PA State Rep. Jason Ortitay

Happy Father’s Day to all dads in the 46th Legislative District! It is an honor to be Delaney and Isabella's dad.

Today, I attended two events celebrating Canonsburg’s contributions to our nation’s history as part of America250PA.

First, I spoke at a marker dedication at Canonsburg Town Park. Later, I helped unveil a mural on the side of Rusty Gold’s building.

If you missed today’s events, don’t forget the Canonsburg Fourth of July celebration is only two weeks away. For more details, visit https://www.facebook.com/groups/555462821558205/user/100064607027221.

𝐎𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐲 𝐁𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐨 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐕𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐂𝐨𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐝 𝐃𝐞𝐛𝐭 𝐏𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐞

HARRISBURG – The House Judiciary Committee today advanced Rep. Jason Ortitay’s (R-Allegheny/Washington) legislation that would cancel coerced debt incurred as a result of a domestic violence offense, fraud, duress or intimidation.

“Coerced debt are financial obligations someone does not knowingly or voluntarily incur,” Ortitay said. “While this bill helps all victims of coerced debt, it is especially problematic for those suffering from domestic violence. Convicted abusers are using current law as a weapon to further hurt their victims by incurring debt in their victims’ names, thus causing long-term financial harm through severe damage to their credit and significant debt to repay.”

House Bill 2344 would allow victims of coerced debt to formally challenge such obligations with a creditor. Upon receiving a claim, a creditor would be required to make a good-faith determination as to whether the debt qualifies as coerced. If the debt is determined to be coerced, a creditor would be required to immediately cease all collection activities against the victim. In addition, the creditor could pursue the perpetrator responsible, thus ensuring financial liability is assigned to the appropriate party.

The bill is part of a five-bill package of legislation to offer domestic violence victims further protections, enhance offender accountability, and better prevent repeat and escalating violence in response to a man almost murdering his wife in 2022 in South Fayette Township.

The bill now goes to the full House for its consideration.

The 46th Legislative District includes South Fayette Township and McDonald and Oakdale boroughs in Allegheny County. It also encompasses Cecil, Chartiers, Mt. Pleasant and North Strabane (Districts 6,7,8 and 9) townships and Canonsburg, Houston and McDonald boroughs in Washington County.

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More than $12.01 million in impact fees paid by Marcellus Shale drilling companies for the 2025 reporting year will benefit residents of the 46th District, either through direct disbursements to municipalities or Allegheny and Washington counties at large.

Within the 46th District, the following impact fee disbursements were announced:

➡ Canonsburg Borough – $182,263.
➡ Cecil Township – $465,968.
➡ Chartiers Township – $589,518.
➡ Houston Borough – $21,404.
➡ McDonald Borough – $34,543.
➡ Mount Pleasant Township – $376,511.
➡ North Strabane Township – $577,521.
➡ Oakdale Borough – $1,058.
➡ South Fayette Township – $12,709.

Thank you for the invitation. I encourage you to listen! ⤵️

𝐎𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐲 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐋𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐬𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐁𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐤 𝐎𝐧𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐆𝐚𝐦𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐁𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐧 𝐒𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐥 𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐬

𝐵𝑖𝑙𝑙 ℎ𝑜𝑛𝑜𝑟𝑠 𝑅𝑎𝑦 𝑀𝑖𝑘𝑒𝑠𝑒𝑙𝑙, 𝑆𝑜𝑢𝑡ℎ 𝐹𝑎𝑦𝑒𝑡𝑡𝑒 𝑇𝑜𝑤𝑛𝑠ℎ𝑖𝑝 𝑚𝑎𝑛 𝑤ℎ𝑜𝑠𝑒 𝑔𝑎𝑚𝑏𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑎𝑑𝑑𝑖𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑏𝑒𝑔𝑎𝑛 𝑖𝑛 𝑠𝑐ℎ𝑜𝑜𝑙

HARRISBURG – Rep. Jason Ortitay (R-Allegheny/Washington) has introduced legislation that would require online gaming and sports wagering operators to block access to their platforms from inside Pennsylvania schools, closing a gap that has allowed students to gamble during the school day.

Currently, Pennsylvania authorizes interactive gaming and sports wagering for adults under a licensed and regulated framework. That framework was never meant to reach classrooms. However, with a smartphone in nearly every student’s pocket, the line between a regulated adult activity and the school day has blurred. In some cases, minors are using a parent’s account and credentials to place bets and play casino games while sitting in class.

House Bill 2631 puts the responsibility on licensed operators to use geospatial technology, the same kind of location software they already use to keep gambling inside state lines, to draw a digital boundary around school property. Inside that boundary, the platforms simply will not function, regardless of whose account is being used.

“Our schools should be a place for learning, not a place to lose your future one bet at a time,” Ortitay said. “The technology to stop this already exists. We are simply asking the operators who profit from gaming to make sure their products cannot be used by a child sitting in a classroom. This is common sense, and it is long overdue.”

Ortitay is introducing the legislation in honor of Ray Mikesell, a young man from South Fayette Township whose struggle with gambling addiction began while a student. That addiction followed him for years and ultimately cost him his life. His father, Raymond Mikesell Jr., approached Ortitay asking the Commonwealth to act so that no other family would endure the same loss.

“If this legislation helps even one person, it is worth it,” Mikesell said. “This is for my son.”

“Ray’s story is one too many families across Pennsylvania know all too well,” Ortitay said. “His father turned his grief into a mission to protect other kids. The least we can do is honor that by getting this done.”

Ortitay developed the legislation in coordination with the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board, which is supportive of the approach. He noted the bill builds on his long record of consumer and gaming-related protections, including his earlier work to consolidate the state’s problem gambling resources into a single, easy-to-remember helpline, 1-800-GAMBLER.

The bill now awaits consideration in the House Gaming Oversight Committee.
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Isabella and I today attending a flag raising ceremony at the Roberts Stone House in Canonsburg. Not only did the event celebrate Flag Day, but it was also the first time that the stars and stripes have been raised on the newly erected flag pole at this historic site.

While the game didn't end as we all hoped, congratulations on a great season Chartiers-Houston Varsity Softball!

It’s PIAA state championship game day for Chartiers-Houston Varsity Softball!

These young ladies will battle Laurel at 11 a.m. for the PIAA Class AA Softball Championship title.

Good luck, Lady Bucs!

If you can’t make it to State College, these are legitimate links to listen to the game. Do NOT click on any links in the comments.

https://www.youtube.com/live/f53H8J7goys

https://greenesports.live/138-2/wjpa/

https://bit.ly/4vAFeck