Press Releases
Senators Saval, Browne Announce Major Development for Pennsylvania’s Whole-Home Repairs Program
Allentown, PA − November 18, 2022 − Today Senators Nikil Saval (D–Philadelphia) and Pat Browne (R–Lehigh) joined local elected officials and members of the Allentown community to announce the publication of the Whole-Home Repairs program guidelines. “The Whole-Home...
Senator Nikil Saval Announces $400,000 to Preserve and Enhance Community Spaces
Philadelphia, PA − September 20, 2022 − Today Senator Nikil Saval (D–Philadelphia) announced $416,469 in grants for recreation centers and community spaces throughout Pennsylvania’s First Senatorial District. “It is impossible to overstate the...
Gov. Wolf, General Assembly Celebrate Critical Investments to Address Affordable Housing Crisis
Philadelphia, PA − August 12, 2022 − Today, Governor Tom Wolf was joined by members of the General Assembly, housing advocates and stakeholders in Philadelphia to celebrate the critical $375 million investment in the 2022-23 budget addressing the affordable housing...
Senator Nikil Saval Celebrates Creation of Whole-Home Repairs Program with $125 Million in State Budget
Harrisburg, PA − July 8, 2022 − Today State Senator Nikil Saval (D–Philadelphia) announced a $125-million appropriation in Pennsylvania’s 2022–2023 budget to establish his groundbreaking Whole-Home Repairs Program. He issued the following statement: “Every person has...
Senator Nikil Saval’s Statement on U.S. Supreme Court’s Extremist Ruling in Dobbs V. Jackson Women’s Health Organization
Philadelphia, PA June 24, 2022 — Senator Nikil Saval (D–Philadelphia) released a statement today on the U.S. Supreme Court’s extremist ruling on Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, overturning the constitutional right to abortion and marking the largest...
Pa. Senate committee creates bipartisan plan to combat blight statewide
A proposal to use part of the state’s approximate $5 billion budget surplus to fund a program against statewide blight received rare bipartisan support in Harrisburg on Monday. The bill creating a Whole-Home Repairs and Homeownership Affordability Fund to provide...
Senators Collett & Saval Unveil Legislation to Fight Anti-Asian Discrimination with More Robust Education
Harrisburg, Pa. − May 31, 2022 − In an effort to improve education and fight the recent rise in bias crimes against people of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) descent in the Commonwealth, State Senators Maria Collett (D12-Montgomery/Bucks) and Nikil...
Senate Democrats Call on Republicans to Immediately Prioritize Gun Violence Prevention Legislation and Appropriations
HARRISBURG – May 25, 2022 – Today, Pennsylvania Senate Democrats wrote the following letter to Republican leaders in response to rampant gun violence and mass shootings that have become too common in the United States. Just this year, 215 mass shootings have...
New Study Shows More Than Three-Quarters of PA Voters Support Bipartisan Whole-Home Repairs Act
Philadelphia, PA − May 24, 2022 − Today, Senator Nikil Saval (D–Philadelphia County) held a rally attended by more than 200 housing and energy advocates, community leaders, Pennsylvania residents, and Democrat and Republican legislators from the General Assembly...
Senator Saval Announces $17.8 Million in Grants for Local Projects
Philadelphia, PA − May 5, 2022 − Senator Nikil Saval (D–Philadelphia) has announced $17,815,000 in grants for multiple local projects throughout the First Senatorial District, adding to the tens of millions of dollars in major investments previously secured.
Senators Collett & Saval Unveil Legislation to Improve Nursing Home Transparency & Protections
Harrisburg, Pa. − April 19, 2022 − A new package of legislation proposed by State Senators Maria Collett (D-12 Montgomery/Bucks) and Nikil Saval (D-1 Philadelphia) will bring greater transparency, accountability, and support for residents and...
Senator Nikil Saval and Lehigh Valley Stands Up Call for Passage of Whole-Home Repairs Act
Allentown, PA − March 25, 2022 − Yesterday afternoon, State Senator Nikil Saval (D–Philadelphia) and Lehigh Valley Stands Up brought together residents and community leaders in a united call for the passage of Pennsylvania’s Whole-Home Repairs Act (SB1135), a...
