News Releases
Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa Praises the Passage of HB27
Harrisburg, PA – September 20, 2023 – Today, the Pennsylvania Senate advanced HB 27, a bill to distribute crucial school mental health funding and community violence prevention funding. Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa (D-Allegheny) personally advocated an amendment...
Senate Dems Discuss Skill Games at Radnor Hearing
RADNOR, August 24, 2023 – State Senator Katie Muth (D-Chester/Montgomery/Berks), chair of the Pennsylvania Senate Democratic Policy Committee, and Senator Amanda Cappelletti (D-Montgomery/Delaware) co-hosted a public hearing yesterday in Radnor to discuss skill games...
State Senator Jay Costa Issues Statement in Response to Robert Bowers’ Death Penalty Verdict
Pittsburgh − August 2, 2023 − Today, a jury sentenced Robert Bowers to death for his 63 charges related to the Tree of Life massacre. State Senator Jay Costa, whose district includes Squirrel Hill, offers the following statement in response: "Legally, today closes the...
State Senator Jay Costa Announces Over $14 Million Investment in Water Infrastructure in Allegheny County
PITTSBURGH, PA− July 21, 2023 − Today, State Senator Jay Costa announces a $14.6 million investment in water infrastructure through the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority (PENNVEST). This investment by PENNVEST is crucial in PWSA’s ongoing effort to...
Seventeen Years and Counting – Senate Democrats Continue to Fight to Raise PA’s Minimum Wage
Harrisburg, PA – July 7, 2023 − Sunday, July 9th, marks seventeen years since Pennsylvania lawmakers last raised the minimum wage. On July 9th, 2006, Governor Ed Rendell was joined by Senator Christine Tartaglione, Senator Vincent Hughes, and Senator Jay Costa, to...
Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa Statement on Senate-Passed Budget Proposal
Harrisburg, PA – June 30, 2023 − Today, State Senator Jay Costa, D-43, released the following statement on House Bill 611: “The plan we voted on today is not a final agreement and is just one more step in negotiations. “As we move through the process, it is imperative...
State Senator Jay Costa Applauds Property Tax Rent Rebate Bill Passage
Harrisburg, PA – June 30, 2023 − Today, State Senator Jay Costa, D-43, proudly voted Yes on HB1100, a bill amending the Property Tax and Rent Rebate Program to increase income thresholds to qualify for the program to expand eligibility and to increase the amount of...
State Senator Jay Costa Reacts to Supreme Court Decision Striking Down Affirmative Action, Expresses Disappointment
Harrisburg, PA – June 29, 2023 – Today, the Supreme Court decided in a 6-3 decision to strike down affirmative action in the case of Students for Fair Admissions Inc. v. President & Fellows of Harvard College. Democratic Leader Jay Costa, representing...
State Senator Jay Costa Reacts to Robert Bowers Verdict
Pittsburgh, PA – June 16, 2023 − Today, a jury found Robert Bowers guilty of 63 charges related to the deadliest antisemitic attack in recent history, which left eleven Jewish worshippers dead in Squirrel Hill. State Senator Jay Costa, whose senatorial district...
Senate Dems Discuss Improving Railroad Safety at Pittsburgh Hearing
PITTSBURGH − May 19, 2023 – State Senator Katie Muth (D-Chester/Montgomery/Berks), Chair of the Senate Democratic Policy Committee, today joined Senator Lindsey Williams (D-Allegheny) and Senator Wayne Fontana (D-Allegheny) to host a public hearing in Pittsburgh...
Senators Jay Costa, Michele Brooks Join PHFA to Celebrate 50 Years of Success, Call for Increased Mixed-Used Development Tax Credit Program Funding
Harrisburg, PA – May 3, 2023 − Today, Senator Jay Costa (D-Allegheny) joined legislative leaders and Executive Director Robin Wiessmann to celebrate the creation of the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency (PHFA) 50 years ago by the General Assembly. Today’s...
PA Arts and Culture Caucus Celebrates Arts Advocacy Day, Features Local Artists, Calls for Continued Investments in the Arts
HARRISBURG, PA − April 26, 2023 − Today, Members of the Pennsylvania Legislative Arts and Culture Caucus gathered in the Capitol Rotunda to celebrate “Arts Advocacy Day” along with Citizens for the Arts in Pennsylvania, a nonprofit advocacy group. The four co-chairs...
Senator Jay Costa, Representative Dan Frankel Announce Nonprofit Security Grant Funding Recipients in Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, PA- April 5, 2023- Today, Senator Jay Costa and Representative Dan Frankel are pleased to announce an allocation of $269,708 in funding through the Nonprofit Security Grant Program, administered by the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency...
Senator Costa, Mayor Gainey, Representative Innamorato Champion Tax Breaks for Pittsburgh’s Longtime Owner Occupied Properties, Call for Swift Passage
PITTSBURGH, PA: Today, State Senator Jay Costa, Mayor Ed Gainey, and Representative Sara Innamorato gathered to call for the speedy passage of the Longtime Owner Occupant Tax Exemption Program (LOOP) in order to protect homeowners living in areas with rapidly...
