News Releases
Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa, Democratic Health and Human Services Chair Senator Art Haywood Discouraged by Auditor General Report on Pharmacy Benefit Managers, Call for Better Process
HARRISBURG, PA – August 27, 2024 – Today, Auditor General Tim DeFoor released the results of a performance audit of state contracts and oversight of Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) used by Pennsylvania Department of Human Services’ (DHS) HealthChoices Medicaid...
Lawmakers, family detail $354 million in new funding for intellectual disability/autism
PITTSBURGH, August 9, 2024 – After years of advocacy, on Friday local lawmakers, families and service providers gathered at a local group home to highlight life-changing investments for the intellectual disability and autism (ID/A) communities contained in the new...
Costa and Frankel Issue Statement on Graffiti on Chabad of Squirrel Hill
PITTSBURGH – July 29, 2024 – State Rep. Dan Frankel and state Sen. Jay Costa issued the following joint statement today regarding Chabad of Squirrel Hill and the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh being vandalized: “Vandalizing Chabad of Squirrel Hill and the...
Lt. Gov. Austin Davis Announces Availability of Nonprofit Security Grant Funds to Make Pennsylvania Communities Safer
PITTSBURGH, PA − July 23, 2024 − Lt. Gov. Austin Davis, who serves as chair of the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD), joined state leaders at the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh to announce the availability of $10 million in funding for...
Policy Hearing Highlights Issues with PA Property Reassessment System
PITTSBURGH, July 16, 2024 – State Senator Katie Muth (D-Chester/Montgomery/Berks), chair of the Pennsylvania Senate Democratic Policy Committee, joined Sen. Wayne Fontana (D-Allegheny) yesterday in Pittsburgh to co-host a public hearing highlighting Pennsylvania’s...
Senate Democratic Leaders Share Statement on Passing of FY24-25 Budget
Harrisburg, PA − July 11, 2024 – Today, the Pennsylvania Senate and House passed a $47.59B dollar budget that makes significant investments in basic education, higher education, public safety, health and human services, and economic development. Senator Jay Costa,...
Governor Shapiro Signs Act 53 of 2024, Senator Jay Costa’s LOOP Legislation, into Law
HARRISBURG, PA − July 11, 2024 − Today, Governor Josh Shapiro signed SB 219, State Senator Jay Costa’s Longtime Owner Occupant Tax Exemption Program (LOOP), into law. Now Act 53 of 2024, this program will allow Pittsburgh’s mayor and city council to exempt or defer...
State Senator Jay Costa’s LOOP Legislation Passes House, Awaits Governor’s Signature
HARRISBURG, PA − July 10, 2024 − Today, State Senator Jay Costa celebrates the passage of the Longtime Owner Occupant Tax Exemption Program (LOOP) in the House of Representatives, which will protect homeowners living in areas with rapidly...
State Senator Jay Costa’s LOOP Legislation Passes Senate, Heads to the House
HARRISBURG, PA − July 3, 2024 − Today, State Senator Jay Costa celebrates the passage of the Longtime Owner Occupant Tax Exemption Program (LOOP), which will protect homeowners living in areas with rapidly increasing property values that increase property taxes....
Costa, Stefano Bill Allowing Community Service Alternatives to Driver’s License Suspension Passes Senate Committee
HARRISBURG – June 26, 2024 – The Senate Transportation Committee voted today in favor of a bill sponsored by Sens. Pat Stefano (R-32) and Jay Costa (D-43) that would provide an alternative solution for Pennsylvania drivers who are unable to pay the fees of their...
Senate Democratic Leaders, Jay Costa and Vincent Hughes, Issue Statement Affirming Caucus Commitment to Women’s Reproductive Freedom and Autonomy
Harrisburg − June 24, 2024 − Today, Senator Jay Costa, Senate Democratic Leader, and Senator Vincent Hughes, Senate Democratic Appropriations Chair, issued the following statements to recognize the second anniversary of the overturning of Roe v. Wade and Senate...
Senator Jay Costa Announces PHARE Funding Recipients in the 43rd District Totaling Over $5 Million
PITTSBURGH – June 13, 2024 – Today, State Senator Jay Costa announces $5,375,000 in funding from the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency (PHFA) for Pennsylvania Housing Affordability and Rehabilitation Enhancement (PHARE) applicants. Money to fund this round of PHARE...
Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa, Senator Camera Bartolotta Introduce Legislation to Prevent Instances of Electric Shock Drowning
HARRISBURG, PA – June 11, 2024 – Today, State Senators Jay Costa and Camera Bartolotta circulated a co-sponsorship memo ahead of legislation to prevent Electric Shock Drowning (ESD). ESD has become the catch-all phrase that encompasses all in-water shock...
State Senator Jay Costa Reacts to Trump Guilty Verdict in “Hush Money” Case
PITTSBURGH, PA – May 30, 2024 – Today, a jury found Donald Trump guilty on 34 counts in his criminal trial. State Senator Jay Costa offers the following statement: “Today’s thirty-four count guilty verdicts mark an enormous moment for Donald Trump and his decades of...
Senator Jay Costa Announces Over $800K in Keystone Communities Program Grants Benefitting Senate District 43
PITTSBURGH, PA – May 22, 2024 – Today, Senator Jay Costa announces three recipients of Keystone Communities Program grants in the 43rd district through the Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) totaling $823,004. In total, DCED awarded nearly $7...
