


Seventeen Years and Counting – Senate Democrats Continue to Fight to Raise PA’s Minimum Wage
Harrisburg, PA – July 7, 2023 − Sunday, July 9th, marks seventeen years since Pennsylvania lawmakers last raised the minimum wage. On July 9th, 2006, Governor Ed Rendell was joined by Senator Vincent Hughes, Senator Jay Costa, and Senator Tina Tartaglione to sign a...
Sens. Haywood, Hughes, and Saval Host Jan. 6 Commemoration to Honor First Responders
PHILADELPHIA – Jan. 6, 2023 – Sen. Art Haywood (D-Montgomery/Philadelphia) joined Sen. Vincent Hughes (D-Montgomery/Philadelphia), Sen. Nikil Saval (D-Philadelphia), state Rep. Mary Isaacson (D-Philadelphia), and statewide elected officials at the National...
Senate Democrats Support Pres. Biden’s Call for State Gas Tax Holiday
Harrisburg, PA – June 22, 2022 – Today, Pennsylvania Senate Democrats held a press conference shortly after President Joe Biden made a call to federal and state law makers to pause gas taxes. “Our stance is simple; we are calling on state Republicans to join us...
Senate Democrats Call on Republicans to Immediately Prioritize Gun Violence Prevention Legislation and Appropriations
HARRISBURG – May 25, 2022 – Today, Pennsylvania Senate Democrats wrote the following letter to Republican leaders in response to rampant gun violence and mass shootings that have become too common in the United States. Just this year, 215 mass shootings have taken...
New Study Shows More Than Three-Quarters of PA Voters Support Bipartisan Whole-Home Repairs Act
Philadelphia, PA − May 24, 2022 − Today, Senator Nikil Saval (D–Philadelphia County) held a rally attended by more than 200 housing and energy advocates, community leaders, Pennsylvania residents, and Democrat and Republican legislators from the General Assembly...
House and Senate Lawmakers Announce Relief Plan for Rental Assistance Fund
HARRISBURG − February 16, 2022 − Lawmakers from the state House and Senate held a news conference today to outline plans to restore Pennsylvania’s depleted Emergency Rental Assistance Program and help thousands whose incomes were affected by the pandemic.

Senate Democrats Urge State Supreme Court to Take Action on Evictions for Tenants with Pending ERAP Applications
Harrisburg, PA − August 30, 2021 − The Senate Democratic Caucus sent the following letter to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court to encourage the court to take action to halt evictions for tenants who already have pending applications in the Emergency Rental Assistance...
Senators Saval, Costa, Hughes, Haywood Announce New Legislation to Keep Struggling Pennsylvanians Housed
Harrisburg, PA − August 23, 2021 − Senator Nikil Saval (D–Philadelphia), Senator Jay Costa (D–Allegheny), Senator Vincent Hughes (D–Philadelphia/Montgomery), and Senator Art Haywood (D–Philadelphia/Montgomery) today announced their plans for legislation to keep...
$20 Million Now Available to Help Image/Hair Care Businesses
PHILADELPHIA, August 19, 2021 – Image and hair care businesses that were hit hard by the pandemic are now eligible for $20 million in relief funding, state Sen. Vince Hughes, House Democratic Leader Joanna McClinton and other state leaders announced today. At a news...
PA Approves $30 Million for Community Violence Prevention Programs
Harrisburg, Pa. – June 25, 2021 – The Pennsylvania Legislature has allocated $3o million dollars for community violence prevention programs in the approved 2021-2022 fiscal year budget. The Block Grants will be managed by the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and...
Elected officials, education leaders & community leaders join Sen. Hughes in call for education justice in honor of MLK
PHILADELPHIA – April 5, 2021 – In recognition of the 53rd anniversary of assassination of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., State Senator Vincent Hughes (D-Philadelphia/Montgomery) called for the Pennsylvania General Assembly to provide true education justice and...
PA Senate Democrats Hold Hearing on the Effects of COVID-19 on PA Housing Crisis
Harrisburg – March 31, 2021 – At the request of state Senators Vincent Hughes (D-Philadelphia), Art Haywood (D-Montgomery/Philadelphia), and Nikil Saval (D-Philadelphia), the Pennsylvania Senate Democratic Policy Committee held a virtual public hearing on the...
Senate Democrats Correct Record on Housing Assistance Program
Pennsylvania − December 22, 2020 − Pennsylvania Senate Democrats seek to correct the record regarding the failure of the General Assembly to address housing insecurity due to COVID 19. Recent press coverage has outlined that $108 million of $175 million intended...
Statement: 16 Democratic State Senators Denounce Frivolous Election Lawsuits and Continued Attempts to Undermine our Democracy
HARRISBURG – December 10, 2020 – Today the following members of the Pennsylvania State Senate signed a joint statement – set forth below – denouncing the brazen attempt of the attorneys general of Texas and seventeen other states to disenfranchise millions...
Sens. Hughes, Haywood join PHFA to announce upcoming financial assistance program for renters and homeowners hurt by the COVID-19 pandemic
PHILADELPHIA— July 1, 2020 — State Senators Vincent Hughes (D-Philadelphia/Montgomery), Art Haywood (D-Montgomery/Philadelphia) and Director Robin Wiessmann from the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency (PHFA) announced a new program that will help renters and homeowners impacted by the economic slowdown related to the coronavirus pandemic, alongside Pennsylvania housing advocates.

