NEWS & UPDATES

Back in March, we shared encouraging news about the momentum behind Pennsylvania's Family Care Act and what it could mean for working families across the Commonwealth. If you missed that update, you can read it here: Did the Family Care Act Just Pass? Today, we're excited to share another important milestone! The Senate version of the Family Care Act, SB906, passed out of the Labor and Industry Committee with a 9-2 vote and now advances to the full Senate for a vote. This is

A significant step toward advancing equity in Pennsylvania was taken this week as the Pennsylvania House passed legislation that would expand protections for LGBTQ+ individuals across the Commonwealth. The Fairness Act would update Pennsylvania’s Human Relations Act to explicitly prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity or expression. If enacted, it would make it unlawful to deny individuals access to housing, employment, or public accommodation

Louisiana v. Callais is a redistricting case that went before the U.S. Supreme Court that focuses on the constitutionality of Louisiana’s congressional map. The court determined that Louisiana lawmakers improperly redistricted the state’s congressional map in 2024 when they added a second majority-Black district, following a decision about Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act (VRA) in Robinson v Landry. Louisiana v. Callais is a case about equal representation for Black voters

During Black Maternal Health Week 2026 , advocates, legislators, and community leaders across Pennsylvania came together to raise awareness and push for meaningful policy solutions to address the ongoing maternal health crisis. The data is clear - and deeply concerning. In the United States, Black women are three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white women , and more than 80% of these deaths are preventable . These disparities are not the result of

In Pennsylvania, state law is such that abortion services cannot be covered by Medicaid. Allegheny Reproductive Health Center sued the Pennsylvania Department of Health after a ruling in January 2024 in which the Pennsylvania Supreme Court stated that the state’s law was “presumptively unconstitutional” . This case, Allegheny Reproductive Health Center v. Pennsylvania Department of Human Services, Commonwealth Court in a case that seeks to eliminate Pennsylvania’s Medicaid

For more than a year, The Fund and our colleagues, community members, and legislators have been championing The Family Care Act . The bill’s prime sponsor, Rep O’Mara, alongside other Representatives, nonprofits, and coalitions have worked tirelessly to get the Family Care Act passed. On Wed. Feb 25 th , the House passed the bill! This is a big step! We are thankful for the bipartisan support that made this possible, as well as House Leadership, Speaker McClinton and Rep

Primary season is in full swing! Primaries are critical – here in Pennsylvania, it determines who is on the ballot representing the Democrats and Republicans in the general election in November. In the state of Pennsylvania, we have closed primaries - meaning that only registered Democrats and Republicans can vote for who will represent their respective parties on the ballot in November. Interestingly, a lawsuit was recently filed by Ballot PA Action filed a lawsuit saying th

On March 12th at 5:00 PM, participants of the Vote16PA initiative of The Fund for Women and Girls co-hosted a roundtable discussion with Representative Chris Pielli, prime sponsor of the Pennsylvania House memo, “Lowering the Voting Age for School Board Elections.” The hybrid event, held at the Chester County Chamber of Business and Industry, brought together state-level elected officials and community leaders from across Chester, Montgomery, and Delaware Counties to engage

In April 2025, the SAVE (Safeguard American Voter Eligibility) Act was passed in the House of Representatives. The Senate, however, did not take up the bill for a vote. The "SAVE America Act" was recently introduced in the House and Senate; a bill very similar to the SAVE Act (though slightly more restrictive). As of March 10th, 2026 the "SAVE America Act" may come up for a vote in Senate next week. Senate GOP leaders are looking to put the "SAVE America Act" debate behi

On March 24 , The Fund for Women and Girls will travel to Harrisburg for a day of advocacy at the Pennsylvania Capitol. Participants will spend the morning delivering informational materials to legislators and, when possible, meeting directly with elected officials in support of paid leave (Family Care Act). These conversations help build awareness and momentum around issues such as economic equity and workplace fairness. In the afternoon, participants will gather on the Rot

