Senate Democratic Policy Committee
Senator Katie Muth, Chair
Past Policy Hearings
Check below to view past policy hearing including video and testimony! Questions, comments or suggestions about the hearings, fill out the form below!
A Post-Roe Pennsylvania: Crisis Pregnancy Centers
September 6, 2022
Roundtable Focuses on Deceptive Practices of So-Called “Crisis Pregnancy Centers”
HARRISBURG, September 7, 2022 – State Senator Katie Muth (D- Berks/Chester/Montgomery), chair of the Senate Democratic Policy Committee, joined state Senator Judy Schwank (D-Berks) and state Reps. Bridget Kosierowski (D-Lackawanna) and Melissa Shusterman (D-Chester/Montgomery) to host a roundtable discussion on the deceptive practices of so-called Crisis Pregnancy Centers (CPCs) in Pennsylvania.
Testimony
- Ashley Underwood – Director, Equity Forward
- Tara Murtha – Director of Strategic Communications – Women’s Law Project
- Abigail McElroy – Student Activist
- Cortney Bouse, MPH – Planned Parenthood PA Advocates, State Field Director
- Melissa Weiler Gerber – President/CEO, AccessMatters
- Kelly Davis – Executive Director, New Voices for Reproductive Justice
Secondary Impacts of Gun Violence
August 24, 2022
Senate Democrats Discuss Secondary Impacts of Gun Violence at Policy Hearing
EAST NORRITON, August 24, 2022 – State Senator Katie Muth (D- Berks/Chester/Montgomery), chair of the Senate Democratic Policy Committee, hosted a public hearing in Montgomery County on the secondary impacts and consequences of gun violence in Pennsylvania along with co-hosts Senator Amanda Cappelletti (D-Montgomery/Delaware), Senator John Kane (D-Chester/Delaware) and Senator Sharif Street (D-Philadelphia).
Testimony
Panel 1: Professional Impacts
- Dr. Merle Carter, Executive Vice-Chair of Emergency Medicine, Albert Einstein Healthcare Network
- Jack Stollsteimer, Delaware County District Attorney
- Alexia Clarke, Executive Director, Chester Community Coalition
Panel 2: Health Impacts
Panel 3: Impacts to First Responders
Additional Testimony
Post-Roe Pennsylvania
July 26, 2022
Women’s Health Caucus Holds Third Post-Roe PA Policy Hearing in Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh — August 11, 2022 — This morning, the Pennsylvania Women’s Health Caucus, in conjunction with the House and Senate Democratic Policy Committees, held its third hearing on post-Roe Pennsylvania at Chatham University.
Testimony
Dr. Sheila Ramgopal (they, them) MD, MA, FACOG, CEO, Allegheny Reproductive Health Center
Sydney Etheridge (she, her) MPH, President/CEO, Planned Parenthood of Western PA
Nicole Molinaro (she, her) MA, President/CEO, Women’s Center and Shelter of Greater Pittsburgh
Sue Frietsche (she, her) founder/director, Western PA Women’s Law Project
La’Tasha D. Mayes (she, her) MSPPM, founder, New Voices for Reproductive Justice
Post-Roe Pennsylvania
July 26, 2022
Women’s Health Caucus Hosts Second Policy Hearing on Post-Roe Pennsylvania
Philadelphia — July 26, 2022 — Today, the Women’s Health Caucus conducted its second joint hearing with the House and Senate Democratic Policy Committees on Pennsylvania abortion access post-Roe. The hearing was held at the William Way Community Center and featured testimony from Dr. Aasta Mehta from the Philadelphia Department of Health and Signe Espinoza, the Executive Director of Planned Parenthood Pennsylvania Advocates, Céshia Elmore, a Community Organizer for New Voices for Reproductive Justice, and Dr. Sarah Gutman from the University of Penn Medicine.
Testimony
- Dr. Aasta Mehta, MD, MPP, OB/GYN, Medical Officer of Women’s Health, Philadelphia Department of Public Health
- Ceshia Elmore, New Voices for Reproductive Justice
- Signe Espinoza, Executive Director, Planned Parenthood Pennsylvania Advocates
- Dr. Sarah Gutman, MD, MSPH, OB/GYN and Complex Family Medicine, Specialist, UPenn Medicine
- Saleemah McNeil, CEO, Oshun Family Center
Post-Roe Pennsylvania
July 19, 2022
Women’s Health Caucus Holds Third Post-Roe PA Policy Hearing in Pittsburgh
Despite SCOTUS ruling, PA still offers access to safe, legal abortions
HARRISBURG, JULY 19, 2022 – The House and Senate Policy Committees convened a hearing Tuesday morning to explore what the future of healthcare looks like in Pennsylvania after the Supreme Court of the United States overturned Roe v. Wade.
