State Sen. Wayne D. Fontana

Fontana's Priorities for the New Year

Helping abused children and underprivileged families, protecting homeowners, jobs and revitalization are on Fontana's priority list in 2013.

According to the state constitution, the new Pennsylvania General Assembly meets on a biennial basis on the first Tuesday in January to swear in the members for the upcoming legislative session. This year, the occasion falls on New Year’s Day. This timing provides me with a great opportunity to express my priorities on what issues myself and the Pennsylvania General Assembly will hopefully address during the 2013-14 session. Since 2005, I have worked hard to craft legislation aimed at helping abused and underprivileged children and families. Last year Governor Corbett signed into law a bill I wrote that creates a homeless children task force that studies the educational needs of children facing homelessness throughout Pennsylvania. …

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State Sen. Wayne D. Fontana

Fontana Discusses Task Force on Child Protection

State Sen. Wayne Fontana breaks down suggestions made by the task force in light of the Jerry Sandusky scandal.

As a response to the Jerry Sandusky and the Archdiocese of Philadelphia child abuse scandals, the Pennsylvania General Assembly created a Task Force on Child Protection in January to review the state’s child protection laws and procedures. After months of testimonies throughout the state being given by various advocate groups and professionals who deal with child abuse on a daily basis, the task force released their recommendations on Nov. 27. The following is a brief outline of suggestions by the task force: To view the Task Force on Child Protection’s entire report, please click on the following link: www.childprotection.state.pa.us/ Early in 2011, I introduced Senate Bill 549 (SB 549) that would require school employees to report …

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State Sen. Wayne D. Fontana

Supreme Court to Hear Arguments on Voter ID, Redistricting

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court is scheduled to hear arguments this week regarding the Voter ID law, and the legislative redistricting plan, State Sen. Fontana says.

In what will be an historic day, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court is scheduled to hear arguments in two major appeals cases this week. Arguments will be held on Thursday, Sept. 13, to challenge the state's recently enacted voter ID law, and the appeal to the adopted legislative redistricting plan. Both cases play a significant role in impacting voters, making the appeals some of the most highly anticipated decisions in generations. Earlier this year, the Pennsylvania General Assembly passed one of the nation’s toughest requirements for voter identification to participate in elections. Proponents have expressed that this requirement will prevent future voter fraud whereas opponents such as myself have argued that the mandate will …

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State Sen. Wayne D. Fontana

General Assembly Should Address Revenue, Fontana Says

State Sen. Fontana discusses the role of the Independent Fiscal Office, and its findings regarding the state deficit.

In February, Governor Tom Corbett announced his budget proposal, which was based on revenue estimates provided by the governor’s budget secretary. As we enter into the month of May, the next step of the budget process has begun with the release of funding estimates by the Independent Fiscal Office (IFO). The Legislature is now in full swing to start voting on different bills that will create the 2012-13 budget. Until this fiscal year, Pennsylvania lawmakers and the people they represent have had only one source of state budget numbers, which came from the governor’s office. Act 120 of 2010 established the nonpartisan Independent Fiscal Office that provides a second source of revenue estimates for upcoming budgets. The budget secretary will…

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State Sen. Wayne D. Fontana

State Sen. Fontana Discusses Unemployment

The state's General Assembly must act soon for unemployed people to receive a federal unemployment extension, Fontana says.

As we start 2012, many individuals receiving unemployment compensation are uncertain what their future holds. The economy is gradually showing positive signs of a recovery and the unemployment rate is slowly decreasing. Extending unemployment benefits has been a contentious issue for Congress over the past several years, most recently in December. Still, unemployed Americans received good news that Congress has extended emergency unemployment for 60 days. However, Pennsylvania’s General Assembly must act for the unemployed to receive this federal extension.  Pennsylvania provides an individual who has lost their job through no fault of their own with a standard unemployment compensation which starts as 26 weeks of eligibility, regardless …

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New Commission Gathers Citizen Input on Gas Drilling

A new commission launching this week will allow Pennsylvania citizens to voice opinions, positive and negative, about Marcellus Shale drilling through a series of hearings across the state.

A new commission launching this week will give the citizens of Pennsylvania an opportunity to tell their side of the story about Marcellus Shale drilling, according to a release.  Former state Representatives Carole Rubley and Dan Surra will co-chair the Citizens Marcellus Shale Commission, which will hold hearings across Pennsylvania to gather citizen perspectives, and produce a final report for policymakers.  The first of five hearings will commence Wednesday.  "Marcellus Shale development will have a huge impact on our Commonwealth and it is critical that we get it right," Surra said in a statement. "This commission will give citizens an opportunity to add their voice and bring some necessary balance to this critical debate. "The …

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