Welcome, We The People-PA activists, advocates, and supporters, to another edition of our biweekly eBlast! We bring you legislative news from the federal and state levels and ways to get involved!
Content Index
LEGISLATIVE UPDATES
State Update:
- Since our last eBlast, the PA House passed House Bill 1960, a handout to corporations to lower their tax bills. If passed, this legislation would create further automatic, annual tax cuts and reduce our state’s revenue by hundreds of millions of dollars each year. This would ensure that our schools, roads, safety net programs, and other things we count on would never be fully funded. They are choosing corporations over families. Our call to action regarding this bill is below.
- The PA Public Utility Commission said most utilities will be adjusting their prices on June 1, so many customers will see “sharp increases” of between 6% and 45%.
Federal Update:
- President Biden: “High-speed internet is not a luxury any longer. It’s a necessity.” Twenty internet providers have committed to participating in the Affordable Connectivity Program and capping the cost of high-speed internet for lower-income individuals and families. Americans can visit http://getinternet.gov to determine their eligibility and sign up for the program.
- Human Rights Campaign: Across the country, state lawmakers are considering more than 335 bills that would negatively impact LGBTQ+ people, the Human Rights Campaign said Tuesday in a weekly update of “bad bills.” At least 10 states this year have signed anti-LGBTQ+ legislation into law, the HRC said, including Alabama, whose gender-affirming care ban went into effect Sunday.
Seven states have signed transgender athlete bans into law—and more are coming, the HRC said. Pennsylvania has two currently making their way through the General Assembly. While Governor Wolf has promised to veto any anti-trans legislation, the debate and discussion of these bills alone causes harm to LGBTQ+ youth, even if the legislation doesn’t become law.
UPCOMING OPPORTUNITIES TO GET INVOLVED
Are you near Centre or Allegheny Counties? Join us for one of our two upcoming, in-person Community Conversations! The sign-up forms are at the links for each of these events:
- Wednesday, May 25, at 6 PM: Webster’s Bookstore Café in State College https://fb.me/e/1ShvTc6V8
- Thursday, May 26, at 6 PM: PA United office in Pittsburgh https://fb.me/e/4oYwcIzJD
IN THE NEWS
Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center opposes House Bill 1960.
In a statement, Marc Stier, the organization’s director, said Kail’s legislation “includes no provisions to close corporate tax loopholes” and that “HB 1960 will cost the state hundreds of millions of dollars per year.…Our initial estimate is that it will reduce state revenues by over $700 million in the fiscal year that begins on July 1, 2023.” Stier said those revenues should instead be used for education, housing, health care, and child care.
Representatives from the Keystone Research Center, the 99% PA campaign, ReImagine Appalachia, Action Together NEPA, and Building Back Together discussed the impact broadband expansion would have on the state of Pennsylvania and its rural communities during a “Broadband Access Investment in PA” press conference.
The group outlined federal funding for broadband expansion that is coming to the state and identified opportunities for additional funding and jobs if the state actively embraces broadband expansion.
CALL TO ACTION
On April 26th, the PA House passed HB 1960, a bill that would cut taxes for corporations at a time when many Pennsylvania families continue to struggle to make ends meet. Once again, our legislators have chosen to help their corporate donors instead of us. Read the KRC/PBPC statement here: https://krc-pbpc.org/research_publication/not-the-time-or-way-to-cut-corporate-taxes/.
Click here to tell the PA Senate that this bill should not be passed!
SIGN OFF
We hope you found this week’s eBlast valuable, and we appreciate your support and the demanding work you all do in your own areas every single day. We hope to see you at one of our Community Conversations!
In Solidarity,
Marc, Nick, Vivienne, Jay, and the rest of the WTP-PA team
We The People – PA is a campaign working to ensure that all Pennsylvanians can thrive. We advocate for bold action from state lawmakers to keep our families safe during today’s emergency—and to build a stronger, healthier, and more just future.