Senator Nikil Saval and Berks Stands Up Call for Passage of Whole-Home Repairs Act
Reading, PA − March 24, 2022 − Yesterday, State Senator Nikil Saval (D–Philadelphia) and Berks Stands Up brought together residents, community leaders, and elected officials in a united call for the passage of Pennsylvania’s Whole-Home Repairs Act (SB1135), a...
Senator Nikil Saval and Lancaster Stands Up Call for Whole-Home Repairs During Week of Action
Lancaster, PA − March 22, 2022 − Today, State Senator Nikil Saval (D–Philadelphia) and Lancaster Stands Up brought together residents, community leaders, and state and municipal officials in a united call for the passage of Pennsylvania’s Whole-Home Repairs Act...
Senator Nikil Saval and Advocates Call for Passage of Whole-Home Repairs Act
Philadelphia, PA − March 21, 2022 − Today, standing with residents, community leaders, housing and energy advocates, disability rights activists, and federal, state, and municipal elected officials, State Senator Nikil Saval (D–Philadelphia) launched his campaign for...
Senate Democrats Discuss Housing Scarcity and Houselessness at Policy Hearing
PHILADELPHIA, March 15, 2022 – State Senator Katie Muth (D- Berks/Chester/Montgomery), Chair of the Pennsylvania Senate Democratic Policy Committee, joined Senators Sharif Street, Nikil Saval, Amanda Cappelletti, Tina Tartaglione and Art Haywood to host a public...
House and Senate Lawmakers Announce Relief Plan for Rental Assistance Fund
HARRISBURG − February 16, 2022 − Lawmakers from the state House and Senate held a news conference today to outline plans to restore Pennsylvania’s depleted Emergency Rental Assistance Program and help thousands whose incomes were affected by the pandemic. State...
Muth, Saval Host Virtual Hearing on Home Repair Issues Facing PA Families
ROYERSFORD, December 8, 2021 – State Senator Katie Muth (D- Berks/Chester/Montgomery), Chair of the Pennsylvania Senate Democratic Policy Committee, today joined Senator Nikil Saval (D-Philadelphia) to host a virtual public hearing on the need to improve, expand, and...
Senator Saval Announces $39.5 Million in Grants for Local Projects
Philadelphia, PA − December 7, 2021 − Senator Nikil Saval (D–Philadelphia) today announced $39,501,740.00 in grants for local projects throughout the First Senatorial District. These grants are awarded through the Redevelopment Assistance Capital...
Senator Nikil Saval Announces Fair Records for Renters Legislation
Harrisburg, PA − November 29, 2021 − Senator Nikil Saval (D–Philadelphia) today announced Fair Records for Renters legislation, which would rectify false eviction records data and thus eliminate a major barrier that currently prevents tens of thousands of...
Senate Dems Discuss Worker Misclassification Issues at Policy Hearing
PHILADELPHIA − November 15, 2021 – State Senator Katie Muth (D- Berks/Chester/Montgomery), Chair of the Pennsylvania Senate Democratic Policy Committee, today joined Senators Nikil Saval, John Kane, Christine Tartaglione and Lindsey Williams to host a public hearing...
Senator Saval Moves to End Housing Discrimination Against Pennsylvanians with Criminal Records
Harrisburg, PA − November 3, 2021 − Building from the work of generations of organizers and activists fighting housing discrimination around the country, State Senator Nikil Saval (D–Philadelphia) today announced the introduction of his Fair Chance Housing...
Senate Democrats Urge State Supreme Court to Take Action on Evictions for Tenants with Pending ERAP Applications
Senator Saval’s Statement on U.S. Supreme Court’s Ruling Thrusting Millions of Renters into Precarity
Philadelphia, PA — August 27, 2021 — Senator Nikil Saval (D–Philadelphia) released a statement today on the decision of the U.S. Supreme Court to eliminate the only remaining protection for renters: “Hundreds of thousands of people across our state, and millions of...
Senators Saval, Costa, Hughes, Haywood Announce New Legislation to Keep Struggling Pennsylvanians Housed
Harrisburg, PA − August 23, 2021 − Senator Nikil Saval (D–Philadelphia), Senator Jay Costa (D–Allegheny), Senator Vincent Hughes (D–Philadelphia/Montgomery), and Senator Art Haywood (D–Philadelphia/Montgomery) today announced their plans for legislation to keep...
