The winner won't be called until all the provisional votes are counted.

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With a population of just 1,400, the new Councilors say it could take years to raise the money for some of these projects.

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Pace was appointed and won in an election against Jim Dillenbeck last night.

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A national report on local news calls Charlottesville Tomorrow one of 12 "bright spots" in a beleaguered ecosystem.

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02-2014 : Montréal Exchange Derivatives Education Initiative Continues to Grow

https://www.facebook.com/200466826663482/posts/3695679180475545/

https://www.abc27.com/investigators/shawns-law-york-county-mom-fights-for-tougher-penalties-against-those-who-encourage-others-to-take-their-own-life/?fbclid=IwAR2vuraueQvuG0cAOXMuLd8uw9zWUIqA4Kbvm61m3x4aE_UIOM1ewT_WBfU

The 4th and final part of our series on human trafficking explains what lawmakers and the PCC have been doing to help solve the problem. https://fb.watch/7X9-8f1Bdi/

As part of the PCC’s efforts on human trafficking, we’re talking with advocates and lawmakers about what is being done to address the issue. Today I’m sharing a series of sound bites from an interview I did with Christine Commerce from the Alliance to End Human Trafficking. https://x.com/PAcatholic/status/1736783868848492574?s=20   https://x.com/PAcatholic/status/1736796871337599054?s=20   https://x.com/PAcatholic/status/1736818153110307184?s=20              

We talked with PA Senator Maria Collett about two bills to combat human trafficking. The PCC supports these measures. https://www.facebook.com/share/v/Kt42YCggWSg8cSfu/?mibextid=WC7FNe https://www.facebook.com/share/v/81hHpExotYkCzhXr/?mibextid=WC7FNe https://www.facebook.com/share/v/pwQ7FQ6FNsH9toZA/?mibextid=WC7FNe https://www.facebook.com/share/v/drx1X9Wqukp77EwZ/?mibextid=WC7FNe  

Sarah Bowen of the Promise of Life Network crisis pregnancy center near Pittsburgh talked with me about the motivation behind the campaign by abortion advocates against the work these centers do, which is to provide women with support during an unplanned pregnancy. https://x.com/PAcatholic/status/1703790777099235616?s=20   https://fb.watch/nccvJtmh6p/?mibextid=cr9u03  

Here are some of our postings for Monday’s PA March for Life. https://www.facebook.com/share/v/KNZfyjbgaMeFPfj3/?mibextid=WC7FNe https://www.facebook.com/share/v/gp5xVu7y8kxW49kv/?mibextid=WC7FNe https://www.facebook.com/share/v/YpxiCotA4v22Q7tb/?mibextid=WC7FNe https://www.facebook.com/share/v/uNFWLVKh3vcTHH7u/?mibextid=WC7FNe https://www.facebook.com/share/v/ZJmyUxQnDzEUQs1N/?mibextid=WC7FNe  

Two years ago we spent time talking about the issues facing mothers and children during our nine-month series on Maternal & Early Childhood Issues. Part of that focus was on the work done by doulas, particularly by Amy Wilt and her group at Dauphin County Doulas. Since then, doulas have received a lot of attention across Pennsylvania, with lawmakers in Harrisburg taking the lead on working to increase the access to doulas and their coverage by insurance. Doula services are now covered under Medical Assistance after changes by the Shapiro Administration. In order to be recognized by Medicaid, doulas must be certified through the Pennsylvania Certification Board. Department of Human Services Secretary Dr. Val Arkoosh and Department of Health Acting Secretary Dr. Debra Bogen recently stressed the importance of doulas as part of care teams for historically underserved populations. With this in mind, we talked once again with Amy Wilt to see what she though of the increased awareness. “I’m so happy about that. That’s great movement,” she said. “Even two years ago when we first spoke, we weren’t recognized as a profession. Nobody talked about us. Nobody knew what we did….There’s a lot more who are learning about us, which is fabulous. “I’ve seen this huge shift, with late-in-pregnancy moms–‘oh I just learned what a doula is and I really need you on board.’ We’re filled up until August and September is my first opening.” But there is still progress to be made. Wilt says she is grateful for the increase in insurance coverage. But she would like to see the coverage give doulas more up-front coverage to ensure client commitment. “I’m not allowed to charge you a deposit to hold your spot. I’m not allowed to charge you anything,” Wilt said, referring to the restrictions involved with the current form of insurance coverage. “That then causes a problem because I don’t know that you are going to call me for your birth. They need to take a look at that. ” Wilt says she has found that moms without a financial commitment, like a deposit, are less likely to call for the birth. “If they don’t call for the birth, then we lose a significant amount of money. We’re just getting paid for a pre-natal visit.” And they have difficulty knowing whether or not to reserve time for moms in the months ahead. Wilt says it will end up hurting the doula industry if things don’t change.  

