December 5, 2021

By: Elaine, HKC treasurer/archivist-December 5, 2021

Passing a bill is not easy feat. The legislative process can be long and daunting. Despite knowing these setbacks, we persist to make the Kiss the state candy of Pennsylvania. At some points, we did experienced these issues; it seemed that our progress plateaued, and we were stuck. With a push and motivation, we eventually got back onto our feet and progressed. Since January, we are approaching our goal one step at a time.

Soon after Representative Mehaffie introduced our bill to the House, we received an outpour of support through the community and social media. We never imagined that so many people would be in favor of our idea! Thank you to all of our supporters for your encouragement!

The support also comes with backlash, unfortunately. We realize that not everyone may be approving of the Hershey Kiss becoming PA's state candy (there is a vast variety of candies originating in Pennsylvania). Some believe that another candy of another brand should be the state candy, and we respect their opinions. However, some of the backlash include comments of being a waste of government's budget and time. On the surface, it may appear to some as a silly idea. But, it provides a first-hand experience into the legislative process that we have always heard about in school. Going through the process ourselves allows us to apply and further expand our knowledge of Pennsylvania's government.

In the upcoming weeks, we are planning to meet with another legislator. We also are releasing something exciting in the coming week. Stay tuned!