businesses against the guidance of every public health entity in the country.”
The House Republicans were seeking even more egregious measures to provide civil immunity to big businesses, upend school districts ability to pay their teachers, and leave our corrections department employees at serious threat of the Coronavirus. Perhaps worst of all, the language does nothing to protect frontline workers, provide assistance to those that are out of work, or to help small businesses weather this crisis.
In an amendment to Senate Bill 327, House Republicans designed a task force with partisan appointees to usurp the Governor’s ability to rapidly respond to this quickly-evolving crisis. Their bill would require the Secretary of Health to leave PEMA, take hours away from public health crisis planning and defend her work in front of a redundant, political body.
The Senate Democratic Caucus will not support these bills. Alternatively, this caucus will be supporting legislation on the following issues:
- The American Working Family Relief Action Plan for front-line worker protections (Collett/L. Williams)
- Protecting workers during public health emergencies (Santarsiero)
- COVID-19 Food Worker Safety Act (Tartaglione)
- COVID-19 Grocery Store Worker Safety Act (Tartaglione)
- Payment of contract services in schools (Iovino)
- Childcare assistance (Schwank/L. Williams)
- Emergency expansion of the Family Medical Leave Act to provide paid sick leave (Farnese)
- Crisis grants for volunteer fire and EMS companies due to COVID-19 (Brewster)
- Require business interruption insurance to cover COVID-19 related business closures (Hughes)
- Eviction protection for all disaster emergencies (Farnese)
- Coronavirus disease and schools: allowing for online instruction (Dinniman)
- Creating a Common Wealth Fund to collect donations from individuals to provide for essential needs of those in need (AH Williams)
- Providing a presumption of eligibility for Workers’ Compensation benefits for workers that get sick in the workplace (Tartaglione)
- Ensuring receipt of a stimulus check from the Federal government is not included in an individual’s income for purposes of qualifying for social safety nets (Schwank)
- Exempting stimulus checks from the Federal government from State and local taxation (Brewster)
- Collaborating with financial institutions to mandate mortgage loan forgiveness, assistance to homeowners that were laid off due to state emergencies (Farnese)
“While many working Pennsylvanians are suffering from the COVID-19 pandemic, facing lost hours or even complete unemployment, others who find themselves in more fortunate circumstances have expressed a desire to help their fellow citizens by either donating to a local charity or patronizing local businesses,” said Senator Anthony H. Williams. “By establishing the “Pennsylvania Common Wealth” restricted account, taxpayers could redirect all or a portion of their stimulus check to the state, which in turn would be authorized to direct those funds into programs which help the neediest Pennsylvanians – property tax & rent rebates, temporary assistance for needy families, CHIP or medical assistance.”
“Pennsylvania needs solutions that help protect its working people who have been hit the hardest by the fallout of the coronavirus pandemic,” Senator Vincent Hughes said. “We in the Pennsylvania Senate Democratic Caucus have put forth a number of policy proposals that would do just that, meanwhile House Republicans have chosen to ignore these needs and push an agenda that jeopardizes public health and puts additional pressure on working people by delaying immediate relief. Our mission should be helping people in this unprecedented time of need and we will remain vigilant in protecting hardworking folks across the commonwealth.”
“As public servants, our most important duty is to protect the health, safety and welfare of our citizens. This includes making difficult decisions in challenging times. We all want businesses to reopen, employees back on the job, students back in classrooms and some semblance of normal life to resume, but that cannot happen unless we first continue mitigation efforts and follow the advice of our scientists and experts,” said Senator Wayne D. Fontana. “Anything contrary can set back progress and cause further harm on our economy and most importantly, on human health. The bipartisan legislation the Senate approved provides some necessary guidance and relief to local governments, businesses, school employees and property taxpayers during this unprecedented situation. It is unconscionable that House Republicans blatantly disregarded that duty and have chosen not to act.”
“The spread of coronavirus has not quieted the voice of special interests in Harrisburg and that’s tragic,” said Senator Larry Farnese. “Mitigation through isolation is working and we have to recognize that sacrifice through legislation that actually helps front-line workers instead of just saying nice things on social media.”
“This crisis and the Commonwealth’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic requires leadership, transparency and cooperation – not partisan politics,” said Senator John Blake. “While we’ve worked well with the Senate majority on real solutions that actually help people in this crisis, the House majority looks to undermine the executive authority of the Governor as well as the advice of medical and scientific experts regarding public health. I applaud the work being done by Governor Wolf and his administration to keep Pennsylvanians safe and to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. I will continue to support important legislation to help our business community, front-line workers and medical professionals; and to protect our citizens, schools and local governments across this state. We need to remain vigilant in following the recommendations of the PA Department of Health and the federal CDC.”
