THE 2021-22 PLBC OFFICERS The Official NewsletterGavel of the Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus State Representative Donna Bullock, Chairwoman PLBCSUMMER 2021 327 IRVIS OFFICE BUILDING • P.O. BOX 202186 • HARRISBURG, PA 17120-2195 • (717) 772-6955 Donna Bullock Chairwoman AND MEMBERS 195th Legislative District www.pahouse.com/PLBC• /PALegislativeBlackCaucus • @PaLegBlkCaucus 2021-2022 LEADING WITH PURPOSE LEADERSHIP I am honored to be selected Amen Brown Danilo Burgos Morgan Cephas Angel Cruz Austin Davis Jason Dawkins by my colleagues to chair the 190th Legislative District 197th Legislative District 192nd Legislative District 180th Legislative District 35th Legislative District 179th Legislative District Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus (PLBC) this session, and to do so with an amazing executive team from across Summer Lee the commonwealth. Together, Vice-Chair Rep. Donna Bullock, Chair 34th Legislative District we are committed to leading or, when necessary, defeating 195th District North & West Philadelphia Isabella Fitzgerald Edward C. Gainey Jordan A. Harris Art Haywood Vincent J. Hughes Patty Kim legislation and policy that impacts 203rd Legislative District 24th Legislative District 186th Legislative District Senate District 4 Senate District 7 103rd Legislative District Black, Indigenous and people of color (BIPOC) Pennsylvanians and their equitable access to opportunity, justice and democracy. Each session, PLBC members introduce legislation on issues ranging from criminal justice reform to veterans affairs. Recognizing our diverse legislative priorities, I Rep. Summer Lee, Vice-Chair 34th District Stephen Kinsey Brian J. Kirkland Rick Krajewski Joanna E. McClinton Napoleon Nelson Darisha Parker established several additional subcommittees to help us focus on each of these 201st Legislative District 159th Legislative District 188th Legislative District 191st Legislative District 154th Legislative District 198th Legislative District Braddock, Pittsburgh platforms. With the help of our Police Reform Working Group and subcommittees on Budget Equity, Education, Health Equity, Public Safety, Women and Girls of Color, Carol Hill-Evans Secretary and Voting and Democracy, we can focus on each issue separately and at their 95th Legislative District intersections. Leading the PLBC during the convergence of a pandemic, economic crisis and civil uprisings requires me to be intentional about the work of the caucus. I believe Chris Rabb Nikil Saval Sharif Street Jake Wheatley, Jr. Anthony H. Williams we must collectively employ an anti-racist, equitable, restorative, and reform- 200th Legislative District Senate District 1 Senate District 3 19th Legislative District Senate District 8 minded approach to legislating. We must also engage statewide stakeholders in the Rep. Carol Hill-Evans, Secretary 95th District legislative process through regional and statewide policy briefings, listening sessions City of York and other conversations. This newsletter highlights some of that work and hopefully, informs the work for the upcoming months. Yours In Service, Manny Guzman Dan Williams Regina Young Maureen E. Madden Mike Schlossberg Peter G. Schweyer Treasurer 74th Legislative District 185th Legislative District 115th Legislative District 132nd Legislative District 22nd Legislative District 127th Legislative District Associate Member Associate Member Associate Member Rep. Manny Guzman, Treasurer 127th District Rep. Donna Bullock City of Reading Budgeting for Racial Justice and Equity Investing in Equity and Economic Opportunity PLBC SECURES FUNDS FOR SCHOOLS, From job fairs to small business grants, PLBC members believe GUN VIOLENCE PREVENTION AND MORE we must invest in Black workers and entrepreneurs. This The Pennsylvania includes demanding equitable practices in new and emerging This agenda is a road map for The PLBC Subcommittee on Budget Equity led the charge on state budget is a industries. That is why Reps. Wheatley and Parker are pushing changing the way we deliver advocating for a budget that invests in Black Pennsylvanians and valuable measure of for Black ownership opportunities in the cannabis industry, Rep. “ services, distribute resources other communities of color. our commonwealth’s Burgos is fighting for a new generation of diverse farmers and “ and otherwise do business in priorities and can be our Chair Bullock is challenging the green economy. Chair Bullock and Rep. Nelson participated in budget conversations the commonwealth. If we want best tool for racial equity. We must also invest in systems that foster equity and equal across the commonwealth and hosted a Budget Information and equity, we have to remove the Listening Session with the budget secretary and PLBC stakeholders. access to