AG joins coalition to ensure homeowners have equitable access to insurance

WILKES-BARRE — Attorney General Michelle Henry has joined a coalition of 19 state Attorneys General defending the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Discriminatory Effects Rule, which ensures homeowners of all classes and ethnicities have equitable access to insurance.

The Attorneys General filed an amicus brief urging a federal court to reject a challenge from the homeowners insurance industry to the HUD’s rule, which holds insurers accountable under the Fair Housing Act, for discriminating against prospective clients based on race or nationality.

“Everyone deserves fair treatment when it comes to insuring their home, which for most Pennsylvanians, is their most treasured and valuable asset,” AG Henry said. “This coalition’s effort is about standing up for homeowners who could be harmed by discriminatory practices.”

In the past, courts have recognized that the Fair Housing Act prohibits practices that have a discriminatory effect, even if they are not overtly biased. However, a group of companies that sell property and casualty insurance sued to have portions of HUD’s Discriminatory Effects Rule declared invalid, arguing that HUD should have granted a blanket exemption to the rule when addressing potential conflicts with state-level insurance laws and regulations instead of considering conflicts on a case-by-case basis.

In many states HUD’s rule complements state anti-discrimination laws and state efforts to regulate the insurance market extend to the homeowners insurance industry. In Pennsylvania, the Pennsylvania Insurance Department oversees insurance companies and is responsible for ensuring fair and non-discriminatory practices by those companies.

State invests $4M to grow Ag industry, expand fresh, affordable food access

Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding this week announced the relaunch of the Fresh Food Financing Initiative (FFFI) that will invest $4 million in businesses working to expand access to fresh food across Pennsylvania.

Gov. Josh Shapiro devoted $2 million per year in each of his first two bipartisan state budgets to revive the initiative previously been funded with federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) dollars. Legislation giving the PA Department of Agriculture authority to spend the money followed in 2024.

“Pennsylvania farmers are at the top of their game at producing fresh, healthy food,” Secretary Redding said. “But too many families struggle to find – or afford — fresh food in their communities, and their health suffers.”

According to Feeding America’s annual Map the Meal Gap report, in 2022, more than one in nine Pennsylvanians didn’t always know where their next meal was coming from. That includes 436,000 children facing hunger. Redding said hunger is not an issue of food scarcity, many of those children and families live in communities where there is nowhere nearby to buy fresh, affordable, healthy food.

Fresh Food Financing Initiative grants will open for application on Nov. 2, with applications accepted through 5 p.m. on Jan. 18. Details will be published at — agriculture.pa.gov — and in the Pennsylvania Bulletin.

Grocery stores, neighborhood markets, bodegas, mobile markets, farm markets and other businesses that provide fresh food directly to consumers will be eligible for the grants. Businesses located in food deserts — areas designated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture as having limited access to fresh food — will be given priority consideration, as well as women-, minority-, and veteran-owned businesses.

The initiative complements other Shapiro Administration investments to increase access to healthy food for vulnerable Pennsylvanians, including:

• $46.5 million to provide universal free breakfast to all of Pennsylvania’s 1.7 million public school students and free lunch to all 22,000 Pennsylvania students who are eligible for reduced-price lunches through the National School Lunch Program.

• $2 million increase to the State Food Purchase Program to provide state funds for emergency food assistance for low-income Pennsylvanians, connect surplus food donated by farmers through the Pennsylvania Agricultural Surplus System food banks and food pantries statewide, and connect low-income seniors to Senior Food Boxes with nutritious dietary staples.

• Convening and staffing the Pennsylvania Food Policy Council to examine the complex issues contributing to food insecurity and food waste, and implement strategies to improve nutrition and support healthy, equitable food systems for all Pennsylvanians.

U.S. DOT announces more than $217M for transformational infrastructure project in PA

U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has announced $217 million for funding in Pennsylvania as part of more than $4.2 billion in funding from the Biden-Harris Administration’s Investing in America agenda through two major discretionary grant programs — the National Infrastructure Project Assistance (Mega) grant program and the Infrastructure for Rebuilding America (INFRA) grant program — both of which have historic levels of funding thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

A total of 44 projects were selected in this round of funding, including projects that improve safety, mobility, and economic competitiveness, constructing major bridges, expanding port capacity, redesigning interchanges, and more.

“Thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the Biden-Harris administration is carrying out ambitious, complex transportation projects that will shape our country’s infrastructure for generations to come,” Buttigieg said. “With this latest round of awards, dozens of major and much-needed projects — projects that are often difficult to fund through other means — are getting the long-awaited investments they need to move forward.”

Since the start of the Biden-Harris Administration, nearly $12.8 billion in funding through the INFRA and Mega programs has been announced for 140 projects across 42 states, Washington D.C., and Puerto Rico, including approximately:

— 35 large bridge projects

— 18 large port projects

— 20 rail projects

— 85 highway improvement projects

Approximately 53% of projects that have received funding to date are in rural communities, and about 42% of projects are located in disadvantaged communities, delivering on President Biden’s Justice40 commitment.

In today’s round of selections, Pennsylvania will be receiving $217.2 million for the SouthPort Berth Phase 2: Capacity and Resilient Growth Optimization (CARGO) project through the Mega program.

This project will expand the operational capacity of the SouthPort terminal by providing approximately ten (10) additional acres adjacent to the Phase 1 berth development as well as adding a second berth downriver.

Applications for the MPDG grants were evaluated based on the criteria published in the NOFO. The criteria included safety; state of good repair; economic impacts, freight movements and job creation; climate change, resilience, and the environment; equity, multi-modal options and quality of life; and innovation areas such as technology, project delivery, and financing.

Cutler appoints Regulatory Review Administrator as House Republicans continue to prioritize executive oversight

Pennsylvania House Republican Leader Bryan Cutler, R-Lancaster, this week announced he has appointed Michaele Totino, Esq., as the caucus’ permanent Regulatory Review Administrator as House Republicans continue to prioritize executive oversight and reining in Pennsylvania’s bloated administrative state.

“Through the work and leadership of House Republicans, the Independent Regulatory Review Commission recently found that many regulations on the books were no longer in the public interest,” Cutler said. “Through the appointment of a Regulatory Review Administrator, Pennsylvania House Republicans will provide constant vigilance to ensure government is continuing to work for the people.”

Cutler went on to say, “As we have seen with regulatory debacles like Pennsylvania’s entrance into the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, regulations have the ability to increase costs on Pennsylvanians when they avoid the constitutionally mandated authority of the legislature. Our Regulatory Review Administrator will work directly with standing committees to review regulations so as to minimize the burdens of an ever-increasing and largely unchecked administrative state.”

According to Cutler, Attorney Totino will be responsible for constant review of old and new regulations across all state government platforms and working with, and reporting directly to, House Republican leadership to chart the caucus’s administrative oversight strategy.

“Attorney Totino has significant experience in regulatory and oversight matters with a history at the Independent Regulatory Review Commission, the Pennsylvania Senate and the Pennsylvania House of Representatives,” Cutler said. “Her appointment as the caucus’ Regulatory Review Administrator will ensure the House Republican Caucus continues to deliver on the General Assembly’s core functions to legislate, appropriate and provide oversight of executive agencies.”

Totino will begin her work immediately.

Lawmakers to co-host veterans recognition event at Misericordia

Rep. Mike Cabell (R-117), along with Sen. Lisa Baker (R, D-20), and Rep. Aaron Kaufer (R-120), will again co-host a Veterans Recognition Ceremony and Expo on Saturday, Nov. 2, at Misericordia University.

“The event we hosted last November was well-attended, and we expect this year’s turnout to be similar,” said the lawmakers. “This is our small way to recognize the service and sacrifice of our local veterans. The event also offers an opportunity to learn about the various programs and services available to them in our area.”

The day will begin at 10 a.m. with a special Veterans Recognition Ceremony in the university’s Lemmond Theater. Afterward, veterans can stop by Insalaco Hall, where dozens of vendors will be assembled until 1 p.m.

In addition, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ Mobile Veterans Center will be available in the theater’s parking lot to provide counseling services.

Expo attendees can also safely dispose of any expired or unused medications at the Drug Drop Box sponsored by the Luzerne County District Attorney’s Office.

The events are open to all veterans residing in Luzerne County. Veterans can bring their spouse or one guest.

Registration is required. To RSVP, contact Rep. Cabell’s office at 570-675-6000, or Rep. Kaufer’s office at 570-283-1001. The deadline to register is Friday, Oct. 25.