PathWays PA Policy Blog

The full PA Senate is moving quickly to pass work requirement bills that would place a serious burden on low-income Pennsylvanians. A vote could happen as early as Wednesday, October 17. HB 1659, which we discussed back in May , would expand work requirements on SNAP and cause nearly 100,000 people to lose access to food stamps. In most cases, people on SNAP must already work or participate in a training program if they are between the ages of 8-50, non-disabled, and not considered vulnerable individuals. HB 2138 would put new work requirements on the Medicaid program , which helps low-income Pennsylvanians access health insurance. "Able-bodied" adults (which includes people who lose their job or have reduced hours because they are in treatment or recovering from surgery) would have to work 20 hours per week, look for a job, or participate in job training to qualify for Medicaid. Take Action! Our friends at Project Home put together an action alert , including a...

The Senate is expected to take up the Farm Bill this week, with a vote likely tomorrow. S. 3042 protects current SNAP benefit levels and eligibility rather than adding burdensome requirements (including additional work requirements) to the law. At the same time as SNAP is being debated in Congress, rules changes are rumored from the Administration. These changes could mean that immigrants would not be eligible for green cards if they or their children use benefits such as Medicaid, CHIP, or even the ACA marketplace - even though the immigrants in question have entered the country legally and are legally allowed to use the programs. Take Action:  Call your Senators at 202-224-3121 to share your thoughts on S. 3042.  Here's a sample script: "Hello, my name is _________ and I am a constituent of Senator __________. My zip code is __________. I am calling today in support of S. 3042, the Farm Bill, as it is currently written. Please support this bill but do not allow...

As word continues to filter out about another school shooting , this one in Maryland , legislators and students are debating new gun legislation. While Congress does not have anything scheduled for a vote, Pennsylvania is examining a law that would require the subjects of Protection from Abuse orders to give up their guns. Meanwhile, students and their supporters across the country are getting ready to march against gun violence this weekend. As of Tuesday, March 20, 829 events against gun violence are scheduled worldwide on March 24. Take Action: PA state legislators are considering a bill that would require people under a Protection from Abuse Order to surrender their firearms to a sheriff or judge within 48 hours of receiving the order. Please call your legislators to share your thoughts. The Bucks County Women's Advocacy Coalition has put together an Action Alert with sample language. If you do not live in Bucks County, please visit the PA General Assembly website t...

From our friends at PHAN Today is a statewide Day of Action to defeat House Bill 59, a sneak attack on Medicaid that would impose harmful work requirements meant to reduce enrollment and cut necessary benefits . We need your help today to get the message out. Please use this social media cheat sheet on how to participate today as well as a series of social media-friendly graphics to illustrate the point. Feel free to share them widely and to encourage your followers to post our " I Oppose HB 59 " badge and call their legislators today. We'll be posting Facebook and Twitter content today to raise awareness about the harms of HB 59. Help amplify the message by retweeting our posts or share your own content using the hashtags #HB59, #MedicaidWorks, and #CareNotRedTape.

Update 1:13 PM EST - Three Republican senators have already stated they will not support any outright repeal of the ACA without a replacement in place, making it unlikely that repeal will happen anytime soon. Last night, the latest effort to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act appeared to collapse when two Republican senators joined the ranks of those unable to vote yes on the bill. There are not enough votes to pass the bill, or even bring it up for debate. So what comes next? Senator Mitch McConnell has now called for a vote to repeal the ACA without replacing it. According to the Senator, the repeal would not actually take effect for two years . A look at ACA repeal by the independent Congressional Budget Office (CBO) in January 2017 found that repeal legislation, by 2026, would: lead to 32 million people losing coverage double insurance premiums leave 75% of Americans without access to the individual market You can read an article from FiveThirtyEight.com here t...

From the NY Times  http://nyti.ms/2nIUEtp President Trump's budget plan released this morning shows sharp changes in spending compared to previous federal budgets, including the elimination of many programs for low-income people such as the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) , the Legal Services Corporation , and Community Services Block Grants . Other programs to be eliminated include the Corporation for National and Community Service , which runs AmeriCorps and other community service programs, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting ,  and more than 50 programs in the EPA . You can read a full list via  The Washington Post . Meanwhile, the  Department of Veterans Affairs , the  Department of Homeland Security , and the  Department of Defense  are all seeing increases in their budgets under the new plan. The full budget blueprint is available here . So what's next? Congress will begin holding hearings on the President's budg...