Welcoming PA Caucus Members Demand Immediate Release of York Detainees
Harrisburg, PA − July 13, 2021 − Members of the Welcoming PA Caucus, comprising elected officials in the Pennsylvania State House and Senate committed to the development of Commonwealth-specific legislative and policy solutions to the issues and hardships faced...
Senate Democrats Offer Restaurant & Tavern Recovery Legislation
Harrisburg, Pa. – June 21, 2021 − After Republicans failed to pass a clean, bipartisan bill to extend mixed drinks to go for restaurants and taverns, the Pennsylvania Senate Democrats are introducing legislation that will provide the opportunity for bars, taverns and...
Senator Saval and Representative Fiedler Announce Formation of Student Advisory Council with Sunrise of Philadelphia
Philadelphia, PA − June 14, 2021 − Recognizing the urgent need to include Philadelphia youth in conversations about the legislation and initiatives that impact them, State Representative Elizabeth Fiedler (D–Philadelphia) and State Senator Nikil Saval (D–Philadelphia)...
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...
Senator Saval Announces Additional Grant Awards, Bringing Total to $2.5 Million Received in the Past Two Weeks
Philadelphia, PA − April 26, 2021 − State Senator Nikil Saval (D–Philadelphia) is thrilled to announce the award of five grants totaling more than $1.2 million for public infrastructure projects that will benefit the people of Philadelphia and the First...
Local Progressive Elected Officials Respond to Chauvin Verdict
PHILADELPHIA − April 20, 2021 − A coalition of local progressive elected officials issued the following statement on the unanimous guilty verdicts in the Derek Chauvin case, and called for systemic change through a new vision of public safety that ends the continual...
Senator Saval Announces $1.2 Million Grant for Pedestrian and Bicycle Infrastructure Project
Philadelphia, PA —April 19, 2021 — State Senator Nikil Saval (D–Philadelphia) is delighted to announce the award of a $1.2 million PennDOT Multimodal Transportation Fund grant to a pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure project in the First Senate District. ...
PA Senate Democrats Hold Hearing on the Effects of COVID-19 on PA Housing Crisis
Harrisburg – March 31, 2021 - At the request of state Senators Vincent Hughes (D-Philadelphia), Art Haywood (D-Montgomery/Philadelphia), and Nikil Saval (D-Philadelphia), the Pennsylvania Senate Democratic Policy Committee held a virtual public hearing on the effects...
Pa Senators Put Forth Bold Legislation to Keep Residents in their Homes
HARRISBURG, PA − March 23, 2021 − New legislation introduced by Senators Katie Muth (D–Montgomery/Chester/Berks), Steve Santarsiero (D–Bucks), and Nikil Saval (D–Philadelphia) will ensure Pennsylvanians are able to stay safely housed for the duration of the COVID-19...
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...
State Legislators, Advocates, Family Members Urge Governor Wolf to Use Reprieve to Save the Lives of Incarcerated People
CHESTER, PA − March 2, 2021 − In a demonstration of unified support for reprieve, nearly a dozen state legislators gathered outside of State Correctional Institution–Chester (SCI-Chester) to urge Governor Tom Wolf to use his executive power to release incarcerated...
PA Senate & House Dems Host Hearing on ‘A People’s Budget: The Environment’
Harrisburg – February 25, 2021 - At the request of Sen. Amanda M. Cappelletti (D- Delaware/Montgomery), Sen. Nikil Saval (D- Philadelphia), Rep. Elizabeth Fiedler (D- Philadelphia), Rep. Rick Krajewski (D- Philadelphia), Rep. Sara Innamorato (D- Allegheny), and Rep....
State Legislators Issue Joint Letter to Governor Wolf Urging Use of Reprieve
HARRISBURG − February 8, 2021 — In response to soaring rates of COVID-19 infection and death among incarcerated people and throughout the Pennsylvania prison system, nearly three dozen State Senators and State Representatives have issued a joint letter to Pennsylvania...
Senator Nikil Saval Responds to Governor Wolf’s 2021–2022 Budget Proposal
PHILADELPHIA − February 3, 2021 — State Senator Nikil Saval (D–Philadelphia), who serves on the Senate Appropriations Committee, has issued the following statement in response to the 2021–2022 budget proposed by Governor Tom Wolf: “Millions of...