Press Releases
Senator Kearney Votes ‘No’ for the 2021-22 State Budget
HARRISBURG, PA − June 29, 2021 − State Senator Tim Kearney (D- Chester/Delaware) issued the following statement on his decision to vote ‘No’ for the state budget: “Last Friday, just before midnight, the Pennsylvania legislature passed the 2021-2022 state budget. While...
General Assembly Democrats, Local Leaders Across PA Call for Immediate Action on Toxic and Unsafe School Infrastructure
Statewide, PA − June 11, 2021 -- As the projected state budget surplus surged to $3 billion and more than $7 billion in federal aid remains idled by inaction, Senate & House Democrats gathered in front of local schools across Pennsylvania on Friday to call for...
PA Senate Democrats Hold Policy Hearing on Systemic Housing Insecurity
Harrisburg – May 14, 2021 - At the request of state Senators Tim Kearney (D- Chester/Delaware) and Nikil Saval (D-Philadelphia), the Pennsylvania Senate Democratic Policy Committee held a virtual public hearing on housing and the unhoused in Pennsylvania. “Everyone...
Kearney Announces $1.3 Million in State Funding for Local Projects
SPRINGFIELD − April 21, 2021 – Senator Tim Kearney (D – Delaware/Chester) today announced that over $1.3 million in state grants will go to projects in Delaware County. Funding for these projects was approved by the Commonwealth Financing Authority (CFA). “From...
Elected officials, education leaders & community leaders join Sen. Hughes in call for education justice in honor of MLK
PHILADELPHIA – April 5, 2021 – In recognition of the 53rd anniversary of assassination of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., State Senator Vincent Hughes (D-Philadelphia/Montgomery) called for the Pennsylvania General Assembly to provide true education justice and...
Kearney Calls for Immediate Justice for Survivors of Sexual Abuse
HARRISBURG − March 22, 2021 – Senator Tim Kearney (D – Delaware/Chester) issued the following response to Senate Republicans’ decision not to pursue an emergency constitutional amendment to provide a two-year window for survivors of sexual abuse to seek justice....
Southeast PA Senators Urge Equity in Vaccine Distribution, Oppose Proposed Singular Vaccine Site
Chester, PA – March 19, 2021 – Yesterday, a bipartisan group of Senators representing Bucks, Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery Counties sent a letter to Governor Wolf, Acting Health Secretary Alison Beam, and the members of the COVID-19 Vaccine Joint Task Force,...
Kearney Re-Introduces Breonna’s Law One Year After Shooting
HARRISBURG (March 15, 2021) – Senator Tim Kearney (D – Delaware/Chester) today re-introduced “Breonna’s Law” to ban no-knock warrants, which allow law enforcement to forcibly enter a person’s home without warning. Senate Bill 296 comes on the first anniversary of Breonna Taylor’s death, which occurred on March 13, 2020.
Democratic Senators Intervene in Fracking Lawsuit Against DRBC
BUCKS COUNTY − March 12, 2021 − State Senator Steve Santarsiero (D-10) was joined by Democratic colleagues today in New Hope to announce their action to protect clean drinking water for millions of Pennsylvanians from the environmental hazards of fracking. Their...
PA Senate Dems Again Call for Legislative Window of Justice for Adult Survivors of Sexual Abuse & More Protections for the Future
Harrisburg, Pa. – March 12, 2021 − Pennsylvania Senate Democrats held a press conference today to again call for immediate action to create a two-year window for adult survivors of sexual abuse currently barred from seeking justice due to statutory time limitations....
Senator Kearney and 600 State, Local Officials Call on Congress to Pass President Biden’s American Rescue Plan
HARRISBURG − February 16, 2021 – Senator Tim Kearney (D – Delaware/Chester), the minority chairman of the Local Government Committee, joined more than 600 state and local officials across the country to demand that Congress pass the Biden Administration’s American...
Sen. Kearney Issues Statement on Gov. Wolf’s Proposed Budget
HARRISBURG (February 3, 2021) – Senator Tim Kearney (D – Delaware/Chester), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today issued the following statement on Governor Tom Wolf’s proposed 2021 budget. After a year of hell for Pennsylvania families and our...
Pa Senate Democrats Introduce Legislation to Get Justice for Adult Victims of Childhood Sexual Abuse
Harrisburg, Pa. − February 1, 2021 − Pennsylvania Senate Democrats will introduce legislation to statutorily create a two-year window for survivors of sexual abuse to seek justice on claims that previously would have been time barred. This legislative solution is...