Lawmakers in Pennsylvania have introduced new legislation aimed at modernizing the state’s name change process and eliminating an outdated requirement that puts vulnerable residents at risk. House Bill 1315 and Senate Bill 521 would remove the longstanding requirement that individuals publish their legal name changes in local newspapers. While originally intended as a transparency measure, the practice now creates serious safety and privacy concerns, particularly for transge

The Fund for Women and Girls is proud to serve as the Pennsylvania state partner for Vote16USA, a national organization working to expand youth civic engagement by allowing 16- and 17-year-olds to vote in school board elections. As the Pennsylvania state seat, The Fund helps lead and coordinate Vote16USA’s efforts across the Commonwealth, connecting local advocacy to a growing national movement focused on strengthening democracy through early civic participation. This partner

Earlier this month, Blake Emmanuel , Director of Policy & Advocacy at The Fund for Women and Girls , testified before the PA Senate Democratic Caucus Policy Committee in support of the Small Necessities Leave Act , proposed legislation that would provide workers with limited, job-protected leave to address urgent family and caregiving needs. Blake’s testimony, along with insights from other advocates and policy leaders, was recently featured in Pennsylvania Capital-Star , hig

On January 20, 2026 The Pennsylvania Senate Democratic Caucus Policy Committee recently convened a public hearing at Penn State Abington to examine the Small Necessities Leave Act , proposed legislation that would provide workers with up to 20 hours of job-protected leave to address urgent personal and family needs. Among those invited to testify was Blake Emmanuel , Director of Advocacy and Policy at The Fund for Women and Girls, Chester County . Emmanuel shared testimony

PRESS RELEASE TEXT: On January 21, 2026, Representatives Chris Pielli (Chester County) and John Inglis III (Alleghany County) circulated a House memo titled “Lowering the Voting Age for School Board Elections.” The memo announces forthcoming legislation to allow 16- and 17-year-olds to vote in Pennsylvania school board elections. “No one deals with the repercussions of Pennsylvania school board decisions more than students themselves. Students are deeply affected by school bo

The Fund for Women and Girls advances gender equity in Chester County and beyond by driving systemic change defined as shifts in: policy, practice, and culture. We focus on three core priorities: Equity in Education, Health & Safety, and Economic Stability. Through this lens, The Fund works to remove structural barriers so people can thrive, from ensuring fair and inclusive educational opportunities, to expanding access to affordable, quality healthcare and sa

January 9, 2026 The US House of Representatives passed a measure this week to extend the ACA subsidies, and now it is up to the US Senate to hold a vote to extend the subsidies. Without the extension, the cost of healthcare will rise not only for those who utilize ACA plans (known as Pennie in Pennsylvania) but for others as when the number of uninsured individuals rises, so do healthcare costs for everyone. Tell Senators Fetterman and McCormick to call for a vote on the subs

On Tuesday, November 18th, The Fund for Women and Girls was proud to be in Harrisburg for “Our Health, Our Future: Our Lobby Day” — a collective effort to advance policies that support women, girls, and families across Pennsylvania. The day centered several critical issues impacting health and safety across the Commonwealth, including: Strengthening reproductive healthcare access Creating a public paid family leave program through the Family Care Act Protecting individuals

October 30, 2025 Due to the federal government shutdown, SNAP benefits will not be paid out starting Nov 1. SNAP, or the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, is the federal government’s largest anti-hunger program in the United States. It provides monthly benefits to eligible low-income households to help them buy nutritious food While snap only covers a small portion of what it costs to feed someone, it is a portion. The average monthly allotment (no county level da

The Fund invites you to be civically engaged with us. Whether you are new to all this political stuff or you are a seasoned activist, we welcome you to come view oral arguments in front of the PA Supreme Court in this very important case and stay after to discuss the issues raised, arguments and counter arguments, and the impact on women seeking to access reproductive healthcare particularly for socioeconomically disadvantaged and underserved. Please note, we are not lawyers