Rep. Paul Friel
@repfriel.com
PA State Representative for the 26th House District, serving Northern Chester County.
This is indeed exactly what my bill protects against. The Senate needs to take action to protect against data centers before this happens to more communities. www.pottsmerc.com/2026/07/10/d...
Data center sought just hours before new ordinance is adopted
“Conversely, if the township asserts that data centers are not within the scope of uses permitted within the zoning district. the zoning ordinance is substantively invalid as a matter of law.”
pottsmerc.com
One of the great things about having a summer intern is that they bring new ideas. Ideas like "Paul should have a TikTok!" So, here it is. If you are on TikTok, go ahead and follow me... let's see what our team comes up with. I mean, what could go wrong? 😆 www.tiktok.com/@rep.paulfriel
Rep.PaulFriel's Creator Profile
tiktok.com
The Senate Local Government Committee unanimously passed my bill allowing municipalities to enact a 180 day pause on data center proposals, an important step toward providing local officials with the breathing room they need to put strong protections into place for their communities.
Our communities deserve protection from unfettered data center development. Local governments need breathing room to develop data center ordinances thoughtfully, transparently, and with meaningful public input.
As we finalize the state budget, it is essential that we keep our farms front and center and support our farmers not just in word & deed. My two farm bills with this aim have passed the House with overwhelming bipartisan support and the support of the PA and Chester & Delaware Co Farm Bureaus.
Every parent that sends their kids to college hopes that they will be safe and look out for each other. We know that emergencies do happen, and when they do, we need students to know they can act to help a peer without hesitation. www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSCq...
Friel Bill Improves Campus Safety by Protecting Good Samaritans
YouTube video by Pa. House Video
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Every parent that sends their kids to college hopes that they'll be safe and look out for each other. We know that emergencies do happen, and when they do, we need students to know they can act to help a peer without hesitation. This bill protects those Good Samaritans so they can act without fear.
It's never been more important to give our farmers our full support and respect. www.pahouse.com/friel/InTheN...
Friel, Lawrence: Bill modernizing lending for Pa. farmers moves from committee
HARRISBURG, June 9 – Legislation that would significantly expand access to low-interest financing for Pennsylvania farmers to grow and modernize their operations advanced unanimously from the state Ho...
pahouse.com
I developed this bill with @repfriel.com & Rep. Kutz based on extensive conversations with the biotech community. We're thrilled the #PaSenate agrees this small change would have a big positive impact and is running similar legislation today in committee! youtube.com/shorts/u-npN...
Borowski bill aims to incentivize pharmaceutical & biomedical innovation
YouTube video by Pa. House Video
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This legislation ensures that CEOs face the same real consequences of their companies’ decisions as their customers do. www.pahouse.com/friel/InTheN...
Kinkead, Friel launch bill to hold healthcare executives accountable
HARRISBURG, June 8 – State Reps. Emily Kinkead and Paul Friel today introduced legislation aimed at holding insurance company executives accountable when coverage denials for medically necessary care ...
pahouse.com
The families and farms whose lives and land have been polluted by the reckless dumping of food processing residuals need a solution. grist.org/accountabili...
Blood in the well: One town’s fight against the slaughterhouse polluting it
Residents of a Pennsylvania town took on a beef processor after its waste polluted their wells. They won — but little may change.
grist.org
Last Friday, Rep. Bridget Kosierowski and I held our first 'Future of Healthcare' summit in partnership with Penn Medicine and the University of Pennsylvania- bringing together leaders in healthcare delivery, innovation, and policy.
St. Peter's Rd. is open for business! Not only that but a month ahead of schedule. Special thanks to @penndotsec.bsky.social & Governor Shapiro for pushing this project through and to the crew from Loftus Construction for their exceptional work. youtube.com/shorts/TAT52...
Friel Celebrates Re-Opening of St. Peter's Road
YouTube video by Pa. House Video
youtube.com
Pennsylvania just overwhelmingly passed bipartisan reform to regulate toxic food-processing waste in fertilizer. It’s a simple, overdue step to protect our soil, our water, and the people who grow our food. @repfriel.com local21news.com/news/local/b...
