PITTSBURGH, PA – October 10, 2024 – Today, the PA Broadband Development Authority met to award grants from the Multipurpose Community Facilities Program. The Facilities Program offered $45 million in competitive grants to community anchor institutions and units of local government for community projects to construct, acquire, or improve facilities that are, or will be open to the public and will directly enable work, education, and health monitoring at the respective facility.
“I am delighted to be announcing these grant dollars to benefit Pittsburgh and Allegheny County,” said Senator Costa. “These projects will continue to empower communities by improving the spaces where people gather, learn, and seek care. I look forward to seeing these undertakings come to fruition as we go forward.”
In the 43rd Senatorial District, the three recipients of MCFP dollars are:
- Latino Community Center was awarded $1,631,198.80 to expand the Latino Community Center of Allegheny County. The project entails renovations to the Community Center facilities.
- Primary Care Health Services, Inc. was awarded $2,000,000 for the PCHS Wilford A. Payne Medical Center. A new 44,000 square-foot medical center and office building will be constructed on a surface parking lot adjacent to the current facility.
- Woodland Hills School District was awarded $500,000 to renovate Carnegie Free Library of Swissvale.
Learn more about the PA Senate Democrats’ commitment to thriving communities for every Pennsylvanian here.
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HARRISBURG – October 9, 2024 – Today, the Pennsylvania General Assembly gave final approval on legislation by Sens. Pat Stefano (R-32) and Jay Costa (D-43) that would allow magisterial district judges to grant Pennsylvania drivers who are unable to pay the fees and fines of their suspended license the option to pursue community service as a payment alternative. This initiative would only apply to drivers whose suspension resulted from routine violations.
“The ability to drive is essential in rural Pennsylvania,” Stefano said. “This legislation will empower Pennsylvania drivers struggling to escape the prison of debt, created by those fines and fees from traffic violations, to get back on the road so they can continue to contribute to our local communities.”
Senate Bill 1118 would also allow those who currently have suspended licenses – due to inability to pay certain fines and fees – to be provided with the option of community service if a judge sees fit. The community service payment alternative could additionally apply to suspensions related to driving with a suspended license.
“Today is a great day for justice reform in Pennsylvania,” said Costa. “This bipartisan legislation stands to make an enormous difference in the lives of low-income drivers who cannot afford the fines to reinstate suspended licenses. By allowing judges to assign community service instead of financial penalties for drivers already struggling to make ends meet, we can ensure workers get to jobs, patients get to doctor’s appointments, kids get to school and families can live their lives. I look forward to seeing this legislation put to work in our communities.”
During the bill’s passage in the House of Representatives, a variety of amendments were added to the legislation for structural changes. Alterations to the bill included increasing the response time for an individual to receive notice of a license suspension and reducing the soon-to-be law’s effective date from 26 to 18 months.
“This has been many years in the making. Sen. Costa and I first introduced this legislation, three legislative sessions ago, following a study that showed that failure to pay fines and fees and failure to appear in court are the two most common reasons for a license suspension among young drivers,” Stefano said. “I’m happy to see this initiative finally come to fruition.”
The bill now heads to the governor’s desk for enactment.
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HARRISBURG, PA – October 9, 2024 − Today, four members of the Senate Democratic Caucus filed suit in Commonwealth Court against President Pro Tempore Kim Ward, Senator Joe Pittman, and Senator Jarret Coleman in order to halt a subpoena compelling Secretary of Revenue Pat Browne from turning over sensitive taxpayer data. Yesterday, Senate Resolution 334 was adopted 28-22 ordering the Sergeant-at-Arms to bring Pat Browne before the Senate.
Senators Jay Costa, Vincent Hughes, Tina Tartaglione, and Nikil Saval joined forces to file suit in Commonwealth Court to challenge the subpoena issued by the Intergovernmental Operations Committee, noting that the Senators were asked to take an illegal vote compelling the Secretary of Revenue to violate a taxpayer’s private records; to ask the Court to enjoin enforcement of the subpoena; and to ask the court to hear the matter expeditiously.
<“We have been clear from the beginning that Senate Resolution 334 is inappropriate and should not be enforced,” said Senator Costa. “A resolution cannot and must not override the rule of law, specifically Act 24 of 2021. Secretary Browne is following the law as it is written. The lawsuits brought by my colleagues and me support Pat Browne in his following the rule of law.”
Footage of Senator Costa’s remarks during the floor debate on SR 334 is available here.
