By Rep. Kinkead

As lawmakers embark on a new legislative session in 2025, I am already diving into tackling the issues that matter most to residents of Allegheny County, and Pennsylvanians from every corner of the Commonwealth. As a state representative since 2020, I have become intimately familiar with the challenges my constituents face in the boroughs of Avalon, Bellevue, West View, Ross Township, and parts of Pittsburgh. I’m committed to representing our communities’ values of equality, opportunity, and compassion by crafting practical solutions that focus on investing in working people, protecting the communities we’ve built, and opening doors for those who’ve been left behind. In this column, I outline four pieces of legislation I am planning to reintroduce this session that I believe will improve life for all who call Pennsylvania home.

Protecting homeowners with landslide insurance

Western Pennsylvania’s hills and valleys make our region beautiful, but they also make us uniquely vulnerable to landslides. If you’ve lived here for even just a few years, you already know that landslides are a recurring threat to many homes, businesses, and roads. Yet, property owners in Pennsylvania currently have no option to purchase landslide insurance. This gap leaves many families and business owners vulnerable to financial ruin when a landslide occurs.

This session, for the third time, I will be introducing legislation to create a landslide insurance program through the state, providing affordable coverage to homeowners and businesses who own property in landslide-prone areas like those throughout our region. By addressing this long-ignored risk, we can finally give Pennsylvanians the ability to protect the lives they’ve worked so hard to build from disastrous landslides.

Universal school meals for every student

Over the past two years, Pennsylvania’s state budget has provided universal breakfast for our public school students. While this initiative has been helpful for many students and their families, breakfast alone is not nearly enough to sustain a child throughout the school day. No child should have to learn on an empty stomach, and the stigma associated with free or reduced-price lunch programs continues to create unnecessary barriers for students in need.

I’m again introducing legislation to establish a universal school meals program to provide both breakfast and lunch for all public school students in Pennsylvania. Making meals universally available is the key to eliminating stigma and ensuring every child has the nutrition they need to thrive. Investing in our children is one of the best ways we can spend our tax dollars, and a universal school meals program would pay dividends in better educational outcomes and healthier communities.

Successful reentry for formerly incarcerated individuals

Reentry into society after incarceration is a pivotal moment. People can get hopeless pretty quickly if they are unable to establish some level of stability. Unfortunately, too many individuals face significant barriers when leaving prison — from finding employment to securing housing — simply because they lack basic documents like a photo ID. Without a photo ID, opening a bank account, applying for jobs, or even renting an apartment becomes a strenuous, uphill battle.

My legislation would require the state to provide individuals exiting incarceration with a state-issued photo ID and other essential documents, such as a birth certificate and Social Security card, where appropriate. This initiative is about more than just paperwork; it’s about giving people a fair chance to rebuild their lives and contribute to society. Removing barriers to reentering so- ciety successfully reduces recidivism, makes our communities safer, strengthens our workforce, and creates a more just and equitable criminal justice system and this is a simple, cost-effective way to do it.

Expanding Medicaid to cover dental care

Dental health is integral to overall health, but far too many Pennsylvanians go without necessary dental care due to its high, sometimes luxury-level, cost. But teeth were not always luxury bones in Pennsylvania. Medicaid once covered essential dental services like root canals for Pennsylvanians, but these benefits were cut in 2011 under the Corbett administration under the guise of cost savings. The consequences have been devastating, leading to untreated infections, chronic pain, and preventable hospital visits and the ballooning medical costs that go along with it. Additionally, it has impacted these Pennsylvanians’ employability and quality of life.

I have written legislation to restore and expand dental coverage for Medicaid recipients to again include basic services as a matter of dignity and quality of life. Expanding access to preventative and restorative dental care would help save lives, reduce long-term healthcare costs, and ensure that more Pennsylvanians have the opportunity to lead healthy lives with a smile.

I know that progress doesn’t happen in a vacuum. To get these bills across the finish line will require collaboration across the aisle, input from experts and constituents, and the relentless advocacy of communities like ours. But I believe in the power of collective action and the promise of what we can achieve when we work together. Your voice is vital in this process. Whether you’re passionate about one of these issues or want to see legislation on a separate issue, I encourage you to reach out to my office by email at RepKinkead@pahouse.net or call (412) 3215523. Together, we can build a better Pennsylvania.