There was a lot going on this week at the PA Capitol and work continues to try to get a budget in place by the Sunday deadline. Here are some highlights from the week as posted on our Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1aqPW3tYtMySPUcY/?mibextid=WC7FNe https://www.facebook.com/share/v/iPW4XyHKBf3oNVpA/?mibextid=WC7FNe https://www.facebook.com/share/v/MRTAq999kpMtkhv9/?mibextid=WC7FNe https://www.facebook.com/share/v/7ZdipDQTXzD21sM1/?mibextid=WC7FNe https://www.facebook.com/share/v/HMNCDYPoBPLBkMHn/?mibextid=WC7FNe https://www.facebook.com/share/v/2R5HH7NwBWVfMptZ/?mibextid=WC7FNe https://www.facebook.com/share/v/EhG7jnpXiU6wgbM9/?mibextid=WC7FNe https://www.facebook.com/share/v/ZpTH7M8RmkWASUTD/?mibextid=WC7FNe https://www.facebook.com/share/v/s2DhksEQn8eiyWhR/?mibextid=WC7FNe https://www.facebook.com/share/v/RwnUBVxxYpHCEds3/?mibextid=WC7FNe https://www.facebook.com/share/v/HGy8LvPkMrWfaUSQ/?mibextid=WC7FNe https://www.facebook.com/share/v/GZB94RZN77WXGCkq/?mibextid=WC7FNe https://www.facebook.com/share/v/8dkx16UsiGUsi7y1/?mibextid=WC7FNe

The PA House and Senate were both in session this past week at the PA Capitol in Harrisburg. Here are a few highlights that were posted on Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/share/v/kpVrbTF41UPcBL54/?mibextid=WC7FNe https://www.facebook.com/share/v/uik5nA16bt1GWLqq/?mibextid=WC7FNe https://www.facebook.com/share/v/QazY1igbzN39gMnp/?mibextid=WC7FNe https://www.facebook.com/share/v/xErRDMW4up3xqnUd/?mibextid=WC7FNe https://www.facebook.com/share/v/BTANcczmJ8tWi1nF/?mibextid=WC7FNe https://www.facebook.com/share/v/Gir5L55U3Jmbjwbe/?mibextid=WC7FNe https://www.facebook.com/share/v/jkV5K1hAcJqWgv8R/?mibextid=WC7FNe https://www.facebook.com/share/p/Qyo2YZxaYrJzf5wh/?mibextid=WC7FNe    

The PA House and Senate were both in session this week in Harrisburg. Here are a few highlights, as posted on our Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/share/v/XacBkpVDrM8KK2wk/?mibextid=WC7FNe https://www.facebook.com/share/v/43GWBfQD9Ug8vQrn/?mibextid=WC7FNe https://www.facebook.com/share/v/pVnfMZ3LweFitSdt/?mibextid=WC7FNe https://www.facebook.com/share/v/XJ3jW2v9GmqTdYoH/?mibextid=WC7FNe https://www.facebook.com/share/v/kzUokt3YHpaa1AvD/?mibextid=WC7FNe https://www.facebook.com/share/v/QH6Gs5ErWZecLbtX/?mibextid=WC7FNe https://www.facebook.com/share/v/oE5iuzdYKwQpNqBs/?mibextid=WC7FNe https://www.facebook.com/share/v/V14dd8txoWRGF477/?mibextid=WC7FNe  

It was a week of long days and late nights at the PA Capitol in Harrisburg. The House and Senate passed a $47.6-billiion budget Thursday night and the Governor quickly signed it. Here are some of the highlights from the week as we posted on Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/share/v/jB4x3LorzSqsLGGH/?mibextid=WC7FNe https://www.facebook.com/share/v/e6znUQoeEmS8bEVb/?mibextid=WC7FNe https://www.facebook.com/share/v/xRefuvWNigC7J8Yr/?mibextid=WC7FNe https://www.facebook.com/share/v/3XkX2ARAsyAwBKq4/?mibextid=WC7FNe https://www.facebook.com/share/v/7UMepHi21UzpeVFP/?mibextid=WC7FNe https://www.facebook.com/share/v/xWuE2TTU16vzTbGr/?mibextid=WC7FNe https://www.facebook.com/share/v/VhN9DPhZXAQfNshK/?mibextid=WC7FNe https://www.facebook.com/share/v/TjJfE13g46cUwRSt/?mibextid=WC7FNe https://www.facebook.com/share/v/zSvyP6CHK366W8hp/?mibextid=WC7FNe    

There were actually a few things happening this past week at the PA Capitol, including a committee meeting. Here are the postings we featured on Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/share/v/AzvyoRbqGz9T9eUb/?mibextid=WC7FNe https://www.facebook.com/share/v/ZuZMKFaYECxAHEb4/?mibextid=WC7FNe https://www.facebook.com/share/v/64FEnHSzn7y465JV/?mibextid=WC7FNe https://www.facebook.com/share/v/iHxcnGq66i1m4mtY/?mibextid=WC7FNe

In January Brian Lynch founded the South Central PA Chapter of the Young Catholic Professionals. We talked with Brian about the group. https://www.facebook.com/share/v/kwRbNff8kzdAxMAv/?mibextid=WC7FNe https://www.facebook.com/share/v/8NpLfyUb7crA35JB/?mibextid=WC7FNe https://www.facebook.com/share/v/7twzgWxPv2LaUsab/?mibextid=WC7FNe  