State Senator Jay Costa Mourns the Loss of Dr. Cyril Wecht
PITTSBURGH, PA – May 13, 2024 – Today, State Senator Jay Costa mourns the passing of longtime family friend and Allegheny County leader Cyril Wecht, who died earlier today per the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts. Senator Costa releases the following...
State Senator Jay Costa Announces $2.3 Million in PA SITES Funding for 43rd Senatorial District
PITTSBURGH, PA – May 8, 2024 − Today, Governor Shapiro and DCED Secretary Risk Siger awarded seven projects across Pennsylvania a total of $10.6 Million in PA SITES (Pennsylvania Strategic Investments to Enhance Sites) funding in order to develop shovel-ready...
State Senator Jay Costa Announces $300,000 in Parent Pathways Grants benefitting the 43rd Senatorial District
PITTSBURGH, PA − May 2, 2024 – Today, Senator Jay Costa is proud to announce $300,000 in Parent Pathways Grant funding to benefit the 43rd district. “Parents seeking undergraduate degrees are balancing a tremendous load, from accomplishing schoolwork to raising...
Senator Jay Costa Announces Recipients Of School Safety And Mental Health Supports For Students And Staff In The 43rd Senatorial District
PITTSBURGH, PA – Today, Senator Jay Costa is proud to announce $2,310,782 in school safety and mental health money from the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency benefitting the 43rd Senatorial District. “This funding is absolutely crucial to ensuring...
PA Arts and Culture Caucus Celebrates Arts Advocacy Day, Features Local Artists, Calls for Continued Investments in the Arts
HARRISBURG, PA – March 19, 2024 − Today, members of the Pennsylvania Legislative Arts and Culture Caucus gathered to celebrate “Arts Advocacy Day” along with Citizens for the Arts in Pennsylvania, a nonprofit advocacy group. The four co-chairs of the...
Democratic Leader Jay Costa Applauds Governor Shapiro’s Energy Plan
PITTSBURGH − March 13, 2024 − Today, Governor Josh Shapiro outlined his new Energy Plan, which is intended to cut costs and create jobs. In response, Democratic Leader Jay Costa releases the following statement: “I applaud the Governor for restarting a...
State Senator Jay Costa Reaffirms Commitment to IVF, Reproductive Healthcare
HARRISBURG, PA − March 4, 2024 − On February 16, the Alabama Supreme Court issued a ruling that declared embryos “children” under Alabama law, an unprecedented step in narrowing crucial reproductive healthcare access for thousands of women. In response to this action,...
State Senator Jay Costa Praises PA Supreme Court Decision in Favor of Voter Data Privacy
PITTSBURGH, PA – February 22, 2024 – Yesterday, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court issued a per curium order, dismissing the appeals in Pa. Senate Intergovernmental Operations Committee v PA. Department of State. This action was initiated by the...
Joint Policy Hearing Focuses on Legislation to Seal Eviction Records
WILKINSBURG, February 15, 2024 – State Senator Katie Muth (D-Chester/Montgomery/Berks), chair of the Pennsylvania Senate Democratic Policy Committee, today joined Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa (D-Allegheny), Senator Nikil Saval (D-Philadelphia), Senator Judy...
Costa, Robinson Bill Creating Western PA Urban Search and Rescue Task Force Passed by Senate
HARRISBURG – Legislation to create a western Pennsylvania Urban Search and Rescue task force was approved unanimously by the Senate today, according to Sens. Devlin Robinson (R-37) and Jay Costa (D-43). Senate Bill 792 would establish a western...
Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa, Appropriations Chair Vincent Hughes Praise Governor Shapiro’s 2024-25 Budget
HARRISBURG, PA – February 6, 2024 – Today, Governor Josh Shapiro laid out his vision and priorities for the 2024-25 Pennsylvania Budget. In it, the Governor proposed historic increases in basic education spending, economic development, housing, community safety, and...
Policy Committee Highlights Whole-Home Repairs Program in Pittsburgh
PITTSBURGH − February 3, 2024 – The Senate Democratic Policy Committee traveled to Pittsburgh yesterday to host two events to highlight the successes of Pennsylvania's groundbreaking Whole-Home Repairs Program. Less than a year after the distribution of funds, the...
State Senator Jay Costa Celebrates PennDOT’s Automated Red Light Enforcement Dollars to Benefit 43rd District
PITTSBURGH, PA – January 30, 2024 – Today, Democratic Leader Jay Costa (D-Allegheny) announces three projects in his senatorial district that will benefit from Automated Red Light Enforcement (ARLE) funding. This program is designed to improve safety at intersections...
State Senators Jay Costa, Vincent Hughes, and Judy Schwank Praise Governor Shapiro’s Higher Education Blueprint, Call for Continued Stakeholder Conversations
HARRISBURG, PA – Today, members of the Pennsylvania Senate Democratic caucus praise Governor Shapiro’s new blueprint for higher education, which seeks to expand access to higher education for Pennsylvania’s learners while consolidating governance and moving towards a...
Senator Jay Costa Announces Over $1.4 Million in Gaming Economic Development Tourism Fund Grants for the 43rd District
PITTSBURGH, PA – January 16, 2024 – Today, Senator Jay Costa announces $1,468,000 in Gaming Economic Development Tourism money benefiting the 43rd senatorial district. “I am delighted to be supporting the organizations that support our community, especially...