Democratic State Senators Reintroduce Bills to Protect Quality, Stable Health Care in PA
HARRISBURG – January 28, 2021 – State Senators Vincent Hughes (D-Philadelphia/Montgomery), Maria Collett (D-Montgomery/Bucks), Wayne Fontana (D-Allegheny), and Tim Kearney (D-Delaware), reintroduced package of bills to ensure Pennsylvanians maintain quality, stable...
Kearney Announces Committee Assignments for 2021-22 Session
SPRINGFIELD − January 15, 2021 – Senator Tim Kearney (D – Delaware/Chester) today announced his committee assignments for the 2021-22 session. He will serve on the Local Government (minority chair), Appropriations, Education, Transportation, and Labor & Industry...
PA Senate Democrats Release Statement on Violent Protest in DC
Harrisburg, PA – January 6, 2021 – The PA Senate Democrats released the following statement on the violent protest today in the nation’s Capitol: The First Amendment is one of our most sacred. It is not political and it is not partisan. The rights to free speech,...
Senator Kearney Calls for Senator Mastriano’s Resignation
SPRINGFIELD – January 6, 2021 – Senator Tim Kearney (D – Delaware/Chester) today called for the immediate resignation of Senator Doug Mastriano (R – Cumberland/Franklin/York). “Doug Mastriano is a sitting senator who has actively organized a violent insurrection in an...
Senator Kearney Issues Statement on Senator Brewster
HARRISBURG − January 5, 2021 – Senator Tim Kearney (D – Delaware/Chester) today issued the following statement on Senate Republicans’ refusal to seat Senator Jim Brewster (D – Allegheny/Westmoreland). “What happened today in the Pennsylvania Senate was an...
Kearney, Comitta, Santarsiero to Hold Virtual Townhall on COVID-19 Vaccine
WEST CHESTER (December 29, 2020) – State Senator-Elect Carolyn Comitta, state Senator Tim Kearney, and state Senator Steve Santarsiero will hold a virtual townhall meeting with Pennsylvania Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine to answer residents’ questions about the COVID-19 vaccine and discuss the Commonwealth’s vaccination plan.
Senator Kearney Announces $7.5 Million in Local Grants
SPRINGFIELD − December 23, 2020 – Senator Tim Kearney (D – Delaware/Chester) today announced $7.5 million in state grants will go to projects across Delaware County. “These funds will support incredibly important projects that will reach so many people throughout...
Statement: 16 Democratic State Senators Denounce Frivolous Election Lawsuits and Continued Attempts to Undermine our Democracy
HARRISBURG – December 10, 2020 – Today the following members of the Pennsylvania State Senate signed a joint statement – set forth below – denouncing the brazen attempt of the attorneys general of Texas and seventeen other states to disenfranchise millions...
Senator Kearney Announces $3.8 Million in Local Grants
HARRISBURG (December 10, 2020) – Senator Tim Kearney (D – Delaware/Chester) today announced the award of $3.8 million in state grants for Delaware and Chester Counties. The funds, approved by the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency, support a variety of...
Senator Kearney Re-Introduces Breonna’s Law
HARRISBURG (December 8, 2020) – Senator Tim Kearney (D – Delaware/Chester) today announced he will re-introduce “Breonna’s Law” to ban no-knock warrants, which allow law enforcement to forcibly enter a person’s home without warning. Kearney introduced the bill in the...
Pa Senate Dems Unveil Innovative $4 Billion Pandemic Relief Plan to Help Front-Line Workers, Vulnerable Residents, Small Businesses and More
Pa Senate Dems Unveil Innovative $4 Billion Pandemic Relief Plan to Help Front-Line Workers, Vulnerable Residents, Small Businesses and More Pennsylvania − December 4, 2020 − Aiming to stimulate Pennsylvania’s economy by providing direct aid to workers, families,...
Senator Kearney Votes Against State Budget
HARRISBURG (November 20, 2020) – Senator Tim Kearney (D – Delaware/Chester) joined 17 other members of the Pennsylvania Senate in voting against the 2020-21 state budget. During his remarks on Friday evening, Kearney explained his decision to vote against the budget:...
Senator Kearney, Mayor Eberle Announce Breakthrough on Sellers Avenue Bridge Project
RIDLEY PARK − October 15, 2020 – Senator Tim Kearney (D – Delaware, Chester) and Ridley Park Mayor Hank Eberle today announced a breakthrough on the Sellers Avenue bridge project in Ridley Park, paving the way for construction to begin on the long-dormant project. The...
Kearney Introduces “Breonna’s Law” to Ban No-Knock Warrants
HARRISBURG (August 19, 2020) – Senator Tim Kearney (D – Delaware, Chester) today introduced "Breonna's Law" to ban no-knock warrants, which allow law enforcement to forcibly enter a person's home without warning. The bill is named after Breonna Taylor, a 26-year-old...
