Newsroom
Fontana Bill Would Empower Municipalities to Help Rectify Sewer Lateral Problems
HARRISBURG, June 3, 2014 – A state Senate committee today unanimously approved legislation sponsored by Sen. Wayne D. Fontana (D-Allegheny) that would give municipal governments the option of establishing policies and helping residents repair damaged sewer laterals....
Op-ed: My Idea for Saving the August Wilson Center
As the fate of Pittsburgh’s treasured August Wilson Center for African American Culture inches closer to foreclosure, it is time to step back from this pitched battle between bidders, bankers and community authorities and examine amicable and innovative solutions. In...
Fontana Child Abuse Reporting Bill Set to Become Law
HARRISBURG, May 7, 2014 – The state Senate today unanimously approved Sen. Wayne D. Fontana’s (D-Brookline) bill that would toughen child abuse reporting requirements in schools. Senate Bill 31 now goes to the governor for enactment. “This bill will help protect our...
Fontana Calls for Strengthening State’s Film Tax Credit program
Harrisburg, March 31, 2014 – State Sen. Wayne D. Fontana (D-Allegheny) has introduced legislation that would make more money available to the state’s film production tax credit program by recapturing unused credits from the previous year. If such a law were currently...
Sen. Fontana Re-Elected Vice Chair of PHEAA Board
Harrisburg, February 13, 2014 – 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). “I appreciate the board’s unanimous...
Fontana Wants More Budget Dollars for Jobs and Businesses
Harrisburg, February 4, 2014 – State Sen. Wayne D. Fontana (D-Allegheny) today provided the following statement in response to Gov. Tom Corbett’s 2014-15 state budget proposal. “Like all budgets, there are things you like – and things you don’t. While I applaud the...
Senate Democrats Press Corbett on Human Services Funding Failures
PITTSBURGH, January 30, 2014 – Flanked by people who have struggled due to state human services budget cuts, Senate Democrats today detailed their budget priorities and challenged Gov. Tom Corbett to produce a spending plan that is aligned with the needs of...
Fontana Praises Veterans at World War II Monument Dedication
Pittsburgh, December 6, 2013 – Calling the Southwestern Pennsylvania World War II monument a fitting tribute to World War II veterans and Pittsburgh’s historic role in that war, state Sen. Wayne D. Fontana (D-Allegheny) took part in today’s dedication ceremony at the...
Fontana Bill would Give Military Veterans Stronger Hiring Edge
Harrisburg, November 19, 2013 – State Sen. Wayne D. Fontana (D-Allegheny) today unveiled legislation that would increase the veterans’ preference points in Civil Service testing from 10 to 15 points. The Fontana legislation, introduced as part of a previous jobs...
Workforce Development Experts, Community College Officials Share Thoughts, Ideas on Ways PA Can Deliver Qualified Workers to Industry
PITTSBURGH, Oct. 30, 2013 – Workforce development leaders and strategists from community colleges worked with the state Senate Democratic Policy Committee today to devise a better strategy for delivering trained employees to Pennsylvania’s energy, manufacturing and...
Fontana, Senate Committee to Discuss Community Colleges, Workforce Development
Sen. Wayne Fontana and the state Senate Democratic Policy Committee will host a roundtable discussion at 10 a.m., Wednesday, Oct. 30, in Pittsburgh to examine how community colleges can better prepare skilled workers in energy, manufacturing and other industry...
Fontana Welcomes CSX Project to McKees Rocks, Stowe
McKees Rocks, October 17, 2013 – State Sen. Wayne D. Fontana is praising CSX Corporation’s announcement today that it plans to build the Pittsburgh Intermodal Terminal in McKees Rocks Borough and Stowe Township after reviewing numerous sites along CSXT mainline...
Senate Unanimously Approves Fontana Child Abuse Reporting Bill
HARRISBURG, October 16, 2013 – The state Senate today unanimously approved state Sen. Wayne D. Fontana’s (D-Brookline) bill that would toughen child abuse reporting requirements in schools. “I am pleased by this strong bipartisan vote in the Senate and will urge my...
Pittsburgh Trial Highlights Need for Child Abuse Reporting Upgrade
Op-ed by Senator Wayne Fontana - Testimony from the trial in Pittsburgh involving alleged child abuse by a former Pittsburgh Public Schools police officer underscores the need for better safeguards for our children and clearer reporting procedures for school...
Fontana Says New State Budget Comes up Short on Education and Job Creation
Harrisburg, June 30, 2013 – State Sen. Wayne D. Fontana (D-Allegheny) today issued the following statement after the senate passed a new $28.3 billion budget by a vote of 33-17. Fontana opposed the measure (House Bill 1437): “With this budget, the Corbett...
Fontana Child Abuse Reporting Bill Clears Senate Education Committee
HARRISBURG, June 11, 2013 – The state Senate Education Committee today unanimously approved state Sen. Wayne D. Fontana’s (D-Brookline) bill that would toughen child abuse reporting requirements in schools “I am heartened and encouraged by this strong bipartisan vote...
PHEAA’s New Parkway Center Customer Service Facility to Create 150 jobs in Allegheny County
Pittsburgh, PA (June 7, 2013) – Senator Wayne Fontana, Vice Chairman of the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency’s (PHEAA) Board of Directors, today announced a new job creation initiative in Allegheny County that will generate 150 employment opportunities...
PA Senate Manufacturing Caucus Holds First Meeting
Harrisburg, May 13, 2013 – The bipartisan Pennsylvania Senate Manufacturing Caucus, chaired by Sen. Kim Ward (R-39) and Sen. Wayne Fontana (D-42), held its first meeting today, bringing together manufacturers, legislators and experts to discuss ideas for boosting...
Fontana Applauds Highmark-West Penn Merger
HARRISBURG, April 29, 2013 – State Sen. Wayne D. Fontana (D-Allegheny) issued the following statement in response to the state Department of Insurance’s decision today to approve the merger between Highmark and West Penn Allegheny Health System: “I am pleased with the...
Fontana Announces Deadline Extension for Home Heating Aid Program
Brookline, March 28, 2013 – State Sen. Wayne D. Fontana today announced today that the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) application deadline has been extended through April 26. “I urge low-income homeowners to look into whether they are eligible for...