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HARRISBURG, PA − October 8, 2024 − Today, Democratic Leader Jay Costa (D-Allegheny) filed discharge petitions on three critical bills that have been stuck in committee due to inaction from Senate Republicans, who have refused to bring these bills and hundreds of others up for a vote. All three bills passed the House with bipartisan support in 2023.
These petitions require the full Senate to vote on whether to move a bill out of committee without a committee vote. For over 15 months, the three bills have sat in Committee without a vote.
The three bills for which Senator Costa filed Discharge Petitions are as follows:
- HB 300, known as the Fairness Act, would protect LGBTQ+ individuals from discrimination in Pennsylvania in the areas of housing, education, or access to public accommodations. This bill passed the House of Representatives 102-98 on May 2, 2023, and has sat in the Senate State Government Committee since May 3, 2023.
- HB 714 would close loopholes that allow certain gun purchases to happen without a background check. This bill passed the House of Representatives 109-92 on May 22, 2023, and has sat in the Senate Judiciary Committee since June 2, 2023.
- HB 1018 would establish Emergency Risk Protection Orders so that an individual experiencing a crisis can be temporarily disarmed after a hearing before a Judge. This bill passed the House of Representatives 102-99 on May 22, 2023, and has sat in the Senate Judiciary Committee since June 2, 2023.
“My colleagues and I in the Senate Democratic Caucus will not let bills about community safety and anti-discrimination go down without a fight,” said Senator Costa. “Protecting LGBTQ+ Pennsylvanians from hatred in housing, schooling, and community spaces is the bare minimum of what we owe them. Expanding background check requirements for gun purchases will keep firearms out of the hands of bad actors. Emergency Risk Protection Orders will keep people we love alive when they are experiencing a crisis, from veterans to parents to students and beyond.
“As we approach the end of our legislative session, we will do the hard work the Senate Republicans refuse to do in order deliver safety, opportunity, and quality of life to every Pennsylvanian.”
The popularity of these bills flies in the face of the inaction they have seen in the Pennsylvania Senate. A Pew report indicates that 70% of Republicans and 92% of Democrats favor background checks for private firearm and gun show sales. In 2019, an APM Survey indicated that 77% of Americans support Emergency Risk Protection Orders. Over three quarters of US adults want to see legislation protecting LGBTQ+ people from discrimination per a 2022 study from the University of Chicago. And just today, Spotlight PA noted the popularity of these bills, even across party lines, with 63% of respondents saying they strongly or somewhat agree with an agenda that includes gun safety and nondiscrimination legislation.
With single-digit session days remaining before Sine Die, movement on these popular and bipartisan bills is critical if they are to be signed into law before November 30.
Learn more about the Senate Democrats’ commitment to fighting for every Pennsylvanian here.
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Pittsburgh, PA – September 9, 2024 – Today, State Senator Jay Costa, County Executive Sara Innamorato, and Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey celebrated the passage of the Longtime Owner Occupant Tax Exemption Program (LOOP), a groundbreaking piece of legislation aimed at protecting Pittsburgh residents from the burden of skyrocketing property taxes.
The passage of the LOOP is a victory for long-term homeowners in neighborhoods experiencing rapid property value increases.
Senator Costa, who led the legislation in the Pennsylvania State Senate, said “I am delighted to be celebrating the passage of LOOP with so many leaders who share in the core belief that the people who built our communities belong in our communities. By allowing the City of Pittsburgh to create a tax relief program for long-term owner occupants, we can ensure that people stay in the homes and communities they love. I am so grateful for the support of local leaders, housing advocates, and legislators across the political spectrum who got this over the finish line, and I look forward to the next steps in this process.”
Mayor Gainey emphasized the importance of LOOP in maintaining Pittsburgh’s sense of community, saying, “I’m proud to support this legislation that will help keep people in the houses they made into homes. No resident should be pushed out of their neighborhood because of development, and this program will help make sure people can continue to call their neighborhood home.”
“While we explore ways to create a more equitable and predictable approach to property taxes, policies that will protect long term owner-occupants are an incredibly important piece of the puzzle. We need to protect the families that have been here during the tough times while welcoming new neighbors and investment to Pittsburgh and Allegheny County,” said Sara Innamorato, County Executive.
The LOOP program, now signed into law as Act 53 of 2024, allows Mayor Gainey and City Council to exempt or defer property tax increases for homeowners who have lived in their homes for a certain period of time in rapidly gentrifying neighborhoods. This legislation is particularly significant as Pittsburgh continues to experience increased investment and development pressure in some communities, putting longtime owner-occupants at risk of being priced out of their homes.
