PA Representative Christopher Pielli banner image

Hi Folks,

We hope this October edition of District Deliberations finds you all doing well. As we near the end of another October, families throughout our District are readying our little ghouls, ghosts, and goblins for another exciting Trick or Treat adventure. Our office wishes everyone a safe and fun Halloween. Please check with your local municipalities for trick or treat information as some municipalities may have different scheduling.

Yes, Halloween, the time for tricks or treats and as usual, in Harrisburg there seems to be a bit of both. Looking back over my past two terms I am proud to have helped to bring over $32 million in grants for public safety, infrastructure, and community welfare & development. I am equally proud to report that we have increased our funding for our WCASD children to a total of over $78 million. And I can point with satisfaction that despite being a legislator for a little over 3½ years I’ve been fortunate enough to have passed 6 bills into law. While these can be considered “treats” there remains the “tricks.”

Time and time again good bills that have passed the House get sent to the Senate where they die. This last session alone we have passed 524 bills that include Paid Family Leave, Increasing the Minimum Wage, ending the Corporate Net Income loophole, and my bill to Restrict Data Centers from becoming Public Utilities, only to have the Senate leadership let them whither on the vine. The sad truth is the bipartisan votes are there to pass these bills to help working families but the GOP leadership refuses to put these up for a vote, putting politics over people. The end of every session has the same story and at the beginning of every new session we reintroduce and pass these types of bills only to face continued obstruction. This isn’t governing. It’s Dysfunction and it needs to change.

My end of session wish is to put aside the rhetoric, the politicking, the pettiness and let legislators vote on these bills that help working families throughout Pennsylvania. I firmly believe that we will be pleasantly surprised to see how much bipartisan support these bills actually have. And we can then enjoy the satisfaction of making positive impacts on most issues while respectfully disagreeing on others. They say bipartisanship is dead. But Halloween is known as the season where the boundary between the living and the dead is blurred. And so, as we near the end of this session and the beginning of a new one, let’s hope for a “treat” of bringing back from the political graveyard civility, cooperation, and compromise for the good of the people instead of the usual “tricks.”

Folks, as always, we thank you for the opportunity to serve you and look forward to any questions or concerns you may have. Until our next issue, Stay Well, Stay Safe, and Stay Strong.

PA Representative Christopher Pielli's signature image

Chris Pielli
Pennsylvania State Representative House District 156

Hometown Heroes

This October, our Hometown Heroes are 3 outstanding women from the NAACP and the American Helicopter Museum and Education Center.

Three Outstanding Women from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People

This month, our Hometown Heroes are Penny Washington, Mary Baylis, and Hester Davenport, all of whom were recently recognized as Unsung Hero Honorees by the West Chester branch of the NAACP.

Born, raised, and educated in West Chester, “Miss Penny” Washington has shown a lifelong dedication to the documentation and preservation of Black history throughout Chester County and the Main Line. Her hard work includes contributions to the Chester County History Center and West Chester branch of the NAACP, volunteer work with the Charles A. Melton Arts and Education Center, historical storytelling through People’s Light theatrical productions, and the recovery and documentation of the history of Devon AME Church, preserving the stories of its generations of members and allowing their stories to be told.

Mary Baylis and Hester Davenport were both born and raised in West Chester, attending the segregated Gay Street School. Despite the challenges and injustice of segregation, their educational experiences instilled in them a lifelong commitment to preserving and sharing black history.

As chair of the West Chester Historical Commission, Mary Baylis helped preserve many of our community’s historic landmarks, including sites significant to local Black history. She was also an early advocate for naming the then-new high school after civil rights leader Bayard Rustin, whom she knew personally. Mary’s dedication to sharing her extensive knowledge of Black history tells a story of resilience and determination that strengthens our bonds as a community.

With her athletic ability and competitive spirit, Hester Davenport smashed glass ceilings. In the mid 1950s, there were no athletic scholarships for female athletes, a setback that often prevented female athletes of color from competing on the collegiate level. Despite these challenges, Hester continued her athletic pursuits into college at both Cheyney and West Chester University. After her athletic endeavors, Hester settled into a career of public service with the USPS and dedicated her time to the mentorship of area students and participating in programs highlighting Black history and community contributions with the West Chester branch of the NAACP.

Through each of their stories, these three women exemplify the dedication to preserve our Black history, the determination to undertake projects and acts of service that benefit our community, and the perseverance to overcome systemic obstacles and to triumph. For all of those reasons and more, congratulations to Penny Washington, Mary Baylis, and Hester Davenport. You’re our October Hometown Heroes!

American Helicopter Museum and Education Center – Celebrating 30 Years of Service

This month, I had a great time honoring the American Helicopter Museum & Education Center, a true gem of West Goshen Township. For 30 years, it has stood as a unique institution whose mission is to preserve the history, technology, and legacy of vertical flight. The organization has reached countless thousands and gained national prominence.