Bill could change what goes into PA farmers' fertilizer (and make it smell better)
A bill that recently passed the state house could change what goes in to Pennsylvania farmers' fertilizer—and supporters say it might just smell better.
local21news.com
Great news- Yesterday the House Judiciary Committee unanimously passed 2 Good Samaritans bills sponsored by @repemilykinkead.com and myself. www.pahouse.com/friel/InTheN...
Friel, Kinkead bills to protect good Samaritans in drug, alcohol overdoses clear committee
HARRISBURG, April 28 – The Pennsylvania House Judiciary Committee on Monday unanimously advanced two bills that would protect individuals cooperating with first responders in the event of a drug or al...
pahouse.com
We must protect our communities from the unrestrained development of data centers across our state. We in the House just passed a bill- HB1834- that takes important steps in that direction. This bill:
When seconds matter, no one should hesitate to call for help. 🚑 A recent hearing hosted by @repfriel.com & @repemilykinkead.com looked at strengthening good Samaritan protections after a student helped a classmate with alcohol poisoning - and ended up being charged with reckless endangerment.
LIVE WEDNESDAY: PA’s Good Samaritan law has gaps, with helpers being unfairly charged for helping people in need. @repfriel.com & @repemilykinkead.com team up to talk legislative fixes with a victim and legal experts. Watch: PaHouse.com/Policy
My team and I want to extend our sincere condolences to the family of State Police Corporal Tim O’Connor, who was killed in the line of duty yesterday. His loved ones and his colleagues are in our thoughts and prayers as they mourn.
At a recent #PaBudget hearing I asked Sec. Al Schmidt about the investigation into the 2025 incident where around 70,000 independent and third party voters were left out of Chester County poll books. youtu.be/WIVcR8iCtD0
Friel: Securing Election Integrity
YouTube video by Pa. House Video
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Hundreds of thousands of Pennsylvanians are losing their healthcare coverage due to federal cuts. This puts even more pressure on local hospitals who will see unreimbursed costs rise and will inevitably result in additional hospital closures.
Students from districts with vulnerable immigrant populations are dealing with the fallout of ICE detainments not only in their homes, but in their neighborhoods, at their bus stops, and near their schools.
Students all across Pennsylvania have a growing interest in Career and Technical Education- and careers in these fields are in high demand. We need to help our Career and Tech Centers build up their capacity to meet the needs of these promising students. www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGQ9...
Friel: Career and Technical Education is In Demand
YouTube video by Pa. House Video
youtube.com
A big issue in PA is small and startup businesses leaving the state for better growth opportunities. I asked Secretary Rick Siger how DCED is working to close that gap and keep these flourishing startups within our state lines. #PABudget youtu.be/Qmk1f89uQAY
Friel: Keeping Businesses in Pennsylvania
YouTube video by Pa. House Video
youtu.be
I spoke with PA Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding about the processes and programs available to farmers for transferring their farms. I also asked about the resources they might need when it’s time to pass their farm on. youtu.be/UBHWfOHr7SA
Friel: Supporting Farm Transfers
YouTube video by Pa. House Video
youtu.be
Wisdom from President John F. Kennedy: "The stories of past courage can teach, they can offer hope, they can provide inspiration. But they cannot supply courage itself. For this, each man must look into his own soul."
Courage, compassion, and the fight for justice are common threads in our local heritage. Will we continue that legacy by fighting to protect the humanity and rights of our neighbors? My answer- yes, we must.
In all of the chatter about ICE raids, people will sometimes argue that immigrants don't have constitutional protections like the right to due process. Reality is that immigrants have many rights, regardless of their legal status. This article is a helpful primer. www.forbes.com/sites/andyjs...
Constitutional Rights Of Undocumented Immigrants: Do They Have Any?
Constitutional rights of undocumented immigrants include the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendment due process and equal protections rights. See what else they have.
forbes.com
Thank you to everyone who turned out to last night's town hall! My team and I had a great time connecting with community members about issues from potholes, to education, to ICE, to local economic development.
