Katie Muth

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Katie Muth
Member of the Pennsylvania Senate
from the 44th district
Assumed office
January 1, 2019 (2019-01-01)
Preceded byJohn Rafferty Jr.
Personal details
Born (1983-09-20) September 20, 1983 (age 40)
Western Pennsylvania
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseTrevor Muth
EducationPennsylvania State University (BS)
A.T. Still University (MS)
WebsiteOfficial website

Katie J. Muth is an American politician serving as a Democratic member of the Pennsylvania State Senate, representing the 44th District. Her district includes portions of northeastern Chester and southwestern Montgomery and southeastern Berks Counties. Muth serves in Senate Democratic Leadership as the Democratic Policy Committee Chair.

Political career

Elections

2018 election

Muth was unopposed in the Democratic primary. In the general election, she defeated incumbent Republican John Rafferty - who had represented the 44th District since 2003 - by a margin of 62,692 to 57,943 (52% to 48%). Her victory was part of the "blue wave" that increased Democratic and female representation in the Pennsylvania General Assembly and Congressional delegation.

2022 election

In the 2022 election Muth was unopposed in the Democratic primary. In the general election, she defeated Republican Jessica Florio. Muth won by a margin of 70,790 to 56,343.[1]

Committee assignments

Muth sits on the following committees in the Senate:[2]

  • Democratic Policy – Chair
  • Finance
  • Rules and Executive Nominations
  • Environmental Resources and Energy
  • State Government
  • Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness –- Minority Chair

Political positions

Muth supports initiatives such as rebate programs to decrease property taxes, along with ending increasing property taxes. She supports increasing taxes for corporations, with an emphasis on the fossil fuel industry. She supports state-sponsored healthcare for all.[3]

2019 budget debate

During a budget debate in June 2019, Senator Muth took the floor and read a letter from a disabled constituent who relies on the PA General Assistance Program. Throughout her reading, Republican Majority Leader Jake Corman of Bellefonte loudly raised a point of order which was not recognized by the president (Democratic Lieutenant Governor John Fetterman). The Republican-controlled Senate voted against renewing the program 26–24.[4]

2020 presidential endorsement

On November 8, 2019 Muth tweeted her official endorsement of Senator Elizabeth Warren in her bid for President.[5]

Support of cannabis decriminalization

Muth was a co-sponsor of Senate Bill 107 in 2021, which sought to decriminalize possession of cannabis.[6] In 2023, when the same bill was introduced as Senate Bill 1028, Muth did not initially support it but eventually signed on as the 17th sponsor.[7] On January 25, 2024, Muth responded to criticism on X alleging she withdrew support due to pressure from cannabis corporations seeking to profit, stating she was collecting feedback from "stakeholders."[8]

PSERS

Muth made headlines when she sued Pennsylvania’s largest public pension system amid a federal investigation into aspects of the agency’s undertakings, saying agency officials have refused to share documents with her, even though she is a board member. Muth’s lawsuit said board members are being asked to vote on approximately $1 billion in investments at Thursday’s meeting, “yet attempts to obtain information, data and documents that in her view could better inform” those decisions were rejected. The Associated Press has previously reported that subpoenas from federal investigators center on the pension system's purchases of parcels of land in downtown Harrisburg and its calculations about the fund's investment performance that help determine the balance of payments into the system by taxpayers and school employees.[9]

44th Senatorial District

Pennsylvania State Senate District 44 includes parts of Berks County, Chester County, and Montgomery County.

Berks County:

Chester County:

Montgomery County:

Education

Muth received a B.S. degree in Athletic Training from the Pennsylvania State University in 2011 and graduated from A.T. Still University of Health Sciences in Mesa, Arizona with a M.S. in Athletic Training in 2013.[10]

References

  1. ^ "Jessica Florio". Ballotpedia. Retrieved 2024-01-11.
  2. ^ "Senator Maria Collett". Senate of Pennsylvania.
  3. ^ ISSUES & PRIORITIES
  4. ^ Law, Tara (June 29, 2019). "Pennsylvania Senate Session Descends Into Screaming Match Over Poverty Assistance Program". Time.
  5. ^ Cole, John. "Four SEPA Dems Back Warren". Politics PA. Retrieved 17 December 2019.
  6. ^ "Senate Bill 107; Regular Session 2021-2022". PA General Assembly.
  7. ^ "Senate Bill 1028; Regular Session 2023-2024". PA General Assembly.
  8. ^ "Senator Katie Muth on X". X.
  9. ^ "Pennsylvania pension system sued over access to documents amid probe". WITF. 2021-06-10. Retrieved 2022-01-26.
  10. ^ "About". Senator Katie Muth. Retrieved 2022-01-26.

External links

Pennsylvania State Senate
Preceded by Member of the Pennsylvania Senate
from the 44th district
2019–present 		Incumbent
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