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Profile

State Senator Jane C. Orie was first elected in March 2001 to the State Senate to fill the vacancy in the 40th Senatorial District and won re-election in 2002 and 2006. For the 2007-2008 and 2009-2010 legislative sessions, Senator Orie was selected to serve as Majority Whip for the Republican Caucus. Prior to taking her seat in the Pennsylvania State Senate, she spent 4 1/2 years in the State House of Representatives. She currently represents portions of northern Allegheny County, and southern and central Butler County.

Focusing on the needs of her constituents, Senator Orie has lead the fight for improvements in health care, prescription drug coverage, tax reform, safety in schools, crime victims' rights, economic development and infrastructure enhancement on the state and local levels. Her legislative initiatives regarding domestic violence and tobacco settlement allocation have made Pennsylvania a national leader in public health. Respected among her colleagues and her community as a legislator with integrity and a strong work ethic, Senator Orie has shown great initiative and leadership in Harrisburg and her communities.

Senator Orie, a lifelong resident of McCandless Township, is a veteran 10-year prosecutor who served as state Deputy Attorney General in the Division of Criminal Prosecution and as Assistant District Attorney for Allegheny County where she was elevated, due to her high conviction rate, to the divisions of Homicide and Crimes Against Persons. Senator Orie holds a BA from Franklin & Marshall College and a Law degree from Duquesne University School of Law. She is currently one of 10 women serving in the Pennsylvania State Senate.

MAJOR PIECES OF LEGISLATION

• Predatory Lending Legislation
• Drug Court Legislation
• Tobacco Settlement Allocation (passed into law 2001)
• Increased Capital Stock Exemption (passed into law 1997)
• Domestic Violence Health Care Response Act (passed into law 1998)
• Ignition Interlock Legislation (passed into law 2000)
• Constitutional Changes to Megan's Law (passed into law 2000)
• Comprehensive School Violence Prevention Act (passed House 1999)
• Resolution for Domestic Violence Awareness Month (passed 1998, 1999, 2000)
• Resolution Calling for a Study of the Mental Health System (passed House 2000)
• Resolution Studying Local Property Tax System (passed 2002)
• Safe Exchange/Supervised Visitation Center (pilot project in Allegheny County)
• Sexually Violent Predators Act
• Legislation to reduce the burden of Reassessments in Allegheny County
• Mandatory School Violence Reporting Act
• Amendment to increase penalties for "habitual DUI offenders"
• Increased funding for Community Colleges
• Increased funding for Seton Hill College National Education Center for Women in Business (passed 1998)
• Continuous Sexual Abuse of Children
• Increased Training and Education programs for Domestic Violence
• Mental Health Courts Legislation
• Mental Retardation Education and Career Planning Act

CAUCUS MEMBERSHIPS

• Lupus Caucus
• Joint House & Senate Autism Caucus
• Legislative Arthritis Caucus
• Firefighters and Emergency Services - Subcommittee: Funding, Retention and Recruitment
• Steel Workers
• Coal Miners
• Land Use Management
• Family and Children's Caucus
• MH/MR
• Renewable Energy
• Domestic Violence
• Internet Caucus
• Charter School Caucus
• Pro-Life Caucus
• Irish Caucus
• Bike Caucus (Senate 2005)
• Sportsmen Caucus (Senate 2005)

GOVERNMENT TASK FORCE APPOINTMENTS

• PA Senate Member, Child Safety Task Force
• PA Senate Member, Working Families Task Force
• PA Senate Member, Children's Trust Fund Board
• PA Senate Member, TEAM PA
• Health Care Law Task Force, House Judiciary Committee
• PA Senate Member, Domestic Relations Law
• PA House of Representatives Sexually Violent Predators
• PA House of Representatives DUI, Chairman
• PA House of Representatives Domestic Violence (Policy Committee)
• PA House of Representatives Eminent Domain
• PA House of Representatives Adoption
• PA Senate House Ad Hoc Economic Development Task Force
• PA Senate and House Economic Development Roundtable: Tax & Spending Policy Subcommittee
• PA Economy League Ad Hoc Task Force on Water and Sewer Infrastructure
• Allegheny County Violence Prevention Task Force, Co-Chair Government Subcommittee
• Allegheny County Children's Cabinet
• Allegheny County Mental Health Task Force
• Allegheny County DA's Animal Cruelty Prevention
• Mayor's Homeless Task Force
• Pittsburgh's 21st Century Future (PGH 21) (regarding City Budget and Revenue Reforms)

ORGANIZATIONS/AFFILIATIONS

Professional

• Executive Women's Council of Greater Pittsburgh, Inc.
• Governor's Conference for Women, Statewide Steering Committee
• Women in Government, PA State Director
• American Bar Association
• Pennsylvania Bar Association
• Allegheny County Bar Association
• Pennsylvania District Attorney's Association
• PBA Government Lawyers Committee
• Business and Professional Women (BPW) PA
• BPW/USA
• North Hills Professional Women's Network
• National Conference of State Legislators
• Women's Professional Network (WPN)

Political

• Co-Chair Southwestern PA Steering Committee (Bush-Cheney Campaign)
• White House Women's Information Network
• PA Council of Republican Women
• National Republican Legislators Association
• American Council of Young Political Leaders
• The Catholic Task Force (Victory 2000)
• Women's Legislative Exchange
• Center for Women in Politics in PA: Engaging the Next Generation of Leaders
• Ross Republican Women

Community and Economic Development

• Order Italian Sons and Daughters of America North Hills Lodge 0174
• Governor's Conference for Women, (Statewide Steering Committee)
• St. Barnabas Leadership Conference
• Northern Allegheny Chamber of Commerce
• Cranberry Chamber of Commerce
• Allegheny Valley Chamber of Commerce
• Zelienople-Harmony Area Chamber of Commerce
• StrongLand Chamber of Commerce
• Three Rivers Wet Weather Demonstration Program, Finance Committee
• Southwestern Pennsylvania Sewage Facilities Task Force, Economy League
• Allegheny Conference on Community Development
• Ad Hoc Economic Development
• North Suburban Builders Association
• Women 2000 Summit: Partnering for Growth
• Vietnam Veterans Leadership Program
• YWCA Tribute to Women, 1999 Co-Chair
• Pittsburgh North Anti-Racism Coalition
• Women in Politics, Pennsylvania State Director
• Crime Prevention Association of Western Pennsylvania
• 10,000 Friends of Pennsylvania, Government Advisory Council Hampton Township Rotary Club