Harrisburg, PA - Inaugurated as the 34th Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania on January 15, John Fetterman’s first six months in office have included major milestones and historic firsts.
From Day 1, Fetterman has put his promises into practice, hiring a diverse staff of six that includes three African Americans, three women, and two members of the LGBTQIA+ community.
Here’s a look at the team’s first six months.
- The team was still being assembled when Fetterman hit the road to start a historic, 98-day, 67-county stop tour of the state at the behest of Gov. Tom Wolf. Fetterman completed the unbiased and transparent statewide listening tour to hear Pennsylvanians’ opinions on legalizing adult-use retail cannabis.
- The tour started on February 11, 2019 in Dauphin County and ended May 19, 2019 in Philadelphia County. Over 98 days and 70 stops, Fetterman and team members visited all 67 counties, from Greene to Wayne and Erie to Philadelphia an in-between, then handed residents the mic and listened. The office has completed an in-dept report and presented it to the governor’s office.
- Pardons reform has been and will remain a top priority for Fetterman, whose historic changes included appointing an ex-offender to oversee the Board of Pardons. Secretary Brandon Flood started the job in April, and his appointment reflects Fetterman’s commitment to second chances in Pennsylvania. Flood is expected to help streamline the pardons process and make the system more approachable for all Pennsylvanians.
- Fetterman, who chairs the Board of Pardons, led the board in waiving the fees that inhibited some low-income applicants. His office also oversaw the rewriting of the application to create a more user-friendly and intuitive form that’s more approachable for people who can’t afford lawyers.
- Fetterman and Second Lady Gisele Fetterman have maintained their home in Braddock, PA, saying the Lieutenant Governor’s Residence in Fort Indiantown Gap should have a “higher and better use” for the public’s benefit. The Second Lady created and is overseeing a new program to give nonprofits and other groups that serve marginalized populations exclusive access to the residence’s on-site pool. The pool hosted its first group, a summer enrichment program from Harrisburg School District, on June 26. More than a dozen other groups are expected to use the pool by the end of summer.
- For Pride Month in June, Fetterman’s office made history by flying the Philadelphia People of Color Inclusive Flag and the Transgender Flag together from the lieutenant governor’s prominent second-floor balcony on the front of the Capitol. Rainbow lights were also displayed for a week.
- Fetterman moved to restore more direct oversight of the Pennsylvania Military Community Enhancement Commission to the veteran community. While the lieutenant governor serves as default chair of the commission, Fetterman transferred the chair position to Sen. John Blake, who is a founding member of the commission and a member of the Veterans Affairs & Emergency Preparedness Committee, and whose father was a World War II vet who worked at Tobyhanna Army Depot for more than 30 years.
- Since January 15, the Office of Lieutenant Governor has closed 685 pieces of correspondence, which includes mail, emails, calls, faxes, and web letters.
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