Barton Breaks It Down

‘Barton Breaks It Down’ – Gov. Josh Shapiro’s Upcoming Budget Address

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I am excited to announce that I will now be recording a bi-weekly video update called “Barton Breaks It Down” to keep you informed on all the latest news from Harrisburg and back home in our district.

With the governor’s budget address coming up next Tuesday, I thought it made sense to share my budget priorities and what I hope to hear from Gov. Josh Shapiro. In a few short months on the job, it is clear to me that we have challenges, not just in Washington or Harrisburg, but in every community I represent. It’s my hope we can come together and meet these challenges.

Check out this week’s video update!

‘Barton Breaks It Down’ – RGGI

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I am excited to announce that I will now be recording a bi-weekly video update called “Barton Breaks It Down” to keep you informed on all the latest news from Harrisburg and back home in our district.

A few weeks ago, we heard a lot of positive things from Gov. Josh Shapiro in his first budget address, but one thing that I was disappointed to hear NOTHING about… was pulling Pennsylvania from the disastrous anti-energy, anti-consumer agreement known as, the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, or RGGI.

‘Barton Breaks It Down’ – Budget Hearings

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Welcome to another bi-weekly video update of "Barton Breaks it Down," which is part of my commitment to keeping the constituents of Berks and Schuylkill counties informed as to what’s going on in Harrisburg and in our district with important news and complete transparency.

Check out this week’s video update where I break down the process of how Gov. Josh Shapiro's budget proposal is investigated through a series of budget hearings that help to ensure your taxpayer dollars are being spent wisely.

‘Barton Breaks It Down’ – House Committees

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Welcome to another biweekly video update of "Barton Breaks It Down," which is part of my commitment to keeping the constituents of Berks and Schuylkill counties informed as to what’s going on in Harrisburg and back home in our district with complete transparency.

As a state representative, I don’t have a lot of say as to which committees on which I get to serve. For the 2023-24 Legislative Session, I have been appointed to serve on three House committees:

• Housing and Community Development.
• State Government.
• Tourism and Economic and Recreational Development.

This week, I’m going to be breaking down my role on the Housing and Community Development Committee. As a member of this committee, I vote on legislation sponsored by me or other House members. So, what exactly does the Housing and Community Development Committee do?

Check out this week’s video update to learn more!

‘Barton Breaks It Down’ – PA Agriculture

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Welcome to another biweekly video update of "Barton Breaks It Down," which is part of my commitment to keeping the constituents of Berks and Schuylkill counties informed, as to what’s going on in Harrisburg and back home in our district with important facts and complete transparency.

This week, I’m breaking down our Commonwealth’s leading industry… Pennsylvania agriculture.

Check out this week’s video to LEARN more about how PA’s economy is deeply ROOTED in our agricultural industry!

‘Barton Breaks It Down’ – PA Dairy Promotion Program Chair Lolly Lesher & Way-Har Farms

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Welcome to another biweekly video update of "Barton Breaks It Down," which is part of my commitment to keeping the constituents of Berks and Schuylkill counties informed, as to what’s going on in Harrisburg and back home in our district with important facts and complete transparency.

What a fun time it was interviewing the FIRST EVER female chair of the Pennsylvania Dairy Promotion Program, Lolly Lesher, at the beautiful Way-Har Farms in Berks County!

Check out this week’s video update to learn more about Lolly and her new role, her amazing Berks County farm and all things PA dairy.

‘Barton Breaks It Down’ – How a Bill Becomes a Law

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Welcome to another biweekly video update of "Barton Breaks It Down," which is part of my commitment to keeping the constituents of Berks and Schuylkill counties informed, as to what’s going on in Harrisburg and back home in our district with important facts and complete transparency.

Check out this week’s video update where I break down the legislative process and how a bill becomes a law!

‘Barton Breaks It Down’ – Backing the Blue

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On this edition of Barton Breaks It Down, we’re discussing the safety of our communities here in Berks and Schuylkill counties.


Barton Breaks It Down: Campaign Finance Transparency

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On this edition of Barton Breaks It Down, we discuss the Commonwealth’s campaign finance laws, and my new legislation to make the process more transparent.

Barton Breaks It Down: National Recovery Month

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On this edition of Barton Breaks It Down, we discuss National Recovery Month, and the help available here in the 124th Legislative District for anyone struggling with addiction.

Barton Breaks It Down- Shapiro's Voter Registration Mandate

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On this edition of Barton Breaks It Down, I’m tackling Gov. Josh Shapiro’s move to start automatically registering anyone to vote who either obtains or renews their driver’s license or state I.D.

