Feb 3, 2014 2 min read

The League of Women Voters of Washington County has invited the nine state legislators who represent parts of Washington County in Harrisburg to the league’s annual legislative luncheon at 11:30 a.m. Feb. 14 at the Springhill Suites hotel, 16 Trinity Point Drive, South Strabane Township.

Members of the public are encouraged to attend the luncheon, which coincides with the founding of the league Feb. 14, 1920, the year that the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution gave American women the right to vote.

Those invited include state Sens. Tim Solobay, Matt Smith, and Richard Kasunic, and state Reps. Rick Saccone, John Maher, Jesse White, Peter Daley, Brandon Neuman and Pam Snyder. Most have indicated they will attend, according to Susan Ruether Hanawalt, a director of the League of Women Voters of Washington County.

The luncheon is an information session in which discussion will focus on three topics of interest to the LWV. The first issue concerns the election process in Pennsylvania. Noting other states have increased access and provided early voting opportunities and voting by mail, the league is asking what initiatives the legislators would support to remove unnecessary barriers to voting, improve the voting experience and promote voter participation.

The second issue for discussion is the funding of public education and the third is the expansion of Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. The legislators will be asked to discuss their positions on the legislative redistricting process.

The cost of the luncheon is $12.50. Reservations should be made with county league President Judy Hughes at jh0709@comcast.net or 724-228-9889. Checks can be made out to the League of Women Voters of Washington County and mailed to K.L. Hanawalt, treasurer, 205 Grandview Drive, McMurray, PA 15317.