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 that we pass a budget that meets the adequacy and equity goals set out in Governor Shapiro’s budget and in the recent Commonwealth Court fair funding decision for funding public education. Head Start and Pre-K programs and investing in environmental remediation in our school buildings in particular are woefully underfunded in this version, as is funding for our institutions of higher education.
“We were also disappointed in the deep reduction in funding to sufficiently assist our communities to address gun violence, as the Governor proposed in his original plan and as passed by the House of Representatives earlier this month.
As discussions continue, we will advocate for a responsible spending plan that meets the moment.”
The text of the bill is available here.
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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 the rebates that each senior property owner or renter is eligible to receive.
Regarding his Yes vote, Senator Costa releases the following statement:
“This program has proven successful for our seniors, disabled individuals and renters so that they can afford to stay in their homes and I’m thrilled we are able to expand eligibility requirements so that more individuals can benefit from it. I will continue to champion legislation alongside my colleagues in the Senate Democratic Caucus to ensure our seniors, our families, and our neighbors can stay in communities they built in the homes they love.”
The text of the budget is accessible online.
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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 the 43rd senatorial district, releases the following reaction:
“I am extremely disheartened that the Supreme Court struck down affirmative action, a much-needed tool for ensuring young people of every race and background get a shot at a great college education and a full, happy life,” said Senator Costa. “Along with my colleagues in the PA Senate Democratic Caucus, I will continue to champion legislation that delivers a great higher-education experience for every Pennsylvanian.”
At 1 PM, Pennsylvania legislators will attend a press conference to add their voices to the chorus of disappointment regarding this decision. The livestream can be viewed here: PLBC Affirmative Action Response – YouTube
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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 includes Squirrel Hill, releases the following statement in response:
“Today’s guilty verdict marks the beginning of delivering justice for this terrible tragedy, but not the end. Our Jewish friends and neighbors will spend decades to come healing from this attack and mourning the loss of the community members whose lives were lost. While we now have a guilty verdict, we must also continue fighting to end the hatred and secure safe, welcoming spaces for all of us, no matter how we pray or worship.”
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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 on railroad safety.
The hearing, held earlier today at the Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers Local 400 Building in Pittsburgh, featured three panels of testimony that focused on unsafe practices in the railroad industry and how Pennsylvania can mitigate impacts of a train derailment.
“Many Pennsylvania families live within feet of a heavily traveled railroad – with freight trains moving at high speeds and containing hazardous contents at all hours of the day and night. As we’ve seen here in this region, there is a disaster waiting to happen,” Muth said. “The derailment that occurred in East Palestine shed light on how common derailments are and it put emphasis on emergency response, public safety, and worker safety. Today’s hearing allowed us to learn more about how Pennsylvania can be better prepared and how our legislature can act to enhance railroad safety and hold railroads accountable.”
According to data from the Federal Railroad Administration, there were more than 1,100 train derailments in the US in 2022 – an average of roughly three derailments per day. Railroad companies are only required to notify states about trains carrying large quantities of flammable liquids, not about chemicals that fall into the eight other classifications of hazardous materials.
“Empowering rail workers to operate trains safely and protecting those workers when they report health or safety problems isn’t just the right thing to do—it will save lives and prevent catastrophic accidents,” Williams said. “Pennsylvania can be a leader in protecting our people, our communities, and our environment by enacting strong whistleblower protections for all employees working within our borders.”
According to data from the Association of American Railroads, Pennsylvania has the most operating railroad companies of any state and includes the third most total rail miles in the country – over 5,200 miles. The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) indicated that at present, they lack statutory authority to direct railroads to implement recommendations to improve rail safety.
“I understand that Pennsylvania’s governmental authorities are virtually powerless when it comes to enforcement and regulating railroads which is unfortunate since the commonwealth has the largest number of railroad companies in the United States,” Fontana said. “I am optimistic that after holding this hearing and listening to the recommendations of the panelists, we now have what our options are as a commonwealth to move forward with improving railroad safety in the state.”
Participants in today’s hearing included Randy Padfield, Director, Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA); Paul Pokrowka, Pennsylvania State Legislative Director, Sheet Metal, Air, Rail & Transportation Union; Stephen DeFrank, Vice Chairman, Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC); Brian Moore, Emergency Response Director, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP); Don Bialosky, Emergency Response Program Manager, DEP; Tim Leech, Pittsburgh Firefighters; and Dr. Andrew Whelton, Professor of Civil, Environmental, and Ecological Engineering, Purdue University.
“Today’s hearing about the railroad industry in Pennsylvania was an important part of an ongoing conversation, and I want to thank the testifiers who offered thoughtful, thorough answers to our questions,” Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa (D-Allegheny) added. ‘I look forward to learning more about what we can do in Harrisburg to continue fighting for the safety of every Pennsylvanian.”
All submitted testimony from the policy hearing and the full video is available at SenatorMuth.com/Policy.
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Testimony
Panel 1: Environmental Impacts
Panel 2: Unsafe Industry Practices
- Paul Pokrowka – Legislative Director, Sheet Metal, Air, Rail & Transportation Union
Panel 3: First Responders
- Tim Leech – Vice President, Pittsburgh Firefighters, IAFF Local No. 1
- Matthew Brown – Chief, Allegheny County Emergency Medical Services
- Question and Answer Period
Panel 4: State Agencies
