HARRISBURG, PA – May 6, 2026 − Today, May 6, is the Senate’s final day in session until June 1, 2026. But despite the lengthy break, Senate Republicans moved no bills to raise wages, bring down costs, or work on the 2026-27 Pennsylvania Budget, due on June 30. On...
HARRISBURG – April 28, 2026 − Sens. Devlin Robinson (R-37), Vincent Hughes (D-7), and Steve Santarseiro (D-10) issued the following joint statement after Senate Bill 1014 was approved by the House of Representatives Education Committee: “Today’s advancement of Senate...
HARRISBURG, PA − April 21, 2026 − Today, members of the Pennsylvania Senate Democratic Caucus were joined by Lieutenant Governor Austin Davis to hold a press conference in the Main Capitol Rotunda to kick off their Affordability Action Plan, which highlights...
April 13, 2026 – Philadelphia, PA – Senator Vincent Hughes, Senate Democratic Appropriations Chair, along with education leaders, announced that applications for student teacher stipends will open on Thursday, April 16, at 4PM for ‘26-27 academic year placements....
March 19, 2026 − Senator Vincent Hughes, Senate Democratic Appropriations Chair, announced over $250,000 in new funding for public defenders and indigent defense offices in Philadelphia and Montgomery County. The money was awarded from the Pennsylvania Commission...
Harrisburg, PA – March 18, 2026 – Sixty-three years ago today, the United States Supreme Court decided in the landmark case, Gideon v. Wainwright, that the Sixth Amendment right to legal counsel is a fundamental right essential to a fair trial. To commemorate the day,...
February 20, 2026 – Senate Democratic Appropriations Chair Senator Vincent Hughes (D-7) and Senator Nick Miller (D-14) joined Allentown School District Superintendent Dr. Carol D. Birks to underscore major education investments and reaffirm Senate Democrats’...
HARRISBURG – February 4, 2026 − The Pennsylvania Senate today passed legislation sponsored by Sens. Devlin Robinson (R-37), Vincent Hughes (D-7), and Steve Santarsiero (D-10) to require public schools across the commonwealth to adopt policies prohibiting student...
December 15, 2025 — State Senator Vincent Hughes, Senate Democratic Appropriations Chair, announced over $1.5M in apprenticeship grants for Philadelphia-area organizations. The grants were awarded by the Department of Labor and Industry, as part of a nearly $4.2...
December 12, 2025 – Harrisburg, PA –This week, Senate Bill 1014, bipartisan legislation prime-sponsored by Senators Vincent Hughes, Steve Santarsiero, and Devlin Robinson, passed the Pennsylvania Senate Education Committee with a unanimous vote. The legislation would...
HARRISBURG – The Pennsylvania Senate Education Committee advanced bipartisan legislation sponsored by Sens. Vince Hughes (D-7), Steve Santarsiero (D-10), and Devlin Robinson (R-37) to require public schools across the commonwealth to adopt policies...
The CROWN Act Passes in Pennsylvania Today, the Pennsylvania Senate passed the CROWN Act (HB439) with a vote of 44-3. This legislation ensures that no one in Pennsylvania will be denied access to professional, educational, or public spaces and opportunities because of...
Harrisburg, PA – November 19, 2025 – Today, the Pennsylvania Senate passed the CROWN Act (HB439) with a vote of 44-3. This legislation ensures that no one in Pennsylvania will be denied access to professional, educational, or public spaces and opportunities because of...
Harrisburg, PA – November 12, 2025 – Today, Pennsylvania Senate and House lawmakers passed a $50.1B budget for the 25-26 fiscal year. Senator Vincent Hughes, Senate Democratic Appropriations Chair, shared the following statement: “While this process took much longer...
PHILADELPHIA, PA − November 10, 2025 −Today, Senate Democratic Policy Committee held a hearing to examine direct care employee wages, and the trends observed in the Commonwealth over the last decade. “Earlier this year, I walked a day in the life of a home care worker...
Philadelphia, PA − October 31, 2025 − Senators Vincent Hughes and Art Haywood, and Representative Tarik Khan, hosted a press conference at Share Food Program in Philadelphia to demand that Republican lawmakers help the people they serve. Lawmakers, advocates,...
HARRISBURG – The Senate Labor and Industry Committee approved bipartisan legislation sponsored by Sens. Vincent Hughes (D-Philadelphia and Montgomery) and Kristin Phillips-Hill (R-York) to study how artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping Pennsylvania’s workforce...
Harrisburg, PA – October 21, 2025 – Today, the Pennsylvania Senate Democratic Caucus issued a statement following more budget delays that were led by Senate Republicans. “It is deeply frustrating to see Senate Republicans waste more time instead of coming to the table...
October 15, 2025 – Following the Pennsylvania Insurance Department’s (PID) release of the 2026 Affordable Care Act Health Insurance Rates, Senator Vincent Hughes, state Senate Democratic Appropriations Chair, shared this statement: “Healthcare is about to get...
Harrisburg, PA − September 20, 2025 − Following Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) meetings last week, Pennsylvania State Senators Maria Collett (D-Montgomery), Vincent Hughes (D-Philadelphia/Montgomery) and Nick Pisciottano (D-Allegheny)...
Philadelphia, PA − September 11, 2025 − Today, Senator Vincent Hughes shared a letter with SEPTA Board Members to express his disapproval of fare increases that are still planned to go into effect on September 14, 2025. A full copy of the letter is below and...
September 10, 2025 – Senator Vincent Hughes, Senate Democratic Appropriations Chair, announced more than $14.9M in funding for Philadelphia and Montgomery County to strengthen victim support and provide critical recovery resources. The grants were awarded by...
August 31, 2025- Philadelphia, PA – Today, Senator Vincent Hughes, state Senate Democratic Appropriations Chair, issued a statement following SEPTA’s announcement that fare increases and regional rail cuts will be paused in accordance with a Common Pleas...
HARRISBURG, PA – August 13, 2025 – Today, the House Rules Committee and the House Appropriations Committee voted down HB 257 and SB 160, respectively. Passed in the Senate yesterday evening, these bills represented unserious and unagreed-to budget proposals that were...
PHILADELPHIA, PA – July 18, 2025 – On Friday morning, State Senator Art Haywood (D-4) was joined by fellow lawmakers and nonprofit leaders at a press conference in Philadelphia to sound the alarm on new federal work requirements for SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition...
