Take Action: Please – No More Gambling!
Take Action
Please contact your State Senator and State Representative to oppose this new proposed gambling expansion. Email your Senator and Representative today or visit pafamily.org/nomore.
Summary
Mixing the sale of alcohol with the most addictive form of gambling in thousands of local neighborhoods throughout Pennsylvania is a disastrous recipe for many families. Modern video slot machines are often referred to as the “crack cocaine” of gambling, designed to addict gamblers and hook them to “play to extinction.” VGTs accelerate addiction and by placing them in thousands of local communities it removes the safeguard for Pennsylvania’s 15,000+ gambling addicts that are currently on Pennsylvania’s self-exclusion list that governs PA casinos. You also put more at risk the hundreds of thousands of Pennsylvanians the National Council for Problem Gambling estimates that currently have a gambling proble.
Tell Your Senator to Confirm Amy Coney Barrett
Keep Churches Free to Worship in Pennsylvania
Take Action
Contact your State Senator to encourage passage of protections for religious freedom and churches. Take action or visit pafamily.org/freetoworship.
Status
PA House passed House Bill 2530 (149-53 roll call) on Sept. 15, 2020. It now awaits action by the PA Senate.
Summary
House Bill 2530 would ensure, in the midst of an emergency, church leaders can continue to serve their community, and it would provide all Pennsylvanians with the right to assemble to worship according to one’s faith.
Help Protect Students’ Rights to Busing
Take Action
Protect the rights of private school students to receive bus transportation to school.
Summary
With the COVID disruption, many public school districts at first hesitated on providing transportation to school for non-public school students (as required by law) when the public school chose on-line instruction for their own students. Some districts have relented, deciding to do the right thing and provide the transportation services the students their districts rely on to get to school and receive the education they need. However, there are still THOUSANDS of families whose private schools are open but whose children are being denied busing by some public school districts.
Abortion by Video? Keep Telemed Abortions Out of PA
Action
Status
The PA House passed an amended version of Senate Bill 857 on November 21, 2019 by a 117-77 vote. It has now been referred to the Senate Rules Committee and can be voted on by the full PA Senate at any time.
Summary
Planned Parenthood revealed to the PA Department of Health in a recent inspection that they are adding “telemedication abortion” — an unsafe practice that puts profits before patients. Senate Bill 857 would expand telemedicine in Pennsylvania and it has been amended by the State House to ban telemed abortions by including limitations language that requires a doctor to administer in-person any of the drugs listed by the FDA Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategies (REMS), which includes the abortion drug Mifeprex. Take action or visit pafamily.org/notelemedabortions.
No Men in Women’s Restrooms. No Punishment for My Faith.
Action
Status
Senate Bill 224 and Senate Bill 614 has been referred to the PA Senate Labor and Industry Committee. House Bill 1404 has been referred to the PA House State Government Committee.
Summary
Senate Bill 224, Senate Bill 614 and House Bill 1404 would make harmful changes to our state law covering public accommodations, employment and housing by creating special statuses for “sexual orientation” and gender identity” (often called a “SOGI” bill) and thereby creating a host of consequences that impact religious freedom and privacy rights. Take action.
Reject Governor Wolf’s Budget Item to Increase Funding to Planned Parenthood.
Action
Contact your State Senator and State Representative to oppose Governor Wolf’s $3 million budget line item that would send taxdollars to abortion giant Planned Parenthood and other abortion clinics. More: pafamily.org/fundcare.
Status
Proposed by Governor Wolf in his 2020–2021 budget.
Summary
In his 2020 budget, Governor Tom Wolf has proposed increasing taxpayer funding to abortion giant Planned Parenthood and other abortion clinics by $3 million dollars annually. This increase is intended to circumvent the Protect Life Rule, from the new Title X regulations of the Trump administration, which ensures that 100% of Title X funding goes to clinics who actually provide health care to low-income women, and prohibits this taxpayer funding from being funneled to clinics that perform or refer for abortions.
Support PA’s Heartbeat Bill
Action
Ask your State Representatives and State Senator to pass the Heartbeat Bill.