House Bill 222 , which previously would have imposed a lifetime ban for all people convicted of drug felonies from receiving SNAP/food stamp benefits and other forms of public assistance, has been amended in response to public outcry. Unfortunately, the redrafted bill remains flawed at heart. The bottom line is, access to such basic subsistence such as food should not be banned once someone has completed their prison sentence. While HB 222 now exempts domestic violence survivors  with a documented "judicial adjudication" of abuse , this still leaves out the majority of survivors of domestic violence, sexual abuse, and human trafficking. Amendments have also decreased the lifetime ban to 20 years, an empty promise for those wanting to rebuild their lives upon release from prison or completion of a drug treatment program. Because there will be a vote this week or early next, prompt action must be taken to stop this flawed bill from becoming law. You can make sure your voice...

November is National Runaway Prevention Month, which means it is the perfect time to remind everyone of PathWays PA's Basic Center Program (BCP). The BCP is a community-based residential facility located in West Philadelphia that provides runaway prevention and intervention services for teen girls who have runaway, are homeless or are at risk of being a runaway and/or homeless youth. Five clients, aged 13-17 years, may reside at the Basic Center Program at any given time. The BCP is also now offering an after-school drop-in program for residents and non-residents. The teen lounge will be available for girls ages 13-17 in Philadelphia on Tuesdays and Thursdays, from 4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. Teen girls can get homework help, a snack, sign up for support and life skills groups or just hang out. To learn more about the Basic Center Program, please contact the Basic Center at 215-397-4287. As the winter sets in and the temperatures turn cold, remember that America’s youth need saf...

Right now in the United States , homeless youth are at high risk of being victimized, exploited, or coerced into human trafficking. Many also find themselves involved in the juvenile justice and/or child welfare system. To stem the tide of abuse and victimization, The Runaway and Homeless Youth and Trafficking Prevention Act would help create appropriate, accessible trauma-informed services that can provide health, healing, and a safe haven for homeless children and teens. Here in the Philadelphia region, runaway and homeless girls can get help right now through a number of organizations, including PathWays PA. Our Basic Center program provides residential facilities for five runaway/homeless girls between ages 13-17 and an after-school drop-in program for residents and non-residents. To learn more about the Basic Center Program, please contact the Basic Center at 215-397-4287. From our friends at the National Network for Youth: S. 2646, the Runaway and Homeless Youth and Traf...

From our friends at the National Skills Coalition Last week marked a landmark moment for the workforce field with the U.S Senate passing the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2014 after 11 years. Please consider taking a moment to thank your Senators for taking an important step to modernize our nation's workforce system and ensure that all U.S. workers and businesses have access to the skills they need to succeed in today's economy. Once you've thanked your Senators, please contact your Representative and ask for quick action to bring the legislation up for a vote when the House reconvenes after the Fourth of July recess.

From our friends at the Food Research and Action Center (FRAC) Yesterday, Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) introduced the Summer Meals Act, S. 2527 . It is a bipartisan bill that will enhance efforts to expand the reach of the Summer Food Program to low-income children and significantly simplify the administration of the program for sponsors.  Please contact your Senators and ask them to cosponsor Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Lisa Murkowski's (R-AK) Summer Meals Act (S.2527). This legislation would expand access to the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) for low-income children and simplify administration of the program for SFSP sponsors.

From our friends at the Bucks County Women's Advocacy Coalition Senate Bill 75, an important piece of anti-human trafficking legislation introduced by Senators Greenleaf and Dinniman passed out of the House Judiciary Committee this past Tuesday, June 10th.  Despite some changes that the committee made to the bill, members of the anti-trafficking community are happy with the bill's progress and look forward to its consideration by the full House.  The bill will next need to be reviewed by the House Appropriations Committee to be assigned a new fiscal note and will then go before the full House for a vote. Please contact your State Representative and urge him/her to support Senate Bill 75 when it comes to the full House for a vote.  Click here for access to a sample letter for anyone who would like to email their request.

From our friends at the Campaign for What Works HB 2204, sponsored by Rep. Justin Simmons , passed the House last week with a unanimous vote of 198-0! Next up is for the bill to be voted tomorrow, Tuesday, June 10th by the Senate Aging and Youth Committee. The legislation would remove barriers to help the families of homeless children get the assistance and resources needed for a fighting chance by providing automatic tracking by early intervention services to assist the children. Please take a moment now to email a letter, send message or make a call of support for HB 2204 to the members of the Senate Aging and Youth Committee . A draft support letter can be found here for your convenience .

