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.

Continue Reading →

Agenda →

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).

Continue Reading →

2:16:06

Agenda →

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

Leah Brogan, PhD, Licensed Clinical Psychologist (PA), Violence Intervention Program, Center for Violence Prevention, CHOP

Panel 3: Impacts to First Responders

Albert Davey, Executive Director & Paramedic, Narberth Ambulance

Additional Testimony

Samantha Koch, Executive Policy Manager, Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency

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.

Continue Reading →

2:01:23

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

Dr. Marian Jarlenski (she, they) PhD, MPH, Assoc. Professor of Health Policy and Management, Associate Director of the Center for Innovative Research on Gender Health Equity, University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health

La’Tasha D. Mayes (she, her) MSPPM, founder, New Voices for Reproductive Justice

Agenda →

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.

Continue Reading →

1:58:36

Testimony

Agenda →

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.

Continue Reading →

Testimony

Dr. Denise Johnson, Pennsylvania Physician General

Agenda →

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.

Continue Reading →

2:10:40

Agenda →

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 →

2:44:34

Agenda →

Testimony

Panel 1: Community Impact

Panel 2: Health Effects

Panel 3: Policy Solutions

Other Documents

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 →

2:06:50

Agenda →

Testimony

Panel 1: The Need

May Yaghnam, Community College of Philadelphia Student

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

Tracey Campanini, Deputy Secretary for the Office of Child Development and Early Learning, Department of Human Services

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.

Continue Reading →

1:46:49

Agenda →

Testimony

Panel 1: The Current State of School Based Health Centers in Pennsylvania

Panel 2: Outside Perspectives on School Based Health Centers

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.

Continue Reading →

2:17:14

Agenda →

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

Agenda →

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.”

Continue Reading →

Agenda →

Testimony

Panel 1: Lived Experience

Gail Loney, North Central Philadelphia Resident
Alisha Robinson, Frankford Resident

Panel 2: The Philadelphia Housing Authority

Kelvin Jeremiah, President & CEO, Philadelphia Housing Authority

Panel 3: Policy Solutions

Additional Testimony

Andrea Custis, President & CEO of the Urban League of Philadelphia

Safe Schools

February 16, 2022

Agenda

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.

Continue Reading →

Agenda

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

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.

Continue Reading →

Agenda

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

Panel 3: Environmental & Labor Impacts

David Masur, President, PennEnvironment
Russ Nahodil, IBEW 607 Business Representative

Additional Written Testimony

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.

Continue Reading →

2:15:03

Agenda

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

Additional Written Testimony

Judy Rosser, Executive Director, Blair County Drug and Alcohol Program, PACDAA President

PA Senate Dems Joined PA House Dems & the PA Women’s Health Caucus for Hearing on Maternal Health and Vaccine Safety Amidst COVID-19

Senator Katie Muth

Harrisburg – February 11, 2021 - Yesterday, at the request of PA Women’s Health Caucus chairs Sen. Judy Schwank (D- Berks), Sen. Amanda Cappelletti (D- Delaware/Montgomery), Rep. Mary Jo Daley (D- Montgomery), and Rep. Morgan Cephas (D- Philadelphia), the Pennsylvania Senate Democratic Policy Committee joined the House Democratic Policy Committee held a virtual public hearing to discuss maternal health amidst COVID-19.

“Since the beginning of this pandemic, I have been deeply concerned about both the physical and mental health of mothers and families experiencing childbirth and caring for babies in the shadow of COVID-19,” Schwank said. “We must ensure that mothers and babies are receiving the best care possible and are receiving the support and services they need to maintain a healthy life during and after this pandemic.”

Cappelletti continued, “Women, particularly women of color, have been the most detrimentally impacted by this pandemic. Not only must they navigate health and safety for themselves, but they are often tasked as the primary caregivers and providers for their children and family. As we discuss all aspects of healthcare and the impact COVID-19 has had on women, we must ensure that women’s health and the health of their children are not left out of this conversation."

Dr. Richard Beigi, an OB-GYN practitioner and president of UPMC Magee-Women’s Hospital, spoke about the many concerns that pregnant women have had about getting the COVID-19 vaccine, as pregnant women were not specifically included in the clinical trials. He said that he is an advocate for including women in clinical trials from the start.

“There is no reason to think that these vaccines are harmful to pregnant women or their babies,” Dr. Beigi said. He stated that while he has seen no evidence to not vaccinate pregnant women, those who chose not to get the vaccination during their pregnancy should still be fully supported in their informed decision.

During her testimony, Dr. Elizabeth Morgan, a maternal fetal health specialist at Baystate Health in Massachusetts, also spoke on the inclusion of women in clinical trials because, “…excluding women from vaccine trials during a global pandemic really is experimentation in itself when we know that they are at high risk of the disease.”

Dr. Catharine I. Paules, assistant professor of infectious diseases at Penn State Health College of Medicine and Penn State Health, has worked at the National Institute of Health with Dr. Anthony Fauci, and is currently pregnant herself. She shared that she chose to get the Pfizer vaccine for COVID-19 after her pregnancy was at full term, and after reading the medical literature from the United Kingdom about the variant of COVID-19 that anecdotally did have more severe impacts on pregnant women in that country.

Dr. Morgan shared that Baystate Health in conjunction with University of Massachusetts Medical School, has produced documents in 10 different languages to assist pregnant women who are currently making the decision on getting their COVID-19 vaccine, and that information has been downloaded over 35,000 times. She also stated that COVID-19 has had other significant determinants of health including low income, food and housing insecurity and crowding, among other factors.

