Legislative News

East Palestine Derailment

Last week, the Veterans Affairs & Emergency Preparedness Committee held a hearing on the impact that the East Palestine, Ohio train derailment is having on Pennsylvanians. We heard incredibly moving testimony from several residents on what they’ve experienced over the last three weeks– the fears they’ve had for themselves, their families, and their animals; their worries over their farmland and crops; and their anxieties over their air, soil, and water quality.

If you live near the East Palestine derailment site, the Pennsylvania DEP is now performing independent, free-of-charge water quality testing. If you have concerns about your water, please contact the DEP to request testing by calling 412-442-4000.

The PA Department of Health is opening a Health Resource Center at the Darlington Township Building that will be staffed by employees from the Pennsylvania DEP and Department of Agriculture to help residents sign up for free, independent water testing and provide guidance on food and animal safety. The Center will be open weekdays from 10:00 AM - 8:00 PM. 

For all PA Emergency Management updates, visit their derailment website at https://www.pema.pa.gov/derailment/pages/default.aspx.

If you would like to view the VAEP Hearing, you can watch it at Senate VAEP Committee Hearing on Norfolk Southern Train Derailment - Senator Lindsey Williams.

 

Standing with Childhood Sexual Assault Victims

This week, I stood with my Pennsylvania Senate Democratic Caucus colleagues to urge the Senate to pass HB1 and HB2, legislation that will open a statutory window to justice for victims of childhood sexual assault and that will put a clean constitutional amendment question on November's ballot. These victims have waited far too long for justice. We can get this done-- justice delayed is justice denied.

 

Charter School Funding Reform

The General Assembly has failed to do its job in funding public education. We didn't need the Commonwealth Court to tell us that-- students, parents, teachers, educators, and administrators have been begging us for help for years. Last year, instead of throwing them a life preserver, we threw them an anchor in the form of the largest increase in privatizing school dollars ever.

More than 90% of our districts have passed resolutions telling the General Assembly that if we don't pass charter reform, they'll have to cut programs, staffing, and services for their students. It's time to get this done for our kids and their futures.

I'm sponsoring charter school funding reform legislation again this Session because Pennsylvania's privately-run, publicly funded charter schools are placing an enormous burden on our taxpayers while leaving behind a track record of failing academic performance, fraud and waste.

Since 2019, more than 90% of school districts across Pennsylvania have adopted resolutions demanding the General Assembly step up to address these long-standing problems, but we have consistently failed to act. With the recent landmark court decision confirming what students and educators have long known – that Pennsylvania is unconstitutionally failing to fully and fairly fund our public schools – it is beyond time to enact common sense charter reforms and fix this key piece of the puzzle.

Charter school reform has become like ‘Groundhog Day’ in Pa., advocates say - pennlive.com

You can watch my remarks on charter reform at Sen. Williams Remarks: Charter Reform Press Conference - Senator Lindsey Williams

March 2023 SNAP Eligibility Changes!

The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS) is alerting Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients of two upcoming eligibility changes prompted by the federal government. The impact of these changes begins March 1, 2023.

The federal government’s 2023 cost of living adjustment (COLA) for Social Security Income (SSI) was set at 8.7%, but the federal government’s thresholds for SNAP did not rise proportionally. This means many SSI recipients will become ineligible for SNAP or see their SNAP benefit decrease by an average of $40 per household.

The other SNAP change is the result of the Federal Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023. The Act ends state authority to issue an extra SNAP payment that recipients have been receiving since the pandemic started in 2020. This “Emergency Allotment” (SNAP EA) brought households to the maximum monthly SNAP payment, or if they were already receiving the maximum, households received an additional $95 EA. Starting this month, eligible households will only receive one SNAP payment per month. 

We have heard from many seniors and families in our district who are worried about these changes and the impact on their monthly food budgets. The best course of action now is to make sure your case information is up-to-date and report any changes to your income, expenses, and/or household size to DHS. Increased housing costs, child or disabled adult care costs, or any change in medical costs over $35/month if you are over 60 or disabled are examples of changes that could impact your SNAP benefit.

To ensure your household receives the full SNAP benefit you are eligible for, you should report any changes to the number of people in your household, income or expenses at:

• www.dhs.pa.gov/COMPASS; 
• The myCOMPASS PA mobile app; 
• DHS’s Customer Service Center: 1- 877-395-8930; or
• Allegheny County Assistance Office: 412-565-2146

For a comprehensive list of programs and organizations that assist with food insecurity go to Food Resources for Pennsylvanians (pa.gov). 

To learn more about the changes to SNAP and additional resources for assistance go to SNAP-CARES Act (pa.gov).