The PA Senate returned to the Capitol for full sessions and committee meetings. The Bishop of Harrisburg, Timothy Senior gave the opening prayer on Tuesday. That is in the first of our Facebook posts offered here. https://www.facebook.com/share/v/gji9z8diELbaWi5E/?mibextid=WC7FNe https://www.facebook.com/share/v/JLLp8LZNLFuBAyrH/?mibextid=WC7FNe https://www.facebook.com/share/v/XRs363N9Mvpog1pe/?mibextid=WC7FNe https://www.facebook.com/share/v/wGTgGutdEcf6vX6V/?mibextid=WC7FNe https://www.facebook.com/share/v/JRyWvi2KkipabkwQ/?mibextid=WC7FNe https://www.facebook.com/share/v/3aBxFaPwQxATNBJj/?mibextid=WC7FNe https://www.facebook.com/share/v/L7H8rK475qyztwnM/?mibextid=WC7FNe

It was a very light week for activity inside the PA Capitol in Harrisburg. https://www.facebook.com/share/v/2twZhe3eUW5ZJvvj/?mibextid=WC7FNe https://www.facebook.com/share/v/WYgvZG5kRNGm5doS/?mibextid=WC7FNe https://www.facebook.com/share/p/qK1GmVTnFY4xtKu1/?mibextid=WC7FNe https://www.facebook.com/share/v/DAmTVrp7ytqHbrYM/?mibextid=WC7FNe  

The PA House and Senate were both in session this past week at the PA Capitol. Here are the highlights as we posted them on Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/share/v/91gte3oN22z3gcvd/?mibextid=WC7FNe https://www.facebook.com/share/v/36rT8WAJXtqMrdDR/?mibextid=WC7FNe https://www.facebook.com/share/v/Mipw7kCWijArooH3/?mibextid=WC7FNe https://www.facebook.com/share/v/jmdqNWHwEFRMbsej/?mibextid=WC7FNe https://www.facebook.com/share/v/jmdqNWHwEFRMbsej/?mibextid=WC7FNe https://www.facebook.com/share/v/8a8QBvQ6KecfTUNp/?mibextid=WC7FNe https://www.facebook.com/share/v/sDwrwx4tiJfEw4qx/?mibextid=WC7FNe https://www.facebook.com/share/v/sDwrwx4tiJfEw4qx/?mibextid=WC7FNe https://www.facebook.com/share/v/hWRi35AmpYPNWqMH/?mibextid=WC7FNe https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1RCQUhW2Tkq3kuyN/?mibextid=WC7FNe https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1RCQUhW2Tkq3kuyN/?mibextid=WC7FNe https://www.facebook.com/share/v/H5sgwM6UTcTyqekr/?mibextid=WC7FNe https://www.facebook.com/share/v/QwZ9hNGA6rr9V1gz/?mibextid=WC7FNe https://www.facebook.com/share/v/3dCRP1MuPDNskLA1/?mibextid=WC7FNe  

You will never guess where you can find a wide selection of biblical quotations when you visit Harrisburg. Well, yeah, the bible. But I’m talking a building. It’s the State Capitol of all places–hard to believe in this day and age where there is always someone looking to be offended. PA Rep. Kathy Rapp, a Republican out of the northwestern part of the state, put out a nice booklet that is complete with the verses and the scenes that accompany those verses. Many are in the Governor’s reception room, House chambers and Senate chambers. Rapp stated in the first page of her book “Pennsylvania’s history and heritage is rooted in religious significance. From William Penn’s own vision and statement of establishing a Holy Experiment, to the first laws proposed by the General Assembly, to the first section of the first Constitution, the Charter of Privileges, entitled the freedom of conscience, our founders based their way of life on religious convictions. There are verses from the Old Testament, including Isaiah 42:1,4,7,10 “Behold my servant whom I uphold to pen the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house. Sing unto the Lord a new song ye that go down to the sea.” There are also several from the New Testament and the Gospels, like Matthew 5:10 “Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness sake.” No, this would not happen today. Not with the hyper-politically correct world we live in. In fact, it’s kind of surprising no one has fought to take it down. Maybe they have and I don’t know it. For example… There’s a case involving Lehigh County and the cross on its county seal that was added in 1944. It was fine then, but of course it had to offend somebody eventually. Yep. It did. The Wisconsin-based Freedom From Religion Foundation—how they came across the symbol is beyond me—joined four Lehigh County residents and filed a lawsuit. According to the Morning Call, they argued “the seal was a violation of their first amendment rights.” U.S. District Judge Edward G. Smith agreed with the folks who were offended. He ruled in September that Lehigh Co. would have to change it on flags, cars or other property but could keep it on older documents. The County appealed to the Third Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals, which is waiting for the U.S. Supreme Court to act on a similar case before it makes a ruling.  