“Issues that the Commonwealth was already facing have been exacerbated by this pandemic, and child care services and early learning programs are near the top of the list. Childcare centers are teetering on the brink of insolvency, which is why part of our legislative package addresses early childhood learning and safe, quality childcare. We will not be able to restart Pennsylvania’s economy without this key component,” Senator Judy Schwank said. “Additionally, it’s vital that the income requirements of state programs like PACENET and Property Tax and Rent Rebate are adjusted so that Pennsylvanians receiving federal aid are not penalized later.”
“The key to an effective response to the pandemic is to ensure that our citizens are protected, health risks are addressed, and our economy restarts quickly,” Senator Jim Brewster said. “That’s why I introduced a six-point stimulus plan that will help small business, protect workers and create jobs once we are clear the threat posed by the pandemic. In addition, we need to make sure to address the immediate and long-term needs of first responders and all workers and businesses who are providing essential services during this time of extraordinary stress.”
“There is no segment of our Commonwealth that hasn’t been upended by this crisis. Everything is a priority. But in order to save livelihoods, we must first save lives,” said Senator Maria Collett. “As a nurse, I know firsthand the challenges our health care workers are up against and the urgency of passing legislation like the American Working Family Relief Action Plan for Front-Line Workers. Our doctors, nurses, first responders, senior care aides and others should not have to worry about getting sick or infecting others while performing their essential work.”
“It is irresponsible for the state to reopen businesses at the height of the COVID-19 outbreak. Those who are not essential workers should remain home,” said Senator Art Haywood. “We need to do all we can as legislators to support essential employees risking their lives on a daily basis,” said Senator Haywood (D-Montgomery/Philadelphia). “I will continue to support the work Governor Wolf and Secretary Levine have done to inform the public to remain safe and stay home.”
“The citizens of Pennsylvania are counting on their elected representatives to save lives by responding swiftly, pragmatically, and in a bipartisan manner to slow the spread of this highly contagious virus,” said Senator Pam Iovino. “To fulfill our duty to the public, we must follow the consensus guidance of public health professionals, focus on protecting front-line essential workers, and put in place protections that allow furloughed or unemployed workers and small businesses to weather the economic disruption.”
“As the Democratic chair of the Local Government Committee, I worked with stakeholders for weeks to craft the provisions of SB 841, I am disappointed these commonsense measures, which passed the Senate with bipartisan support, are being held up by House Republicans for little reason,” said Senator Tim Kearney. “The House should immediately pass SB 841 and focus on bringing relief to Pennsylvanians, rather than sabotaging the Governor’s efforts to keep our families safe.”
“Yesterday, the majority party in both chambers failed to use their legislative power, where they can literally pass any bill they want to, and instead decided to pack up and go home without,” said Senator Katie Muth. “Failing to pass meaningful bills when people are fighting for their lives is simply negligent.”
“Now is not the time to play politics,” said Senator Steve Santarsiero. “Saving lives has to be the first priority. In order to do that, we must all do our part and follow the Governor’s and Department of Health’s plans as they’ve been explained to us countless times. SB 841 is just one of many ways our caucus has worked in a bipartisan effort to provide relief to those who need it most. However, SB 327 is exactly what our healthcare professionals warn us against. Promoting a premature return to normalcy will only undermine our effort to keep the public safe, and further endanger thousands of lives.”
“Government’s most important role is the protection of its people. Since the COVID-19 crisis the Senate has met three times, with little to show for it. Communities across the commonwealth have no interest in the paralysis of government especially in the most desperate of times. What they do care about is the protection of our essential workforce, the interruption of our small businesses, job loss, staying in their homes and educating their children. The only thing that matters is the preservation and protection of every resource needed to keep families safe during this health crisis,” said Senator Sharif Street.
“We need to be back in Harrisburg, we need to get back to work. We must work together to ensure our communities are protected during uncertain times.”
“As thousands of Pennsylvanians continue to get sick and hundreds die, now is no time to play partisan politics,” Senator Tina Tartaglione said. “As public leaders, we must unite behind the common goal of reducing the threat of this virus and mitigating the harm being done to our constituents. The package of bills we have proposed will directly help all Pennsylvania families, including essential workers, displaced workers, first responders, school children, those who have become sick, and those in need. I urge all legislators from all political parties to support these bills.”
“Stopping the spread of COVID-19 and saving lives is our top priority. We also need to protect and support our constituents, our communities, and our businesses,” said Senator Lindsey Williams. “Our front-line essential workers – our hospital workers, grocery store workers, emergency service personnel and others – cannot afford to wait for PPE. They needed it weeks ago. Our childcare facilities need our help to stay open and provide care to the children of our essential workers while they risk their lives for us. Our small businesses need financial support to stay afloat. Our municipalities need the ability to meet remotely and make decisions that will ensure the safety of all of residents. There are a lot of needs right now and our constituents do not have time for us to waste playing partisan games or naming bridges. The Senate Democrats have offered concrete solutions that will help people. We should all be working together to get them to the Governor’s desk for signature as soon as possible.”
More information on the work of the Pennsylvania Senate Democratic Caucus during the COVID-19 crisis can be found at pasenate.com/covid19.
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