Twelve states have moved to ban "ex-gay therapy" for young people -- dangerous "therapy" that tries to change someone's sexual orientation. "Ex-gay therapy" has been linked to suicide, depression, isolation and anxiety, and has been condemned by nearly every medical and psychological body as dangerous, destructive and something no child should be forced to undergo. And yet in 38 states -- including states like New York, Pennsylvania, Minnesota and Ohio -- "ex-gay therapy" remains a practice that's largely legal under the law. But there is national momentum as more and more states move to ban "ex-gay therapy" and protect minors from attempts to "cure" them of their sexual orientation. Hawaii just became the 12th state to ban "ex-gay therapy," and New Hampshire and Delaware are close to following suit. They join states like California, New Jersey, Maryland, Illinois, New Mexico, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington and Oregon. That's nearly 25% of the country! But it's not enough. LGBT kids are still facing dangerous "ex-gay therapy" attempts in more than 30 states around the country.  All these states have seen bills introduced to ban "ex-gay therapy". New York -- which touts itself as one of the most LGBT-friendly states in the country -- has seen legislation pass the State Assembly three times; Pennsylvania has had a bill introduced several times; Ohio now has a bill as well that legislators are pushing; and activists in Minnesota have been pushing for a ban on "ex-gay therapy" programs for years. Let's build on this national organizing momentum, and work to get these states added to the list of states stepping up to protect LGBT youth, and banning harmful "ex-gay therapy" that tries to "cure" LGBT people and change their sexual orientation or gender identity.

