Press Releases
State Lawmakers Introduce Landmark Bills to Protect Abortion Care in PA
HARRISBURG, June 24, 2025 – Marking the third anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision, which has dismantled access to abortion health care in states across the country, Pennsylvania lawmakers today introduced two packages of bills to fight back and protect reproductive health care rights in the commonwealth.
Pennsylvania Women’s Health Caucus Co-Chairs Statement on the House Passage of HB 1140 Expanding Contraception Access for All
Harrisburg – June 4, 2025 − The co-chairs of the Pennsylvania Women’s Health Caucus Sen. Amanda M. Cappelletti (D-Montgomery), Sen. Judy Schwank (D-Berks), Rep. Gina H. Curry (D-Delaware) and Rep. Mary Jo Daley (D-Montgomery) issued the following statement on the House passage of HB 1140, which would ensure that all Pennsylvanians have access to contraception:
Senators Lindsey M. Williams, Judy Schwank and Rep. Jeanne Mcneill Announce Legislation to Address Child Care Worker Shortage
Harrisburg, PA − May 5, 2025 − Today Senator Lindsey M. Williams (D-Allegheny), Senator Judy Schwank (D-Berks), and Rep. Jeanne McNeill (D-133) announced their intent to champion Governor Shapiro’s legislation to support working families across Pennsylvania by...
Schwank and Rusnock Announce Funding for Mt. Penn Fire Company
Reading, PA − March 18, 2025 − Sen. Judy Schwank and Rep. Jacklyn Rusnock announced today that the Mt. Penn Fire Company has been awarded $320,915 in grant funding from the Local Share Account Category 4 Facilities Program. Following its recent merger with the...
Senator Schwank Proposes Naming “My Home Pennsylvania” as Official State Song
State Sen. Judy Schwank has issued a co-sponsor memorandum for legislation to designate “My Home Pennsylvania,” an original song by Berks County native Dave Kline, as the official state song of Pennsylvania. Schwank said the light-hearted gesture would be an honor for...
Senator Schwank Secures Additional $1 Million for Antietam School District’s Stoney Creek Elementary School Project
Reading, PA — February 25, 2025 — Yesterday evening, Sen. Judy Schwank, D-Berks, attended an Antietam School District board meeting to announce an additional $1 million in state funding from the Pennsylvania Department of Education to support flood recovery...
Schwank and Guzman Announce $850,000 for Penn Square Redevelopment Project
Reading, PA — February 24, 2025 — Today, Sen. Judy Schwank (D-Berks) and Rep. Manuel Guzman Jr. (D-Berks) announced $850,000 in Multimodal Transportation Fund grant funding for Philly Office Retail’s Penn Square Redevelopment Project. The funding will go toward new...
Schwank & Rusnock Applaud Environmental Grant for Mount Penn Borough Municipal Authority
February 11, 2025 − Today, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection announced that the Mount Penn Borough Municipal Authority received $231,361 in Growing Greener grant funding. Growing Greener is a funding program administered by the Pennsylvania...
Four Senate Democratic Lawmakers Unveil Legislative Package to Improve Foster Care and Child Protection Systems
Harrisburg, PA – January 29, 2025 − Members of the Democratic Caucus have introduced a package of bills designed to tackle systemic issues within Pennsylvania’s foster care and child protection systems. The proposed legislation prioritizes the well-being of children,...
Pennsylvania’s Women’s Health Caucus and the Black Maternal Health Caucus join together to lay out priorities for Pennsylvania’s 2025-2026 legislative session
Harrisburg, PA − January 27, 2024 – Today, the Pennsylvania Women’s Health Caucus (WHC) and the Black Maternal Health Caucus (BMHC) released a joint statement after holding a press conference to lay out their legislative priorities for the 2025-2026 session. Watch the...
Senator Schwank Applauds CRIZ Designation for the City of Reading
Reading, PA — December 30, 2024 — Today, Gov. Josh Shapiro announced that the City of Reading’s application for a City Revitalization and Improvement Zone (CRIZ) was accepted. The CRIZ program, established by Act 52 of 2013, is administered by the Pennsylvania...
