The Governor’s Advisory Commission on Women has launched a new digital survey to gather input from women across Pennsylvania.
The survey is part of the Shapiro Administration’s forthcoming State of the Woman Report, described as “a comprehensive, data-driven effort to assess the status of women across Pennsylvania” which “will collect insight from Pennsylvania women on their experiences and priorities to better inform the Administration’s policies that impact women.”
The description continues:
The 2026 State of the Woman Report will build on Pennsylvania’s inaugural Report on the Status of Women in 1966 and the most recent report from 2004, examining the progress women have made in Pennsylvania over the last 60 years and identifying the gaps that still exist among women of all backgrounds. The report will combine historical analysis, current data, and firsthand experiences from women in rural, suburban, and urban communities to provide a comprehensive picture of the current status of women throughout the Commonwealth.
“For nearly sixty years, Pennsylvania has made efforts to understand and improve the status of women, but this moment demands that we listen more deeply and more inclusively than ever before,” said Ashley Walkowiak, Executive Director of the Governor’s Advisory Commission on Women. “The State of the Woman Report is about centering real voices – women across the political spectrum, women of different backgrounds and incomes, women who are mothers and women who aren’t, women who work inside the home and outside of it. Our goal is to produce a report that reflects women’s actual lives, not just statistics.”
The survey will be open through May 30 and can be found here.
Potentially confusing the survey’s intent is an agreed-upon definition of its target audience. In late March, Pennsylvania House leaders withdrew a resolution honoring March as “National Women’s Month” after a lawmaker filed an amendment to include the physiological definition of “woman” in the text.
The amendment called for a woman to be defined as “a person belonging to the female biological sex and excludes any individual of the male biological sex”.
FOX News’ reporting on the matter can be found here. Their video coverage is below:
Rep. Carol Hill-Evans of York wrote that House Resolution 390 “celebrat[es] the extraordinary accomplishments of women,” which “too often go unacknowledged.” Rep. Nancy Guenst of Hatboro and Rep. Benjamin Sanchez of Abington are listed as co-sponsors of the bill.
From Hill-Evans’ memo:
Throughout our nation’s history, women have worked tirelessly to advance equality and justice, yet their contributions too often go unacknowledged. Each March, “National Women’s History Month” invites us to highlight the achievements of women who have shattered barriers, championed human rights, and shaped our cultural and political landscape. Since the United States first formally recognized this month in 1987, it has served as a meaningful occasion to honor women’s past struggles, celebrate their present accomplishments, and inspire future generations to keep moving forward.
I am introducing a resolution to recognize “March 2026 as National Women’s History Month” in Pennsylvania. At this pivotal time, we should reaffirm our commitment to acknowledging the courageous women in our families, communities, and throughout our Commonwealth who have influenced everything from education and industry to politics and the arts.
The resolution was adopted by a 197-4 vote on April 15. We could not find any coverage regarding changes to its original language, or why it eventually passed after being tabled.
Representative Sanchez told Glenside Local that he believes legislators may have withdrawn the amendment or were “convinced to do so in exchange for something”, though he stated that he doesn’t know for sure what transpired.
The resolution’s full text is below:
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