dan-frankel
A bill regulating herbal stimulant kratom looked different after a Pa. House panel got done with it
Among other changes, the House Health Committee amended it to lower the purchasing age from 21 to 18 years old.
Lawmakers, Jewish leaders announce $4.5M in security grants; call for permanent funding
Lawmakers from the House and Senate joined Jewish leaders in Pittsburgh on Thursday, as the nation and world observed International Holocaust Remembrance Day, to announce a new round of state funding for a program intended to keep marginalized and vulnerable communities safe from harm. “You all stepped up. You realized that our community, and all […]
‘Shameful’ and ‘dangerous’: Pa.’s LGBTQ+ Caucus calls for swift action on anti-discrimination bill following Chambersburg vote
Calling the decision ”shameful” and “dangerous,” state LGBTQ+ Caucus leaders, which include, state Reps. Dan Frankel, D-Allegheny, Brian Sims, D-Philadelphia, and Sen. Katie Muth, D-Montgomery, expressed concern over the repercussions of revoking the ordinance, writing in a Tuesday statement that its repeal leaves “LGBTQ+ Pennsylvanians in an extremely vulnerable position.”
Western Pa. lawmakers introduce adult-use cannabis bill
The bill includes a “Cannabis Clean Slate” proposal that would expunge the records of non-violent drug offenders and release incarcerated non-violent drug offenders.
It’s long past time we stopped treating healthcare like a privilege | Opinion
It’s time to give Pennsylvanians much-needed relief -- it’s not only smart policy, it’s the right thing to do.
Black Americans are more likely to be harmed by high drug prices. How one Pa. lawmaker is trying to help | Tuesday Morning Coffee
Nearly 30 percent of people who take prescription medications struggle to afford them. The burden is disproportionately borne by Black Americans, a new report concludes.
Pa. Youth Congress hits Keystone State corporations for lack of LGBTQ support
Preston Heldibridle, the group's executive director, said that the organization has seen benefits from its work during Pride month.
GOP bill stripping powers from Secretary of Health, banning public vaccine checks advances through Pa. House
Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf had already said he does not plan to implement restrictions on accessing government buildings or resources based on vaccination status — proposals colloquially called “vaccine passports.”
‘Some fights need more help than others’: NFL star adds his voice to battle against transgender sports bills | Frank Pizzoli
“I think we need to realize that some fights need more help than others and we all need to work together to create change." he said.
‘We all belong here’: House, Senate Dems rally against AAPI violence; call for passage of hate crimes bill
More than a week after a gunman in Atlanta killed eight people, six of them Asian-American women, Democrats in the state House and Senate rallied Wednesday in support of Pennsylvania’s Asian-American residents, and called for action on a long-sought package of legislation aimed at fighting hate crimes in the state. “Asians are asking who’s next,” […]
The Legislature dashed hopes for LGBTQ equality in Pa. — again | Frank Pizzoli
Discrimination is bad for business and bad for our diverse communities, one advocate told the Capital-Star.
With extremism resurgent, will Pa. finally pass a tougher hate crimes law? | Friday Morning Coffee
'Hate crimes have become part of American life, the new normal in our country,' a Pittsburgh lawmaker, who's trying to turn the tide, says.