This is no longer ONLY about gun control and the 2nd amendment. Governor Wolf is blatantly violating the US Constitution through misuse of his gubernatorial position during this COVID-19 situation. He needs to be stopped before he causes further damage to our great commonwealth. During this time he has been using this pandemic and the panic as an opportunity to push all of his controversial legislation, going so far at one point, to state that he will not reopen the state until his list of state legislation is passed. How can we stand by and allow him to hold our state economy and residents hostage over his unconstitutional policies?  Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf recently signed an executive order to "combat gun violence" without disclosing the details of said order. He followed up that "ceremony" with saying "this is just a start."  Update: When this petition was started, Govenor Wolf had not yet disclosed any details about his executive order. Details have now been released and you can find them in the following link.  https://www.governor.pa.gov/executive-order-2019-06-reducing-gun-violence/ Addendum: Prior to this current development in Wolfs consistent attacks on our rights to own firearms, Wolf pushed and was able to pass a gun registry bill in the house. This was a blatant violation of our constitutional rights and was rather alarming to say the least. It generated multiple and repetitive fees and fines, gave state police the right to deny ownership at any time for any reason, and placed unrealistic burdens and expectations on legal gun owners. Link below. https://www.legis.state.pa.us/CFDOCS/Legis/PN/Public/btCheck.cfm?txtType=HTM&sessYr=2019&sessInd=0&billBody=H&billTyp=B&billNbr=0768&pn=0818&mobile_choice=suppress&fbclid=IwAR2TS-YpXZObLeAC2EOSyXKX7VLtATR1J4ZqrH_OaEy4mf-xZry-Dh6eRCk Refer to Pa constitution article 1, section 21. "The right of the citizens to bear arms in defense of themselves and the State shall not be questioned." "We, the People are the government in this country, sir. NOT you! WE rightfully DEMAND that YOU obey our Pennsylvania Constitution, in particular Article I. YOU, sir, are Usurping authority that you have NOT been given BY that Constitution, and THIS, SIR, is nothing less than an ACT OF WAR against the Free Citizens of this Commonwealth. ANY firearm law or infringement upon Art I Rights of our Constitution is an Act of Treason on your part against that Constitution."  - Concerned citizen.  The gentleman who stated the above shall not be named, unless he chooses to release his name. However, what he states is true. This IS nothing short of an act of war against the free people of our commonwealth and is a blatant act of treason against our commonwealth's constitution. As such we are well within our rights to demand impeachment proceedings begin IMMEDIATELY against Govenor Tom Wolf on the grounds of betraying Article 1, Section 21 of our constitution, misbehaving in office through deliberate use of an executive order which violates Article 1, section 21, and for being disloyal to the obligations of his office to uphold our laws and constitution.  Failure to act on this clear attack on our state and federal constitutional rights will reflect significantly upon state legislators in following elections.  Please share this petition as much and often as possible to get the word out and push it up to the Pennsylvania State Senate, the Pennsylvania House of representatives, the Pennsylvania State Attorney General (Joshua Shapiro), your local representatives, friends, family, President of the United States, and/or anyone who may feel that it is vital that we are not stripped of our state and federal right to bear arms.  Update: So apparently, another Avenue that wolf is pushing is unconstitutional "red flag law" legislation. Here is a link to an article with details, as well as a strong message as to why red flag laws are wrong and ineffective.  https://www.timesonline.com/opinion/20190825/guest-opinion-red-flag-law-is-not-solution-to-mass-shootings "The Wolf is approaching... We can simply join the flock and fall prey to the wolf, or we can take on the role of the shepherd and fend off the wolves." - Jeremy D. Bemis *Note: Significant and relevant portio ns of related definitions and articles were typed in bold to stand out in the following listed information.  https://www.legis.state.pa.us/WU01/LI/LI/CT/HTM/00/00.001..HTM  Article 1. § 21.  Right to bear arms. The right of the citizens to bear arms in defense of themselves and the State shall not be questioned. 1966 Amendment.  Joint Resolution No.10 amended and renumbered former section 2 to present section 5. Article 4. § 6.  Officers liable to impeachment. The Governor and all other civil officers shall be liable to impeachment for any misbehavior in office, but judgment in such cases shall not extend further than to removal from office and disqualification to hold any office of trust or profit under this Commonwealth. The person accused, whether convicted or acquitted, shall nevertheless be liable to indictment, trial, judgment and punishment according to law. (May 17, 1966, 1965 P.L.1928, J.R.10)   Definitions: trea·son/ˈtrēzən/Learn to pronouncenoun- the crime of betraying one's country, especially by attempting to kill the sovereign or overthrow the government.- the action of betraying someone or something.  be·tray·al/bəˈtrāəl,bēˈtrāəl/Learn to pronouncenounnoun: betrayal; plural noun: betrayals• the action of betraying one's country, a group, or a person; treachery."the betrayal by the king by his daughter"synonyms:disloyalty, treachery, perfidy, perfidiousness, bad faith, faithlessness, falseness; Moreduplicity, deception, double-dealing;breach of faith, breach of trust, stab in the back, Judas kiss;double-cross, sellout;trahison des clercs;rarefalse-heartedness, Punic faith"a cowardly act of betrayal" dis·loy·al/ˌdisˈloi(ə)l/Learn to pronounceadjectiveadjective: disloyal• failing to be loyal to a person, country, or body to which one has obligations."she felt that inquiring into her father's past would be disloyal to her mother"synonyms:unfaithful, faithless, false, false-hearted, untrue, inconstant, untrustworthy; Moretreacherous, perfidious, traitorous, subversive, seditious, unpatriotic, two-faced, Janus-faced, double-dealing, double-crossing, deceitful;dissident, renegade;adulterous;informalbackstabbing, two-timing;archaicrecreant;rarehollow-hearted, double-faced, Punic"many of her colleagues judged her disloyal"antonyms:loyal•(of an action, speech, or thought) demonstrating a lack of loyalty."disloyal mutterings about his leadership"

In Pennsylvania, insulin costs $270 a vial - a prohibitively expensive price for many diabetics. This vial lasts a month at most for many diabetics. Others require three or more vials per month, skyrocketing the price up to $1000 a month for something they need to survive. However, pricing elsewhere shows that this high cost is not necessary. Canada’s price for insulin is $90, and Colorado recently passed an insulin price cap of $100 per month. It's time for Pennsylvania to join Colorado in passing a price cap on this life-saving drug. Sign and share this petition today to ask Pennsylvania state legislators to take a stand for those with diabetes by instituting an insulin price cap. Because of the incredibly high cost of insulin and other expensive supplies to handle their diabetes, many diabetics are forced into dire situations. Many diabetics have resorted to rationing insulin, risking their lives every day because they can’t afford to pay for their next vial. People are forced to choose between the insulin they need to survive, and keeping a roof over their head and food on the table for their families. I know firsthand how stressful paying for insulin can be. My girlfriend has Type 1 diabetes, and worries constantly about whether her insurance will continue to cover the costs of her insulin and related supplies. People’s lives shouldn’t be put at risk because the insulin they require to live isn’t deemed “necessary” by insurance. The insulin price cap in Colorado has shown that it’s possible for states to take control of outrageous insulin pricing and as a result, to save lives. It’s time for Pennsylvania to join them in protecting Pennsylvanians with diabetes from avoidable health risks. Please sign this petition to urge Pennsylvania state legislators to save lives with an insulin price cap.

