Gabby’s Law (Act 65 of 2020)

Jason authored the law guaranteeing that a parent or guardian can get mental health treatment for their child under 18, even when the minor refuses care. Before this law, some providers were turning parents away. Named in memory of Gabrielle Bruno, this is one of Jason’s proudest accomplishments and a law that continues to save lives across the Commonwealth.

Naming the Terry D. Tackett Jr. Memorial Bridge (Act 63 of 2024)

Jason authored the legislation naming the Southern Beltway bridge over State Route 980 in Cecil Township in honor of Terry “Bubby” Tackett Jr., a Presto volunteer firefighter and union laborer who gave his life serving others. It is a permanent tribute to a local hero in the community where he grew up.

In his first term, Jason’s proposal updated state law to replace the outdated term “day care” with “childcare” throughout, reflecting how families and providers actually talk about caring for children. The change was adopted into the broader childcare licensing reform signed into law in December 2015.

Jason championed the most significant reading reform in Pennsylvania in years. It requires evidence-based reading instruction, creates a Reading Leadership Council to maintain approved curriculum and screening tools, provides free teacher training, and ends the failed “three cueing” method. This was the culmination of nearly five years of Jason’s work.

Jason’s proposal creating a statewide professional development and in classroom coaching program in structured literacy for school personnel, laying the groundwork for the larger 2024 reform.

Jason secured a historic 100 million dollar investment in school safety, with the flexibility for districts to direct funding toward student mental health needs.

Jason’s proposal requiring school districts to create multidisciplinary teams that identify students in distress before a crisis, building on the Safe2Say Something tip line.

Jason’s proposal changing how school safety block grants are distributed so that schools receive a base grant scaled to their size, making the process fairer for every district.

Jason’s proposal directing the state to build a catalog of online K-12 courses available to public schools, nonpublic schools, home education families, and the public.

Jason’s proposal giving an additional year of instruction to special education students who lost critical learning time during COVID-19 before aging out of the system.

Jason’s proposal strengthening dual enrollment so more students, including charter school students for the first time, can earn college credit in high school, while expanding efforts to recruit and retain teachers.

Jason’s proposal creating a pilot program teaching students about the contributions of individuals with disabilities.

Jason introduced the legislation that became Pennsylvania’s major 2017 gaming law, and within it he consolidated the state’s scattered problem gambling resources into a single, easy to remember helpline, 1-800-GAMBLER. When someone in crisis reaches for help, they now have one number to call. It remains the statewide lifeline for problem gambling today.

When PennDOT moved to toll interstate bridges across Pennsylvania, including South Fayette Township, Jason led the charge against it. He rallied his community, supported the legal challenge that municipalities won in Commonwealth Court, and fought the plan at every turn until the tolling scheme was defeated. The reform that followed became Act 84 of 2022.