Both the House and Senate were in session this week in Harrisburg. The PA Catholic Conference saw a number of bills passed that we support. That included–in the House– a package of 8 bills to combat human trafficking and a bill to assure that clergy members would not be prevented from visiting long-term care facilities during any future government emergencies.  There were also 3 pro-life bills that passed the House Health Committee. Here are the postings that we made this week as these events occurred. Lawmakers are back at the Capitol today! Just underway…this joint public hearing by the Education and Human Services Committees on mental health services provided to PA’s secondary students in the wake of the pandemic and resulting shutdown. @PAHouseGOP @PaHouseDems pic.twitter.com/sypuExY2TR — PAcatholic (@PAcatholic) May 24, 2021 Rep. Curt Sonney and Rep. Stephen Kinsey ask Sherri Smith of the PA Dept. of Education about the issue of ‘chronic absenteeism’ over the past year or so. Smith says some students thrived on remote learning while others had problems with it. @PAHouseGOP @PaHouseDems pic.twitter.com/5ol4gjyxgT — PAcatholic (@PAcatholic) May 24, 2021 Many lawmakers and just as many interested/frustrated residents attend this public hearing on issues facing unemployment compensation in Pennsylvania. Lawmakers have also been sharing their frustrations with the system for several months. @PaHouseDems @PAHouseGOP pic.twitter.com/tW8QCHHGFf — PAcatholic (@PAcatholic) May 24, 2021 The PA House Transportation Committee unanimously passes SB 445 by Sen. Bob Mensch that will provide for contributions to breast cancer research during vehicle registration. The vote was welcomed by members of the PA Breast Cancer Coalition. @PAHouseGOP @PaHouseDems pic.twitter.com/yIFS7myHYj — PAcatholic (@PAcatholic) May 24, 2021 It’s not often you get total consensus with PA lawmakers and residents on any issue. Maybe ever. But that’s the case with the answering of unemployment claims over the past several months. The House Labor & Industry Comm. is hearing from state officials. @PaHouseDems @PAHouseGOP pic.twitter.com/ccFU47ALbC — PAcatholic (@PAcatholic) May 24, 2021 PA House Transportation Comm. debates, then passes Senate Bill 114 by Sen. Lisa Boscola. It would require drivers to make reasonable efforts to clear snow and ice from their cars & trucks before driving. The bill had passed the senate last session. @SenLisaBoscola @PaSenateDems pic.twitter.com/SzeH1hrm9B — PAcatholic (@PAcatholic) May 24, 2021 Today in PA House: the second reading for eight bills designed to combat human trafficking. While no vote was taken, it paves the way for a final vote as early as tomorrow. The PCC supports these bills in our continued efforts to fight human trafficking. @PAHouseGOP @PaHouseDems pic.twitter.com/QoeA29Jswm — PAcatholic (@PAcatholic) May 24, 2021 Just underway at the PA Capitol….House Health Committee is discussing and and then voting on three pro-life bills. @PAHouseGOP @PaHouseDems pic.twitter.com/tPw8QNFari — PAcatholic (@PAcatholic) May 25, 2021 Rep. Kate Klunk is giving comments on her HB 1500–the Down Syndrome Protection Act. It would protect an unborn child from being aborted solely on the basis of a diagnosis of Down syndrome. House Health Comm. will vote on it after member comments. @RepKateKlunk @PAHouseGOP pic.twitter.com/3TXpMa9YFy — PAcatholic (@PAcatholic) May 25, 2021 HB 1500 passes along party lines. @PaHouseDems @PAHouseGOP pic.twitter.com/1fFsvhFhdu — PAcatholic (@PAcatholic) May 25, 2021 Rep. Frank Ryan’s addresses the PA House Health Committee on his HB 118, which would give parents the option of burial or cremation after the death of their unborn baby. @FrankRyanCPA @PAHouseGOP pic.twitter.com/fZbUluEd02 — PAcatholic (@PAcatholic) May 25, 2021 Rep. Stephanie Borowicz talks about her HB 904, the Fetal Heartbeat Bill, which would prohibit an abortion once a heartbeat is detected in the unborn baby. A vote is pending in the PA House Health Committee. @PAHouseGOP pic.twitter.com/8mwEcZtz32 — PAcatholic (@PAcatholic) May 25, 2021 PA House Health Committee passes HB 118. On party lines. @PAHouseGOP pic.twitter.com/ZHBSIfY7FJ — PAcatholic (@PAcatholic) May 25, 2021 PA House Judiciary Comm. has passed HB 1095. It calls for a life sentence for anyone convicted of 3rd-degree murder of an unborn child who has been convicted of murder, voluntary manslaughter, murder of an unborn child or voluntary manslaughter of an unborn child. @PAHouseGOP pic.twitter.com/IJquQHkI2g — PAcatholic (@PAcatholic) May 25, 2021 PA House Judiciary Comm. debates HB 659, which removes requirement for law-abiding individuals to obtain a concealed handgun permit before being allowed to carry concealed for self-defense. Sponsor Rep. Aaron Bernstine answers questions about the bill. @PAHouseGOP @PaHouseDems pic.twitter.com/iBkQ8A4qlI — PAcatholic (@PAcatholic) May 25, 2021 PA House Judiciary Comm. debates HB 659, which removes requirement for law-abiding individuals to obtain a concealed handgun permit before being allowed to carry concealed for self-defense. Sponsor Rep. Aaron Bernstine answers questions about the bill. @PAHouseGOP @PaHouseDems pic.twitter.com/iBkQ8A4qlI — PAcatholic (@PAcatholic) May 25, 2021 BEST PART OF THE WEEK HERE!! Great to see members of the Bishop Guilfoyle girls basketball team at the Capitol today!! State champions, by the way. Great job ladies!! ??? @BishopGuilfoyle @BG_LadyHoops pic.twitter.com/tiNaHM4go3 — PAcatholic (@PAcatholic) May 25, 2021 The PA House Judiciary Comm. passes HB 1095. It would add the murder of someone’s unborn child to the offenses that are considered in order for a convicted defendant to be sentenced to life imprisonment. Rep. Rob Kauffman answered a question about his bill. @PAHouseGOP pic.twitter.com/2BxP71pRCB — PAcatholic (@PAcatholic) May 25, 2021 Extensive debate this afternoon on the PA House floor on HB 1144, which would create separate regulations for the conventional oil and gas industry and the unconventional type, aka fracking. Rep. Kathy Rapp speaks in support by answering some of the criticism. @PAHouseGOP pic.twitter.com/KrJ2xm7lQ1 — PAcatholic (@PAcatholic) May 25, 2021 The PA House is now passing a package of bills designed to fight human trafficking. The PCC supports these measures. They include HB 246, which prohibits evidence based on the victim’s past sexual history. Rep. Natalie Mihalek spoke on her bill. @PaHouseDems @PAHouseGOP pic.twitter.com/I9B7dwALpr — PAcatholic (@PAcatholic) May 25, 2021 The PA House also passes HB 1130 by Rep. Craig Williams, which would require convicted human traffickers to register as sex offenders. Rep. Williams talked about his bill @PaHouseDems @PAHouseGOP pic.twitter.com/gYotE5myKH — PAcatholic (@PAcatholic) May 25, 2021 The PA House has completed the passage of bills […]

