Jon Lloyd
DemocraticQ1 PFAS chemicals are widely used in consumer products but have raised health concerns due to their persistence in the environment and humans, and some Pennsylvanian legislators are considering restrictions on its use, such as in House Bill 2145. Should Pennsylvania restrict PFAS in consumer products? What scientific evidence would you use to inform your decision?
Yes. My decision would be guided by peer-reviewed scientific research, as well as assessments from the Pennsylvania Departments of Health and Environmental Protection, the EPA, CDC, and other credible public health agencies.
PFAS chemicals persist in the environment and can build up in the human body over time. Research has raised serious concerns about potential links to cancer, reproductive and developmental harms, immune system impacts, and other health risks.
I believe this bill’s focus on products such as cosmetics, dental floss, menstrual products, food packaging, and other everyday consumer goods is a practical and responsible step toward reducing unnecessary exposure.
KEYWORDS: Public health, consumer safety, accountability
Q2 Measles vaccination rates in Pennsylvania have declined in recent years, from 95.5% in 2020 to 92.5% in 2025. At the same time, measles outbreaks have emerged across the state, with 62 confirmed cases in PA in 2026. As a policymaker, how do you approach engaging with communities that have concerns that center on infectious disease outbreaks and vaccine safety, and what policies, if any, would you support related to these issues?
As a parent, I understand that families want to feel confident they are making the best decisions for their children. My approach would be to listen to concerns respectfully, make sure people have access to clear information from doctors and public health experts, and avoid treating honest questions as something to dismiss. At the same time, we can’t ignore the real danger of preventable outbreaks.
Measles is highly contagious, and vaccines remain one of the safest and most effective tools we have to protect children, seniors, and people with weakened immune systems. I would support making vaccines easier to access through community clinics, schools, pharmacies, and local health providers. I would also support strengthening public health education and outreach.
Finally, I would support maintaining evidence-based school immunization requirements with legitimate medical exemptions respected. Families deserve both compassion and accurate information, and our policies should help protect individual children while also keeping entire communities safe.
KEYWORDS: Trust, access, prevention
Q3 There have been avian influenza outbreaks in Pennsylvania, with potential impacts on poultry and dairy operations, both industries that provide billions of dollars of economic value to the state. What policies, if any, do you support to strengthen the state’s preparedness and outbreak response? Are there specific strategies you would prioritize to protect farm workers, agricultural communities, and the broader public?
I would support a coordinated, science-based response that helps farms detect outbreaks early, contain them quickly, and recover without being financially devastated. PA should continue investing in rapid testing, veterinary lab staffing, and practical biosecurity assistance for both commercial and smaller family-owned operations.
I also believe that the state should also maintain a recovery fund so farms and related businesses are not left carrying the full cost of an outbreak. PA has already expanded testing and response resources during the 2026 surge, and that capacity needs to be sustained so we can be proactive in the future, not simply reactive.
Worker protection is at the center of these efforts. I would prioritize free access to the appropriate protective equipment, training, paid time off in the event of a need for testing/isolation, and less barriers to workers who may have been exposed.
KEYWORDS: Public safety, worker support, proactive
Q4 Pennsylvania is the nation’s second-largest producer of natural gas and nuclear energy, as well as the third-largest producer of coal, per the Energy Information Administration. In contrast, PA currently ranks 45th in the country in terms of wind, solar, and hydropower energy production. How do you think these energy sources should be distributed across PA’s energy production portfolio, and what policies, if any, would you support to facilitate this?
I believe we need a diverse energy portfolio that protects reliability and affordability while moving toward a cleaner future. Natural gas and nuclear energy currently play major roles in our grid, and nuclear in particular provides reliable carbon-free power. But we’ve fallen behind in wind and solar generation even as those technologies become more affordable and faster to deploy.
Natural gas should remain part of the transition, but we can’t rely on it forever or allow coal to keep being a long-term centerpiece of our energy strategy.
I support strengthening and expanding solar energy so more families and businesses can benefit from clean energy. We should invest in battery storage and modernizing our grid so renewable power can be used more reliably. For example, data centers should help pay for the generation and infrastructure they require instead of shifting those costs onto families and small businesses.
KEYWORDS: Solar, wind, responsibility
Q5 Pennsylvania has proposed more reporting, utility oversight, and zoning guidance for large data centers, along with shifting some generation, capacity, and reliability costs onto data center developers rather than ordinary ratepayers. How should the costs and benefits of large data center development be divided between developers and the public, and what requirements, if any, would you support on power, water, and public reporting before a project moves forward?
Data centers can bring local investment and jobs, but those benefits can’t come at the expense of working families, local communities, or our environment. I believe that developers should be responsible for their own new utility generation so that taxpayers’ utility bills don’t skyrocket.
Before a project moves forward, I would support clear public reporting on projected electricity and water use, emissions, and any public subsidies involved. This would ensure transparency with these projects. Developers should also demonstrate how they will secure enough power without undermining reliability and affordability for existing customers.
KEYWORDS: Affordability, responsibility, regulation