Harrisburg – February 22, 2018 – State Sen. Jay Costa (D-Allegheny) released the following statement divesting state funds from companies that produce assault weapons:
“Following the recent and tragic school shooting in Parkland, I was mortified to learn that the Florida teachers’ retirement fund invests in the manufacturers of assault weapons. Assault weapons are incongruous with the values of our state and its schools – and I’m working to ensure that Pennsylvania makes no similar investments.
Money is the universal language, and it’s time that we send a message to those who profit from the creation and sale of assault weapons.
The first step I’ve taken is a letter to the Public School Employees’ Retirement System (PSERS), the State Employees’ Retirement System (SERS), and the Pennsylvania Municipal Retirement System (PMRS) asking for a thorough review of all of their investments to conclude whether any such investments have been made.
I hope this review finds that public dollars have not been used to fund weapon manufacturers, but either way, I will be introducing legislation to bar such investments moving forward. I am currently drafting a bill that would amend the existing Protecting Pennsylvania’s Investment Act (Act 44 of 2010) by adding a new investment prohibition – companies that manufacture assault weapons and large capacity ammunition feeding devices.”
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Harrisburg – February 15, 2018 – Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa (D-Allegheny) released the following statement concerning the submission of a congressional redistricting plan to the state Supreme Court.
Senate Democrats submitted the plan following the court’s ruling that declared the 2011 maps unconstitutional. The Supreme Court gave the General Assembly until Feb. 9 to present a constitutional plan to the governor. Instead, Republican leaders submitted their own plan to the governor.
Costa’s statement follows:
“Senate Democrats submitted an excellent congressional redistricting plan to the court today. It meets the key elements of constitutionality identified by the court. The plan includes far less municipal splits than the Republican submission or the 2011 plan, adheres to the requirements of the Voting Rights Act and eliminates voter confusion by not moving any incumbent member of Congress who is seeking re-election this year or anyone who is involved in a special election.
“The previous map that was thrown out by the court was a jumbled mess that made no sense to the voters and was generally thought to be the worst congressional gerrymander in the country. The map Senate Democrats sent to the court today rectifies the many problems that were identified by the court and independent observers and is far superior to the map submitted by Republican leadership.”
Highlights of the Senate Democratic map:
- The map produced by Senate Democrats contains far fewer subdivision spits than either the Senate Republican submission or the 2011 plan.
- The 2011 map contained 172 splits, while the Senate Republicans’ contained 62 splits of counties, municipalities, wards and precincts. The Senate Democratic map includes only 55 splits.
- The Senate Democratic map’s districts are nearly equal in population and satisfies the requirements of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
- The map retains a nearly identical composition of African-American and Latino populations in Pennsylvania’s 1st District while the 2nd District keeps the percentage of African-American voters relative to the 2011 plan constant.
- The Senate Democratic plan is far better than other plans on the measures of compactness identified by the court.
- In order to prevent voter confusion in this election cycle, the plan does not move any incumbent member of Congress who is seeking re-election.
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Harrisburg, Pa. − February 13, 2018 − Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa fully supports Governor Wolf’s decision to reject the maps presented to him last week by just two Republican members.
“A proposal that makes districts slightly more compact but no more fair or representative fails to meet the requirements set forth by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court,” said Senator Costa. “This is unfortunately yet another gerrymandered overreach that cannot be used. I’m glad that Governor Wolf agrees and has rejected the proposal.”
Governor Wolf’s administration hired an expert to review the proposed map by the Republican leadership, and found it “extremely, and unnecessarily, partisan.”
Professor Dunchin, the statistical expert, found that there was no more than a .1 percent chance that any plan drafted to comply with the state Supreme Court’s order could have been as favorable to Republicans as they one they shared with the Governor last Friday night.
“We could have had an open, bipartisan process and debate in the creation of a new map through legislation,” said Senator Costa. “Unfortunately, that was not what the Republican leaders wanted and now we will use our limited time before the February 15th deadline to find another solution.”
The original decision in this case by the state Supreme Court indicated that if the legislature failed to produce a plan that the Governor agreed to, that it would initiate its own map creation and distribute a completed product by Monday, February 19.
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Pittsburgh – February 12, 2018 − After 14 years of financial recovery, Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) and local officials today signed Pittsburgh’s official release from this status.
“This has been a long road for the City, but I commend the Mayor, City Council, and the members of this community that spearheaded the efforts that led to recovery,” said Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa, Jr. “Many cities fall into Act 47 status and never meet the conditions of recovery, but that’s not Pittsburgh’s story. This is a strong city that continually fights its way back from hardship; from the loss of the steel industry to its recent financial distress. Pittsburgh has never given up, and today’s news proves it again.”
Act 47 status is bestowed on cities facing incredible financial and structural burdens, and allows the state to offer assistance through the recovery process. A recovery coordinator is assigned, and a plan is set that dictates terms of recovery. Once those terms are met, DCED and the legislature begin the dissolution process.
