Patricia H Vance

Early Life: Patricia "Pat" H. Vance (R) born March 19, 1936 in Williamsport, Pennsylvania to Frederick B. and Mary Huston.  Graduated from William Penn High School, York, PA and Harrisburg Hospital School of Nursing, Harrisburg, PA in 1957.  Currently lives in Silver Springs Township, Cumberland County (Bogden, 2015). Husband is Charles D. "Chuck" Vance; two sons, one deceased, and three grandchildren.

Early Career: Worked as a “Charge Nurse” in a long-term assisted living facility and surgical pediatric nurse; first woman elected to office of Cumberland County Recorder of Deeds from 1978-1990 (Thompson, 2015).

Pennsylvania Politics: Member of PA House of Representatives, 87th house district from 1990-2004 (acting speaker of pro tem); member of PA State Senate, District 31, from 2004-2016.  Authored 25 laws, including: expanding the state’s prescription drug benefit program, preventing insurance companies from discriminating against domestic violence victims and establishing a “bill of rights” for HMO health care customers. Notable laws Vance supported include: Domestic Violence legislation [Act 24-1996], Tobacco Settlement [Act 55-2004] and PACE [Pharmaceutical Assistance Contract for the Elderly].  Retired from Senate November 30, 2016 (Vance Will Not Seek Re-election, 2015).  

Member of the following committees over her tenure: Advisory Committee, Cumberland and Perry Counties Domestic Violence Services; Keystones of Public Health Steering Committee; Senate Appropriations Committee; Senate Communications and Technology Committee (Vice Chair); Senate Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure Committee; Senate Finance Committee; Senate Public Health and Welfare Committee (Chair).  

Awards include: Legislator Award, Cumberland County Conservation District, 2009; Advocate for Child Health Legislative Award, Pennsylvania State Education Association, 2008; Carlisle Area Citizen of the Year, Exchange Club of Carlisle, 2008; Distinguished Service to Families Award, Mid-Atlantic Council on Family Relations; Friend of Public Education Award, Council on Public Education; Outstanding Community Service Award, Asian Indian Americans of Central Pennsylvania; Public Policy and Advocacy Achievement Award, Central Pennsylvania Chapter of the Arthritis Foundation (Sen. Vance to deliver commencement keynote, 2009).

Former Senator and House Member, Pat Vance completed an interview for the House Archives Oral History project at the time of her retirement, 2016. Access it here: https://www.house.state.pa.us/bmc/archives/transcripts/Vance.pdf

                                                                                                References:

(2009, November 24). Sen. Vance to deliver commencement keynote. Penn State Harrisburg Latest News. https://harrisburg.psu.edu/news/sen-vance- deliver-commencement-keynote

 (2015, November 19). Vance Will Not Seek Re-Election. Senator Vance. http://wallaby.telicon.com/PA/library/2015/2015111998.HTM

Bogden, S. (Ed.) (2015). The Pennsylvania Manual. (Vol. 122). Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Thompson, Charles. (2015, Nov. 19) Sen. Patricia Vance, a West Shore political mainstay, calls this her last term. PennLive. https://www.pennlive.com/midstate/2015/11/post_799.html