Dear Neighbor, I hope you are well! I wanted to take this opportunity to update you on several happenings in the district as well as Harrisburg. 

As always, I hope you find this informative and useful.

Legislation Update!

I’ve recently circulated a few new pieces of legislation that may be of interest to you. One bill, titled Incentives for Cyber Specialist in the Pennsylvania National Guard, would encourage prospective young cyber specialists with stipends to join the Pennsylvania National Guard to combat the cyber-attacks that target our schools, townships, and businesses.

Another upcoming bill, Campaign Finance Reform, would target the massive increase in “dark money” donations to campaigns, limit corporate influence in our political system, and increase accountability. The language in the bill would also prohibit corporations with more than 50% foreign ownership from funding political campaigns.

I’ve also signed on with two of my colleagues, Rep. Jason Dawkins from Philadelphia County and Rep. Eric Davanzo from Westmoreland County, to circulate Prohibiting Split Rates & Providing for Custom Fabrication on Public Works Projects. This bill would prohibit the practice of split rates where contractors pay their workers two different rates for the purpose of paying them less. The bill would also ensure any custom fabrication work done off site is still paid the main job site’s prevailing wage.

Lastly, I signed on to co-sponsor a fantastic bill package from my colleagues Rep. Mary Jo Daley and Rep. Melissa Shusterman that would protect reproductive healthcare rights here in Pennsylvania. This bill package, titled Abortion Protections, includes measures that would prohibit Pennsylvania courts from cooperating with and enforcing out-of-state cases involving reproductive healthcare services as well as instruct Pennsylvania’s healthcare licensure board and insurance companies to not take adverse action against healthcare providers who offer reproductive services to out-of-state residents. It also would protect healthcare records related to reproductive services from disclosure in Pennsylvania civil and criminal actions/investigations and protect Pennsylvania abortion providers from having their home address disclosed to the public.

24/25 Budget Hearings

We are in our second week of the 24/25 Budget Hearings. Since the last email, we’ve heard from the Department of Aging, Department of Agriculture, Department of Corrections, Pennsylvania Housing Finance Authority plus the Department of Insurance, Department of Labor and Industry, Department of State, and the Department of Health. The Secretaries and Directors of these departments brought along some of their staff and answered questions from myself and my fellow colleagues on the Appropriations Committee.

The Department of Aging spoke on what funding would mean in filling the gaps in senior and veteran services while the Department of Insurance explained how the addition of a subsidy wrap for Pennie, Pennsylvania’s Healthcare Marketplace, would reduce premiums and provide people the opportunity to purchase more comprehensive coverage.

Many representatives, including myself, asked the Department of State about our elections and what the legislature can do better to ensure our counties have the resources they need for smooth elections. I also asked the Department about poll workers and highlighted Methacton School District’s High School program to provide student volunteers in our polling places.

Later this week we will hear from the Department of Environmental Protection, State-Related Universities, the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, and the Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania.

Coat Drive Final Days

There are only a few more days to donate to the winter coat and toddler clothing drive! Please drop off winter coats and clothing for toddlers, sizes 2T – 5T, to my district office at 35 Evansburg Road in Collegeville. This clothing drive is in partnership with my fellow state representatives in Montgomery County for the benefit of Mitzvah Circle. Donations will be accepted until February 29th.

Whole Home Repair Program

The highly requested Whole Home Repair Program is again open for applications! Distributed through Montgomery County, the Whole Home Repair Program can assist low- and moderate-income households to make repairs to both owner-occupied and rental properties.

For more information about the program, what repairs could be covered, and how to apply, please visit montgomerycountypa.gov/homerepairs today!

March Recognitions

With March right around the corner, we will begin celebrating Women’s History Month. Throughout the month, we celebrate the women who have served this country honorably, strived for justice, and propelled our nation forward in fields such as medicine, technology, the arts, athletics, politics, and more. I am personally grateful for all of the women in my life and their dedication to our communities, our commonwealth, and our country.

Despite the strides made in equality, women continue to face obstacles like equal pay, discrimination in the workforce, healthcare barriers, and limited access to higher education. As your state representative and a member of the Women’s Health Caucus and the PA Black Maternal Health Caucus, I am committed to the protection of women’s rights and their advancement in our Commonwealth. In Harrisburg, the House has already passed one of the bills in the Abortion Protection Package listed above and I am hopeful we will vote on the rest this year.

Please continue to stay safe, healthy and well-informed.

And, if you have questions about any state-related issue, please contact my office at 484-200-8263 or email [email protected]. If you wish to unsubscribe to this email, please scroll to the bottom where it says “visit this page to manage your email preferences".

Sincerely,

Rep. Joe Webster
State Representative
150th Legislative District

Pennsylvania House Democrats are committed to ensuring better jobs, better schools and better communities for all Pennsylvanians. More information on these successful efforts is at pahouse.com/deliveringforpa.

PA House of Representatives Democratic Caucus
PO Box 202250 Harrisburg, PA 17120-2250

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