January 15, 2019
HARRISBURG – January 15, 2019 – For the 2019-2020 Legislative Session, State Senator Steve Santarsiero was appointed to serve as Democratic Chair of the Senate Communications and Technology Committee and as a member on the Appropriations, Consumer Protection & Professional Licensure, Judiciary, and Local Government Committees.
In these new positions, Sen. Santarsiero will be addressing issues related to modernizing communications and technology systems, state expenditures, consumer advocacy and protections, criminal justice reform, gun violence prevention, and effective and efficient local government.
“I’m honored and ready to serve on these committees,” Sen. Santarsiero said. “The residents and businesses of Bucks County want fair, common sense solutions in Harrisburg. I look forward to working with other committee members on issues all Pennsylvanians have a vested interest in solving.”
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January 10, 2019
BUCKS COUNTY – January 10, 2019 – Today, State Senator Steve Santarsiero announced the award of grant funding from the Department of Labor and Industry for Business Education Partnerships across the county.
Bucks County groups received $109,830.60 to fund Bucks Career Exploration, Education and Preparation, which will serve Bucks County school youth and Bucks County businesses. The project objective is to increase career awareness and opportunities for students and educators of career paths in manufacturing, healthcare, and other in-demand industries in Bucks County.
“These grants will help ensure Bucks County students and businesses stay competitive in an economy that’s constantly evolving,” Sen. Santarsiero said. “I look forward to working with each group in making Bucks County more family and business friendly.”
The partnership will include participation from a broad range of groups including:
Morrisville High School, Upper Bucks County Technical School, Executive Leaders Radio Talk Show, ETC NASTAR, Bucks County IU #22, and the Bucks County Juvenile Detention Center.
These grants were fully federally funded through the Workforce Innovation and Opportunities Act.
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January 8, 2019
HARRISBURG – January 8, 2019 – Sen. Steve Santarsiero has invited his colleagues in the Pennsylvania Senate to co-sponsor two bills he plans to introduce requiring the safe storage of firearms.
“Millions of children live in homes with easily accessible firearms,” Sen. Santarsiero said. “In fact, most children know where their parents keep their guns — even if their parents think otherwise.”
Sen. Santarsiero cited a 2018 study that found 4.6 million minors in the U.S. live in homes with at least one loaded, unlocked firearm. From 2005 to 2014, roughly 20,000 American minors were killed or seriously injured in accidental shootings; the majority of those killed in these tragic accidents were aged 12 or younger. Child access prevention (CAP) laws are an important tool for reducing these preventable shootings. Twenty-seven states and the District of Columbia have enacted such statues – Pennsylvania isn’t one of them.
“The lack of such requirements leaves our children unacceptably vulnerable to murders, fatal accidents, suicides, and school shootings,” Santarsiero said. “Therefore, I plan to introduce legislation to require that firearm owners take the steps necessary to help ensure that their guns do not fall into the wrong hands.”
“Creating effective gun storage measures and enforcing the use of gun locks are key parts in building efficient gun violence prevention legislation in this country,” said Olivia Mitchell, founder of Bucks Students Demand Action. “Senator Santarsiero’s introduced bills are taking the first step in bringing gun safety legislation to Pennsylvania, a state in dire need for reform. These bills are ensuring a peaceful future not only for our state, but our country.”
Outline of the two proposed bills:
- Proposal #1 – Would require gun owners to safely store firearms if a person who cannot legally possess a firearm lives in the owner’s residence.
- Proposal #2 – Would require gun owners to safely store firearms when not under direct control of the owner.
The full memo can be found here.
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January 7, 2019
HARRISBURG – January 7, 2019 – In a memorandum addressed to his colleagues in the state Senate, Sen. Steve Santarsiero said he plans to introduce legislation which will prohibit Pennsylvania school districts from arming teachers.
“Asking teachers to carry guns in the classroom is a dangerous idea,” Sen. Santarsiero said. “Schools across Pennsylvania must be safe places for our children and teens to learn free from gun violence. Arming teachers does not advance that goal, but rather increases the risk of tragedy in our schools.”
Current state law bans weapons in schools except in the case of people who have a lawful purpose to carry a gun or other weapon. The bill Sen. Santarsiero plans to introduce will clarify current law by expressly prohibiting teachers, administrators, and other school district employees from carrying a firearm in school.
“As a former teacher, I know firsthand that there is a place in our schools for law enforcement officers who receive extensive training with firearms and how to react in dangerous situations,” Sen. Santarsiero said. “The job of teachers, on the other hand, is to teach. When school boards vote to arm teachers or other education professionals, they are taking them away from that important mission while at the same time putting our children at risk.”
