Meriam Sabih
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?
Public health is one of my top priorities, and I’m a firm believer in putting people before corporations. Pennsylvania must have more oversight on the materials we sell to the public, and regulations should be tightened to restrict the usage of PFAS. Looking to peer-reviewed publications for studies about the effects of PFAS on the environment and human body, I will always vote to regulate harmful materials. PFAS cause an increased risk of cancer and negatively affect the immune system’s ability to fight infection; while the federal government is allowing dangerous lapses in oversight, Pennsylvania must do the right thing and regulate these dangerous chemicals.
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 the Trump Administration works to limit access to life-saving medical care, legislators in Harrisburg must do everything in their power to ensure Pennsylvanians have all of the tools they need to keep themselves and their community healthy. Vaccines have been proven to be safe, effective, and the best tool for fighting infectious diseases like measles. Even in a widespread outbreak, there have been no recorded cases of a vaccinated person contracting measles–access to this safety should be guaranteed and free for all of the state. Dropping below a vaccination rate of 95% means that Pennsylvania is losing its herd immunity status; we must work to immediately raise our rates to protect our sick, elderly, and newborn populations. At the state level, I promise to combat misinformation in concerned communities with state information campaigns and support bills like HB1828 which require insurance companies to cover vaccines at no additional cost.
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?
Poultry and dairy farmers are key components in Pennsylvania’s ability to feed its people and maintain a bolstering economy. We must ensure these industries are stable and able to follow the sanitation practices that keep all of us safe. Politicians must listen to the farming experts, and work with them to develop practical policy. In an inflation crisis, farmers are struggling to afford the sanitation materials that keep their workers healthy and their animals insulated from disease; I will support funding that bridges these gaps. From state assistance grants to health policies that protect farmworkers and consumers alike, Harrisburg must work to build not only an outbreak response, but a framework to prevent the problem from ever escalating.
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?
Renewable energy doesn’t just help keep our planet green, it lowers grid utilization and cuts utility costs for everyone across the state. It’s a win-win and the next step in making Pennsylvania better for the next generation. Not only should industries be incentivized to implement renewable energies to offset carbon emissions, we should extend demonstrably successful policies like Rep. Fiedler’s Solar for Schools. Solar for Schools cut utility costs, saved taxpayers money, and increased the presence of solar power in Pennsylvania. We cannot stop there; in Harrisburg, I’ll support legislation that continues this programs legacy and work to build renewable infrastructure and reduce utility costs.
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?
I’m a strong proponent of Rep. Matzie’s HB 1834 and Governor Shapiro’s latest Executive Order; we cannot allow power-hungry data centers to take advantage of our community. I believe data centers should pay for their own construction costs as well as any upgrades required to maintain our power grid while they do business in our state. I support Rep. Matzie’s bill requiring a percentage of their power to be generated from renewables and would support future policy to increase this percentage. While the state works to build out its renewable portfolio, megacorporations cannot be let off the hook. It’s vital that data centers be directly beholden to their community, and I will work to maintain heightened regulations and reporting around data centers to ensure the community understands the full toll on our water, power, air, and noise levels. Only then can our citizens be fully informed on accepting and rejecting data center proposals.