Senator Jay Costa, Representative Jessica Benham Announce $180,983 in Grant Funding
PITTSBURGH, PA – Today, Senator Jay Costa and Representative Jessica Benham are proud to announce $180,983 in grant funding within their legislative districts in Statewide Local Share Account Grants through the Commonwealth Financing Authority and Department of...
Senator Jay Costa, Representative Abigail Salisbury Announce Over $4 Million in Grant Funding
PITTSBURGH, PA – Today, Senator Jay Costa and Representative Abigail Salisbury are proud to announce $4,001,924 in grant funding within their legislative districts in Multimodal Transportation Fund Grants and Statewide Local Share Account Grants through the...
Senator Jay Costa, Representative Joe McAndrew Announce Nearly $400,000 in Grant Funding
PITTSBURGH, PA – Today, Senator Jay Costa and Representative Joe McAndrew are proud to announce $398,265 in grant funding within their legislative districts in Multimodal Transportation Fund Grants and Statewide Local Share Account Grants through the Commonwealth...
Senator Jay Costa, Representative Dan Frankel Announce $88,573 in Grant Funding
PITTSBURGH, PA – Today, Senator Jay Costa and Representative Dan Frankel are proud to announce $88,573 in grant funding within their legislative districts in Multimodal Transportation Fund Grants and Statewide Local Share Account Grants through the Commonwealth...
Senator Jay Costa, Representative La’Tasha Mayes Announce $258,341 in Grant Funding
PITTSBURGH, PA – Today, Senator Jay Costa and Representative La’Tasha Mayes are proud to announce $258,341 in grant funding within their legislative districts in Multimodal Transportation Fund Grants and Statewide Local Share Account Grants through the Commonwealth...
Senator Jay Costa, Representative Aerion Abney Announce over $775,000 in Grant Funding
PITTSBURGH, PA – Today, Senator Jay Costa and Representative Aerion Abney are proud to announce $775,973 in grant funding within their legislative districts in Multimodal Transportation Fund Grants and Statewide Local Share Account Grants through the Commonwealth...
Senator Jay Costa Announces PCCD Funding for Substance Abuse Education Funds in Allegheny County
PITTSBURGH, PA – Today, Senator Jay Costa announces $600,000 in grant funding from the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD) awarded to Allegheny County. “All of us deserve to get the care we need when we are experiencing a disorder, and the...
Democratic Senators, Representatives Praise Budget as A Good Start, Call for Continued Collaboration Throughout Budget Process
HARRISBURG, PA: Today, Senate Democrats and House Democrats held a joint press conference to respond to Governor Shapiro’s Budget Address. Senate Democrats are pleased with a commonsense budget that invests in the future of Pennsylvania, and are excited to continue...
Democratic Senators Demonstrate Unity, Call for Swift Bipartisan Passage of Window to Justice Legislation
HARRISBURG, PA – February 27, 2023 - Today, Senate Democrats held a press conference calling for the swift and bipartisan passage of HB1 and HB2, which would open a Window to Justice for survivors of child sexual abuse. “The time to pass a Window to Justice for...
Pennsylvania Senate Democratic Caucus Applauds Court Ruling Public Education Funding Unconstitutional
(Harrisburg, PA) February 7, 2023 --- The Pennsylvania Senate Democratic Caucus applauds the Commonwealth Court’s historic ruling in William Penn School District, et al. v. Pennsylvania Department of Education, et al., that Pennsylvania’s system of funding public...
State Senator Jay Costa Lends Support to Gainey Plan for Assessment of Compliance with Public Charity Law
PITTSBURGH, PA - Today, State Senator Jay Costa today expressed his support for Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey’s call for an assessment of tax-exempt organizations compliance with PA’s Purely Public Charity Law. Currently, about a third of Pittsburgh real...
Senator Jay Costa, Rep. La’Tasha Mayes Announces Over $480,000 for Conservation Projects in Senate District 43
Pittsburgh, PA – January 12, 2023 – The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) announced today that two projects in the 43rd Senatorial District were awarded $480,736 through DEP’s Growing Greener Plus Program. Across PA, these projects work to...
Over $21M in Grants Announced for Community Violence Intervention in Allegheny County
Allegheny County – January 11, 2023 – Today, State Democratic Senators from Allegheny County, including Senators Jay Costa, Jim Brewster, Wayne Fontana, and Lindsey Williams, announced over $21 million in Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD) grants...
PA Senate Democrats Announce Committee Chairs for 2023-24 Legislative Session
Harrisburg, PA − January 6, 2023 − Today, State Senator Jay Costa (D-Allegheny) is proud to announce the Democratic chairs of the Senate’s standing committees for the 2023-24 legislative session. “As the leader of the Senate Democratic Caucus, it’s a great privilege...
Senator Jay Costa Announces PennDOT Red Light Enforcement Funds for Penn Hills Township
PITTSBURGH, PA – January 4, 2023 − Today, Governor Tom Wolf announced that the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) will distribute approximately $15 million in Automated Red-Light Enforcement (ARLE) funding, including $565,292 for Senate District 43....
Senator Costa Announces PCCD Funding for Allegheny County Programs to Increase Safety, Public Health, And Security
PITTSBURGH, PA – December 16, 2022 − Today, Senator Jay Costa announces over $20 million in funding for Allegheny-based agencies and organizations from the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD). This funding will deliver equipment, support, and...