The Helicopter Museum has grown from its initial collection of ten helicopters into a nationally significant repository of vertical flight history, displaying more than forty civilian and military vertical flight vehicles, and offering visitors an opportunity to explore the evolution of helicopter design, engineering, and service.

But to me, the most valuable aspect of the Helicopter Museum is the commitment to education. Beyond the new aircraft on display, much of this museum’s growth has gone towards an education center, with a theater, classrooms for STEM programs, and space for day camps and community events. Certainly, education of the next generation promotes posterity and public value.

I look forward to the next 30 years of history and education at the American Helicopter Museum & Education Center. I have no doubt this incredible place will continue to grow and thrive in its mission to spark curiosity, cultivate interest, and enrich the knowledge of children & adults alike for generations to come.

I was proud to present a citation from the Pennsylvania House of Representatives for the organization’s 30 years of service.

Pleased to Announce $250,000 Grant to Friends Association for Eviction Prevention

Last week, I announced a $250,000 grant from the Department of Community and Economic Development’s Community and Economic Assistance Program.

The funds will support the Friends Association’s Eviction Prevention Case Resolution program, which combines free legal representation with landlord mediation; tenant education and resource connections; short- and long-term case management; and rental assistance to keep individuals and families facing eviction stably housed. EPCR is the only program in Chester County that provides free legal representation for households facing the threat of homelessness and has been recognized by the Housing Alliance of Pennsylvania as the benchmark for true eviction prevention.

The Friends Association is a powerful resource for folks in Chester County. Eviction is a dire situation that many families are facing today. Sadly, landlords can take advantage of those facing economic hardship, and in many cases, improperly evict them. The Friends Association helps vulnerable people and provides not only legal help and resources, but also dignity during their time of need. I thank the DCED for awarding this grant so the Friends Association can continue this critical work for the people of Chester County.

Read my Press Release HERE: Pielli announces $250,000 grant to protect people from eviction

GRANTS AND PUBLIC EDUCATION FUNDING TO MY DISTRICT SINCE TAKING OFFICE

One of my biggest priorities is to make sure that our District gets not only what we need, but what we deserve from Harrisburg. Since taking office I’m proud to have helped organizations, local municipalities, and schools in our District through strenuously advocating for grants and budget items that help improve our public safety, education, infrastructure, roads, community welfare and development.

Six of my Bills Signed into Law!

Since taking office, I have been busy writing legislation to better the lives of all Pennsylvanians. This has resulted in six of my bills being signed into law, two of which were signed this year!

Protecting Vulnerable Individuals at Risk of Losing Their Homes – House Bill 96 (2026)

As a former Court-Appointed Guardianship Attorney, I saw clients who lost their homes as a result of unpaid property taxes. Too often, these were individuals with dementia or those who were otherwise incapacitated and were unable to pay their tax bills without assistance. Tragically, in many instances, these incapacitated individuals had the financial means to pay their taxes. Unfortunately, their families were not made aware of the unpaid taxes until it was too late to help, resulting in the house being sold off at a Sheriff’s auction.

My legislation will help vulnerable older adults and incapacitated individuals remain in their homes by creating an option for them to designate a person to receive notice should their property taxes fall into arrears. Vulnerable individuals should not be at risk of losing their homes due to circumstances beyond their control. This legislation guarantees an opportunity for a family member or other caregiver to assist an older adult or incapacitated individual in keeping their home.

Incentivizing PA National Guard Service – House Bill 1102 (2026)

Now Act 30 of 2026, this legislation expands the partial tuition reimbursement program to cover enlistment in the National Guard by U.S. Army JAG officers and chaplains, as well as fine-tunes the current list of eligible medical or health officers. The incentive program will help address significant shortages in these fields and provide a tiered reimbursement structure based on educational attainment to offset the costs of the advanced academic credentials needed to serve in these roles.

Currently, the program has achieved notable success within the state Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, with some medical officer positions reaching 100% fill rates. However, the DMVA said the original program did not include other key medical and health officer positions, in addition to needed JAG officers and chaplains.

This new law will work even better to bolster recruitment to serve both our commonwealth’s interests and our national security. Over 10 years ago, Pennsylvania launched the Medical Officer and Health Officer Incentive Program to provide additional financial incentives for skilled medical professionals to enlist in the Pennsylvania National Guard. Since then, this program has proven to be a meaningful tool, bringing highly qualified health professionals into our forces.

However, it has not kept pace with the ever-rising costs of education and training, and the need to recruit even more skilled professionals into the National Guard, have shown us that an expansion of the current program was needed. I was proud to work with state Sen. Hutchinson on this bill and thank my colleagues and Governor Shapiro for their support to keep our National Guard strong.

