Dear Friends,
Below are some important Harrisburg updates that may be helpful to you.
This week, only the Senate was in session in Harrisburg while the House will get back into their schedule next week. It was a lively week, filled with some important procedural steps and some incredibly monumental legislation passing the Senate.
First, the four Caucus leaders met on Monday to interview applicants to be the chair of the Redistricting Commission for the upcoming process. If the leaders can’t agree on a candidate by Friday, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court will pick the chair.
In terms of legislation, a handful of my own legislation was considered this week.
- The Senate Urban Affairs Committee passed Senate Bill 157, which creates a First-time Homebuyers Savings Account. You can read more about this legislation here and watch my floor remarks here.
- The Senate Appropriations Committee re-reported Senate Bill 156, which adds a new category of Medical Assistance for Workers with Disabilities.
- The Senate passed, with a 34-13 vote, my Senate Bill 190 which establishes Essential Family Caregivers for residents in long-term care facilities to be seen and cared for by their loved ones. You can read more about this legislation here and watch my floor remarks here.
The Senate also passed several bills which will have a lasting impact on Pennsylvania families and the economy.
- Senate Bill 382 – Reforming Pennsylvania’s Public-Private Transportation Partnership Statute
- Senate Bill 106 – Reforming the process of electing the Lieutenant Governor
- Senate Bill 434 – Milk Labeling Update
- Senate Bill 83 – Firefighter Training Pilot Program for High School Students
- Senate Bill 74 – Pediatric Cancer Research Tax Credit
This month, I also joined one of my colleagues, Senator Lisa Boscola, in introducing a resolution recognizing April 2021 as “Pennsylvania Community College Month.” Read more about the resolution here.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact my office at 215-541-2388.
Senator Bob Mensch
24th Senatorial District