Legislators Call on Wolf Administration to Revoke Mariner East Pipeline Permits in Chester County
Harrisburg – August 2020 – State legislators representing five House districts and three Senatorial districts in Chester County have signed a letter to Secretary Patrick McDonnell of the PA Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine of...
Kearney Announces $1.4 Million in Affordable Housing Grants
HARRISBURG − August 13, 2020 – Senator Tim Kearney (D – Delaware, Chester) today announced the award of $1.4 million in state funding for affordable housing programs in Delaware and Chester Counties. “Everyone should have a decent, affordable, and safe place to call...
Delaware County lawmakers call for investigation into violence against Black Lives Matter supporters
HARRISBURG – August 7, 2020 – Today, a group of state lawmakers from Delaware County called for District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer to investigate violence and intimidation aimed at Black Lives Matter supporters during a march in Ridley Township on Saturday, August...
State Senate Committee Holds Online Hearing on Strategies to Safely Reopen Schools
Harrisburg – August 3, 2020 – At the request of state Senators Tim Kearney (D-Chester/Delaware), Maria Collett (D-Bucks/Montgomery), Andrew Dinniman (D-Chester) and Larry Farnese (D-Philadelphia), the Senate Democratic Policy Committee today held an online public...
Senators Collett, Kearney, Muth, L. Williams Announce Bill to Suspend Per Diem Pay for Legislators During COVID-19 Pandemic
Harrisburg, Pa. - July 30, 2020 — Senators Maria Collett (D-12 Montgomery/Bucks), Tim Kearney (D-26 Delaware/Chester), Katie Muth (D-44 Berks/Chester/Montgomery) and Lindsey M. Williams (D-38 Allegheny County) have introduced a bill memo for co-sponsorship to suspend...
PA Senate Democrats Discuss Police Reform Legislative Agenda and Statewide Racial Equity Solutions Tour
Harrisburg – June 30, 2020 – Pennsylvania Senate Democrats gathered in the Capitol and through Zoom to discuss the status of their legislative agenda for police reforms, and to announce a statewide Racial Equity Solutions Tour. PA Senate Democrats introduced a...
PA Senate Democrats Announce Comprehensive Police Reform Legislation
HARRISBURG – June 10, 2020 – Today, members of the Pennsylvania Senate Democratic Caucus announced plans for a comprehensive package of legislation to reform policing in Pennsylvania. Two years ago, members of the caucus introduced police and community relations...
PA Senate Democrats Announce $225 Million for Small Business Assistance Grants Statewide
HARRISBURG – June 8, 2020 – Members of the Pennsylvania Senate Democratic Caucus announced the direction of $225 million in federal CARES Act funding to aid small businesses across the commonwealth. This funding was authorized by the recently enacted COVID-19...
The hard truths of racial injustice
As a member of the Pennsylvania Senate, I am generally reluctant to call out my individual colleagues. I know my fellow senators love our Commonwealth and our country – we just have different ideas about how to best serve our people.
However, times arise when a fellow public servant’s statement demands a response. Senator Mike Regan, my colleague from Cumberland and York counties, recently published an op-ed on the recent protests against police brutality and racial injustices that requires such a response.
Kearney Stands with House Colleagues Amid GOP Leaders’ Failure to Report COVID-19 Case
SPRINGFIELD − May 28, 2020 – Senator Tim Kearney (D – Chester, Delaware) today released a statement following the revelation that Republican leaders in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives knew one of their members had tested positive for COVID-19 but never...
PA State Senate Unanimously Passes Legislation to Provide $538 Million in CARES Act Funding for Nursing & Long-Term Care Facilities and Fire & EMS Grants
Harrisburg, PA – May 13, 2020 – Yesterday evening, the Pennsylvania State Senate unanimously passed Senate Bill 1122, which appropriates $538 million in federal CARES Act emergency funding for nursing and long-term care facilities and creates a COVID-19 Crisis Fire Company and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Grant Program.
Kearney Votes Against Bill to Risk Public Safety and Put Workers in Harm’s Way
SPRINGFIELD − April 15, 2020 − Senator Tim Kearney (D – Chester, Delaware) today voted against Senate Bill 613, which would override Governor Tom Wolf's COVID-19 mitigation efforts and reopen non-essential businesses in Pennsylvania against the advice of medical...
PA Senate Democrats Urge Action on Legislation for Working Families, Pledge to Oppose Partisan COVID Task Force
Harrisburg, PA − April 8, 2020 − The Senate adjourned Tuesday afternoon after the House Republicans indicated they would not be taking up Senate Bill 841, legislation that would have enabled local municipalities to hold their meetings remotely, permitted e-notary use;...