Nurses Rally in Support for Fontana Bill on Hospital Staffing and Care

HARRISBURG, May 10, 2016 – Dozens of nurses rallied in the state Capitol Rotunda today to show support for legislation sponsored by Sen. Wayne D. Fontana (D-Allegheny) that would improve staffing and the quality of care at Pennsylvania hospitals. Fontana’s Senate Bill...

Fontana Bill Would Make a Lead Detection Test an Option for Home Buyers

HARRISBURG, March 23, 2016 –State Sen. Wayne D. Fontana today introduced legislation that would give home buyers the option of requesting that a home be tested to determine what level of lead is in the water. The Fontana bill (Senate Bill 1176) was part of a five-bill...

Fontana Re-Elected Vice Chair of PHEAA Board

HARRISBURG, February 18, 2016 – State Sen. Wayne D. Fontana (D-Allegheny) today was unanimously re-elected to serve as the vice chairman of the board of directors for the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA). Created in 1963 by the state...

Fontana Statement on Senate Kane Removal Attempt

HARRISBURG, February 10, 2016 – State Sen. Wayne D. Fontana today provided the following statement on the state Senate’s attempted vote to remove Attorney General Kathleen Kane from office. The senate voted 29 to 19 in favor of recommending Kane’s removal. However,...

State Auditor General’s Report backs Fontana’s Call to Dissolve ICA

PITTSBURGH, November 10, 2015 – State Sen. Wayne D. Fontana (D-Brookline) today issued a statement in response to the audit report issued by state Auditor General Eugene DePasquale. The audit concludes that the state-imposed Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority...

Fontana Calls GOP Stopgap Budget a Wasteful PR Stunt

Harrisburg, Sept. 18, 2015 – State Sen. Wayne D. Fontana (D-Allegheny) today gave the following statement after the party-line Senate vote in favor of the Republican’s so-called stopgap budget measure. Fontana voted against the legislation. “I’m disgusted by this...

Fontana Bill Would Disband “Redundant and Unecessary” ICA in Pittsburgh

PITTSBURGH, Sept. 15, 2015 – Calling Pittsburgh’s state-imposed Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority (ICA) “unnecessary, redundant and a waste of taxpayer dollars,” State Sen. Wayne D. Fontana today announced legislation that would disband the authority. “The ICA...

Fontana Calls GOP Budget a Political Scam

HARRISBURG, June 30, 2014 – State Sen. Wayne D. Fontana today provided the following comment after the state Senate’s 30-19 party line vote for a Republican-sponsored 2015-16 fiscal year budget (House Bill 1192): “It’s disappointing that Republicans are advocating...

Fontana Backs Suit to Enforce Highmark-UPMC Consent Decree

Harrisburg, May 22, 2015 – State Sen. Wayne D. Fontana (D-Allegheny) has signed on to a “friend of the court” legal brief aimed at backing the state Attorney General’s lawsuit to enforce the Highmark-UPMC consent decree. The lawsuit would force the two sides into...

Fontana Credits Governor Wolf for Dynamic Budget Proposal

Harrisburg, March 3, 2015 – State Sen. Wayne D. Fontana (D-Allegheny) today provided the following statement in response to Gov. Tom Wolf’s 2015-16 state budget proposal: “Any budget discussion must begin with the fact that the irresponsible policies of the past four...

Fontana Bill would Legalize and Regulate Ride-Share Services

Brookline – February 12, 2015 – State Sen. Wayne D. Fontana (D-Allegheny) today re-introduced legislation that would legalize, regulate and license transportation network companies (TNC) in Pennsylvania. Uber and Lyft, and other so-called ride-sharing service...

Fontana Opens Local Mobile Offices to Reach More Constituents

HARRISBURG, February 3, 2015 – In an effort to make his staff and local services more convenient and accessible for constituents, state Senator Wayne D. Fontana is opening two new mobile offices. “Redistricting has changed some of the communities I represent,” Fontana...

Fontana Sworn in to Another Senate Term

HARRISBURG, January 6, 2015 – With family, friends and supporters on hand, State Senator Wayne Fontana took the oath of office today and pledged to continue fighting for jobs, economic investment and tax relief. First elected in 2005, the Brookline lawmaker ran...

Fontana Elected to Serve as Senate Democratic Caucus Chairman

Harrisburg, November 12, 2014 – State Senate Democrats today unanimously elected state Senator Wayne D. Fontana (D-Brookline) to serve as Democratic Caucus chairman for the coming two-year legislative session. The caucus chairman sets the daily caucus agenda and leads...

Fontana Supports Ride-share Companies at PUC Hearing

Harrisburg, August 28, 2014 – Urging the state Public Utility Commission (PUC) to grant ride-share companies Uber and Lyft permanent operating licenses, State Sen. Wayne D. Fontana today testified that the businesses provide citizens more transportation options,...

Fontana Applauds PUC Vote on Temporary Ride-Share Licensing

Brookline – July 24, 2014 – State Sen. Wayne D. Fontana today said he was pleased by the five-member Public Utility Commission’s (PUC) unanimous vote today to allow Uber and Lyft to continue providing so-called “ride-share” service in Allegheny County. Fontana, who...

Fontana Introduces Ride-Sharing Legislation

Resolution calling for immediate PUC action also proposed Harrisburg – July 8, 2014 – Legislation that would provide a remedy to the Public Utility Commission’s (PUC) ruling that bars Uber and Lyft from offering ride-sharing transportation alternatives in Allegheny...

Fontana Calls State Budget a Sham

HARRISBURG, June 30, 2014 – State Sen. Wayne D. Fontana today provided the following comment after the state Senate approved the 2014-15 fiscal year budget (House Bill 2328): “Apart from the usual misguided priorities, I’m alarmed that so-called fiscal conservatives...