PathWays PA Policy Blog

It's another action packed week, and we don't want to miss anything that's going on. So here are some short takes on big topics: Families Belong Together: As of September 12, the federal government was housing 12,800 detained migrant children - according to the New York Times , this is the highest number ever recorded. Not only are more children being held, but fewer are being released, and children are now staying in detention for an average of 59 days . Meanwhile, the Administration is continuing to advocate for the long-term detention of children - in this case, with their families. Take Action : Call your members of Congress at 202-224-3121. Here's a sample script: "Hello, my name is ________ and I live in (your zip code). I'm calling to ask you to create a plan to end the detention of immigrant children. Nearly 13,000 children are currently detained." Support organizations like Project LifeLine that work on behalf of immigrant children in det...

UPDATE (10/16/14 1:27 PM) - HB 1796 has passed the Senate unanimously and is on it's way to the Governor's desk! Thanks to everyone for their support! Last night, Senator Hughes made a motion to revert HB 1796 to a prior printer’s number, eliminating the preemption amendment. The motion passed 26-22 . Please take a moment to thank everyone who voted to help end the threat of preemption! Thank you to everyone who made calls and spoke to their legislators, and a special thanks to our anti-domestic violence advocates and PCADV in particular. The saga of HB 1796 continues, however. This bill, which passed unanimously in the House and was set to sail through the Senate until the preemption amendment was attached, is now marked as "over" for the day. In other words, the Senate doesn't plan to vote on it today, and since this is the last day of the session, it is the last day for votes. Unless we take action now, we will have to start over with this bill in Januar...

It's the last day of planned voting in the PA Senate, and HB 1796, a common-sense bill designed to protect domestic violence survivors from being evicted from their homes, is about to be amended to include pro-gun legislation. We probably don't need to tell you that a gun is the most common weapon used in domestic homicides. This legislation is being added to a bill that has already been amended to include anti-paid sick days language, yet another provision that would harm domestic violence survivors as well as many families across Pennsylvania. Please call your Senators NOW and ask them not to approve HB 1796 with these amendments! They are in session as we speak and need to hear from you RIGHT NOW. What is HB 1796? From our friends at  The Women's Law Project : Sponsored by Rep. Todd Stephens, HB1796, titled "Protection for Victims of Crime from Certain Municipal Ordinances" was drafted in response to a situation so outrageous that it  gained natio...

The PA House of Representatives is scheduled to vote on HB1807 , a bill that would take away local control over the ability to pass paid and unpaid leave policies like paid sick days. If the State takes away that right, they may continue to strip away local power until communities are no longer able to adopt policies that area citizens support. Policies like paid sick days are popular in many local communities and supported by all demographics, including working moms, as a good way to protect employees from working sick and customers from getting sick by employees. This is not an issue that should be preempted by State government. Please call your legislators and ask them to oppose HB1807. Find your legislator here .

Some Harrisburg politicians, with the backing of big businesses and anti-worker groups, are trying to pass a bill that would prohibit Pennsylvania's cities from adopting local paid sick days standards or even laws requiring employers to allow unpaid leave for survivors of domestic violence. A broad-based coalition of workers, advocates, businesses and lawmakers voiced their support loud and clear for a paid sick days standard for the city, and won the support of the City Council. Call your state representative and say: "Oppose H.B. 1807. Let city residents and lawmakers decide if paid sick days standards are right for them." Look up your state representative here . Sign the letter here!

Right now in Pennsylvania, some legislators are trying to deny us our right to decide democratically what's best for our local communities. They are working with corporate lobbyists to push statewide legislation that would stop cities and counties from passing laws about paid sick days, living wages and other workplace reforms that would help middle class and working women and families - families like yours. Instead of trying to block local efforts to support our families and strengthen our economy, our legislators should be working in Harrisburg to create jobs. Ask them to stand up to the corporate lobbyists to vote against these efforts to stop local communities from voting on earned sick days, decent wages and other modern workplace reforms. Please call your state representative right now and ask him/her to oppose HB 1807. Keystone Progress has set up a site at: http://act.keystoneprogress.org/call/HB19807Call that will give you the phone number for your legislator.

The State House will be considering HB1807 in the coming week. The bill would prevent any city in the state from passing a paid sick days law. It would also overturn current laws that give survivors of domestic violence who live in Philadelphia the opportunity to take unpaid leave to see a doctor, find new housing, or go to court. If you oppose this legislation, please consider signing the petition and passing it on to your friends and family through email and social media.