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In this Update:
Senate Honors America 250 with Ceremonial Gathering in Philadelphia
With the U.S. Semiquincentennial less than two months away, the state Senate held a ceremonial gathering honoring America’s 250th birthday at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia. The meeting included senators representing all corners of the commonwealth and students from across the state as part of a partnership with America250PA. The event marked the fourth meeting in the last 100 years that has taken place outside of the State Capitol in Harrisburg. The previous three meetings were also held in Philadelphia to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1926, the 200th anniversary of the Declaration’s signing in 1976 and the 200th anniversary of the adoption of the U.S. Constitution in 1987. Read more about the historic gathering. Senate Approves Legislation to Strengthen Commercial Driver Safety
I was glad to support legislation aimed at improving highway safety by strengthening standards for commercial drivers and increasing penalties for unsafe operation of large trucks, which has passed the Senate this week. The bill package includes measures to require English proficiency for commercial driver’s license (CDL) applicants and to establish stronger penalties for reckless and unqualified truck drivers operating on Pennsylvania roadways. These commonsense reforms will help ensure that individuals operating large commercial vehicles are properly qualified and held to the highest safety standards. Given the size and weight of these vehicles, even a single act of negligence can have devastating consequences. This legislation is about protecting lives. Learn more about the legislation here. Senate Approves Tougher Penalties for Attempted Murder of Law Enforcement Officers
The Senate approved legislation closing a gap in state law and imposing tougher penalties on individuals who attempt to murder a law enforcement officer and cause serious bodily injury. Under current law, the penalty for attempted murder of a law enforcement officer could be as little as seven years in prison. Senate Bill 1284 establishes a 20-year mandatory minimum sentence and a maximum of up to life in prison. The measure was passed on Police Officers’ Memorial Day in Pennsylvania, which honors the brave men and women of law enforcement. It now heads to the House of Representatives for consideration. Read more about this legislation. In honor of Police Officers’ Memorial Day, we honored five brave law enforcement officers who died in the line-of-duty in 2025 at the Capitol: Patrolman Andrew Duarte – West York Borough Police Department – EOW 2/22/25 Detective Mark Baker – Northern York Regional Police Department – EOW 9/17/25 Detective Sergeant Cody Becker – Northern York Regional Police Department – EOW 9/17/25 Detective Isaiah Emenheiser – Northern York Regional Police Department – EOW 9/17/25 Officer Andy Chan – Philadelphia Police Department – EOW 12/2/25 Robinson Welcomes Constituents to the Senate Floor
I was pleased to welcome the South Fayette Township School District Girls’ basketball team to the Capitol to celebrate their back-to-back PIAA Championship wins! Congratulations on this great accomplishment and keep up the great work for next season!
Additionally, constituents from Upper St. Clair and Wexford – Julie Xing and Mr. & Mrs. Zhang – visited Harrisburg this week with Declaration of Independence 250 Years – Asian American Celebration, an official partner of America250PA. They were participating in an initiative designed to encourage community engagement from Asian Americans during our nation’s 250th birthday. I was glad to give them a behind-the-scenes look at our State Senate chamber, and appreciate them taking the time to visit our historic state Capitol. Senate Approves Legislation to Help Relieve PA Nurse Shortage
The Senate approved legislation to help alleviate Pennsylvania’s nurse shortage by increasing the number of qualified nursing students. Senate Bill 998 would establish the Nurse Education Capacity Expansion Grant Program, aimed at increasing the number of qualified nursing students by providing targeted support to accredited nursing schools across Pennsylvania. Nursing education programs would have to meet key performance benchmarks, including strong graduation rates, high licensure exam pass rates and successful job placement outcomes. The bill now heads to the House of Representatives for consideration. Read more about Senate Bill 998 here. Recognizing Constituents Across the District
Congratulations to the students from Bethel Park School District who participated in the DECA Inc. International Career Development Conference! More than 25,000 high school students participated in this event demonstrating their college and career knowledge and skills. This is an impressive accomplishment! A special shout out to Bryan and Dominic who placed in the top 20 for their Business Solutions Project, and to Laura and Samira who placed in the top 20 for their Integrated Marketing Campaign Service project!
I was honored to provide a citation to Patiance Nugent from Scouts BSA Troop 9228 for earning the rank of Eagle Scout. For her Eagle Scout project, Patiance built a firepit and firewood shed, and restored tables and benches for the Holy Child Parish in Bridgeville. Congratulations on obtaining this impressive rank!
Today, I presented a citation to Rhea, a young constituent from South Fayette Township School District in honor of her winning first place in the Girls’ 9-to-10-year-old Division at the 2026 Keystone State Wrestling Championships in the 56-pound weight class. Congratulations on this well-deserved accomplishment!
