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Dear John,
Dear John,


As we celebrate Women’s History Month and mark a year in our fight against the coronavirus, I wanted to share with you some legislation that I am currently working on to serve our community.



Wishing you all patience as we approach Spring and a better tomorrow together.



Rep. Melissa Shusterman
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Food Donation Protections
I am supporting a piece of legislation that will provide food donors legal protections for their donations made in good faith. Too often, food that’s completely safe to eat gets thrown away because people mistake its freshness date for an expiration date, and during a pandemic that has taken an economic toll on Pennsylvanians this past year, ensuring that all food that is still safe to eat is available to those in need is more important than ever.
H.B. 187 would expand protections to explicitly apply to food donations that have surpassed the manufacturer’s “best by” date, but is still safe for human consumption. You can read more about my efforts to encourage food donations and protect food donors here [[link removed]] .
PA Small Business Support & Lobbying Reform Legislation
I introduced 3 pieces of legislation aimed at helping boost small businesses and increase lobbying transparency. H.B. 267 ensures that businesses using the Second Stage Loan program create more job opportunities in Pennsylvania, and businesses that receive these loans are not only located in Pennsylvania, but stay in Pennsylvania. This proposed legislation’s goal is to boost our Commonwealth's economy and support small businesses in Pennsylvania.
I also introduced two other bills that are specifically aimed at lobbying reform. H.B. 268 would institute a lifetime lobbying ban for all public officials upon leaving office, while extending the waiting period before public employees could begin lobbying after leaving. H.B. 269 would require lobbyists to provide a detailed annual report and disclose their business relationships in order to increase lobbying transparency. You can read more about all three of these bills here [[link removed]] .
Legislation Supporting Those in the Intellectual Disabilities Community
Each school district in Pennsylvania is tasked with making their own decisions when it comes to implementing the mode of instruction and those decisions are liable to change as the pandemic progresses, for some students who have a disability or an Individualized Education Program (IEP), these decisions upend necessary routines which can be especially detrimental to the quality of their education. Legislation that I am co-sponsoring would allow these students to repeat a grade level if their parents feel that their students have missed out on educational opportunities because of the pandemic. Further, it would allow students with an IEP who have aged out to enroll for the 2020-21 and 2021-22 school years for free. This legislation is part of my work to ensure that our most vulnerable students maintain access to a quality education.
Citation For A Member of Our Community
I recently delivered a citation to Shai Perednik, a constituent who founded a PA COVID-19 Makers Group, which produces and delivers essential personal protective equipment to organizations across our district and neighboring counties throughout the pandemic. The Pennsylvania House of Representatives recognizes their work which included the creation of 27,000 face shields and 10,000 handmade masks helping 200 organizations. You can read more about this recognition here [[link removed]] .
Covid Update and Tele-Town Hall
I recognize and share your concerns about the countless people in our community eligible to receive the vaccine that cannot access it. I encourage Chester County [[link removed]] and Montgomery County [[link removed]] residents to register in their respective counties to be notified about vaccine availability. In an effort to make the vaccine rollout more efficient, the House unanimously passed H.B. 326, which would mobilize our National Guard to assist in these rollout efforts. I am also suggesting that anyone with questions should feel free to contact the PA Department of Health. I recently held a Tele-Town Hall where I worked to address many of our community members’ concerns. For anyone who was not able to attend but would still like to hear the discussion, you can access the recording here [[link removed]] . I will continue to share updates about the vaccine and other coronavirus relief efforts as they become available.
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Connect With Us:Facebook [[link removed]] For any official legislative inquiries, please visit my government page:
Twitter [#] pahouse.com/Shusterman/ [[link removed]]
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Paid for by Friends of Melissa Shusterman.
Melissa Shusterman for State Representative
385 Shelbourne Lane
Phoenixville, PA 19460
United States
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