Barton Breaks It Down: Stop Funding Hamas by achieving PA Energy Independence

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On this “Barton Breaks It Down,” I explain how Pennsylvania, and the wider United States, indirectly helped fund the terrorist organization that recently massacred Israeli civilians, and what we can do to change course.

Rep. Barton Breaks It Down: With Bob and Judy Miller.

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On this “Barton Breaks It Down,” I chat with Bob and Judy Miller, who attended my Senior Expo last month.

Rep. Barton breaks it down with Bob Carl, President of Schuylkill County Chamber of Commerce.

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On this edition of “Barton Breaks It Down,” I met with Schuylkill County Chamber of Commerce President Bob Carl during my Senior Citizens Expo to discuss some of the resources we offered and how the very building in which the expo was held honors veterans in our community.

Barton Breaks It Down: Human Trafficking

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On this edition of “Barton Breaks It Down,” we’re focusing on the dark reality of human trafficking. I’ll tell you about some of the warning signs, and the resources you can reach out to if you or someone you know may be a victim.

Barton Breaks it Down: Girl Scout Lilyanne

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On this edition of “Barton Breaks It Down,” I had the pleasure of speaking with Lilyanne from Tamaqua Girl Scout Troop 33013. She has pioneered an important presentation on cell phone safety that is impacting Girl Scouts across the country.

Barton Breaks it Down: The new year is a time of joy, giving, family and reflection

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The end of the year is a time of joy, giving, family and reflection. So, in this edition of Barton Breaks It Down, I wanted to take a look back at my first year serving as your state representative.

Barton Breaks It Down with the PA Treasury

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On this edition of Barton Breaks It Down, I spoke with a representative from the Pennsylvania Treasury about the many services it offers.

Barton Breaks It Down: 2024 PA Farm Show interview with Dave Smith, Executive Director of the PA Dairymen's Association

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A trip to the Pennsylvania Farm Show is never complete without one of its famous milkshakes! On this edition of Barton Breaks It Down, I get a behind-the-scenes look at how these delicious drinks are made with PA Dairymen's Association's Executive Director Dave Smith!

Barton Breaks It Down with Sec. Redding

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I sat down with Pennsylvania’s Secretary of Agriculture Russell Redding to talk about this year’s show, organic agriculture and more!

Barton Breaks It Down with Rodale Institute

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The 124th was well-represented at this year’s Pennsylvania Farm Show. That’s thanks in no small part to Rodale Institute! Rodale is a global leader in organic agriculture. On this edition of Barton Breaks It Down, I spoke with Sam Geesaman, a Navy veteran and Rodale farm operations technician, about Rodale’s RIFT program. Rodale Institute’s Farmer Training (RIFT) school gives aspiring farmers the knowledge and experience they need to start a career in organic agriculture.

Barton Breaks It Down: 2024 PA Farm Show interview with Mike Firestine and Christian Leinbach

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At this year’s Pennsylvania Farm Show, I caught up with Berks County Commissioner Christian Leinbach and Farm Show Committee Chairman Mike Firestine to talk about nearly $2 million in scholarships awarded at the Farm Show, Berks County’s agricultural diversity and much more!

Barton Breaks It Down: 2024 PA Farm Show Interview with Tulpehocken FFA Members

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At this year’s Pennsylvania Farm Show, I caught up with some members of the next generation of PA agriculture! Landon Davis, David Garber, and his mom and advisor, Amy, are with the Tulpehocken Future Farmers of America (FFA). We talked about their unique coursework, their future plans in agriculture and more in this edition of Barton Breaks It Down!

Barton Breaks It Down: 2024-25 PA Budget Process

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On this edition of Barton Breaks It Down, we’re looking at the long and contentious process underway in Harrisburg to come up with our state budget plan. House Appropriations Committee hearings began this week, more than four months ahead of the June 30 deadline.  

Barton Breaks It Down – Blessing of the Balers

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We recognized, honored and prayed for our farmers and agricultural industry with our first ever "Blessing of the Balers" in Lenhartsville! Pastor Jeff Johnson led us in a prayer before we all went inside for some breakfast and fellowship. Farmers from Berks and Schuylkill counties joined us, as well as Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Lisa Graybeal, for this inspirational and informative event. Agriculture is the number one business in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and we need to regularly support the amazing people who produce food for our families, our community and the world!

On this edition of Barton Breaks It Down, I talked to one of the families who attended our event to learn about the history of their farm and all the hard work they put in to help put food on our tables.