Student Voices in Education
June 3, 2022
Students Discuss School Climate and Education Issues with Senate Dems Policy Committee
WEST NORRITON, June 3, 2022 – State Senator Katie Muth (D- Berks/Chester/Montgomery), chair of the Senate Democratic Policy Committee, today joined Senator Tim Kearney (D-Chester/Delaware), Senator Amanda Cappelletti (D-Montgomery/Delaware), and Senator Maria Collett to host a public hearing on student perspectives in education at Norristown Area School District.
Pennsylvania’s Shale Gas Boom: How Policy Decisions Failed to Protect Public Health and What We Can Do to Correct It
June 2, 2022
Senate Dems Discuss Shale Gas Policies and Public Health Impacts
MONROEVILLE, June 3, 2022 – State Senator Katie Muth (D- Berks/Chester/Montgomery), chair of the Senate Democratic Policy Committee, joined Senator Jim Brewster (D-Allegheny/Westmoreland) to co-host a public hearing on state policies and the public health impacts of the development of the shale gas industry in Pennsylvania yesterday in Allegheny County. Continue Reading →
Testimony
Panel 1: Community Impact
Panel 2: Health Effects
- Makenzie White | Public Health Manager, Environmental Health Project
- Dr. Brian Schwartz | Professor of Environmental Health and Engineering, Epidemiology, and Medicine, Johns Hopkins University
Panel 3: Policy Solutions
- Lisa Graves-Marcucci | Pennsylvania Coordinator, Community Outreach – Environmental Integrity Project
- Alison L. Steele | Executive Director, Environmental Health Project
Other Documents
- Environmental Health Project – Position Statement
- How Shale Gas Development (Fracking) Affects Public Health (Environmental Health Project)
- How Policy Decisions Failed to Protect Public Health and What We Can Do to Correct It (Environmental Health Project)
- Marcellus Shale: What Local Government Officials Need to Know (Penn State)
- A Snapshot of the Shale Gas Buildout in Pennsylvania (Environmental Integrity Project)
Innovations for Economic Recovery: Childcare and College Students
April 28, 2022
Senate Dems Discuss Challenges of Childcare Facing College Students at Policy Hearing
BLUE BELL, April 28, 2022 – State Senator Katie Muth (D- Berks/Chester/Montgomery), chair of the Senate Democratic Policy Committee today joined Senator Maria Collett, Senator Amanda Cappelletti, Senator Carolyn Comitta and Senator Judy Schwank to host a public hearing on the challenges faced by college students and staff in regard to childcare. “Our hearing today highlighted the frustrating reality that affordable, accessible, and quality childcare is an unmet need for families across the Commonwealth,” Muth said. “We need to support the parents and the single mothers who are trying to fight their way out of poverty and economic struggle, trying to make ends meet, further their education, and trying to make a better life for their children. It is time for Harrisburg and Washington to step up and invest in childcare services.” Continue Reading →
Testimony
Panel 1: The Need
Panel 2: The Models
- Kristina Valdez, Executive Director, Along the Way
- Kelly Lake, Child Care Access Means Parents in School (CCAMPIS) Project Director, Community College of Philadelphia
- Dr. Kalani Palmer, Associate Professor in Human Development and CCAMPIS Project Director, Indiana University of Pennsylvania
Panel 3: The Opportunity
Expanding School Based Health Centers in Pennsylvania
April 26, 2022
Senate Democrats Hear Support for School-Based Health Centers
HARRISBURG, April 27, 2022 – State Senator Katie Muth (D- Berks/Chester/Montgomery), chair of the Senate Democratic Policy Committee, joined Senator Art Haywood (D-Montgomery/Philadelphia) to host a virtual hearing yesterday to discuss expanding School Based Health Centers in Pennsylvania.