government services and opportunities. The Invest PLBC CHAIR DONNA BULLOCK barriers formed by generations The subcommittee also worked with the Administration and our in Systemic Equity Legislative Package includes bills that colleagues in the General Assembly to develop a list of shared would create a Racial Equity Task Force (Wheatley), an Office of racism and replace them priorities. of Health Equity (Bullock, Kinsey), a Socially Diverse Farmers with inclusive and fair systems. Commission (Burgos) and a Joint Legislative Equity Committee While the final budget is a bucket of missed opportunities to help (Bullock). Other bills would provide bias and cultural training for PLBC CHAIR DONNA BULLOCK those most in need, our work delivered specific results for our public employees, study bias in automated decision systems communities: and otherwise address racial bias and systemic equity. ● Newly created Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Office to address systemic racism and bias in state government. Connecting Black ● $100M in Level Up Funding for 100 of our most underfunded school districts, serving 65% of the state’s Black students, and 58% of Latinx students. Level Up is modeled after a bill Workers introduced At the end of 2020, by associate Pennsylvania had the member Rep. highest state Black Schlossberg. unemployment rate. 1 ● $30M in in 5 Black Pennsylvania new funding workers were unemployed. to support In June, the PLBC and Leaders from these community Temple University hosted the neighborhood job fair many communities came violence programs, a to connect job seekers with together to speak to “ framework over 50 employers. their needs and seek our outline in support. We have heard companion bills their call, and we will championed by respond. Sen. Haywood and Chair REP. NAPOLEON NELSON Bullock. CHAIR, SUBCOMMITTEE Support Black-Owned Businesses ON BUDGET EQUITY As lawmakers, it is our moral obligation to protect residents across this state, and the budget must “ reflect that. This will allocate the necessary funding to support and expand safety initiatives, to ensure no community in our commonwealth continues to live in fear, and it would save lives. REP. MORGAN CEPHAS PLBC members threw their support behind a new statewide business association for Black-owned businesses. Accountability and Transparency in Policing Promoting Health and Public Safety A year after George Floyd’s murder and the PLBC moving two police RACE AND COVID-19 reform bills to the governor’s desk, policing legislation remains one of Certain social determinants of health, such as poverty, food PLBC members’ key priorities. Now is the time to advance bills that Justice is not a here insecurity, and the lack of safe, affordable housing have important center on police accountability and transparency. Such legislation and nor there occurrence. health implications in BIPOC communities. PLBC members policy include establishing a certification process for police (Wheatley), It’s not an event, or a continuously raise awareness on sickle cell disease, maternal special prosecutors for police-involved shootings (Lee, Hughes), “ Collaboration and trust will verdict, or a single piece health, HIV and AIDS, mental health, medical research, and banning chokeholds (Kinsey), refining the standard for use of force (Lee, be imperative to give Black of legislation. Justice is other health conditions in our community. We support the efforts Hughes) and reforming Act 111 and discipline arbitration (Chair Bullock). and Brown communities the dismantling the systems of Black-led and trusted providers, like The Black Doctors “ tools necessary to make it of white supremacy that Consortium in Philadelphia. PLBC also focused on COVID-19 by through this pandemic safely. On July 16th, Gov. Wolf perpetuate inequality coordinating vaccine and testing clinics in our districts, hosting a announced that the statewide statewide vaccine access roundtable, and leading a policy hearing and injustice through REP. STEPHEN KINSEY police misconduct database is now on the impact of COVID-19 on communities of color. the abuse of power. CHAIR, SUBCOMMITTEE active. Rep. Rabb introduced a ON HEALTH EQUITY bill to establish the database after REP. SUMMER LEE the police fatally shot 17-year-old Antwon Rose in 2018. Often times, these parents Defending Our Democracy experience additional difficulties throughout the We are seeing some of the most restrictive voting legislation since Jim We will not stand “ Crow. So far this session more than 20 voter suppression bills have been for this misleading grieving process, and it may introduced. The Voting and Democracy Subcommittee hosted briefings about “ misdirection and take several years before judicial gerrymandering and voting access to help inform