11/25/24 - 156 New Stories - REAL Environmental & Conservation Leadership In PA: http://tinyurl.com/54ukts8z
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Sen. Michael O'Pake, Longest-Serving Legislator, Passes
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Sen. Michael O'Pake (D-Berks), the longest-serving member of the General Assembly, died this morning at Reading Hospital from complications from heart-bypass surgery. He was 70 years old. Sen. O'Pake was re-elected as Senate Democratic Whip for the 2011-12 session and served as Minority Chair of the Senate Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee.
Sen. O'Pake represented the city of Reading and surrounding areas. He was elected to the General Assembly in 1968, when he defeated the incumbent Representative for his House District in Reading, and entered the Senate in 1972.
He had dedicated his life to the Jesuit missing of serving others. Growing up in a federal house project, Senator O’Pake saw the problems faced by the poor at an early age and entered public service to try to make government responsive to the needs of the powerless and marginalized in our society.
As the first chairman of the Senate Aging and Youth Committee, Senator O’Pake wrote the Child Protective Services law in Pennsylvania to help the victims of child abuse. He fought for legislation creating the Department of Aging with Offices of Aging in all 67 counties to help senior citizens, and for property tax and rent rebates and prescription assistance for the elderly.
He also led legislative efforts on juvenile justice reform that removed youthful offenders from adult prisons, and, for our youngest children, was a leading advocate of the state’s landmark Children’s Health Insurance Program.
To promote volunteerism and civic involvement, Sen. O’Pake authored the law that created PennSERVE, a permanent office of citizen service in state government and helped to provide financial and other assistance for economic development and educational opportunity throughout the region.
Sen. O’Pake’s most recent legislation in the 2009-2010 General Assembly was signed into law by Gov. Rendell last month, establishing the Missing Endangered Person Advisory System for encouraging public involvement when Alzheimer victims and other vulnerable persons are missing and need to be found.
NewsClips: Sen. O'Pake Dies At Age 70
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1/3/2011 |
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