Testimony
Panel 1: The Current State of School Based Health Centers in Pennsylvania
- Julie Cousler Emig, Executive Director, Pennsylvania School-Based Health Alliance
- Dr. Michel Colli, Chief Medical Officer, Keystone Health
- Jenny Englerth, President & CEO, Family First Health
Panel 2: Outside Perspectives on School Based Health Centers
- Robert Boyd, MCRP, MDiv, President – School-Based Health Alliance
- Elizabeth Miller, M.D., Ph.D., FSAHM, Director, Division of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine; Medical Director, Community and Population Health, UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh; Professor of Pediatrics, Public Health, and Clinical and Translational Science, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
- Simon Haeder, Ph.D., MPA, Assistant Professor of Public Policy, Penn State University
Additional Remarks
Helping the Helpers: Supporting EMS in PA
April 20, 2022
Senate, House Democrats Host Roundtable Discussion on EMS Issues
PITTSBURGH – April 21, 2022 – State Senator Katie Muth (D- Berks/Chester/Montgomery), chair of the Senate Democratic Policy Committee joined Senator Lindsey Williams (D-Allegheny), state Rep. Ryan Bizzarro (D-Erie) and state Rep. Nick Pisciottano (D-Allegheny) to host a roundtable discussion yesterday on various issues facing Pennsylvania’s Emergency Medical Services (EMS) agencies.
Testimony
Panelists
- Greg Porter, Chairman, Allegheny County EMS Council, Ross West View EMS Assistant Director
- Eric Schmidt, Chairman, Allegheny County EMS Chiefs Association, Shaler Hampton Township EMS Chief
- Douglas Pascoe, Chief, South East Regional EMS
- Bill Miller, Chief, McKeesport Area EMS Rescue
- Jim Erb, EMS Supervisor, Citizens Hose Ambulance Service
- Todd Plunket, Chief, Baldwin Emergency Medical Service
#ItsOnUs: Combatting Sexual Assault on Campus
April 7, 2022
Testimony
Panel 1: The Issue at Hand
- Dr. Samantha Wesner, Senior Vice President of Student and Campus Life and Chief Health Officer, Albright College
- Ari Fromm, Pennsylvania State Director, Every Voice Coalition
- Yvette Wilson, Director, Penn State Gender Equality Center
Panel 2: Policy Solutions
- Tanya I. Garcia, Ph.D., Deputy Secretary and Commissioner for Post Secondary and Higher Education
- Donna Greco, MSW, Public Policy and Legislative Affairs Director, Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape (PCAR)
Housing Scarcity & Contemporary Houselessness
March 14, 2022
Senate Democrats Discuss Housing Scarcity and Houselessness at Policy Hearing
PHILADELPHIA, March 15, 2022 – State Senator Katie Muth (D- Berks/Chester/Montgomery), Chair of the Pennsylvania Senate Democratic Policy Committee, joined Senators Sharif Street, Nikil Saval, Amanda Cappelletti, Tina Tartaglione and Art Haywood to host a public hearing on housing scarcity and contemporary houselessness yesterday at Temple University.
“We need to tackle the issue of economic injustice – from raising wages to actual living wages and ensuring rent and housing prices are fair, transparent, and flexible according to each individual’s financial situation,” Muth said. “All levels of government need to implement policies that ensure public dollars are actually helping the public, not the wealthy, private real estate and private equity firms making billions off of taxpayer funded subsidies and evicting people who can’t afford to pay skyrocketing rent and housing rates. I hope our hearing and the impassioned testimony provided by actual Pennsylvanians living these challenges forces this conversation into the ongoing budget debate and into all 67 counties and local government priorities.”
Testimony
Panel 1: Lived Experience
- Gail Loney, North Central Philadelphia Resident
- Alisha Robinson, Frankford Resident
Panel 2: The Philadelphia Housing Authority
Panel 3: Policy Solutions
- Aaron Zappia, Senior Government Relations Manager, Housing Alliance of Philadelphia
- Andrew Frishkoff, Executive Director, Philadelphia Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC)
- Stephanie Sena, Anti-Poverty Fellow & Housing Advocate, Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law
Additional Testimony
Safe Schools
February 16, 2022
Testimony
Panel 1
- Max Schachter, Founder and Executive Director, Safe Schools for Alex
- Tony Montalto, President, Stand with Parkland – The National Association of Families for Safe Schools
Panel 2
- Dr. Sherri Smith, Deputy Secretary of Elementary & Secondary Education, Pennsylvania Department of Education
- Dr. Scott Kuren, Director, Pennsylvania Department of Education Office of Safe Schools
- Dr. Dana Milakovic, Mental Health and AOD Specialist, Pennsylvania Department of Education Office of Safe Schools
Panel 3
- Mike Vereb, Director of Government Affairs, Office of the Attorney General
- Brittney Kline, Director, Safe2Say Something Program, Office of the Attorney Genera
Panel 4
- David Boyer, MS, Chief of School Police and Coordinator of Safety, Security and Management, Spring-Ford Area School District
- Jonathan Kassa, Director, North Penn School District Board Chair, Facilities and Operations & Safe Schools Committees
Addressing Pennsylvania’s School Staffing Shortages
February 1, 2022
Senate Democrats Discuss School Staffing Shortages at Virtual Policy Hearing
HARRISBURG, February 1, 2022 – State Senator Katie Muth (D- Berks/Chester/Montgomery), Chair of the Pennsylvania Senate Democratic Policy Committee, today joined Senator Lindsey Williams (D-Allegheny) to host a virtual public hearing on the staffing shortage crisis facing Pennsylvania’s public education system.
