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CHRIS PIELLI for PA State Representative 156th District.

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Public Service

I've built my career around service to our country and community starting with serving in the U.S. Army to my current service as State Representative for House District 156.  I’m an attorney by trade, in good standing in NY, NJ, and PA, but have been a soldier, a teacher, a Correctional Officer/Counselor, a Veteran’s advocate, and more. Most importantly, I am a husband and father. Long ago I pledged to support, obey, and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies foreign and domestic and I am resolved to make that pledge again to all of you. As your State Representative I will continue fighting with every fiber of my being to give us a living wage, provide affordable housing and healthcare, protect our environment, our voting rights, a woman’s right to choose, our local economy, your children's education, and a citizen’s right to enjoy the equal protection of the law no matter their race, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or religion, because Government that doesn’t work for everyone inevitably will not work for anyone.

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When I was first elected as your State Representative in 2022, it was one of the proudest moments of my life. During that campaign, I promised that I would give everything I could for every constituent in my district, regardless of political affiliation. It was a promise I made and a promise, I believe, I kept. As such, I am proud to announce my candidacy for re-election as your State Representative for House District 156.

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2025 was a challenging year both nationally and statewide as we fought through arbitrary federal cuts to our essential services and a 135-day Republican-led budget crisis and shutdown in our State Senate. Despite the threats and performative politics, we stood strong for every working family, with a final balanced budget that featured increased childcare tax credits, increased funding for our children’s education, a first time Pennsylvania working family tax credit, a historic savings for taxpayers with cyber charter school reform, and more. We did this all without raising a single penny in taxes or using our rainy day funds.

 

Personally, I had 7 bills pass the House this year including HB 355 allowing sentencing enhancements for Courts to consider in sexual assault cases where the defendant holds a position of authority and HB 491 establishing concurrent jurisdiction of both Pennsylvania and the federal government on PA military installations, which ensures military children share access to our State juvenile focused resources and dispositions. Both of these bills were passed unanimously by the Pennsylvania State Senate and were recently signed into law by Governor Shapiro. 

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Additionally, I am proud to report we worked hard to obtain nearly $6.6 million in 2025 grants that go towards vital infrastructure projects, our first responders, equipment upgrades, and for those who faced challenging times and need a little help to get back on their feet.

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Unfortunately, despite an overwhelming amount of meaningful legislation introduced and passed in the House, the vast majority of these bills have been  blocked in the Republican-controlled Senate. These blocked bills include a long overdue Minimum Wage increase, a constitutional amendment to ensure women’s reproductive rights, Child Sexual Abuse Survivor Relief, funding for our Public transportation, Nursing & Patient Relief, the Fairness Act for LGBTQ+ equality, a Constitutional right to join a union, Cost of Living increase for our retirees, common sense gun legislation, and more. The 2026 election will determine what kind of Pennsylvania and Country we want to be for future generations. Major issues such as living wages, Affordable Housing & Healthcare, Women’s Reproductive rights, and the continuation of our Democracy and Republic in the face of an authoritarian presidency, are all at stake

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Background

Chris is a longtime resident of Chester County.  He returned to West Chester after serving honorably in the U.S. Army, where he completed the U.S. Army Airborne Course (Paratrooper Course) and received two Army Commendation Medals during his service.  With help from the GI bill, Chris attended Temple University Law School after getting married and while working full-time. During this time, he worked primarily at the Chester County Prison, and served both as a Correctional Officer and later as a Correctional Counselor. As an attorney, Chris served as a part-time Chester County Public Defender for five years while also establishing his own practice.

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Chris is licensed to practice law in Pennsylvania, New York, and New Jersey.  He has served as an arbitrator for the Chester County Court of Common Pleas arbitration panel and as a Court appointed attorney for guardianship matters.  He has successfully completed the Pennsylvania Municipal Planning Education Institute courses in Zoning and Community Planning. As a West Goshen Township Supervisor, Chris served as Chairman of the Board of Supervisors and Chairman of the Comprehensive Plan Task Force Committee in addition to Board liaison member to the Planning Commission and the Parks & Recreation Committee. As a Supervisor, Chris is proud of the fact that he helped pass balanced budgets with huge surpluses each year of his tenure. In 2019 Chris was elected as Chester County Recorder of Deeds where he reduced filing fees and costs, raised record revenue, improving and innovating the office in many ways. Most notably, Chris’ office continued operating throughout the pandemic, delivering much needed revenue to all our County municipalities and school districts including over $9 million in net County revenue, supporting our local economy. In 2022, Chris was elected as your State Representative and serves on the Judiciary (Secretary), Commerce (Chair of the Automation & Technology Sub-Committee), Consumer Protection, Technology & Utilities, Environmental & Natural Resource Protection, Energy, and the Veteran Affairs & Emergency Preparedness Committees. 

    

As a veteran, Chris is proud to have worked for the non-profit Chester County OIC Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program as the Program’s Director, helping to employ many local veterans. He continued aiding financially challenged residents as the Program Coordinator for the Chester County OIC Workforce Reintegration Program and the Business Outreach Coordinator for the OIC Career Corps program. He attributes much of his success to the strong support of his wife of thirty years, Christine. They are the proud parents of two wonderful children and consider themselves blessed to live in Chester County.

 

To learn more about Chris Pielli, please explore the site and feel free to reach out if you have any questions