From our friends at MomsRising The Strong Start for America's Children Act would increase access to affordable, high-quality preschool and early learning and child care programs for children under age 5 through state and federal partnerships. Your help is needed to ask Senators co-sponsor the Strong Start for America's Children Act to make early childhood education a priority. It's time for the Strong Start for America's Children Act. Senators need to hear from voters like you today . PathWays PA partners with MomsRising and other organizations to educate elected officials on the need for early childhood investment.

From our friends at the Coalition on Human Needs As of April 5, more than 2 million unemployed workers have lost jobless benefits. The Senate will vote tonight on final passage of the bill to restore unemployment benefits for the long-term jobless. Please don't leave anything to chance: Speak to your Senators about how you want them to vote. And tell the House to take a vote. Ask Congress to vote to restore Emergency Unemployment Compensation . Contact your Representative and ask him/her to urge Speaker John Boehner to bring up the Senate bill to restore Unemployment Compensation for a House vote ASAP.

The latest change to the Fair Practices Ordinance in Philadelphia is a win for PathWays PA, the Coalition for Healthy Families and Workplaces, and of course for pregnant women working in Philadelphia. Under the additional legislation, which was signed by Mayor Nutter in January 2014, employees who are pregnant or recently gave birth can ask for reasonable workplace accommodations without fear of losing their jobs. Under the law, those requests might include asking for bathroom or rest breaks, access to water, assistance lifting items or re-assignment with manual labor duties, for example. Employers in Philadelphia are required to post notification of the law by April 20 . The Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations has issued a poster   that offers a plain-language explanation of the law. A downloadable electronic copy of the poster is available on the PCHR web site . Hard copies are available at the PCHR office and area chambers of commerce also have agreed to help their ...

Community members throughout Pennsylvania will be joining together on Tuesday, April 1st to call on State Representatives to pass Senate Bill 75 (SB 75) - critical anti-human trafficking legislation that will help Pennsylvania better protect victims, prosecute offenders, and prevent human trafficking from happening in the first place. The Philadelphia Anti-Trafficking Coalition and the Pennsylvania Anti-Human Trafficking Advocacy Work Group will take care of all of the details - scheduling meetings with elected officials, identifying group leaders to guide conversations with Representatives, provide you with talking points, and more.  Register to attend or as a "pledge to call" participant . You'll receive information on SB 75, talking points, a sample script, and step-by-step instructions to help you make the call.

From our friends at CWLA Today, advocates across the country are coming together to support reauthorization of the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program (MIECHV). Help us overwhelm Capitol Hill with thousands of messages about how home visiting helps children and families. Act now to reauthorize MIECHV. Action: Call Washington . Get connected through the Capitol switchboard at 202-224-3121. Ask your Senators and Representative to reauthorize the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program (MIECHV). Follow these simple steps: Call 202-224-3121. Tell the operator who answers the phone the name of one of your Senators. (Not sure? Look up your Senators here .) Once you are connected to your Senator's office, tell the staff person who answers your name and that you are a constituent (name your city and state). Then, say, "I want Congress to reauthorize the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program, because home visitin...

From our friends at Women's Law Project In Philadelphia, it is now unlawful for an employer to deny a pregnant employee access to water, bathroom breaks, or any other reasonable accommodation that does not present an undue hardship to the employer. On January 20, 2014, Mayor Nutter signed into law an amendment to the Philadelphia Fair Practices Ordinance that makes it an unlawful employment practice for an employer to fail to provide reasonable accommodations to employees for needs related to pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions. It is enforced by the Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations.

From our Friends at the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence Contact your legislator and ask that they vote "YES" to House Bill 1796 (Nuisance Ordinances). Victims of a crime should never be punished for seeking help from those who are charged to serve and protect. Victims of domestic violence and other crimes are being evicted from their homes as a result of seeking protection from law enforcement or emergency services. This scenario is possible through municipalities adopting nuisance ordinances requiring landlords to evict an individual deemed a nuisance if police are called to the residence on multiple occasions (usually three times in a 12-month period). If a landlord does not evict the tenant, they will face fines and penalties-such as revocation of their rental license. At least 19 Pennsylvania communities-including Pittsburgh, Allentown, Lancaster, Harrisburg, Wilkes-Barre and York-as well as 59 other U.S. municipalities have similar laws that requi...