DCED has determined that Pittsburgh met its conditions, outlined here:
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- Operational deficits were eliminated as evidenced by audited financial statements. The City has achieved operating surpluses nine out of the last twelve years.
- Debt has been retired, reduced, or reissued in a manner that has adequately refinanced all outstanding principle and interest.
- Pittsburgh has negotiated and resolved all claims or judgements that would have placed the municipality imminent jeopardy of default.
- Reasonably projected revenues of the municipality are sufficient to fund ongoing necessary expenditures, including pensions and debt obligations.
“The Administration has taken the steps that it needs to for Pittsburgh’s recovery to be official, and I have introduced Senate Bill 1047 which would dissolve the Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority,” said Senator Costa. “The ICA is no longer needed, and must be removed by legislative action; I’m proud to introduce the bill and be a part of this exciting final step in Pittsburgh’s recovery.”
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Harrisburg, PA − February 9, 2018 − Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa and House Democratic Leader Frank Dermody send letter to Gov. Wolf condemning the congressional redistricting map shared with his office saying this: “This map was not the product of bipartisan work, nor is it a piece of legislation that passed through both of our chambers.”
9 February 2018
Governor Tom Wolf
508 Main Capitol Building
Harrisburg, PA 17120
Dear Governor Wolf:
We have recently learned that the Republican presiding officers of the House and Senate have shared a congressional redistricting map with your office. This map was not the product of bipartisan work, nor is it a piece of legislation that passed through both of our chambers. The Court clearly mandated that the General Assembly engage in the legislative process to create new congressional maps before the end of the day on Friday, February 9th .
The third paragraph of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court’s January 22, 2018 Per Curiam Order in the League of Women Voters case directs ”Pennsylvania General Assembly” to submit a congressional redistricting plan to you. The presiding officers are not the General Assembly.
Further, the “Remedy” portion of the Supreme Court’s majority opinion in the League of Women Voters case explicitly states that the Court ”… initially invited our sister branches – the legislative and executive branches – to take remedial action through enactment of a remedial congressional districting plan” in their January 22, 2018 Order. (Emphasis added.) It is impossible to enact what was presented to you this evening because it is not legislation.
Ironically after spending two weeks publically criticizing the Court for not issuing an opinion to provide them with guidance, the presiding officers promptly ignored the majority opinion. For these reasons, we ask you to reject it outright. The Republican leadership in both chambers blocked this process, refused to negotiate, and have now submitted a map directly to your office that we have not even seen.
Sincerely,
Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa
D-Allegheny
House Democratic Leader Frank Dermody
D-Westmoreland/Allegheny
February 7, 2018 − State Senator Jay Costa has been leading the effort to stem the terrible impact of the opioid epidemic for years. As the Senate Democratic Leader, co-chair of the PA HOPE caucus (the Pennsylvania Heroin, Opioid Prevention and Education Caucus) and a community leader, he has been working to implement new legislative and administrative policies to combat the escalating crisis.
What Senator Costa and your Pennsylvania state government have already done:
- Enacted a best-the-country medical marijuana law to combat many medical conditions. Among them are chronic pain and other conditions that are typically be treated with opioids. According to one study, between 2000 and 2010, opioid-related fatalities and reductions in treatment admissions in states with medical marijuana dispensaries declined by about 20 percent.
- Redesigned the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program to reduce doctor-shopping, combat pill mills, and remove non-addictive drugs from the registry.
- Expanded and worked to protect Medicaid – helping over 125,000 people get treatment.
- Established 45 centers of excellence treatment programs that will allow nearly 11,000 Pennsylvanians to receive care.
- Expanded the drug-take back program to 700 boxes, destroying 300,000 pounds of drugs.
- Made naloxone available to all Pennsylvanians and state money to first responders and law enforcement to gain access to additional supplies.
- Created a childhood education program to instruct students on the dangers of opioids and heroin.
- Created ten sets of prescribing guidelines to assist health care professionals.
- Worked with Pennsylvania’s medical schools to create new curricula on opioids.
- Started a hotline help line to connect individuals seeking treatment.
- Limited the number of opioids that can be prescribed to a minor or ER patient.
- Provided $2 million to expand specialty drug courts.
- Began regulating and certifying recovery houses to ensure patients are receive appropriate care.
What we’re working on:
- Legislation to provide families with a process to seek mandatory treatment to their loved ones facing addiction. Senator Costa has introduced Senate Bill 391 and is working closely with Governor Wolf to pass the bill.
- Allowing hospice and home health workers to dispose of opioid medications following a death.
- Looking to the pharmaceutical industry to be part of the solution to addiction, including an assessment on the wholesale import of opioids to fund addiction treatment programs and facilities.
- Limiting opioid prescriptions for all individuals to 7-day supplies.