PA Senate Democrats Discuss Police Reform Legislative Agenda and Statewide Racial Equity Solutions Tour
Harrisburg – June 30, 2020 – Pennsylvania Senate Democrats gathered in the Capitol and through Zoom to discuss the status of their legislative agenda for police reforms, and to announce a statewide Racial Equity Solutions Tour. PA Senate Democrats introduced a...
Democratic PHEAA board members tout $30 million in CARES Act funding for PHEAA grants
HARRISBURG — June 5, 2020 — State Senators Wayne Fontana (D-Allegheny), Vincent Hughes (D-Philadelphia/Montgomery), John Blake (D-Lackawanna), and Art Haywood (D-Montgomery/Philadelphia touted the $30 million in funding the Pennsylvania Senate Democratic Caucus was...
State Senate Policy Hearing on the Impact of COVID-19 on the African American Community
Harrisburg – June 4, 2020 – At the request of state Senators Art Haywood (D-Philadelphia/Montgomery), Anthony Williams (D-Philadelphia/Delaware, Vince Hughes (D-Philadelphia), and Shariff Street (D-Philadelphia), the Senate Democratic Policy Committee today held a...PA Senate Democrats Urge Action on Legislation for Working Families, Pledge to Oppose Partisan COVID Task Force
Harrisburg, PA − April 8, 2020 − The Senate adjourned Tuesday afternoon after the House Republicans indicated they would not be taking up Senate Bill 841, legislation that would have enabled local municipalities to hold their meetings remotely, permitted e-notary use;...
PA Legislators Work as ‘Servers for an Hour’ in Push for Minimum Wage Increase for Working Families
Philadelphia, PA (July 12, 2019) — A record number of state legislators waited tables for an hour Friday afternoon at a restaurant in downtown Philadelphia in support of the federal Raise the Wage Act nationwide and One Fair Wage in the state.

Members of The General Assembly & Statewide Advocates Hosted News Conference Defending General Assistance
Harrisburg – June 24, 2019 – Health and Human Services Committee Democratic Chairman State Senator Art Haywood (D-Montgomery/Philadelphia) joined members of the PA General Assembly and statewide advocates to fight to protect the General Assistance program. House Bill...
Senators Haywood, Hughes, and Muth Hosted a Fair Share Tax News Conference
Harrisburg – June 12, 2019 – State Senator Art Haywood (D-Montgomery/Philadelphia), State Senator Vincent Hughes (D-Philadelphia/Montgomery) State Senator Katie Muth (D-Berks/Chester/Montgomery), and PA Budget and Policy Center Director Marc Stier hosted a press...
Senator Hughes thanks colleagues for supporting SB 502, extending resources for crime victims
I am grateful to have support of my colleagues on Senate Bill 502, which provides a clearer and less difficult path for crime victims and their families as they deal with the justice system. SB 502 will help ensure victims are provided with complete information about...