Barton Breaks It Down – Blessing of the Balers with the Dept. of Ag

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We had a very special guest at our Blessing of the Balers earlier this month. The Department of Agriculture’s deputy secretary for Animal Health and Food Safety Lisa Graybeal joined us to recognize, honor and pray for our farmers and the wider agricultural industry.

On this edition of Barton Breaks It Down, hear from the Deputy Secretary about her experience on her family’s dairy farm, the future of agriculture and much more!

Barton Breaks It Down – It’s Time to Act on Voter ID

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On this episode of Barton Breaks It Down, I’ll explain why I joined many of my colleagues to sign something called a discharge petition to put a constitutional amendment on voter ID on the ballot.

Barton Breaks It Down – Touring Hamburg State Center

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With rumors swirling about the Hamburg State Center, I decided to see the 106-acre property for myself. Join me for a look inside the walls of this century-old sanitorium on this edition of Barton Breaks It Down.

Barton Breaks It Down – Background on the Hamburg State Center

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I toured the 106-acre Hamburg State Center property. On that tour, I got the chance to talk to Department of Human Services Bureau Director Kevin Dressler about the history of the former sanitorium, what’s happening on-site now and what the property may be used for moving forward.

Barton Breaks It Down – Trout Stocking at Locust Lake

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On this edition of Barton Breaks It Down, I joined the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission for a trout stocking at Locust Lake State Park.

Many of our favorite fishing spots are made possible by PFBC. Locust Lake likely would not be able to sustain itself as a fishery without these annual trout stockings, which are funded completely through PA fishing license proceeds!

Barton Breaks It Down – Locust Lake Campground Renovations

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On this edition of Barton Breaks It Down, we’ll cover what’s under construction at Locust Lake. You may have noticed limited availability at the campgrounds this summer. It’s because of an expansive construction project to make some improvements for the future!

Barton Breaks It Down – Fighting a Foolish Education Funding Bill

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The state House narrowly passed an education funding plan this week that falls well short of providing the transformational change needed to boost classroom success for all students.

On this edition of Barton Breaks It Down, I’ll dive into why this bill hurts our students and Pennsylvania taxpayers.

Barton Breaks It Down – Embrace All Energy Forms

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This week, the House passed a Democrat bill on a near-party-line vote that would restructure the Pennsylvania Energy Development Authority, or PEDA. That restructuring claims to “modernize” Pennsylvania energy, but all it really does is hurt our traditional energy industry in favor of renewable energy sources.

On this edition of “Barton Breaks It Down,” we’ll dig into the legislation, and discuss why we can’t turn our back on fossil fuels.

Barton Breaks It Down – Budget Update

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Last night, the House passed a General Appropriations bill with a total spending figure just under $47.6 billion, nearly 6% more than last year’s budget. With spending increasing at this rate, Pennsylvania’s budget surplus could be eliminated within two fiscal years, eliminating any buffer we may have against economic emergencies.

For this edition of Barton Breaks It Down, I’d like to share a conversation I had with Rep. Seth Grove, Republican chair of the House Appropriations Committee. He took time out of his incredibly busy schedule to fill us in on what a late budget means for our Commonwealth, and how going back to the drawing board would benefit our taxpayers.

Barton Breaks It Down – the Positive Impacts of Coal

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I joined the House Republican Policy Committee for a hearing 1,100 feet underground for a hearing on the positive impacts of coal for our Commonwealth. For this edition of Barton Breaks It Down, I spoke with Consol Energy’s Vice President of Safety about the difference between anthracite and bituminous coal, and the regulatory burdens of mining.

Barton Breaks It Down – Fighter’s Heaven

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Not many people outside our area know that one of the greatest athletes of all time spent many months right here in the 124th Legislative District! Muhammad Ali chose to build his training camp in West Brunswick Township, Schuylkill County, near Deer Lake.

Another thing many don’t realize is the training camp is still there, tucked away up Sculps Hill Road, and you can visit for free! On this edition of Barton Breaks It Down, we’ll take a look at this historic site we’re lucky to have right in our own backyard.

Barton Breaks It Down – Hawk Mountain Sanctuary

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For 90 years, Hawk Mountain Sanctuary has served as an international conservation organization, and it’s right here in our backyard in Kempton, Berks County! The sanctuary focuses on raptors including bald eagles, hawks, falcons and even vultures.

On this edition of Barton Breaks it Down, we’ll talk about the sanctuary’s three-fold mission of recreation, education and conservation.

Barton Breaks It Down – Election Integrity

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On this edition of Barton Breaks It Down, I’m diving into some of the issues Pennsylvania went through during the last presidential election, and what House Republicans are trying to do to fix them.