PASSED THE HOUSE – Preventing Commercial Data Centers from Becoming Public Utilities – House Bill 2674

I'm pleased to announce that my legislation to prohibit data centers from obtaining public utility status recently passed the PA House 202-1.

By obtaining public utility status, data center developers would preempt local zoning ordinances and be able to invoke eminent domain, operate as a regulated monopoly, acquire development rights, rights-of-way and property for building, maintaining, or expanding infrastructure for data center projects that only benefit private, for-profit corporations.

Since 2020, when data centers started to be constructed, Pennsylvania’s energy costs have risen by over 70 percent. With there being estimates up to 130 active data centers and an additional 55 data centers being proposed, planned, or under construction, this problem will only get worse without proper regulation. If data centers become a public utility, they could preempt local municipal zoning ordinances and reduce communities’ control over land-use decisions. We need to place guardrails on this issue and ensure that Pennsylvanians have a voice in where these data centers are developed.

Read Daily Local News article HERE: Pielli's data center regulation bill passes state House

The General Election = This Tuesday, November 3!

Dates To Know

[Deadline Passed] Oct. 19 - Last Day to register for the General Election

[Deadline Passed] Oct. 27 - Mail-in and absentee ballot application deadline

Tuesday, Nov. 3 - Election Day. Vote in person or drop off your mail-in ballot from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

How to Return Your Mail Ballot - Too Late to Mail It!

Election Day is Tuesday, November 3. Can I vote before then?

Yes, but ONLY if you have a mail ballot already in hand AND you return your mail ballot to a drop box or directly to Chester County Voter Services. The deadline to request a mail ballot has passed. And it’s now TOO LATE to mail it.

You can put your mail ballot in one of 13 secure drop boxes around Chester County, which are available every day through 8PM on Tuesday, November 3.

Click here for drop box hours and locations.

Can someone help me drop my ballot at a ballot drop box?

Yes, but only if you are disabled, you can designate someone to return your mail ballot for you.

Click here for instructions on how to enable someone else to deliver your ballot.

Can I send my ballot in the mail?

Not now. - It’s TOO LATE to mail your mail ballot.

Your mail ballot must be RECEIVED by Chester County Voter Services no later than 8:00 pm on Tuesday November 3 (Election Day) to be counted. Postmarks do NOT count.

As of now, you should deliver your ballot directly to one of 13 secure drop boxes in the county, which are available every day through 8PM on Tuesday, November 3.

Click here for drop box hours and locations.

Voting In Person

If I want to vote in person on November 3, where do I do that?

Click here to find your polling place. Polls will be open from 7:00 am to 8:00 pm. If you are in line to vote by 8:00 pm, you have the right to vote.

Do I need to show my ID to vote?

If it’s your first time voting at a new polling place, then you’ll need to show ID. If you’ve voted at that location before, then you should not be asked to show ID. It’s a good idea to bring your ID with you in any case.

If your polling place is one of the six moving to a new location this year, but you voted at the previous location and have not needed to update your voter registration since then, you do not need to show ID.

Click here for approved forms of ID a voter can show at a polling place.

I received a mail/absentee ballot but changed my mind. Can I vote in person instead?

Yes, you can bring your mail/absentee ballot and all of the materials mailed with it to your polling place to be voided by the Judge of Elections. Click here for more information.

What if I requested but still haven’t received my mail/absentee ballot?

Or I’m concerned my mail/absentee ballot won’t arrive to Chester County Voter Services in time (by 8PM on Election Day).

You can go to your polling place and request to vote by provisional ballot. Talk to the Judge of Elections for assistance.

I have a question not addressed here. What should I do?

You can visit Chester County Voter Services online, in person (601 Westtown Rd,, Suite 150, West Chester), or call their office at 610-344-6410.

You can also reach out to the PA State Department at 1-877-868-3772 or by email ra-voterreg@pa.gov

2026-27 Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) Opens November 2

Renters and Homeowners! - The 2026-27 Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) opens Monday, November 2, 2026 - and accepts applications until April 23, 2027.

Please apply if you qualify and need help paying your heating bill (gas or electric).

--> Learn more HERE: https://www.peco.com/my-account/customer-support/assistance-programs/liheap

LIHEAP helps families with low incomes pay their heating bills with a cash grant. Households in immediate danger of going without heat can also apply for crisis grants.

NOTE: This is a grant and does not have to be repaid.

Please feel free to contact my district office staff for assistance at (610) 696-4990 or RepPielli@pahouse.net or stop by 121 West Miner Street, Suite 1E, West Chester Borough.

Q: I'm looking for affordable healthcare insurance. Where can I find it?

A: Pennie's Open Enrollment Period opens Sunday, November 1.

Pennie is Pennsylvania’s official Health Insurance Marketplace. If you don’t get health insurance through your job, Pennie is the best place to find the coverage that’s right for you.

Find out how to enroll HERE: https://pennie.com/