The Pennsylvania General Assembly is taking a mid-session break and will resume session late in January 2018. 2017 was a very busy year and more issues are on the horizon for 2018. Here is the status of the several high priority bills that are on the legislative agenda of the Pennsylvania Catholic Conference. Bills That Made It Through Several bills made it all the way through the legislative process in 2017. One bright spot in the difficult, prolonged budget debate was a $10 million expansion of Educational Improvement Tax Credits (EITC) which will benefit more students in Catholic schools. The Pennsylvania General Assembly took a strong pro-life stand to ban barbaric dismemberment abortions and abortions when the unborn baby is able to feel pain (20 weeks). Both the Senate and the House passed Senate Bill 3 with overwhelming majorities. Unfortunately, Governor Tom Wolf vetoed the measure and there was no vote to override. Governor Wolf did however sign House Bill 1139 into law. This law adds fire stations to the list of safe places where a newborn baby may be placed without penalty. Police stations and hospitals are also safe havens. Incubators will be placed in participating locations to hopefully prevent babies being abandoned in dumpsters or public restrooms. The legislature reauthorized the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), but not without controversy. An amendment to correct regulations that allow coverage for sex reassignment surgeries for children was taken out of the final bill that went to the governor’s desk. The Pennsylvania Catholic Health Association and PCC will look for ways to address this again without compromising a valuable program that has given thousands of children access to health care. Legislation to address the statewide opioid crisis was signed into law by Governor Tom Wolf. Senate Bill 446 establishes state-regulated minimum quality standards for the licensure of recovery houses that receive funding or referrals from government agencies. This new law is welcomed by the recovery houses operated by many Catholic Charities agencies within Pennsylvania’s Catholic dioceses. The governor also signed the “Right to Try” Act into law which will provide terminally ill patients the opportunity to try experimental treatments, such as investigatory drugs, biological products and medical devices. It will allow access to treatments that have not been fully approved by U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Issues Left To Do There is much more work left to do in 2018. Legislation to create Education Savings Accounts (ESA) is being considered. Senate Bill 2 would give families that live in the boundaries of a chronically underperforming school a grant in the amount of the average state funding per pupil if they withdraw their students from public school. The money could only be used for tuition and expenses in a participating private school, for tutors, or other education expenses. The money would come out of the local school’s state subsidy; any unused dollars would return to the local school. Senate Resolution 174 and House Resolution 609 each condemn the practice of selectively aborting babies with Down syndrome. Although resolutions do not have the force of law, they are useful gestures for raising awareness. Another resolution, HR 519, condemns the free availability of pornography because of the public health hazard it causes to children and families across the Commonwealth. It passed the House Health Committee in November and should be taken up on the House floor soon. The Pennsylvania Catholic Health Association is reviewing legislation that would govern the use of POLST, Physician’s Orders for Life Sustaining Treatment. Senate Bill 623 and House Bill 1196 similarly outline how and when someone would use a POLST in an end-of-life situation. The concern lies in whether or not a qualifying condition must be present for a POLST order to be signed. Beyond these moral issues, the PCC is tracking legislation that tackles social justice concerns as well. House Bill 1076 would create a land bank of blighted properties and transform them into safe housing for the homeless. With opioid addiction continuing its terrible toll on every community, more legislation will be considered including House Bill 825. This bill provides for a central registry of existing emergency drug and alcohol detoxification beds so health care facilities can better serve people with a substance abuse crisis. This is by no means an exhaustive list of public policy issues that the Catholic Conference will review and advocate. Sexual orientation non-discrimination, access to health care, threats to religious liberty, and other proposals are all potential issues on the radar. For a list of the PCC’s positions on specific legislative proposals, log on and check out: www.pacatholic.org/legislative-review.

