Pennsylvania State Senator District 45
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 Senate consists of 50 members, representing one district each, with an equal number of constituents. Senators must be at least 25 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 Senate develops budget packages, makes taxation decisions, allocates spending, and passes laws (including redistricting in collaboration with the House of Representatives). In addition, the Senate tries officials impeached by the House and authorizes executive appointments. Senators serve on various policy committees that may propose legislation. Term: 4 years Salary: $106,422 Vote for ONE.
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Nick Pisciottano
(Dem)
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Jen Dintini
(Rep)
What do you see as the most pressing issues facing Pennsylvanians, and how would you address them?
What changes would you support making to Pennsylvania’s voting laws to expand access, ensure security, and support local election officials and processes?
What legislation would you support to comply with the Commonwealth Court's ruling that Pennsylvania’s school funding system is unconstitutional and must be reformed?
What changes, if any, would you support making to Pennsylvania’s abortion laws?
County
Allegheny
Occupation
Current State Representative; Accountant
Education
Washington & Jefferson College - BA Accounting, BA History; Johns Hopkins University - MA Data Analytics & Policy
Qualifications
State Representative for HD38 since 2020; Allegheny County House Delegation Chair since 2022; Auditor at a Global Big 4 Accounting Firm 2012 - 2020
Education is critical and my top priority. Our state is in the bottom quarter when it comes to per-student funding, and we pass the buck to local school boards who are forced to make up the difference. This has become such a big problem that Pennsylvania’s court system has ordered a systemic evaluation of our public school system and determined that we chronically underfund our schools. In addition, I will continue to advocate for policies that result in fully funded schools, safe communities, and economic investments in Allegheny County.
There are a variety of opportunities to improve election administration and to promote greater voter participation, including continuing efforts to expand early and mail-in voting, expanding ballot dropboxes, allowing for pre-canvassing efforts, and same-day voter registration. I have been supportive of omnibus legislation in Harrisburg that would modernize PA’s election code to make elections secure while ensuring that the right to vote is highly accessible to everyone.
The first measure that must be taken is to increase the portion of funding that comes from the state–no matter how evenly distributed, if we are funding school districts at a level that means only the wealthiest districts can meet their needs using their own tax bases, that cannot be equitable. This increased funding needs to be distributed using a fair and transparent formula that takes into account the real cost of educating students across districts, as well as the individual needs of different districts, including English language learners, children with disabilities and other needs, and students in poverty. No matter how we build that system, no district should suffer or lose needed funding while we build a future system fairer to all.
Abortion should be a safe, legal, and accessible choice in Pennsylvania. We need to do more to protect that choice, especially following the Dobbs decision.
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