Barton Breaks It Down – Mail-In Voting

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As Election Day draws nearer, this edition of Barton Breaks It Down is all about mail-in voting. Pennsylvania allows no-excuse mail-in ballots, but there are a lot of things to keep in mind if you choose to vote by mail. Due to a new Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruling, your vote may not be counted if you skip steps in the mail-in ballot process. Watch this episode to make sure you get it right!

Barton Breaks It Down – Serving Our Seniors

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On this edition Barton Breaks It Down, I spoke with a couple who attended my Senior Expo. It’s an event where I bring together businesses, state agencies and health care professionals to give older Pennsylvanians a one-stop shop of senior services.

Barton Breaks It Down – Helping Harvest

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On this edition of Barton Breaks It Down, I speak with the folks at Helping Harvest, a fresh food bank serving Berks and Schuylkill counties. While Helping Harvest was a vendor at my Senior Expo, they help people of all ages in need.

Barton Breaks It Down – In-Person Voting

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Tuesday, Nov. 5, is Election Day! While we’ve already covered the process for mail-in voting, this edition of Barton Breaks It Down is for those of us who prefer to vote in person.

Barton Breaks It Down: White Birch Golf Course land conveyance

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On this edition of Barton Breaks It Down, I want to provide more information on an issue impacting White Birch Golf Course.

After decades of a handshake agreement between the state and the small business, the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources decided to force White Birch to pay a ridiculous amount of money to use a small gravel lot across the street for overflow parking.

Watch this video for more information on a possible solution, how House Democrats sabotaged it and what you can do about it.

Rep Barton - Barton Breaks It Down: Treasurer Stacy Garrity

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The budget is now more than four months late, and our county governments and Head Start programs are feeling the pain of the impasse. On this edition of Barton Breaks It Down, I spoke with Treasurer Stacy Garrity about a new program designed to bridge the funding gap.

Barton Breaks It Down: Budget Passes with Leader Topper

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More than four months after the June 30 due date, the House, Senate and governor came together earlier this week to complete the 2025-26 state budget process. The final plan spends $50.1 billion, a cut of $1.4 billion from the governor’s original proposal back in February.

On this episode of Barton Breaks It Down, I spoke with House Republican Leader Jesse Topper about the final product, and the compromises made to get the deal done.

Rep. Barton BBID LaFaver Family Farms

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Nov. 29, is Small Business Saturday. Launched by American Express in 2010, this day is celebrated each year on the Saturday after Thanksgiving to encourage people to support the small businesses that help drive the economies of our communities. I stopped by LaFaver Family Farm in Tilden Township to talk about their small business and why folks should consider shopping small year-round on this edition of Barton Breaks It Down!

Rep. Barton BBID Christmas at the Capitol

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At the dedication of our state Capitol building back in 1906, then-President Theodore Roosevelt declared it “the handsomest building I ever saw.” I have to agree with him!

Our capitol is especially beautiful at Christmastime when a giant tree – this year’s is 25 feet tall! – is brought into the Main Rotunda and decorated with thousands of lights and handmade ornaments from senior citizens and pre-K students across the state.

Join me for the annual Christmas tree lighting ceremony in the Main Rotunda for this edition of Barton Breaks It Down!

Rep. Barton BBID 2025 Year in Review

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Happy New Year, 124th! Now that 2026 is here, I want to look back at what we were able to accomplish in 2025. On this edition of Barton Breaks It Down, I’ll recap some of the work done by my District Office team, events we hosted and funding we managed to bring back for projects in the district.

Rep, Barton with PA Secretary of Agriculture Russell Redding

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I sat down with PA Secretary of Agriculture Russell Redding to talk about all things agriculture, including Future Farmers of America (FFA), agritourism and much more!

Barton Breaks It Down - Defending Our Daughters

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On this edition of Barton Breaks It Down, I want to let you all know about a campaign to continue to fight for fairness in women’s sports in Pennsylvania.

Majority House Democrats continue to play political games with three bills that would address this issue by ensuring only biological females can compete in sports designated for women and girls. Let’s show them, and Gov. Josh Shapiro, that Pennsylvanians stand with our girl athletes.

Barton Breaks It Down: Temple Dental School in Tamaqua

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With plans in motion to open a state-of-the-art dental clinic and education center in Tamaqua, I spent some time learning more about what needs to be done to meet the ambitious, yet achievable, goal of getting students there this fall.

First, I met with Tamaqua Area Community Partnership Director Micah Gursky to get a look inside the former Rite Aid on Center Street, which will become the clinic and education center. We then went over to the building which once housed Fegley Tire Store and will become the residence hall for students and faculty.

