Rep. Brian Sims sets priorities for second term in Pa. House

Rep. Brian Sims

HARRISBURG, Jan. 14 – State Rep. Brian Sims, D-Phila., is continuing his push for commonsense priorities as he begins his second term representing Philadelphia's 182nd Legislative District.

Sims said, "In addition to seeking to restore vital school funding, addressing the $2 billion deficit Governor Corbett is leaving and reversing the drastic decline in Pennsylvania's job-creation record, I will continue working with allies from both parties to reintroduce legislation on other important issues," such as:

Constituents who want to learn more about the legislation Sims has worked on and plans to reintroduce will have the opportunity to ask him during his first town hall meeting of 2015, which will be held Feb. 12 from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. in the Bonnell Large Auditorium, Community College of Philadelphia, 1700 Spring Garden St. The auditorium is located on 16th Street between Callowhill and Spring Garden streets.

The legislature's term began in December, and the state constitution sets the traditional swearing-in day for the first Tuesday in January. The House's first regular session is scheduled for next week. Sims was sworn in today due to an unusual circumstance -- his flight last week was delayed coming back from Africa, where he hiked Mt. Kilimanjaro to raise money for the Military Assistance Project, which provides legal and financial services to Philadelphia veterans. Several other representatives who had to miss the Jan. 6 ceremony were also sworn in today.

"I'm honored and grateful for the opportunity to continue representing the people of the 182nd District and to serve as their voice in Harrisburg," Sims said. "This new term will bring massive challenges, and I am very pleased that Governor-elect Tom Wolf, who takes office Jan. 20, supports commonsense policies to address these challenges."

Sims, a distinguished policy attorney and civil rights advocate from Center City Philadelphia, is the first out LGBT person elected to Pennsylvania's General Assembly. He is also a former staff counsel for policy and planning at the Philadelphia Bar Association; former president of the board of directors of Equality Pennsylvania, the commonwealth’s LGBT advocacy organization; and a former chairman of the Gay and Lesbian Lawyers of Philadelphia (GALLOP).

 

Sims earned a bachelor of science degree from Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania and a juris doctor degree in international and comparative law from the Michigan State University College of Law.

Sims represents the 182nd Legislative District, which includes Rittenhouse, Fitler and Logan Squares, the Gayborhood and parts of Washington Square West, Bella Vista, Hawthorne, Graduate Hospital and Queen Village.

Sims' constituent service office is located at 21 S. 12th St., Suite 182, Philadelphia; phone 215-246-1501. In addition to his website -- www.pahouse.com/Sims -- he provides information to constituents through his legislative Facebook and Twitter pages: www.facebook.com/RepBrianSims and www.twitter.com/repsims.

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