The City of Pittsburgh, under the leadership of Mayor Gainey, is committed to implementing LOOP effectively, ensuring that residents across the city can benefit from the program as soon as possible.
For more information about the Longtime Owner Occupant Tax Exemption Program, please visit SenatorCosta.com/LOOP
PITTSBURGH, September 6, 2024 – State Rep. Elizabeth Fiedler, D-Phila., joined state Reps. Mandy Steele, D-Allegheny, Nick Pisciottano, D-Allegheny, and other Allegheny County legislators Thursday to celebrate the recent passage of her Solar for Schools Act.
The event was hosted at the IBEW Local 5 Training Center. Speakers were welcomed by business manager Thomas McInytre.
Solar for Schools is a new state grant program designed to help school districts across Pennsylvania install solar panels on their grounds or roofs. By generating their own energy, districts can save millions of dollars over the life of a solar project—while creating good-paying jobs, reducing environmental impact, and helping keep costs low for taxpayers. Gov. Josh Shapiro signed the bill into law on July 17.
“Creating solar energy at schools not only reduces the amount of tax dollars spent on utility bills, but also creates union jobs in the high-tech and rapidly growing renewable energy industry,” said Pisciottano. “Solar for Schools is supporting working families, the environment, and local economies here in southwestern Pennsylvania and across the state.”
“This is a win for taxpayers, a win for labor, and a win for the environment. I was proud to help shepherd this through the committee process and to help get it across the finish line,” said state Rep. Rob Matzie, D-Beaver, chair of the PA House Consumer Protection, Technology & Utilities Committee.
“I am delighted to support the Solar for Schools program, which will benefit our students, our workers, and our environment. I’m so grateful for Representative Fiedler and all the organizers who pushed this bipartisan legislation over the finish line. I look forward to continued projects that deliver wins for all involved, and I can’t wait to see these Solar for Schools dollars go to use in districts across Pennsylvania.” said state Sen. Jay Costa, D-Allegheny.
“I’m thankful for my colleagues in the western part of the state from both chambers for being strong advocates for Solar for Schools, and for IBEW Local 5 for hosting us at their training center today,” Fiedler said. “Solar arrays mean good jobs, and I can’t wait to see how our labor partners and teachers are able to take advantage of this exciting career learning opportunity!”
Broad support for the program from both environmental and labor partners was crucial to securing bipartisan support for the bill.
“By prioritizing schools in areas where coal plants have been decommissioned or will be decommissioned, this law will extend an economic lifeline to these communities. Not only will Solar for Schools help ensure the folks in these communities have access to jobs — good paying union jobs — it will help begin to transition of our economy to a more climate-friendly economy and ensure these communities do not have to worry about economic obsolescence in the future,” said Maurice Cobb, secretary/treasurer for the Pennsylvania AFL-CIO.
“As Evangelicals, we believe in defending the health and well-being of our children. The Solar for Schools grant program does just this by creating a way for schools to minimize their emissions while reducing their energy costs for decades to come, allowing districts to invest money in ways that more closely benefit teachers and children,” said Kim Anderson, director of member mobilization of the Evangelical Environmental Network.
The state grant will cover up to 50% of solar projects for schools and can be paired with federal funding available through the Inflation Reduction Act, keeping costs to schools minimal and ensuring Pennsylvania is positioned to take advantage of federal funding.
“Solar for Schools will leverage the power of President Biden’s landmark climate bill to enable school districts across Pennsylvania to switch to solar power and is a foundational step for Pennsylvania to truly begin to harness the power of renewable energy. We’re thrilled to stand with Representative Elizabeth Fiedler, the prime sponsor of this legislation, who has worked tirelessly to demonstrate what’s possible when all sides can come together with a shared commitment to a brighter future for Pennsylvania,” said Adam Nagel, director of government affairs for PennFuture.
Schools in Pennsylvania are already taking advantage of career learning opportunities created by solar energy. Labor leaders who support the bill say it could create new apprenticeship programs in solar installation, preparing the next generation of workers for careers in one of the country’s fastest-growing industries.
“There is nothing that could give greater meaning to education than being part of the solution to our most serious problems. And there is nothing that ignites curiosity and joy in students more than participation and ownership in problem-solving that helps everyone. The Solar for Schools initiative does both,” said Billy Hileman, president of Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers Local 400.
Thursday’s event was part of an ongoing Solar for Schools tour that aims to highlight energy and financial needs at schools, spread the word about the grant program, and ensure school districts are prepared to apply. The PA Department of Community and Economic Development has until Oct. 15 to establish application guidelines.