In recent days Tom Wolf has posted upon social media that PreK-12 Sporting events are not allowed spectators. Therefore, parents cannot, for example, watch their five-year-old kindergartner play for the first time, or their high school senior play for their last time. Collegiate level sports may have spectators with social distancing. The state will allow this just for tax money. Please sign this petition if you want to help coaches, players, families, and fans to be able and coach, play, or watch their favorite sports and/or loved ones. All sporting teams also do better with cheering from the crowds. As a student athlete myself, I can confirm it’s something we need and get pumped from, resulting in playing better!

Pennsylvania’s horseracing industry receives almost $250 million in corporate welfare every year – over $3 billion since the subsidies began in 2005. It is far and away the most subsidized industry in PA. And this for a business that, as measured by demand (wagers, attendance), has been in steep decline for decades. What’s worse, this massive taxpayer bailout of a decidedly nonessential industry – there are roughly 10,000 racing jobs in an overall state workforce of six million – has all come at the expense of public education – our children and young adults. To help put this in proper perspective, the per horse subsidy is nearly three times the per student subsidy (for those in the State System of Higher Education). There is, of course, another cost to all this – one measured in lives. Since 2010, more than 1,400 horses have died at the state’s three flat tracks; more, still, have perished at the three harness tracks. In fact, in 2019, Parx led the country in kills with 59. Nationally, Horseracing Wrongs has documented over 7,000 deaths at U.S. tracks just since 2014; we estimate that over 2,000 horses are killed racing or training across America every year – with hundreds more dying in their stalls. As if not enough, most – some 10,000-20,000 annually – spent or simply no-longer-wanted racehorses are mercilessly slaughtered at career’s end. Yes, slaughtered. Still, the killing is but a part of the story. There is, too, the everyday abuse. To wit: Grinding of Unformed Bodies: Young, would-be racehorses are thrust into intensive training at 18 months – years before their bodies are fully developed. On the maturation chart, these equine babes are the rough equivalent of kindergartners. Confinement and Isolation: Racehorses, innately social and herd-oriented, are kept locked – alone – in tiny 12×12 stalls for over 23 hours a day. Cruelty, defined. Negation: Practically all the horse’s natural instincts and desires are thwarted, creating an emotional and mental suffering that is brought home with crystal clarity in the stereotypies commonly seen in confined racehorses – cribbing, bobbing, weaving, pacing, digging, kicking, even self-mutilation. Control and Subjugation: Horseracing is lip tattoos, nose chains, lip chains, blinkers, tongue ties, cribbing collars, mouth bits, and, of course, whips. Drugging and Doping: Racehorses are incessantly injected, legally and otherwise, with myriad performance-enhancing, injury-masking, and pain-numbing chemicals. Commodification: By law, racehorses are literal chattel. They are ever being bought, sold, traded, and dumped – a stressful, tenuous existence that in and of itself causes pain. In fact, studies show that up to 90% of racehorses suffer from chronic ulcers. The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Editorial Board has thrice condemned the subsidies keeping horseracing afloat, and most recently called for racing “to be put out of its misery.” Governor Wolf has proposed redirecting some 200 million of those annual subsidy dollars to fund college scholarships for 44,000 students. In other words, the time to act is now. While we would love to see a day when horseracing is banned – like dogracing, which has been outlawed in 41 states – for now we are simply asking that the subsidies stop. This eminently just, long overdue measure would be a win-win for Pennsylvania: good for our children, good for our horses.   For more information and to get involved:  www.horseracingwrongs.org https://stopracingsubsidiespa.org/

Fawn Marie Mountain went missing on or around November 25, 2012. She was just 25 at the time of her disappearance. She lived with her domestic partner at the time of her disappearance who has a long history of  violence and abuse against her partners, a fact which the Greenfield Township Police were very well aware of because of repeated calls to the home. They lived in Claysburg, PA at the time of Fawn's disappearance which falls under Greenfield Township Police's jurisdiction. When Fawn's mom, Dorothy, became aware she was missing and was unable to reach her she contacted Greenfield Township Police Department to do a welfare check, at which point they were told by Fawn's domestic partner that Fawn no longer lived at the home they shared. Despite repeated calls to Greenfield Township Police from Dorothy stating Fawn did not leave and had not been in contact, they did nothing to help locate or verify Fawn's wellbeing. Police departments need to take any person being reported by family as missing that are known to be in a domestic violence situation more seriously and actually CONFIRM the wellbeing and location of said victim. We have lost years in our search for Fawn and justice, because this police department ignored the pleas for help from Fawn's mom and they did the absolute bare minimum to find her. Witness statements were taken at the time from neighbors and friends; those statements were lost. We are crying out for changes to how local police handle missing persons cases when the victim is known to be in a domestic violence situation. We are calling for an investigation into how Greenfield Township Police handled Fawn's case and why they didn't do their job, so this never happens to another victim or their family again.

