{"id":126239,"date":"2023-12-27T19:40:42","date_gmt":"2023-12-28T00:40:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/?p=126239"},"modified":"2023-12-27T19:40:42","modified_gmt":"2023-12-28T00:40:42","slug":"pa-house-democrats-deliver-improving-pas-economy-for-workers-and-businesses","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/?p=126239","title":{"rendered":"PA House Democrats Deliver: Improving PA\u2019s Economy for Workers and Businesses"},"content":{"rendered":"

HARRISBURG, Dec. 27 \u2013<\/strong>\u00a0With an aggressive agenda in 2023, the Pennsylvania House Democratic Caucus advanced the commonwealth\u2019s economic outlook and helped working families and seniors across the state by driving policies that return more money to the people who make our local economies thrive.<\/p>\n

Following nearly two decades of Republican inaction, House Democrats secured the first increase in the\u00a0Property Tax\/Rent Rebate<\/strong>\u00a0Program in 17 years. The newly expanded program made 173,000 more Pennsylvanians eligible and the maximum rebate increased from $650 to $1,000.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis law helps seniors, people under the age of 65 with disabilities, renters and homeowners so they can stay in their homes,\u201d said Rep. Steve Samuelson, D-Northampton, chairman of the House Finance Committee and primary sponsor of the legislation.<\/p>\n

House Democrats are also ensuring seniors\u2019 prescription drugs remain affordable in 2024, by updating the\u00a0PACE\/PACENET law<\/strong>\u00a0to allow any senior who was enrolled in the programs as of Dec. 31, 2022, to remain in the program even if they exceed the maximum income limit due to the Social Security cost-of living adjustment.<\/p>\n

Pennsylvania\u2019s working families also win with a significantly increased\u00a0Child and Dependent Care Enhancement Tax Credit\u00a0<\/strong>– a measure championed by House Democrats \u2013 that will help families pay for child and dependent care in order to work. Under the enhanced program, nearly a quarter million qualifying families will see their state tax credit triple when they file their federal and state tax returns in 2024.<\/p>\n

A newly expanded \u201cClean Slate\u201d program is putting more Pennsylvanians back to work, by making low-level, non-violent drug offenses with a maximum sentence of 30 months eligible for automated sealing. It also permits petition-based sealing of a few\u00a0other non-violent\u00a0offenses and reduces the waiting period for automated sealing of misdemeanors to seven years.\u00a0Clean Slate 3.0<\/strong>\u00a0builds on the original Clean Slate law, passed in 2018, that has sealed 40 million cases and improved the lives of 1.2 million Pennsylvanians and their families.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat we\u2019ve seen since Clean Slate was first enacted is countless Pennsylvanians having doors opened for them to better education, housing and employment that were previously not available due to a minor crime they committed in their past,\u201d said majority Appropriations Chairman Jordan Harris, D-Phila. \u201cThis expansion had bipartisan support because everyone realizes that it\u2019s not only the right thing to do for folks who have paid their debt to society and are on the right track, but it improves our communities and makes them safer by helping people reach higher levels of success and achievement.\u201d<\/p>\n

However, with a year remaining in the 2023-24 legislative session, there is much more Pennsylvania can do to support workers and businesses.<\/p>\n

House Democrats have already passed dozens of worker- and business-friendly bills that would further improve the state\u2019s economic climate, including:<\/p>\n