Senator Schwank Issues Statement on NTSB’s Hearing on the R.M. Palmer Explosion
Reading — December 11, 2024 — Sen. Judy Schwank, D-Berks, issued the following statement in response to the National Transportation Safety Board’s hearing on the investigation into the cause of the R.M. Palmer natural gas explosion that occurred on March 24, 2023:...
Sen. Lindsey Williams and Sen. Judy Schwank Reintroduce Universal School Meals Legislation
Harrisburg, Pa. − December 5, 2024 – Senator Lindsey M. Williams (D-Allegheny) and Senator Judy Schwank (D-Berks) joined the School Nutrition Association of Pennsylvania (SNAPA) today for a Day of Action in support of the Senators’ Universal School Meals legislation....
Schwank Retains Senate Democratic Caucus Leadership Role for 25-26 Legislative Session
Harrisburg, PA — November 14, 2024 — Sen. Judy Schwank (D-Berks) announced today that she has retained her role as the Caucus Administrator for the Pennsylvania Senate Democratic Caucus for the upcoming 2025-26 legislative session. Schwank, who has held the Caucus...
Pennsylvania Senate Democratic Caucus Elects Leadership Team for 2025-26 Legislative Session
HARRISBURG, PA – November 13, 2024 – The Pennsylvania Senate Democratic Caucus today elected its leadership team for the 2025-26 legislative session. The Senate Democratic Caucus also proudly welcomes two new members: Senator Patty Kim representing Senate District 15,...
‘An Investment in the Future of Our Town’: Schwank Joins Stakeholders for Strand Theatre Rehabilitation Update
Reading, PA — November 8, 2024 — Earlier this week, Sen. Judy Schwank (D-Berks) joined Kutztown Community Partnership, the Greater Berks Development Fund, and DESCCO Design and Construction, Inc. to provide the Kutztown community with an update on the rehabilitation...
Senator Schwank Applauds $13.75 Million in Capital Redevelopment Funding for Berks County Projects
Reading, PA — November 1, 2024 — Sen. Judy Schwank (D-Berks) applauded the Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program (RACP) grant funding announced today by Gov. Josh Shapiro and the Pennsylvania Office of the Budget. RACP is a state grant program administered by the...
Schwank and Guzman Secure $1 Million for Senior Housing Project in Reading
Reading, PA — October 22, 2024 — Today, Sen. Judy Schwank and Rep. Manuel Guzman Jr. announced a $1 million Local Share Account-Statewide grant to support the Cornerstone at 6th and Chestnut project. The project will redevelop a blighted industrial building at S. 6th...
Senator Schwank Secures $6 Million in Grants for Berks County Projects
Reading, PA — October 22, 2024 — Today, Sen. Judy Schwank (D-Berks) announced that 16 projects in the 11th Senatorial District have received a total of $6 million in Local Share Account-Statewide grant funding from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic...
Senator Schwank Applauds $3.77 Million in Public School Facility Grant Funding
Reading, PA — October 22, 2024 — Today, Sen. Judy Schwank (D-Berks) announced that three school districts in the 11th Senatorial District received a total of $3,775,000 in Public Schools Facility Improvement Grant Program funding from the Pennsylvania Department of...
PA First Lady, Secretary of Education join Lawmakers in Harrisburg to Celebrate Funding for Period Products in Public Schools and Advocate for Menstrual Equity Act
Harrisburg, PA − October 21, 2024 – Pennsylvania's First Lady Lori Shapiro, Senators, Representatives, Secretary of Education Dr. Mumin, and advocates gathered for a press event to celebrate the $3 million invested through the last state budget to...
Schwank Applauds Facility Improvement Grant Funding for Connections Work
Reading, PA − October 10, 2024 − The Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development and the Pennsylvania Broadband Development Authority today announced $722,852 in COVID-19 ARPA PA Multi-Purpose Community Facilities Program grant funding for...
