News Releases

A series of joint hearings will be held next week in the Senate to examine and develop legislative proposals for addressing law enforcement and criminal justice accountability reforms, Senate Judiciary Chairman Lisa Baker (R-20) and Law and Justice Chairman Pat Stefano (R-32) announced today.   [Read More]

Facing an uncertain economic future and working to address the devastating impact of COVID-19, the Senate today (May 28) set a course for recovery by approving a $25.8 billion interim budget for Fiscal Year 2020-21 as well as a plan to direct $2.6 billion in federal CARES funding to support individuals, small businesses, organizations and county governments that were most severely impacted by the virus, according to Senator Pat Stefano (R-32).   [Read More]

Governor Wolf ordered the closure of all businesses he deemed “non-life-sustaining” on March 19, 2020.   [Read More]

Four State Senators today offered their strong support for a lawsuit filed by Butler, Fayette, Greene, and Washington counties against the Administration’s mandatory business closure order.   [Read More]

Senate Republicans are demanding answers from the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (PLCB) after testimony during a Senate Law and Justice Committee meeting today revealed the state’s Fine Wine & Spirits stores were closed without any official action by the PLCB or the Governor.   [Read More]

Today’s public hearing (March 6) by the Senate Law & Justice Committee to review the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board’s actions during the COVID-19 outbreak showed the agency was ill prepared when the Governor ordered the closure of all of its retail stores on March 17, according to Committee Chairman Senator Pat Stefano (R-32).     [Read More]

The Senate Law and Justice Committee will hold a remote public hearing at  10 a.m. on Wednesday, May 6 in Harrisburg to discuss issues involving the PA Liquor Control Board (LCB) during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Senator Pat-Stefano (R-32).   [Read More]

Senator Pat Stefano (R-32) plans to introduce a bill soon that would allow auto dealers in Pennsylvania to reopen with proper safety measures in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19.   [Read More]

In light of ongoing concerns about the Department of Community and Economic Development’s (DCED) handling of the COVID-19 crisis, Senator Pat Stefano (R-32) has joined Republican senators in calling on the Auditor General to begin an audit of the agency immediately.   [Read More]

Senator Pat Stefano (R-32) will answer questions about the state’s response to COVID-19 during a special telephone town hall on April 8 at 12:20 p.m.   [Read More]

Small businesses impacted by the COVID-19 public health emergency can apply now for low-interest state loans, according to Senator Stefano.   [Read More]

The Pennsylvania Industrial Development Authority (PIDA) approved funding today to provide $61 million in low-interest loans to Pennsylvania small businesses impacted by the COVID-19 public health emergency, according to Senator Pat Stefano (R-32).   [Read More]