News Releases

Education officials and advocates discussed school reforms involving accountability for all schools, school choice, charter schools and other potential changes to benefit students during a Senate Education Committee hearing today, according to Committee Chairman Scott Martin (R-13).  [Read More]

On Friday, Senator Bob Mensch (R-24) circulated a co-sponsorship memo on a piece of legislation that he is sponsoring to improve multidisciplinary investigative teams (MDIT) investigations by enhancing the information sharing processes in the Child Protective Services Law (CPSL) and the Criminal History Record Information Act (CHRIA).  [Read More]

Senate Labor and Industry Committee Chair Camera Bartolotta (R-46) noted that while the pandemic created a significant challenge for the department, the failures of the Wolf Administration and shutdowns of employers — harsher than in most states — created a crisis for families.  [Read More]

Wednesday, April 7, 2021 PA Liquor Control Board (PLCB)  Improving E-commerce, Customer Convenience Senate Appropriations Committee members raised concerns about the PA Liquor Control Board’s effectiveness issues with its e-commerce system and stressed the need for better customer convenience.  Questions were also raised about who makes decisions regarding what products to sell in state stores, […]  [Read More]

State Sen. Gene Yaw (R-23) has reintroduced legislation to increase conservation and technical assistance for farmers in order to further reduce pollution impacts on local creeks and streams.  [Read More]

State Sen. Gene Yaw (R-23), Chairman of the Pennsylvania Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee, is introducing the Solar Environmental Justice Act, which prohibits state taxpayer dollars or tax credits from being utilized to purchase solar panels and related components manufactured or assembled outside the United States.  [Read More]

Republican Appropriation Committee members questioned the leaders of Penn State University, Temple University, the University of Pittsburgh and Lincoln University on what they were doing to contain costs and lower the financial burden for students.  [Read More]

Today Senator Bob Mensch (R-24) introduced legislation requiring the Auditor General to perform an audit of ballots canvassed in the 2020 General Election.  [Read More]

Three Senate Republicans are pushing for increased funding towards clean water initiatives through the most recent federal stimulus payment to the Commonwealth.   [Read More]

As restaurants, bars, gyms, entertainment venues and other small employers look forward to higher capacity limits and fewer restrictions starting April 4, there is a sense of optimism that the worst of this year-long COVID-19 nightmare may finally be behind us.  [Read More]

The Center for Rural Pennsylvania Board of Directors, chaired by Sen. Gene Yaw, will hold a virtual public hearing on Wednesday, April 7, beginning at 10 a.m., to learn more about the possible funding implications for Pennsylvania if the federal Office of Management and Budget (OMB) changes its definition of metropolitan areas.    [Read More]

The Capitol Preservation Committee held a meeting Wednesday, March 31 at 10:00am. |    [Read More]

Senator Kristin Phillips-Hill (R-York) introduced legislation that would improve access for energy customers to switch electricity and natural gas suppliers, as well as require energy suppliers to complete certified training courses on how to market plans to consumers.  [Read More]

  The Senate today approved a bill sponsored by Senator Judy Ward (R-30) that sets commonsense safety standards for barns and other agricultural buildings that are repurposed for weddings and other social events.  [Read More]

The Senate Finance Committee approved a bill today that could generate up to $100 million in private donations over the next decade to support childhood cancer research, according to the bill’s sponsor, Senator Scott Martin (R-13). Listen  [Read More]

The Senate today (March 24) gave final approval to legislation which will complete the merger of the Department of Corrections and the Pennsylvania Parole Board and the Board of Pardons, according to Senate Appropriations Chairman Pat Browne (R-Lehigh), who authored the bill.  [Read More]

The Senate Finance Committee approved a bill today that would limit the growth of state spending and ensure the state budget aligns with the economy and what taxpayers can afford, according to the bill’s sponsor, Senator Camera Bartolotta (R-46).  [Read More]

Three bills that would provide uniformity and consistency to the process of filling county district attorney vacancies were signed into law on Tuesday, according to the bills’ sponsor, Senator Scott Martin (R-13).  [Read More]

Veterans, reservists and members of the National Guard who own their own business could have a valuable new marketing tool under a bill approved by the Senate Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee this week. Listen  [Read More]

The Senate Judiciary Committee, today, advanced two pieces of legislation to bring greater transparency, clarity and stability to the offices of District Attorneys and office of Attorney General, according to chairwoman Senator Lisa Baker (R-20).     [Read More]

As legislators continue conversations about criminal justice reform, a new state Senate bill, sponsored by Sen. Gene Yaw (R-23), Vice Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, would clarify the statutory requirements for individuals who hold the office of District Attorney in Pennsylvania.  Listen  [Read More]

One year after the Wolf Administration ordered the state’s long-term care community to accept COVID-19 positive patients, a group of Senators today highlighted the ongoing lack of accountability and cooperation from Governor Wolf while calling on the Governor to fully engage with the state’s long-term care community.  [Read More]

The Senate State Government Committee approved a resolution today that calls for daylight saving time to made permanent in order to eliminate the twice-yearly time changes, according to the resolution’s sponsor, Senator Scott Martin (R-13). Listen  [Read More]

Access to ventilator and tracheostomy care would be preserved for hundreds of patients in Pennsylvania under a bill approved by the Senate Health and Human Services Committee today, according to the bill’s sponsor, Senator Camera Bartolotta (R-46).  [Read More]

Legislation that would help address Pennsylvania’s teacher shortage by simplifying the process for out-of-state teachers to receive certification earned the approval of the Senate Education Committee today, according to the bill’s sponsors, Senators Camera Bartolotta (R-46) and Wayne Langerholc, Jr. (R-35).  [Read More]