I’m Jenifer Bass, a U.S. Navy veteran, who served for 10 years, one-third in the Asia-Pacific region. It was due to my travel between ports in countries like Japan and Thailand that I first encountered amerasian children, and descendants, of U.S. service members and civilian contractors previously stationed overseas. Filipino Amerasians are abandoned and neglected biracial children of Filipino mothers and American fathers (mostly members of the US armed forces). In the Philippines alone, more than 52,000-plus children were born and left behind after the U.S. Navy withdrew the last of its military personnel in 1992. Right now, the U.S. government won’t legally recognize them as U.S. citizens, despite having been born to an American parent. The Philippine Embassy won't help them either. As a former US colony between 1898 and 1946, the Philippines was home to millions of US soldiers and their dependents, even after its independence. Until 1992, the country hosted two of the largest US military facilities outside the US – Clark Air Base and Subic Naval Base, which played major roles during the Vietnam and first Gulf wars. In 1982 US Public Law 97-359, or the Amerasian Act of 1982, allowed children from Korea, Vietnam, Laos, Kampuchea, or Thailand to move to the US and eventually become American citizens, but those who were from the Philippines were excluded from the law, an exclusion which was upheld by the US Senate on the basis that many Filipino Amerasians were “conceived from illicit affairs and prostitution”, and were born during peacetime. Today, there are estimated to be more than 250,000-plus children. Many amerasians are caught in a no-man’s land of discrimination and poverty -- most left behind by U.S. service members who are unaware that they’ve fathered children overseas. My friend John Haines is one of these sailors. In 2011, John discovered he was the father of a half-Filipino daughter, Jannette. He attempted to unite with her through the American Homecoming Act -- but was frustrated to learn that the Act did not apply to Filipino children of U.S. service members. Today, all John wants is to be united with his daughter and grandchildren. He, like so many other veterans are living with a “hole in their hearts” as they search for ways to unite with their children. There is hope. The Uniting Families Act of 2018, HR 1520, creates a specialized visa allowing military veterans and eligible civilian contractors to sponsor their children and grandchildren for U.S. citizenship. Currently, blood relationship must be proven by DNA test and the total number of visas granted will be capped at 5,000 each year. The issue takes on more urgency as so many of our veterans from our wars in Southeast Asia are getting older and dying each day -- without the chance to connect, or in some cases, reconnect with their own children. John’s daughter Jannette has already undertaken the DNA testing process, conclusively proving her relationship to her American father. All she’s waiting for is the opportunity to permanently unite with her father. There is a PBS documentary, "Left by the Ship" (2010), documenting a day in the life and the personal struggles as a Filipino amerasian on the never ending search for identity and their struggles to connect to their American military families. Please sign this petition to tell Congress that these families cannot wait another day. Pass the Uniting Families Act of 2017, HR 1520, now!