Religious News Service reporter Bobby Ross, Jr. recently asked this question, “When adoption agencies can turn away gay prospective parents, what happens to the kids?” With conflicts between religious based adoption and foster care agencies and government non-discrimination regulations playing out across the country including the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, this is an important question. In March, the City of Philadelphia issued an urgent call for 300 new foster parents to provide loving homes for some of the over 6,000 kids in Philadelphia foster care. That same month, the City abruptly barred Catholic Social Services, one of the city’s top-rated foster agencies, from placing children with foster families. This decision makes it exponentially harder for hundreds of children in need of foster care to find homes. Foster homes are sitting empty, even as the city begs for more families to help in its foster care crisis. Catholic Social Services and the Archdiocese of Philadelphia have been serving children throughout Philadelphia for over a century. Their Catholic mission drives them to find loving homes for all children in their care, regardless of the child’s race, color, sex, religion, sexual orientation or gender identity. Catholic Social Services currently serves over 100 children in foster homes. No family or individual has ever complained that the agency’s Catholic mission prevented them from fostering or adopting a child. Sharonell Fulton from Overbrook Farms has been a foster parent for over 25 years. She has opened her home to over 40 children, including two children currently in her care. She strives to provide a loving, stable home and treat each child as if they were her own. To do that, Fulton relies on Catholic Social Services’ help, including around-the-clock support and access to information and resources. “What justice is there in taking stable, loving homes away from children?” Fulton said in a statement to CatholicPhilly.com. “If the city cuts off Catholic Social Services from foster care, foster moms like me won’t have the help and support they need to care for the special-needs kids.” By freezing and threatening to cancel its foster care contract with the CSS, the city is “taking away this help and causing harm and heartache to countless families like mine,” Fulton said. The children will suffer if parents like Fulton do not have the support they need. In May, The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty filed the lawsuit in the United States District Court in Philadelphia on behalf of archdiocesan Catholic Social Services (CSS), Sharonell Fulton and two other women caregivers associated with the archdiocesan agency. They asked the court to halt the city’s harmful policy. A hearing is expected later this year.

According to the religious liberty advocacy group Becket, Philadelphia-based foster families will be in court Monday fighting to end a new City of Philadelphia policy that is currently leaving numerous foster homes empty. In Sharonell Fulton, et al. v. City of Philadelphia, the City issued a new policy barring Catholic Social Services from placing children with foster families, solely because the City disagrees with the agency’s religious beliefs. That policy is causing serious problems for foster kids and families, and Catholic Social Services has asked a court for an urgent ruling by June 30. In March, the City of Philadelphia issued an?urgent call for 300?new foster parents to provide loving homes for some of the over 6,000 kids in Philadelphia foster care. That same month, the City abruptly barred Catholic Social Services, one of the city’s top-rated foster agencies, from placing children with foster parents like Sharonell Fulton, who has fostered over 40 kids in the last 25 years. This decision makes it exponentially harder for hundreds of children in need of foster care to find homes. Represented by Becket, Sharonell Fulton, Cecelia Paul, Toni Simms-Busch, and Catholic Social Services are asking the court to halt the City’s harmful policy and allow kids to be placed in a loving home.   What:  Oral Argument in Sharonell Fulton et. al. v. City of Philadelphia   Who:  Lori Windham, senior attorney at Becket Philadelphia foster families  When:  Monday, June 18 at 2:00 p.m. EST (arguments are expected to go three hours)   Where:  U.S. District Court 601 Market St., Philadelphia, Pa.    ###  Becket is a non-profit, public-interest law firm dedicated to protecting the free expression of all religious traditions?and has a 100% win-rate before the United States?Supreme Court.?For over 20 years, it has successfully defended clients of all faiths, including?Buddhists, Christians, Jews, Hindus, Muslims, Native Americans, Sikhs, and Zoroastrians?(read more here). 

Our series on Maternal & Early Childhood Issues continues today with a look the work being done by Morning Star Pregnancy Services in Harrisburg to help kids build a foundation for strong relationships and avoid problems down the road. https://fb.watch/bECfSEse06/ We’ve all had our fair share of relationships that have not gone well over the years, whether they were romantic or just friendly in nature. Wouldn’t it be nice to have gotten some advice before sailing on those waters and crashing into the rocks? The folks at Morning Star Pregnancy Services in Harrisburg are offering just such advice to teenagers and also actually to moms and dads through a program called Unfiltered Truth. Leslie Moyer is the Director of Educational Programs at Morning Star. She works with Ann Deegan from an established curriculum called “Real Essentials” to present different lessons to try to teach kids to build a foundation for strong relationships. Leslie Moyer : “So what are people expecting and what are your boundaries and do you have boundaries and how do you make sure the person knows?” The program is –not- lecture based. Moyer says that would never work. They have discussions so the kids will take ownership of the concepts they are presented and make them their own.  They are getting a lot of positive feedback. Moyer :  “I believe it was woman, she said I wish I’d had this when I was younger. I needed to know about those relationship red flags, the break up skills, which is two lessons that we do. I needed that two years ago when I was in a really bad relationship.” One of the lessons is on living together, which is something that many young people see as the go-to route for couples in love. Ann Deegan : “So many people are living together and so we talk about what are the benefits and what it really looks like and what are some of the myths surrounding living together and why it isn’t a good thing to do. Most of the classes have been with high school students. Moyer says they’re hoping to get more time with middle school kids to help them build their skills by the time they get to high school. There are also classes for adults. Deegan  : “The focus isn’t just on mothering skills, like taking care of a baby. The focus is on what do your relationships look like? And what do you want to pass on to your children? What is the legacy? What do you want to pass on to your children and have your children receive from you?” There is also the goal of having kids take a more deliberate and thoughtful approach to having sex. It may prevent many problems down the road, not the least of which being an unwanted pregnancy. Moyer shares a recurring sentiment that she hears from returning clients. Moyer  : “Over and over again I will hear ‘I would not change the fact that I had my child. But I wish I had waited. I wish I had waited just a little bit longer. I wish I was married. I can’t tell you how many times I hear that.”