“Research has shown that most K-12 shooters get their guns from home,” said Allison Glickman, co-founder of the Bucks County chapter of Orange Wave for Gun Safety. “If lawmakers wanted to stop school shootings, they would focus on safe storage and child access prevention laws. Arming teachers is not the way to prevent school shootings- it is merely a way to sell more guns at a time when the industry is slumping. Our kids, teachers, and law enforcement deserve evidence-based solutions over gun lobby fear mongering.”
The full memo can be found here.
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January 1, 2019
HARRISBURG – January 1, 2019 – State Senator Steven J. Santarsiero (D-10, Bucks) was sworn in for his first term in the State Senate during a ceremony today in the Senate Chamber of the State Capitol in Harrisburg.
Sen. Santarsiero was joined by over 100 friends and family for his swearing-in ceremony. Pennsylvania Justice Kevin M. Dougherty administered the oath of office.
“I love the 10th District and am honored to have the opportunity to represent my community and the great Commonwealth of Pennsylvania,” Santarsiero said.
The Lower Makefield lawmaker will begin his first term in the State Senate after winning the 2018 general election in November. Prior to joining the State Senate, Sen. Santarsiero was a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives from 2009 to 2016 and the first Chief Deputy Attorney General for Environmental Protection in Pennsylvania under Attorney General Josh Shapiro from 2017 to 2018.
Top priorities for Sen. Santarsiero include fighting for affordable and accessible healthcare, education funding, common sense gun violence prevention, environmental protection, and government reform.
“I’m ready to hit the ground running on day one,” Sen. Santarsiero said. “I welcome the chance to work with colleagues on both sides of the aisle to solve issues that affect us all.”
During his tenure in the State House of Representatives, Sen. Santarsiero was a reformer, writing the bill that would ultimately be adopted as new House rules on keeping politics and government service separate; refusing perks like per diems and a state car; and not collecting his pay during prolonged budget impasses in 2009 and 2015-2016. Sen. Sanatarsiero was also a leader in education, infrastructure investment, environmental protection, women’s health issues, and gun violence prevention.
The 10th Senatorial District includes: Bedminster Township, Buckingham Township, Chalfont, Doylestown, Doylestown Township, Dublin, East Rockhill Township, Falls Township, Haycock Township, Hilltown Township, Lower Makefield Township, Morrisville, New Britain, New Britain Township, New Hope, Newtown, Newtown Township, Perkasie, Plumstead Township, Sellersville, Silverdale, Solebury Township, Telford, Tullytown, Upper Makefield Township, West Rockhill Township, and Yardley.
Sen. Santarsiero will have district offices in Doylestown and Newtown and can be reached via email at SenatorSantarsiero@pasenate.com.
Video of the swearing in can be found by clicking here.
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December 20, 2018
BUCKS COUNTY – December 20, 2018 – Senators-elect Steve Santarsiero (D-10, Bucks) and Maria Collett (D-12, Bucks and Montgomery) issued a joint press release to local residents in response to the Texas court ruling on the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
To address the Texas ruling, Senators-elect Santarsiero and Collett joined the Senate Democratic Caucus in co-sponsoring SB 50 and 51. SB 50 will protect Bucks and Montgomery County residents who have pre-existing conditions and SB 51 will protect the ten essential health benefits (EHB) covered by the ACA, making those benefits mandatory under state law.
“Without SB 50 and SB 51, we are all at risk of losing coverage or essential benefits in light of this ruling. As a health care provider, I have seen the devastation caused when coverage is denied,” said Senator-elect Maria Collett. “No family should have to choose between meals and medical care. Senator-elect Santarsiero and I are committed to protecting our constituents and all Pennsylvanians so that no family suffers.”
“The constant attempts at robbing residents their right to affordable and accessible healthcare must end,” Senator-elect Steve Santarsiero said. “Senator-elect Collett and I will work to protect and strengthen healthcare for all local residents. We’re not going to wait for the federal government to act on an issue that effects the lives of hundreds of thousands of local residents. While the ACA isn’t perfect, we want to ensure coverage for pre-existing conditions is protected and to make out-of-pocket costs and premiums more affordable. With SB 50 and 51, we come closer to securing greater healthcare rights for all.”
For more on the bills that Senators-elect Santarsiero and Collett co-sponsored with the Senate Democratic Caucus, you can find the co-sponsorship memos here:
* SB 50-Preexisting condition coverage: https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/Legis/CSM/showMemoPublic.cfm?chamber=S&SPick=20190&cosponId=27061
* SB 51-Essential benefit coverage: https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/Legis/CSM/showMemoPublic.cfm?chamber=S&SPick=20190&cosponId=27062
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