In 2024, Pennsylvania Family Institute continued its mission of protecting family values, religious liberty, and the sanctity of life across the Commonwealth. Here are some of the year’s most significant achievements and developments that have shaped Pennsylvania’s cultural and policy landscape. 

Religious Freedom Victories Reach New Heights

This year marked two significant anniversaries for Independence Law Center’s two Supreme Court victories protecting religious freedom; the tenth anniversary of the Hahn family’s victory regarding religious liberty in business operations and the first anniversary of postal carrier Gerald Groff’s landmark case. The Groff decision, which protected his right to observe the Sunday Sabbath, has already been cited over 100 times by courts, establishing important precedent for workplace religious accommodations. As Independence Law Center’s Randal Wenger noted, this victory ensures “every employee deserves equal opportunity and fair treatment in the workplace.” These cases exemplify the courage of individuals willing to stand firm in their convictions despite significant personal and professional risks, with the Hahn family facing potential crippling fines for their family business and Gerald Groff choosing to leave his postal position rather than compromise his religious beliefs.

Independence Law Center’s Growing Impact

The Independence Law Center emerged as one of the most influential voices in South Central Pennsylvania’s educational landscape. Their work with school boards across the region on cultural issues garnered significant media attention and established them as a leading advocate for parental rights and religious liberty in education. 

Uniting Pregnancy Resource Centers

The launch of the Pennsylvania Pregnancy Wellness Collaborative (PPWC) marked a milestone in coordinating support for expectant mothers across our state. This new organization unifies pregnancy resource centers across the state, strengthening their ability to provide comprehensive care and support for women and families. The Pennsylvania Family Institute supports this new initiative and stands with PPWC. Pregnancy medical clinics and resource centers provide essential support and resources to women and their families. 

Protecting Life: Warminster Planned Parenthood Closure

May 2024 saw the closure of the Warminster Planned Parenthood facility, which had performed over 800 abortions annually. This development came after the facility failed eight health inspections since 2017, including serious violations such as failure to report a botched abortion and obtain proper informed consent. This closure represents a significant victory for maternal health and the protection of unborn life. 

Educational Choice Advances

Progress on educational choice continued with the advancement of Lifeline Scholarships legislation through the Senate Education Committee. This initiative aims to provide students in failing schools with opportunities to access better educational options, representing a significant step forward in Pennsylvania’s school choice movement. 

Legislative Victories

In a significant accomplishment for Pennsylvania families, every bill identified as potentially harmful to family values was successfully defeated through coordinated advocacy efforts. PA Family Institute successfully monitored and opposed over 100 pieces of legislation this year that could have undermined family values. Notable victories included defeating HB300, which could have threatened religious organizations’ hiring practices, as well as preventing marijuana legalization for recreational sales.

A Voice For Children at the State Capitol

Pennsylvania Family Institute joined medical watchdog organization Do No Harm and numerous state lawmakers at a significant press conference in Harrisburg to address concerns regarding medical procedures being performed on minors. The organization helped illuminate the scope of procedures being conducted at children’s hospitals, supporting the release of Do No Harm’s comprehensive database that documents pediatric medical services across U.S. facilities between 2019 and 2023. This initiative represents a crucial step in promoting transparency and protecting vulnerable youth through informed policy discussions at the state level.

Pushing Back Against Legalized Marijuana

We also continue to push back on efforts to legalize marijuana for recreational sales. “The manufactured, dangerously-high potency THC marijuana pushed in a retail recreational use market has caused damaging social costs and negative consequences in states experimenting with legalization,” stated Dan Bartkowiak, Chief Strategist with Pennsylvania Family Institute. “Legalization would create more addiction, more children using, and more pot shops than Starbucks and McDonalds combined throughout our state. That’s not what we should allow to happen here in Pennsylvania.”

Record-Breaking March for Life

Despite rainy conditions, the 4th Annual PA March for Life drew thousands of participants, making it potentially the largest gathering yet. The march’s success demonstrated the continued strength and unity of Pennsylvania’s pro-life movement, with participants encircling the entire state capitol complex. “That’s what this event is all about — bringing the dynamic pro-life movement in Pennsylvania together to unite in a public display of support for life!” 

Church Ambassador Network’s Growing Influence

The Church Ambassador Network facilitated 200 meetings between legislators and pastors throughout the year, strengthening the connection between faith communities and public policy. This included coordinating the National Day of Prayer event in the Capitol Rotunda, further cementing the role of faith in public discourse.

Voter Education and Engagement

Our voter education efforts reached new heights, with 150,000 printed voter guides distributed and thousands accessing online voting resources tailored to educate voters on Pennsylvania candidates. The successful 10-stop “Pray for PA” tour further engaged citizens in the democratic process. Work will continue into 2025 as we prepare to provide resources and educate voters on the upcoming Supreme Court retention election. 

Supporting Religious Education Rights

The Independence Law Center continued its support of Joy El Ministries in their legal battle, achieving a victory in Commonwealth Court. “Three courageous mothers challenged a Pennsylvania school district’s failure to provide them notice and an opportunity to opt their first-grade children out of instruction about gender identity. The U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania ruled in favor of these parents, stating that the school district violated the U.S. Constitution by refusing to provide opt-out rights comparable to those given to other parents on different topics.” 

Bonus Victory: Parental Rights Triumph

While this is not one of our cases, we joined Alliance Defending Freedom in celebrating their legal victory in securing parental rights in education. The U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania ruled in favor of parents’ right to opt their children out of gender identity instruction, reinforcing constitutional protections for parental rights in education. “This ruling sends a clear message to school districts across the Commonwealth: parents must be informed and given the opportunity to opt-out when it comes to sensitive topics like gender identity instruction for young children.” The court’s opinion was equally clear, stating: “The heart of parental authority on matters of the greatest importance within their own family is undermined when a teacher tells first-graders their parents may be wrong about whether the student is a boy or a girl.”

As we reflect on 2024, these achievements demonstrate the ongoing importance of continued advocacy for family values and religious liberty in Pennsylvania. Through legal victories, legislative advocacy, and your bold and courageous engagement, Pennsylvania Family Institute continues to shape policies and protect fundamental rights that benefit all Pennsylvanians.