“The fact that it’s 2021, and women of color are still three times as likely to die giving birth than other women is unacceptable,” said Rep. Cephas. “Access to quality and affordable care should never be based on skin color or zip code, and the COVID-19 pandemic has only worsened these disparities. We must now take what we discussed at today’s hearing and turn it into substantial reforms that reduces improves maternal health outcomes across the commonwealth.”

Dr. Sindhu K. Srinivas, the Director of Obstetrical Services at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, said, “I am among many of us who are on the front lines of the maternal morbidity and mortality crisis and am deeply troubled by rising morbidity and mortality rates and associated disparities.”

Dr. Srinivas said that the COVID-19 crisis has accelerated the work of her and her colleagues to pilot programs out of Penn Medicine that assist women immediately after they have given birth and go home with their babies. She said that 50% of maternal morbidity and mortality actually occur in this time frame.

Increasing access to broadband internet, increasing digital literacy, making sure that technological resources are available in multiple languages, and making sure that telehealth is reimbursable by insurance companies and Medicaid are all essential in continuing to create programs that increase parity and decease maternal morbidity and mortality, said Dr. Srinivas.

Data has shown that there are an estimated 700 pregnancy-related deaths in the U.S. every year, and three out of five of those deaths are preventable. While maternal mortality rates are declining in other developing countries, but they are rising across the United States.

“The public health social distancing protocols put in place during the pandemic have also increased social isolation. This has left new mothers lacking social support, social interactions, and help with childcare,” Dr. Rhonda C. Boyd, a psychologist in the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, said. “For perinatal women who are of color, especially Black, Latina, and Indigenous mothers, they are also disproportionally being impacted by family members contracting COVID-19 or dying from it. This situation understandably results in increased stress, worry and grief.”

“The impact of this pandemic on women with young families cannot be measured, however, with already limited access to high quality healthcare especially for pregnant persons of color, we must measure the impact to find ways to increase care now and in the future,” Rep. Daley said.

Demia Horsley, Director of Strategic Initiatives at Healthy Start, Inc. of Pittsburgh, stated the importance of doulas in the birthing and post-partum experience of many mothers. Horsley said that pandemic restrictions allowing only one person to be with a woman during birth can be detrimental to a woman’s health during and after birth. Horsley said that a partner may not be the best advocate for a women during the birth and postpartum process, and increasing access to doula services for prenatal, birthing, and postpartum women will create better outcomes in maternal mortality and addressing postpartum depression early and effectively.

“I am so grateful that we were able to bring together the PA Women’s Health Caucus, along with our colleagues in the House, to discuss the impacts of COVID-19 on women’s health now, and the impact that this will have on healthcare system for years to come,” Sen. Katie Muth (D- Berks, Chester, Montgomery), chair of the Senate Democratic Policy Committee, said. “These conversations and recommendations are essential to crafting the policies that will protect the lives of moms and babies.”

“Giving a voice to women’s health and the inequities amongst women of color is extremely important and I’m thrilled my colleagues are having these conversations. Concerns may seem routine for medical professionals, but it’s a whole new ballgame for women and we must make sure they are heard,” Rep. Ryan Bizzarro, Chair of the House Democratic Policy Committee, said.

Senators who attended included Senator Democratic Leader Jay Costa (D- Allegheny), Nikil Saval (D- Philadelphia), John Kane (D- Chester/Delaware), Wayne Fontana (D- Allegheny), Lindsey Williams (D- Allegheny), Sharif Street (D- Philadelphia), and Tim Kearney (D- Chester/Delaware).

House Representatives who attended this hearing include Bridget Kosierowski (D- Lackawanna), Joe Webster (D- Montgomery), Melissa Shusterman (D- Chester/Montgomery), Mike Schlossberg (D- Lehigh), Elizabeth Fiedler (D- Philadelphia), Pam DeLissio (D- Montgomery/Philadelphia), Perry Warren (D- Bucks), Kyle Mullins (D- Lackawanna), Ben Sanchez (D- Montgomery), Pam Snyder (D- Greene/Fayette County/Washington), Mike Zabel (Delaware), Regina Young (D- Philadelphia County/Delaware), Joe Hohenstein (D- Philadelphia), Carol Hill-Evans (D- York), Dan Frankel (D- Allegheny), and Summer Lee (D- Allegheny).

Below are all who testified in today’s hearing:

Dr. Mark Woodland, M.S., M.D., FACOG, Chair & Clinical Professor OB-GYN, Reading Hospital/Tower Health, Interim Academic Chair, OBGYN Drexel University College of Medicine
Dr. Hyagriv “Hy” Simhan, UPMC Magee-Women’s Hospital, Division Chief of Maternal Fetal Medicine
Dr. Richard Beigi, UPMC Magee-Women’s Hospital, President, OB-GYN'
Dr. Aasta Mehta, M.D., M.P.P., FACOG - Philadelphia MMRC, Philadelphia Dept of Health, PA MMRC
Dr. Sindhu K. Srinivas, M.D., MSCE, Director of Obstetrical Services at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Vice Chair for Quality and Safety, Physician Lead, Women’s Health Service Line, Penn Medicine
Nicole Chaney, Certified Nurse-Midwife, Reading Hospital
Markita Glenn, Doula, Pettaway Pursuit Foundation
Dr. Elizabeth Morgan, Maternal Fetal Health Specialist, Baystate Health
Dr. Richard S. Legro, M.D, Chair, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Public Health Sciences, Penn State Health College of Medicine and Penn State Health
Dr. Catharine I. Paules, M.D., Assistant Professor, Infectious Diseases, Penn State Health College of Medicine and Penn State Health
Dr. Rhonda C. Boyd, Ph.D., Psychologist in the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Demia Horsley, M.P.H., CLC (DONA), LCCE, Director of Strategic Initiatives, Healthy Start, Inc.

The full recording of this hearing can be found at senatormuth.com/policy.

###