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Protecting Pollinators
Pollinators play a major role in keeping our
families healthy, our farms strong, and our local gardens flourishing.
But did you know our laws protecting bees and other pollinators have
not been updated in 30 years?
Fortunately, we’re working
to change that. This week, I was joined by Pennsylvania
Secretary of Agriculture Russell Redding, state Rep. Melissa
Shusterman, state Rep. Chris Raab, and representatives from the Chester
County Beekeepers Association at Jenkins
Arboretum and Gardens to unveil the Plant and Pollinator
Protection Act. Watch.
The legislation, Senate
Bill 1198, updates our laws to help reduce pesticide use, broaden
protections for pollinators beyond honeybees, and take a proactive,
preventative approach to protecting pollinators from harmful pests,
pathogens, and other threats. Read
More.
Celebrating Juneteenth
This week, we joined friends from across our
community in commemorating Juneteenth, the oldest known celebration
honoring the end of slavery in the United States.
In front of
the historic Chester County Courthouse, there was a historic
reenactment of the moment Union soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas
with news that the Civil War had ended and enslaved people were free.
From there, we marched to West Chester Bethel AME Church for an
inspiring ceremony of prayer and music. Read
More.
From the Abolitionist Movement through the Civil
Rights Era and continuing today, West Chester and Chester County have
always stood for freedom, equality, liberty, and justice for all. I
want to thank the organizers and everyone who came out to celebrate
Juneteenth and reflect on our continued need to pursue a fairer and
more equitable society.
Supporting Affordable
Housing
When every resident has a safe, healthy place to
call home, our economy thrives, public safety improves, and our
neighborhoods and municipalities flourish.
That’s why
this week I was thrilled to announce important investments
in eleven organizations that are working to prevent homelessness
and promote housing affordability in communities across Chester
County.
The funding, which comes through the Pennsylvania
Housing Affordability and Rehabilitation Enhancement program, will
fund dozens of programs, including supporting an emergency shelter for
domestic violence survivors and their families, helping women
transition from incarceration, and assisting people who are facing
eviction. Read
More.
Defending Reproductive Freedom
On Monday, we mark two years since the U.S.
Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision, which overturned Roe v. Wade and
ended almost 50 years of the constitutional right to abortion in the
United States.
While the court recently ruled
to maintain access to Mifepristone, an FDA-approved medication
that has been safely used by millions of women, reproductive freedom
remains under attack. And a concerted effort to roll back access to
access to reproductive healthcare, including abortion and
contraception, continues.
As a result, we’re now seeing
a fragmented patchwork of state laws that has changed the landscape of
reproductive access across the nation. Abortion is totally
banned in 14 states, and after about six weeks of pregnancy in three
others (often before women realize they’re pregnant).
Please know that abortion remains safe and legal in Pennsylvania. And
as a member of the Pennsylvania
Women’s Health Caucus, I will always fight to keep it that
way.You can visit pa.gov/freedomtochoose right now for a
comprehensive guide to accessing abortion in the Commonwealth.
Property Tax and Rent Rebate
This summer, thousands of senior citizens will
see more money back in their pockets thanks to an expansion of the Pennsylvania
Property Tax and Rent Rebate Program.
I was proud to vote
for the expansion, which means nearly 175,000 more residents –
including 2,400 in Chester County – will now qualify for a
rebate and many of those who already qualified will see their rebates
increase (some by nearly double).
If you have already applied,
letters are hitting mailboxes indicating that you can expect to
receive payment in the next month. You can also track
the status of your rebate.
In addition, the deadline to
apply was
recently extended from June 30 to December 31. The program
benefits older adults and individuals with disabilities with rebates
for rent and property taxes paid in 2023.
Thank you for
reading.
Take good care of yourself, and if you can, take care
of someone else, too. And please know that my staff and I are always
here for you.
Feel free to contact me with any questions or
concerns you may have at senator...@pasenate.com.
Carolyn Comitta
State Senator – 19th District
