Protecting Pregnant Women in the Work Place

Blogger's Note: The following is a press release from Mark painter's office:

Mark Painter, D-146th Dist.

State Rep. Mark Painter, D-146th Dist., has introduced legislation that would establish the Pennsylvania Pregnant Workers Fairness Act.

Under Painter's bill, it would be unlawful for a covered employer to refuse reasonable accommodations related to pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions unless those accommodations would prove an undue hardship on the entity’s operations.

Painter said this year marks the 35th anniversary of the federal Pregnancy Discrimination Act. The PDA amended Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to prohibit employment discrimination due to childbirth, pregnancy, or similar related medical conditions.

"Today, unfortunately, pregnancy discrimination remains a persistent and growing problem. 

In the majority of cases, the accommodations women need are minor, such as permission to sit periodically, the ability to carry a water bottle, or help lifting heavy objects. Those women who continue working without having these medically advised accommodations risk their health and increase the likelihood of pregnancy complications," said Painter.

"Pregnancy discrimination causes significant and long-term harm to women and their families well beyond pregnancy, to include the loss of health benefits, job seniority, and wages. These losses also contribute to measurable long-term gender-based pay differences."



House Bill 1892 is part of the Pennsylvania Agenda for Women’s Health, a comprehensive legislative package to address health issues affecting Pennsylvania women. The first phase of the proposal was unveiled today during a Capitol news conference by the Women's Health Caucus, of which Painter is a member.

The caucus is a bipartisan, bicameral group of legislators partnering with interest groups and advocacy organizations seeking to develop and implement legislation and social policy that protects and respects a woman’s right to make private, personal medical decisions.

Your Chance to Talk Property Taxes, Education Funding

South Hall of Montgomery County Community College's 

West Campus

The House Democratic Policy Committee will hold a public hearing to discuss property taxes and “education funding cuts” at 2 p.m. Monday, Sept. 9 at the Montgomery County Community College’s West Campus South Hall on College Drive.

“The committee will hear from stakeholders — including school board members, superintendents, education advocates and the AARP — who will discuss education funding cuts and their impact on property taxes,” according to information posted on the Facebook page of state Rep. Mark Painter, D-146th Dist.

“Since 2010-11, the average classroom in Pennsylvania public schools has lost $11,575 in annual funding, and the poorest school districts have lost more than $20,000,” Painter posted.

“I remain disappointed that the overall state budget failed to adequately or fully fund public

Mark Painter

education as a whole. While the state legislature completed the budget process in early July, sadly, it did not restore the $1 billion in education funding cuts that Gov. Tom Corbett has delivered and retained in his last two budget cycles,” Painter said in his post.

“Children and their families are adversely affected when school districts are underfunded. This lack of funding, which has been a hallmark of the state budgets under Gov. Corbett, causes many school districts to make hard choices. I don’t support teacher lay-offs or cuts in vital programs such as music and art while property taxes continue to rise,” Painter wrote. “This double-edged sword of diminishing educational programs and rising taxes is unsustainable.”

Cooperative Purchasing Program Explained

Mark Painter

Blogger's Note: This from the office of state Rep. Mark Painter, D-146th Dist.

State Rep. Mark Painter will host a seminar for local businesses, governments, public authorities and nonprofit organizations to learn about COSTARS, the state cooperative purchasing program.

The event for potential purchasers and suppliers is slated for 1 p.m. July 15 in Painter's office at 600 Heritage Drive, Sanatoga. 

Those interested in attending the seminar may contact Painter's office at 610-326-9563.

"This innovative program helps small businesses learn about new sales opportunities and strengthens our local economy," Painter said. 

"For small governments and nonprofits, COSTARS is a great tool for stretching more value from every dollar by leveraging the purchasing power and discounts of the state."

During the seminar, officials in the Pennsylvania Department of General Services COSTARS office will explain the program and provide details on how to become part of it.

The COSTARS approach to cooperative purchasing uses the buying power of local entities to obtain more competitive pricing and choice than individual purchasers might be able to obtain on their own.

DGS estimates that more than 10,000 entities within Pennsylvania are eligible to become COSTARS members.

D.E.A.R. Reader

State Rep. Mark Painter, D-146th Dist., and Shannon Wagner's first grade class at Rupert Elementary school, recently dropped everything to read.

Blogger's Note: Summer is fast upon us and, quite frankly, much of the subject matter we write about here at the Digital Notebook. So we will confess to warehousing an item or two, here and there, to get us through the long dry season. But before school recedes too far from our thoughts, let's visit Shannon Wagner's first grade class at Rupert Elementary School and a special visitor they had. (As always, thanks to John Armato for providing this information and photos. He's getting quite good at picture-taking isn't he?)

The students in Shannon Wagner's class know how to start a letter, "Dear XXXX."

So when they wrote to State Representative Mark Painter, that's how it began.

But it's also what the letter was about. 

Mark Painter dropped everything and read to 

Rupert students.

Because at Rupert, D.E.A.R. stands for "Drop Everything And Read," and the announcement can come at any moment.

The students wrote to Painter, asking him to visit for just such an event. And he did.

The students, who are a long way from voting age, were attentive to the tale of a green frog and a fly. They asked many questions and shared their ideas about how the story would end.

“An appreciation and joy for the skill of reading will go a long way in leading to academic success,” said Wagner.

“I appreciate this opportunity to help instill in young people the joy of reading. It will become one of the foundations of a successful life,” Painter said.

“D.E.A.R. day is one of the many reading activities that our schools do to promote the joy of reading. We are happy to have our community partners play an active role in the education of our most precious resource – our young people,” said Rupert Principal Matt Moyer.

A Capitol Affair

Pottsgrove Middle School choral singers are joined by State Sen. John Rafferty, far left, and state Rep. Mark painter, near left.

Blogger's Note: The following provided by Beth Tripani on behalf of the Pottsgrove School District.

About 70 Pottsgrove Middle School students traveled to the Harrisburg Capitol on March 18 to perform a one hour concert at noon in the Rotunda as part of Music in our Schools Month. 

The students also received a guided tour of the Capital, and learned about the architecture and history of the building as well as the various branches of government. Senator John Rafferty and Reprepesentative Mark Painter spoke to the students and took pictures with the group.

"Many of the students were thrilled with how the group sounded because of the beautiful acoustics in the building," said Choral Director Carole Bean.

"It was thrilling for me to see the excitement on the faces of the students as they performed in such a prestigious venue."

The group sang at the Capitol in 2006 and 2010 for the same type of event.

They had to submit an application in September to the Pennsylvania Music Education Association for the chance to perform there. 

The group sang songs including: "We are the World," "Let There Be Peace on Earth," "The Climb," "Like an Eagle," "Lean on Me" and "Blessings." 

They also sang a patriotic song called "America the Beautiful" which include The Pledge of Allegiance and readings from the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, the Gettysburg Address, and Martin Luther King's I Have A Dream speech. 

The concert also included songs such as "It's Ragtime," "Hawaii 5 O," "Puttin' on the Ritz," "Dona Nobis Pacem," "Popular," "Joshua," and "Dynamite."