Last week, we celebrated Nicholas Andrews for attaining the rank of Eagle Scout! For Nick’s project, he raised money to purchase supplies for and coordinated the repainting of curbs and road markings in the St. Louise de Marillac Church’s parking lot. Congratulations! Thanks for Attending Our Senior Resource Session
Thank you to those who attended my Senior Resource Session with Rep. Valerie Gaydos (R-44) today! Our staff was able to help constituents with Property Tax and Rent Rebate applications, Pittsburgh Regional Transit Senior ConnectCard applications, and submitting for unclaimed property from the PA Treasury Department. Stay tuned for upcoming outreach events in the 37th Senatorial District! Details are available here. Leadership Pittsburgh Meeting in Harrisburg
It was great to meet with members from Leadership Pittsburgh Inc in my Harrisburg office this week! They made the trip out to our state Capitol to discuss issues facing Pennsylvanians and Pittsburghers alike. Grateful for their advocacy! Protecting Pennsylvanians’ Second Amendment Rights
The Senate moved to protect the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens by approving Senate Bill 822, which strengthens Pennsylvania’s state preemption over regulating firearms and ammunition, preventing local governments from enacting ordinances that are more restrictive than those established by the General Assembly. Allowing local governments to establish a patchwork of inconsistent gun laws would make it impossible for Pennsylvania residents, along with citizens from other states, to travel without fear of inadvertently breaking a local law they were unaware of. Senate Bill 822, which passed with bipartisan support, also reinforces and restores the original intent of Pennsylvania’s Uniform Firearms Act, ensuring consistent and clear regulations across the state. The bill has been sent to the House of Representatives for consideration. Pittsburgh Firefighters Remembrance Ceremony
Last week, we honored firefighters who have given the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty. We extend our deepest gratitude for their service and unwavering devotion to protect our communities. Thank you Pittsburgh Firefighters for hosting the moving ceremony. International Firefighters Day
May 4 was International Firefighter Day. Thank you to our firefighters for putting your lives on the line to keep our communities safe. We are grateful for your service today and every day. I am proud to support firefighters through legislation I have sponsored and funding I have secured. The Senate recently unanimously approved my legislation to ensure surviving spouses of Pittsburgh firefighters will not lose their pension benefits upon remarriage. Additionally, I secured continued funding for the Western Pennsylvania-based Urban Search and Rescue Task Force. SWPA Career & Technical Education Signing Day
Congratulations to all the Career & Technical Education students who signed last week to join the skilled trades workforce! Trade jobs are so important to our city, and I am proud to have this next generation of skilled workers to build our region’s future. A special thanks to the Pirates for hosting this celebratory event, and to the local CTE schools – A.W. Beattie Career Center, Steel Center for Career and Technical Education, and Parkway West CTC – for all the work they do to train our local skilled trades workforce. Check out more photos from the signing day event here. Teacher Appreciation WeekThis week we celebrated Teacher Appreciation Week! Thank you to our teachers in the 37th district and across the commonwealth for your dedication to student success. We must do all we can to retain our excellent teachers in Pennsylvania, which is why I’ve sponsored legislation to do just that. Learn more about the legislation here. Free Car Seat Check Event
Did you know that almost 50% of all car seats are installed incorrectly? @Allegheny County Police Department is hosting a FREE car seat check event on May 13 from 3-5 p.m. at @La Petite Academy, 100 Aviation Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15231. At the event, you can get your car seat inspected, ensure it is the proper fit for your child, and verify that it’s installed properly in your vehicle. To schedule an appointment, please contact Nicole Partaka. National Skilled Trades Day
Today we recognize trade workers in honor of National Skilled Trades Day! These jobs are critical to growing our region and providing family-sustaining wages to Pennsylvanians, and I am thankful to have so many skilled workers and employers in our region. Senate Committee Approves Measures to Make Housing More Attainable
Legislation aimed at expanding access to attainable housing while preserving local control was approved by the Senate Urban Affairs and Housing Committee. The bills now move to the full Senate for consideration. The legislation includes:
Forming a robust strategy to increase housing supply, lower costs and stimulate economic activity is a key focus for the Senate this year. Read more about these attainable housing bills. May is ALS Awareness MonthMay is ALS Awareness Month where we highlight and support the individuals and families struggling with this fatal neurodegenerative disease. I’m proud to partner with Senator Chris Gebhard (R-48) to introduce legislation that ensures more Pennsylvanians have access to clinically proven biomarker testing for diseases like ALS, cancer, Parkinson’s and more. This testing can help patients receive the most effective, personalized treatment options available, ultimately improving their health outcomes. Read more about the legislation here. Children’s Advocacy Centers of Pennsylvania Facility Tour
Children’s Advocacy Centers of Pennsylvania opened their Pittsburgh facility for a tour and discussion on how they support child abuse victims across the Commonwealth. It was powerful to hear from the frontline professionals about how they work with children and families to navigate the healing process. Thank you, so much, for all you do! Construction Legislative Council Gathering
Thank you to the Construction Legislative Council for hosting a gathering at the Carpenters Pittsburgh Training Center last week to encourage conversation between electrical and construction companies and legislators. What Do You Think About Legislation Addressing Lead in School Drinking Water?
Lead poisoning has well-documented adverse effects on children, such as brain and nervous system damage, physical growth delays, learning and behavior problems, and speech and hearing impairment. Sens. John Kane (D-9), Art Haywood (D-4), and I introduced legislation to ensure Pennsylvania students have clean drinking water at school. The legislation, Senate Bill 759, would require school districts to replace old, outdated drinking fountains with lead-filtering hydration stations by 2028, and also includes funding mechanisms to help school districts achieve this goal. What do you think about this idea? Fill out my brief survey to share your opinion here. Mother’s Day and Mammo May
Mother’s Day is a great time to remind Mom and all the women in your life about the importance of annual mammograms. While these low-dose x-rays are critical to a lifesaving early diagnosis of breast cancer, one in four Pennsylvania women fail to get a mammogram each year. Annual mammograms are recommended for women beginning at age 40 or as early as age 25 if a woman is considered at increased risk for breast cancer. Learn more from the Pennsylvania Breast Cancer Coalition. Finally, to all the wonderful moms in the 37th district – Happy Mother’s Day! We wish you a restful day of love and pampering. Thank you for all you do to care for your families!
I’m proud to represent you in Harrisburg. Please contact me if my team can assist you with any state-level issues or services, including PennDOT, PA Department of Revenue, PA Department of Aging, PA State Treasury, etc. I’m always happy to hear from constituents, but if you need assistance or have concerns regarding a federal issue, you may want to contact your U.S. Senators and/or your member in the U.S. House of Representatives. Thank you. |
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