I also had the opportunity to sit down with Amid Ismail, dean of Temple University’s Kornberg School of Dentistry, to discuss what made Tamaqua the right fit for this groundbreaking venture. We discussed that and much more on this edition of Barton Breaks It Down!

2026 Appropriations Hearings

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The House Appropriations Committee’s examination of the governor’s proposed 2026-27 state budget got off to a late start due to weather-related cancellations. The postponed hearings, including ones with the Department of Health and the Judiciary, are being rescheduled.

As this process unfolds, I wanted to use this week’s edition of Barton Breaks It Down to discuss why these hearings are so important.

Spring 2026 District Events

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My office is gearing up to host a bunch of awesome events! On this edition of Barton Breaks It Down, I want to tell you about a few of them specifically, and how they can help almost anyone here in the 124th Legislative District.

Breaks it Down: Property Tax Relief

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During this week’s House session, a fellow Republican colleague offered an amendment to eliminate property taxes across the Commonwealth. Unfortunately, House Democrats voted it down, claiming it was unconstitutional.

On this edition of Barton Breaks It Down, I’ll explain why I disagree with their ruling.

BARTON BREAKS IT DOWN WEAKNECHT ARCHERY

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The 124th Legislative District is home to one of the oldest continuous family-owned archery shops in the country! Weaknecht Archery in Kutztown has been going strong since 1964 and shows no sign of slowing down.

On this edition of Barton Breaks It Down, I learned about the history of this establishment, what makes it unique and even tried some target practice!


Barton Blessing of the Baler Breakfast

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It was an absolute pleasure to join farmers from the 124th Legislative District for our annual Farmers Appreciation Breakfast and Blessing of the Balers! We prayed for the safety and success of our farmers before gathering for a meal, along with a legislative question and answer session.

Thank you to all our farmers for your hard work to feed our communities, counties, Commonwealth and country. If you ate today, thank a farmer!

I also want to thank Farm Credit and PennAg for helping make this year’s breakfast possible. I caught up with PennAg Executive Vice President Chris Herr to discuss what PennAg does and how it supports agriculture across the Commonwealth!

Learning About Data Centers

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Data centers have been in the news a lot recently. Some of the headlines are good, but others paint data centers as headaches for communities. That’s why I sat down with Dan Diorio from the Data Center Coalition for this week’s Barton Breaks It Down. I asked him questions to try to separate fact from fiction on this timely and important issue.

Gold Star Families Memorial

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Monday, May 25, is Memorial Day – a day set aside to honor the more than 1.1 million Americans who have died in wars which the United States entered.

Please take a moment this weekend to remember these men and women who sacrificed their lives for us and for our country and consider participating in Memorial Day events in your community.

For this week’s Barton Breaks It Down, Jay Jones – Gold Star Father of the late Captain Jason Jones – joined me in Harrisburg at the Gold Star Memorial to remember his incredible son and discuss the challenges Gold Star Families face.

Childcare Affordability

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One of the biggest challenges facing young families in our district and across the Commonwealth is the high cost of childcare. For this week’s Barton Breaks It Down, I spoke to House Children and Youth Committee Chair Kate Klunk about a package of bills we unveiled this week to make childcare more affordable for working families.

26-27 Budget Update

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We are less than two weeks from the General Assembly’s June 30 deadline to finish the state budget for Fiscal Year 2026-27.

On this edition of Barton Breaks It Down, House Republican Appropriations Chair Jim Struzzi joins me to go over how this year’s negotiations are going, and what challenges we’re facing to complete the budget by the end of the month.

HB1042 Interview with District Attorneys

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Public safety and victims’ rights are being threatened in the Commonwealth because of the actions of House Democrats, who hold the majority in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.

Late last week, we were called back into session one day before a deadline established by the PA Supreme Court to correct sentencing guidelines for second-degree murder, also referred to as felony murder. The court ruled the current guidelines, which call for a mandatory minimum sentence of life in prison without parole, unconstitutional.

A bill to rectify the situation, which had passed with bipartisan support in the Senate, was poised for a vote and could have been promptly signed into law. Instead, Democrat leaders chose to play politics with this crucial public safety issue, risking the release of hundreds of people convicted of felony murder. Imagine being the loved one of a murder victim and learning the justice you thought was secured for him or her was now at risk because of this failure by Democrat leaders to act responsibly on their behalf.

In this edition of Barton Breaks It Down, I invited the district attorneys of both Berks and Schuylkill counties to explain the problems with the Democrats’ bill, and why we need to get back to Harrisburg to sign the Senate’s legislation into law as soon as possible.