Status
At a press conference on October 21, 2019, the Heartbeat Bill was introduced. The legislation is Senate Bill 912 (which is now in the PA Senate Health and Human Services Committee) and House Bill 1977 (which is now in the PA House Health Committee).
Summary
Under Pennsylvania’s current law, abortion is permitted up through 24 weeks into pregnancy, which is now an outdated determination of life based on viability. The Heartbeat Bill aims to improve our state law by protecting unborn children after a heartbeat is detected, and thus preserve the lives of thousands of babies every year in Pennsylvania. Take action or visit pafamily.org/heartbeat.
Ensure federal aid for education helps students (and parents)
Action
Please contact your State Senator and State Representative to help students (and parents) get back on track with their education. Send an email or visit pafamily.org/backontrack.
Status
House Bill 2696, introduced by State Representative Clint Owlett (R-Wellsboro), and Senate Bill 1230, introduced by Senator Judy Ward (R-Hollidaysburg), await action in their respective Education Committee.
Summary
The federal CARES Act designated funding to Pennsylvania for education. This legislation would create Back on Track Education Scholarship Accounts to use this funding to directly help students and parents with education-related needs such as online classes, counseling, tutoring or services for students with special needs. The intent of the legislation is to help low-income families regardless of what school the children attend, whether public, private, charter, cyber or home school.
Please, No More Gambling!
Action
Please contact your State Senator and State Representative to stop yet another expansion of harmful and addictive forms of gambling in Pennsylvania. Send an email or visit pafamily.org/nogambling.
Status
SB1256, introduced by State Senator Jake Corman (R-Centre), has been sent to the Community, Economic and Recreational Development Committee.
Summary
Pennsylvania has over 24,000 slot machines – primarily contained in 12 casinos, along with many truck stops. This legislation could quadruple the number of addictive slot machines (called Video Gaming Terminals or VGTs) and place them in thousands of neighborhoods across the state. Pennsylvania is the 2nd largest gambling state in the nation, home to nearly every possible state-regulated form of gambling.
Show respect for unborn life in PA
Action
Please contact your State Senator and ask them to vote Yes on HB 1890, to show respect and uphold the humanity of unborn children. Send an email e or visit pafamily.org/showrespect.
Status
HB 1890 passed the PA House by a 123-76 vote on November 18, 2019. It is currently awaiting action in the PA Senate Health and Human Services Committee.
Summary
The bill requires healthcare facilities to properly handle disposition (burial or cremation) of unborn children who have died from an abortion or miscarriage. This bill is similar to one passed in the state of Indiana that was recently upheld as constitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court.
Help stop human trafficking in PA — Pass the Buyer Beware Act
Action
Contact your State Representatives and State Senator to support the Buyer Beware Act.
Status
Senate Bill 60 passed unanimously by the PA Senate with a 49-0 vote on November 20, 2019. SB60 is now awaiting action in the PA House Judiciary Committee. House Bill 12 is also in this committee.
Summary
The Buyer Beware Act — Senate Bill 60 and House Bill 12 — would do three things: 1) Increase criminal charges against traffickers, 2) Increase subsequent fines and 3) Expand the definitions of the offense. Take action.
Invest in students, not broken systems for education in Harrisburg
Action
Contact your State Representative to support a new plan to help Harrisburg families.
Summary
House Speaker Mike Turzai unveiled a new plan that would help create a lifeline for kids trapped in failing Harrisburg Schools. These schools have been under state government oversight since 2012 but nothing has changed. This new plan would help to empower families while creating a better investment for taxpayers. Take action.
Down Syndrome Protection Act
Status
Governor Tom Wolf vetoed the legislation (House Bill 321) after it passed the PA Senate on November 20, 2019 by a 27-22 vote. It had passed the PA House on May 14, 2019 by a 117-76 vote.
Summary
The Down Syndrome Protection Act would stop any child from being aborted solely due to a diagnosis of Down syndrome.
“A Life Worth Living” Photo Series available at pafamily.org/alifeworthliving.