Senate Dems Highlight Need for Election Reforms at Capitol Hearing
HARRISBURG, September 26, 2024 – State Senator Katie Muth (D-Chester/Montgomery/Berks), chair of the Pennsylvania Senate Democratic Policy Committee, joined Senator Amanda Cappelletti (D-Montgomery) and Senator Judy Schwank (D-Berks) to host a public hearing on access...
Schwank Applauds Criminal Justice Funding Awarded to the 11th District
Reading, PA — September 11, 2024 — The Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency today awarded $2,263,680 in criminal justice and crime prevention grant funding to six entities in Berks County. “Today’s awards acknowledge the tremendous services these...
Sen. Schwank and Rep. Rozzi Announce $7.8 Million Grant for Antietam School District
Reading — September 9, 2024 — Sen. Judy Schwank (D-Berks) and Rep. Mark Rozzi (D-Berks) today announced $7.8 million in grant funding for the Antietam School District for environmental repairs. The funding comes from the Pennsylvania Department of Education’s Public...
Schwank Applauds Major State Investment in Reading Area Community College Capitol Project
READING, Pa. — August 27, 2024 — The Pennsylvania Department of Education today announced $6.5 million in funding for improvements to the Student Union Building at Reading Area Community College. The funding comes alongside substantial increases in higher education...
Senator Amanda Cappelletti Hosts Roundtable on Women’s Health and Pennsylvania State Budget
Upper Merion, PA – August 23, 2024 – Senator Amanda M. Cappelletti (D-17) led a roundtable discussion, focusing on the intersection of women’s health and the Pennsylvania state budget. The event gathered key stakeholders, including state legislators, healthcare...
CG Broadcasting LLC Receives $1.525 Million in Transportation Infrastructure Grant Funding
Reading, Pa. — Aug. 19, 2024 — Today, PennDOT announced $1,525,000 in Multimodal Transportation Fund grant funding for CG Broadcasting LLC to support a major redevelopment project in Spring Township. The funding will support a series of transportation infrastructure...
Schwank and Rep. Cepeda-Freytiz’s Non-U.S. Citizen Teacher Certification Bill Approved as Part of the School Code
Reading, PA — July 16, 2024 — Last week, as a part of the state budget, the Pennsylvania General Assembly approved Senate Bill 700, the School Code bill for the 2024-2025 fiscal year. The bill contains language sponsored by Sen. Judy Schwank and Rep. Johanny...
Senator Judy Schwank Applauds Child Care Tax Credit and Economic Development Tools Included in State Budget
Reading — July 12, 2024 — Sen. Judy Schwank (D-Berks) touted the budget passed by the General Assembly for the 2024-2025 fiscal year, which includes an employer child care contribution tax credit and key investments in economic development programs. Senate Bill...
Senator Judy Schwank Secures $250,000 for Berks County Mobile Shower Initiative
Reading — July 8, 2024 — Today, Senator Judy Schwank (D-Berks) announced $250,000 in grant funding from the Department of Community and Economic Development for a mobile shower unit for the Berks Coalition to End Homelessness. BCEH is the nonprofit responsible for c,...
Pennsylvania Women’s Health Caucus Statement on the U.S. Supreme Court Ruling on Abortion under EMTALA in Moyle v. United States
Harrisburg — June 27, 2024 — The co-chairs of the Pennsylvania Women’s Health Caucus Sen. Amanda M. Cappelletti (D-Montgomery), Sen. Judy Schwank (D-Berks), Rep. Gina H. Curry (D-Delaware) and Rep. Mary Jo Daley (D-Montgomery) issued the following statement in...
Sen. Judy Schwank to Introduce Legislation to Approve a CRIZ for Reading
Reading, PA — June 26, 2024 — Sen. Judy Schwank (D-Berks) recently announced her intent to introduce legislation that would designate a City Revitalization and Improvement Zone (CRIZ) for the City of Reading and implement programmatic changes. The CRIZ program was...