Pittsburgh, PA – October 10, 2022 – Today, the PA House of Representatives announced the passing of Representative Tony DeLuca, serving the 32nd house district, at the age of 85. In response, State Senator Jay Costa offers the following statement:
“I am heartbroken to learn of the passing of a dear friend, colleague, and mentor, Representative Tony DeLuca. Tony has been a decades-long friend of me and my family, and I had tremendous respect for his advocacy for his home communities of Penn Hills and Verona. He was a dedicated leader during his 39 years in the House of Representatives, where he served as Democratic chair of the House Insurance Committee. I have long admired his tireless work to ensure every Pennsylvanian can have affordable health insurance, and I have valued our time together. Rest well, my friend. Allegheny County lost a mighty warrior today.”
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PITTSBURGH, PA − October 1, 2022 − Last night, PA Supreme Court Chief Justice Max Baer passed away in his sleep at the age of 74. In response to the unexpected loss of a longtime friend, Senator Jay Costa releases the following statement:
“I am saddened and heartbroken to learn of the passing of the Honorable Pennsylvania Supreme Court Chief Justice Max Baer, a respected leader and a true public servant. It has been a joy to call him a friend for the past 30 years as he has served Allegheny County and the entire commonwealth of Pennsylvania. A fellow Duquesne Law School graduate and lifelong yinzer, Justice Baer leaves an accomplished legacy of moral clarity, justice, and care for our democracy. I will miss him greatly and am holding his family in my prayers today.”
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Harrisburg, PA – September 12, 2022 – Today, the PA Supreme Court denied Gov. Wolf’s request to invoke King’s Bench for his lawsuit against SB 106. As a result, the case must first be heard in the Commonwealth Court. SB 106 includes a suite of constitutional amendments, including one that would deny the right to an abortion in PA. As the leader of the PA Senate Democratic Caucus, Senator Jay Costa (D-Allegheny) offers the following statement:
“I am disappointed by today’s denial of Governor Wolf’s request to invoke King’s Bench on SB 106. Deciding when, whether, and how to have a family is an extremely intimate decision, and not one that legislators ought to be making for people. The GOP’s abuse of the constitutional amendment process will cause unnecessary pain and hardship for thousands of PA’s women and families. As a caucus, we will continue to fight against measures that interfere with access to reproductive healthcare, including abortion, prenatal care, IVF treatments, and postnatal care.”
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HARRISBURG, PA – August 16, 2022 − Today, Governor Tom Wolf signed an executive order ending state funding for LGBTQ+ Conversion Therapy, a pseudoscientific practice that seeks to alter a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity. Senator Jay Costa (D-Allegheny), leader of the Democratic Caucus in the PA Senate, offers the following statement in support of this order:
“Today I am proud to celebrate Governor Wolf’s executive order halting state funding for conversion therapy. No matter how we look, who we love, or where in PA we live, all of us deserve the research-based care we need. Protecting and expanding access to gender-affirming care delivers on this core value, as does fighting against the pseudoscientific practices of conversion therapy, which are proven only to cause trauma and shame. The governor’s order will help ensure that thousands of people who call PA home are treated with dignity and respect by the medical community. I look forward to taking these measures even further by passing legislation that protects members of the LGBTQ+ community from discrimination and harassment.”
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HARRISBURG, PA – August 2, 2022 − Today, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled to uphold Act 77, the state’s election law that permits no excuse mail in voting to continue in Pennsylvania. Senator Jay Costa (D-Allegheny) offered the following statement in support of the court’s decision:
“Today’s decision upholding Act 77 is a victory for voters of every age, race, faith, income, and zip code.
Voting by mail ensures that everyone can participate in choosing their leaders, especially our seniors, healthcare workers, students, and disabled friends and neighbors. While the GOP continues to disenfranchise voters, we will fight so that everyone who wants to vote can vote however is most accessible to them.”
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HARRISBURG, PA – July 28, 2022 − Today, Governor Tom Wolf announced a lawsuit against the Republican-led General Assembly for their unconstitutional attempt to ban abortion in Pennsylvania. Senator Jay Costa (D-Allegheny), leader of the Democratic Caucus in the PA Senate, shared the following statement in support of the lawsuit:
“Today, I am proud to support Governor Wolf’s lawsuit challenging the legality of SB 106, a bill that offers several amendments to our Commonwealth’s constitution, including removing the right to abortion in Pennsylvania. I have been unwavering in my support of abortion access. As a caucus, Senate Democrats have consistently voted to protect access to this necessary medical procedure, and consistently voted against efforts to make abortions more difficult for Pennsylvanians to access. The GOP rammed through SB 106 at the 11th hour during budget negotiations, attempting to sneak their anti-abortion legislation through under the cover of night. This move was intentionally devious and would strip rights from millions of people who call PA home.
Governor Wolf’s lawsuit will ensure that the amendments in SB 106 will appear on the May 2023 ballot only if they are legally appropriate. While the institution of the General Assembly is facing this suit, it will be the responsibility of the GOP to defend its midnight backroom deal-making. Regardless of the outcome of this suit, our caucus remains committed as always to protecting the right to abortion in Pennsylvania.”
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