Off-Roading on ATVs and UTVs has been growing as a recreational activity exponentially and Pennsylvania offers one of the best landscapes for it. Beginning in the late 1960s, people have been creating and using ATVs for transportation off-road. Here in the Anthracite coal fields of Pennsylvania, we have abandoned coal mining roads that have been utilized by these vehicles for recreation since their inception. The 70s, 80s and 90s brought increases in performance and safety, and annual sales of ATVs have increased every year since then. In the late 1980s, Kawasaki invented an ATV of a different sort - the Mule was more car-like, with a left hand driver's position and a steering wheel instead of handlebars. Other manufacturers saw the allure and followed suit, creating their own versions of this new off-road vehicle. Through the years they got faster, bigger, and more expensive. Modern UTVs (or side by sides) feature most of the amenities one might expect from a car, including windshield and wiper, roll cage, headlights and taillights, seat belts, mufflers, stereos, and much more. The typical side by side one might find at a dealer will most likely exceed 64" in width and also exceed the cost of an average automobile. With a few aftermarket modifications such as a horn and turn signals, these vehicles have been made street-legal and registered as such in many states across the country. At the time of this writing there were quite a few states that either outright allowed the registration of UTVs for use on the street, or at least made provisions for towns and counties to set their own standards. Some of these states include Utah, Arizona, Minnesota, Texas, Nevada, Wyoming, Idaho, Kansas, Indiana, North and South Dakota, Montana, Washington, Montana, Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin, Vermont, Nebraska, Tennessee, New Hampshire and Colorado. Just within the first half of 2021 legislation has been passed to add Oklahoma and North Carolina to that list. There should be, at the very least, a discussion regarding the legalization of UTVs for street use in Pennsylvania. The primary objective from a rider's point of view is to travel from one trailhead to another, or go into town to fuel their machine or get something to eat. The city of Shamokin, Northumberland County, recently created an ordinance allowing ATVs and UTVs to travel a designated route on designated days. This has resulted in an uptick in cash flow to the city of Shamokin, as shown by the recent rejuvenation of the business district. The nearby Anthracite Outdoor Adventure Area (AOAA) sells in excess of 20,000 passes annually. Just to the southeast, Famous Reading Outdoors sells more than 10,000 passes a year-and these numbers are climbing rapidly. The economic impact of this many riders spending money in small town Pennsylvania every weekend should be studied. Finally, we should look at comparisons. It can be said that UTVs on roads "aren't safe." However, there are vehicles that, in contrast, are much less safe - and street legal. Take for example the Polaris Slingshot, a three-wheeled "autocycle" (as registered in Pennsylvania), which is basically a sports car with two wheels up front and one in the back. Or take the Can-Am Spyder, which has the same wheel setup but the rider straddles the seat like a motorcycle and steers with handlebars. Neither of these vehicles has a rollcage. Pennsylvania also allows the street use of registered "dune buggies," which get titled as "specially constructed." Basically, this is a four-wheeled vehicle that you can build yourself and throw a license plate on and hit the roads. Safety-wise, a UTV can meet or beat the specifications set forth by the manufacturers of these other types of vehicles. In closing, street legalization of side by sides and UTVs is happening across the country and has proven beneficial to riders throughout the land. Legal UTV use on Pennsylvania roads would not only increase revenue to small towns across the state, but also help state funding through registration and titling fees. Pennsylvania has some of the best off-roading areas in the country, and increasing tourism is a road we’d all like to go down!

Conversion therapy is an attempt by one individual to change the sexual orientation or gender identity of another individual, in this case, of a minor. Conversion therapy, and other forms of discrimination against LGBTQ+ children and adolescents have been linked to adverse health outcomes, including higher rates of bullying, depression, and suicide. The proposed policy would ban the practice of conversion therapy statewide from mental health professionals with youth under age 18. o   Approximately 700,000 adults in the US have gone through conversion therapy, half of them as teens.  o   LGBT youth are 8 times more likely than their peers to attempt suicide (Human Rights Campaign). o   16,000+ US children will go through conversion therapy from a mental health professional by age 18 (UCLA School of Law). o   Conversion therapy can involve extremely traumatic practices, such as shock therapy or medically induced vomiting. HB1293 has been passed off to the House Health Committee in April 2019, where no action has been taken. Please take the time to contact your local representatives. Encourage them to support this bill and have it reintroduced in the 2021-2022 legislative session.  Sign this petition to ask members of the Pennsylvania House to reintroduce this bill and ensure they are passed in the next legislative session. 

On August 6, 2018, seven-year-old Kayden Mancuso was murdered by her father.  Kayden’s death was preventable. Her mother knew that Kayden’s father was violent and unhinged, and she knew that Kayden didn’t feel safe around him. Domestic violence experts know that it is often the most dangerous abusers who use custody courts to manipulate their victims into staying or punish them for leaving. Despite all the warnings, a judge made a legal decision to allow Kayden’s father to spend unsupervised time with her. And Kayden’s father used that time alone to murder her. We know he wanted to punish Kayden's mother because he left a note to say so. Every year, dozens of children are killed under similar, preventable circumstances. Tens of thousands more subjected to predictable abuse and trauma The judicial system responded defensively to the tragedy and the judge blamed both parents for the father’s sadistic crime. The Stop Abuse Campaign crafted Kayden’s Law with Kayden’s family, Child USA, interested legislators, and the governor's office [SB868 and HB1587]. It will protect hundreds of children from sexual abuse, physical abuse and witnessing domestic violence every year. And it will be the best way to honor a special girl and force something good out of such a despicable crime.  Sign this petition. Tell Pennsylvania’s leaders to pass Kayden’s law.   Find the Stop Abuse Campaign's other petitions. More information on the custody crisis in our family courts