Testimony
Panel 1: In the Classroom
- Nina Esposito-Visgitis, President, Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers
- Rich Askey, President, Pennsylvania State Education Association
- Larisa Shambaugh, Chief Talent Officer, School District of Philadelphia
- Adam McCormick, Teacher, Scranton HIgh School
Panel 2: Additional School Personnel
- PA Association of School Nurses and Practitioners, Testimony read by Senator Maria Collett
- Tammy Sabo and Mary Ellen Noel, Teamsters Local 249
- Chris Naylor, United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1776
Additional Materials
- Evaluation of the Aspiring to Educate Philadelphia Pilot
- TO BE WHO WE ARE: BLACK TEACHERS on Creating Affirming School Cultures
- Pennsylvania Educator Diversity Consortium Policy Recommendations 2021-2022
Renewable Energy Projects: Anthracite Ridge Wind Farm Project
January 28, 2022
Senate Democrats Discuss Proposed Wind Farm Project at Virtual Policy Hearing
HARRISBURG, January 28, 2022 – State Senator Katie Muth (D- Berks/Chester/Montgomery), Chair of the Pennsylvania Senate Democratic Policy Committee, today joined Senator John Kane (D-Delaware/Chester) to host a virtual public hearing on the proposed $300 million Anthracite Ridge wind farm project in Schuylkill County.
Testimony
Panel 1: Developer & Landowner Rights
- Nick Cohen, President/ Founder of DORAL
- Rob Feldman, Land Use Director, Rausch Creek Land
- Ed Chupein, Senior Advisor, DARE Strategies
- Dave Belote, CEO, DARE Strategies
Panel 2: Military Experts
- Brigadier General Laura McHugh, Deputy Adjutant General – Army
- Lieutenant Colonel Tim Zerbe, State Army Aviation Officer
- Marc Ferraro, Department of Military & Veterans Affairs, Executive Deputy Secretary
Panel 3: Environmental & Labor Impacts
- David Masur, President, PennEnvironment
- Russ Nahodil, IBEW 607 Business Representative
Additional Written Testimony
- Sonja Jahrsdoerfer, Pennsylvania Natural Heritage Program
- Andrew Mack, Conservation Biologist and Ecologist
- Brian M. Wargo, Ph.D., Hawk Migration Association of North America
- Pennsylvania Audubon Council
- Hawk Mountain Sanctuary Association
- Laura L. Jackson, Conservation Chair of Pennsylvania Society for Ornithology
- Helen Masser, Schuylkill County Resident
- Sondra Wolferman – Carbon County Resident
- Tom Kuehl, Former President of the Pennsylvania Society for Ornithology (PSO)
- American Bird Conservancy, Hawk Mountain Sanctuary Association, Hawk Migration Association of North America, Juanita Valley Audubon Society, Lehigh Valley Audubon Society, Pennsylvania Audubon Council, and Save Our Allegheny Ridges
- Schuylkill County Airport Authority
Additional Materials
Challenges with Substance Use Disorder Recovery
January 20, 2022
Senate Democrats Discuss Recovery and Treatment Issues at Virtual Policy Hearing
HARRISBURG, January 20, 2022 – State Senator Katie Muth (D- Berks/Chester/Montgomery), Chair of the Pennsylvania Senate Democratic Policy Committee, today joined Senator John Kane (D-Delaware/Chester) and Senator Christine Tartaglione (D-Philadelphia) to host a virtual public hearing on the recovery challenges associated with substance use disorder.
Testimony
Panel 1: Recovery Funding
- Adam Al-Asad, Director of Operations, Savage Sisters Recovery
- Bill Stauffer, Executive Director, PRO.A
Panel 2: Oversight of Recovery Houses
- Sarah Laurel, Executive Director, Savage Sisters Recovery
- Secretary Jennifer Smith, Department of Drug & Alcohol Programs (DDAP)
Panel 3: Chronic Relapsing
- Jessica Molavi, Clinical Manager of Specialty Programs, Mirmont Treatment Center
- Deb Beck, President, DASPOP
Additional Written Testimony