Description of office: The General Assembly is the legislative branch of government in Pennsylvania. It is composed of two houses: the Senate is the upper house, and the House of Representatives is the lower house. A majority vote in both houses is necessary to pass a law. The PA House of Representatives consists of 203 members representing one district each, with an equal number of constituents. Representatives must be at least 21 years old, have been a citizen and a resident of the state four years and a resident of their respective districts one year before their election, and shall reside in their respective districts during their terms of service. The House develops budget packages, makes taxation decisions, allocates spending, and passes laws (including redistricting in collaboration with the Senate). The House also has the exclusive authority to impeach public officials. Representatives also serve on various policy committees that may propose legislation.Term: 2 yearsSalary: $113,591Vote for ONE.Note: On Democratic and Republican primary ballots, voters will also choose members of the State and County Committees. We do not list these candidates on Vote411. For information on these candidates, we suggest you contact your local Democratic or Republican Party committee.
County
Delaware
Occupation
State Legislator
Education
Bachelors, West Chester University (Dual Degree in Secondary Education and History); Masters, University of Pennsylvania
Qualifications
Certified Teacher; Experienced legislator who has: sponsored over 400 bills, authored multiple bills that became law, hosted nearly 100 district events & town halls, co-chair of the bipartisan Mental Health Caucus, elected Chairwoman of the Democratic Caucus Southeast Delegation
I believe the most pressing issue facing residents is the volatile economy and the impact it is having on things like healthcare, housing, affordability, and family planning. I hear every day from seniors, parents, new graduates, and everyone in between that the economy is forcing people to make impossible decisions. I believe we need to address this by taking action in the legislature that directly supports working families, not corporate entities. We have done that already by passing expansions of the Childcare Tax Credit and the Working Families Tax Credit. But we can continue that progress by increasing the minimum wage, creating a paid family leave program in the state, and investing in mass transit and affordable housing.
The right to vote is the keystone of any vibrant democracy, and I believe that we here in Pennsylvania—where American democracy was born—should be leading by example and making it easier for all our citizens to vote. I have already sponsored a bill that would create an early voting period in our state. While my bill hasn’t become law yet, I was also happy to support Act 77, which established mail-in early voting here in Pennsylvania. I would support bills to expand early voting, no excuse absentee voting, and mail-in voting, and oppose efforts to roll back our progress on these important issues. I would also support automatic voter registration and allowing Independent voters to participate in primary elections.
My biggest challenge with the budget process is that there are no repercussions in place for either chamber when a budget is passed in one chamber and sits idly in another. I would be supportive of legislative changes that require a vote on a budget bill in a certain time period after it is sent from either chamber. I think this kind of mandatory change would force negotiations and would not allow the process to stall while politics pervades.
Yes, I believe states should enact laws concerning the impact of Data Centers on our environment. It’s why I recently supported HB1834. This bill would give the PA Public Utility Commission regulatory authority over data centers and generate investments in renewable energy sources and local energy projects while also protecting consumers.
Policies like this, however, would not override a local municipalities’ authority to establish ordinances, which is why I also support HB 2151. This bill would require DCED to develop model ordinances to assist municipalities with regulating data centers. This way, municipalities have the tools they need to address data centers as they see fit for their communities.
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