Time for an update on doulas, a topic we addressed last year in our 9-month long series on Maternal & Early Childhood Issues. Today we talk again with our doula expert Amy Wilt and check on legislation that has been proposed in Harrisburg to have insurance cover doula services. pic.twitter.com/Cbmwbnb9FG — PAcatholic (@PAcatholic) August 8, 2023

Professor Hannah Chang Crowdfunding is changing how entrepreneurs finance their innovation. As the number of crowdfunding platforms continues to rise, competition for investor attention also intensifies. What can entrepreneurs and communicators do to heighten attention and strengthen persuasion, in order to secure greater success for their crowdfunding campaign? Associate Professor of Marketing Hannah Chang from SMU's Lee Kong Chian School of Business specialises in consumer behaviour. In this podcast, she shares a recent research where she and her collaborators investigated all product-pitch videos on online crowdfunding portal, Kickstarter using a dataset with more than 30,000 project videos and millions of support from the crowd. They observed a phenomenon that has yet been documented in prior literature, that is: having multiple voices in the videos enhances persuasion and leads to increased funding.

Professor Pearlie Koh and Professor Tan Hwee Hoon The law on Directors’ duties is an important part of corporate governance. It is therefore unsurprising that a large part of existing research focuses on understanding what the law requires and how it applies in different situations. Such research is however largely reactive. Taking a fresh perspective, SMU Associate Professor of Law Pearlie Koh and SMU Assoc Prof of Organisational Behaviour & Human Resources Tan Hwee Hoon collaborated in a multi-disciplinary research which examined how company directors in Singapore understand the law as it applies to them, the gaps in awareness, and whether the laws and regulations work as envisaged. In this podcast, they discussed the details of this study, which is expected to form a valuable basis for further research in the future.

Professor Zhu Feida The global personal data economy is growing faster than anyone could have imagined. The current business model for data is broken – for individual users and businesses alike. On one hand, users don not have enough control over their own data, such as what data is collected and how the data is used. That challenges their privacy. Users are also not fairly rewarded for their data. On the other hand, while most businesses see the value of customer data, the data they have is fragmented and incomplete. That results in blurry customer profiles, inaccurate insights and poor recommendations. Furthermore, it is difficult for businesses to connect with their customers in a personalised way and track the effectiveness of the connection. In this podcast, Associate Professor Zhu Feida from SMU School of Information Systems shares his research on a next-generation, blockchain-based platform named Symphony. The platform seeks to empower a personal data economy by democratising and personalising data intelligence, with privacy by design.

Associate Professor of Accounting Holly Yang from SMU’s School of Accountancy has researched on the role of individual managers in corporate disclosure and determinants of firms’ voluntary disclosure decisions. Together with co-author Associate Prof Young Jun Cho, she is currently working on publishing a paper on Institutional Cross Ownership of Peer Firms and Investment Sensitivity to Stock Price. In this podcast, she discuss how cross-ownership of industry peers helps institutional investors better acquire industry insights and produce private information, thus allowing managers to incorporate this information in their investment decisions.

Assistant Professor of Humanities Aidan Wong from SMU’s School of Social Sciences has researched on the areas of development and sustainability, in particular on electronic waste, informal labour and economic development. In recent years, he has published a paper on ‘Waste’, Value and Informal Labour: The Regional E-Waste Recycling Production Network in Malaysia and Singapore” and is seeking to update it. In this podcast, Assistant Professor Wong discusses the value of electronic waste recycling and sustainability in Singapore.

Associate Professor of Humanities Winston Chow from SMU’s School of Social Sciences has researched on the areas of urban vulnerability to climate change; sustainability in urban climatology; and perceptions of environmental and climate change in tourism. In recent years, he has published papers on the impact of weather extremes on urban resilience to hydro-climate hazards and trans-boundary variations of urban drought vulnerability and its impact on water resource management in Singapore and Johor, Malaysia. In this podcast, Associate Professor Chow will discuss the continued economic growth of a city by adopting sustainable urban development measures.

Assistant Professor Richard Crowley from SMU’s School of Accountancy examines financial accounting using both archival and analytical methods for his research. Much of his archival work deals with large sets of unstructured data using high-powered computing algorithms to address accounting issues that are otherwise infeasible to approach. He has recently written two research articles on using a machine learning technique to assess the content of companies’ disclosures. In this podcast, he discusses how fraud and misreporting can be detected by studying a company’s financial statement using a machine learning technique, and shares how companies disclose financial information on Twitter, and how feedback from investors and others can influence this.

The variety and delivery of cloud services have been improving over the years. More and more businesses have started to adopt these services to reduce upfront and ongoing costs and enhance business efficiency. However, there remain many considerations and deployment possibilities which a business must take into account before deciding to take up cloud services. In this podcast, Assistant Professor Ouh Eng Lieh from the SMU School of Information Systems discusses his ongoing service profitability research on the factors and considerations that enable consumers to make informed decisions on cloud services adoption.

The advent of financial technology, or fintech, has created new opportunities, business models, products and services. Fintech innovations have disrupted the financial industry, leading to novel ways of delivering financial services, not only by traditional financial institutions but also by start-ups. There is now a new way of computing that uses extremely small objects called "quantum" that could revolutionise the power and accuracy of computations from artificial intelligence to financial investments. Associate Professor Paul Griffin is a financial technology expert at the SMU School of Information Systems; he is also Director of the Financial Technology track under the SMU Master of IT in Business programme. In this podcast, Prof Griffin, who has started researching into the efficacies of quantum computers, shares his research findings and discusses how he sees quantum computers developing in the near future.

Financial literacy in Singapore has not been analysed in much detail, despite the fact that this is one of the world’s most rapidly aging nations. In this podcast, Professor of Finance Benedict Koh from the SMU Lee Kong Chian School of Business, discusses the key findings of his research jointly conducted with Olivia Mitchell from the University of Pennsylvania and Susann Rohwedder, Senior Economist at the RAND Corporation and Associate Director of the RAND Center for the Study of Aging. Using a unique new data-set and nationally representative survey - the Singapore Life Panel, they conducted an analysis of older Singaporeans’ financial literacy. Here, Professor Koh discusses his key findings, including: Do older Singaporeans score better on financial knowledge compared to their counterparts in the United States? What are the empirical linkages between financial literacy and retirement preparedness in Singapore? And is financial literacy positively associated with greater wealth and diversity of portfolios?

Technology is playing an increasingly important role in improving the quality of care for the elderly, be it enhancing aged care patient experience, developing home-care for an ageing population, or automating clinical processes. Associate Professor Tan Hwee Pink from SMU’s School of Information Systems, together with his team, have extensive ground experience in developing and deploying senior-centric technologies, from previous research projects at SMU. They are now collaborating with NTUC Healthcare Co-operative Ltd, a key provider of community programmes for seniors in Singapore, to use smart technology to enhance the operational efficiency and productivity of NTUC Healthcare’s centres. In this podcast, he discusses the type of technologies deployed in the project with NTUC Healthcare, the preliminary results achieved, and the challenges faced.

As the climate crisis looms, how can we build a more sustainable future? While the establishment of the United Nation Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) provides a helpful compass to achieve sustainability, they tend to be viewed and applied in isolation from each other. This glosses over what sustainability really means for those most vulnerable to its impacts. In this podcast, SMU Associate Professor Michelle Lim demystifies the dense jargon of the UN SDGs, and argues how viewing them as a set of integrated and interconnected goals is essential to empower us to chart a meaningful path forward for the planet and people. [About the SMU CP Podcast Series] SMU City Perspectives brings together researchers from Singapore Management University (SMU) for insightful conversations exploring the pivotal trends in digital transformation, growth in Asia, and sustainable living. Get inspired and discover solutions that will help you drive more impact in your work and shape the future of cities.

As the effects of climate change continue to grow, the world is more aware than ever about the concept of being sustainable. Most people's entry point to sustainability consists of the ‘Three R’s’, Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. The question is, what makes waste reusable and recyclable? And what role does informal labour have to play in this journey to sustainable living? In this podcast, Assistant Professor of Urban Studies (Education) at the Singapore Management University, Aidan Wong, explains his research on the value creation process within e-waste recycling networks, including the role of the karang guni, in Singapore and Malaysia. [About the SMU CP Podcast Series] SMU City Perspectives brings together researchers from Singapore Management University (SMU) for insightful conversations exploring the pivotal trends in digital transformation, growth in Asia, and sustainable living. Get inspired and discover solutions that will help you drive more impact in your work and shape the future of cities.

Because of climate change, cities have been grappling with stronger and more frequent storms as well, most recently being Typhoon Yagi in Vietnam and Hurricanes Helene and Milton in America. But many people remain apathetic to climate change. SMU Associate Professor Terry Van Gevelt explains the intricacies of climate change communication and what needs to be done to get urbanites facing climate change to become more aware. . [About the SMU CP Podcast Series] SMU City Perspectives brings together researchers from Singapore Management University (SMU) for insightful conversations exploring the pivotal trends in digital transformation, growth in Asia, and sustainable living. Get inspired and discover solutions that will help you drive more impact in your work and shape the future of cities.

11/14/2024 - 10:00 PM - Venue: Rainbow Bar

11/14/2024 - 3:30 PM - Venue: Temple Baptist Church

11/14/2024 - 12:00 PM - Venue: The Senate Bar & Grill

11/14/2024 - 10:30 AM - Venue: SteamPlant Theater and Annex

11/14/2024 - 9:00 AM - Venue: SRDA The Joseph H Edwards Active Adult Center

11/14/2024 - 9:00 AM - Venue: West Street Baptist Church

11/13/2024 - 6:30 PM - Venue: The Senate