Greenleaf Honored for Legislative Accomplishments with Three Awards

HARRISBURG—Sen. Stewart J. Greenleaf was honored recently with awards from three separate organizations for his legislative achievements.

Greenleaf received The ARC of Pennsylvania's Legislator of the Year Award for his leadership working on behalf of citizens with disabilities and their families.  The ARC of PA is an advocacy and resources organization for citizens with cognitive, intellectual, and developmental disabilities.  Stephen H. Suroveic, The Arc's executive director, cited Greenleaf's work to pass an advance directives law "that will provide greater protections for vulnerable patients with disabilities relative to ensuring access to life-preserving medical care and affording them greater control over the medical treatment decisions that affect their lives."  The Greenleaf-sponsored advance directives law, Act 169 of 2006, provides a way for individuals to make medical decisions by writing instructions in advance on issues of health care in a living will, by designating a health care agent through a health care power of attorney, or through a health care representative when there is no advance directive.

Greenleaf was recognized for his work on wrongful convictions by the Pennsylvania Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (PACDL).  He received the PACDL President's Award at the group's annual awards luncheon.  Passage of the Greenleaf-sponsored Senate Resolution 381 last year resulted in the creation of the Joint State Government Commission Task Force on Wrongful Convictions.  The task force is studying ways the criminal justice system can be improved to prevent convictions of innocent citizens.  Greenleaf, the author of the state's post-conviction DNA law, was given the PACDL award, coincidentally, during the same week that the national Innocence Project announced the 200th person exonerated by DNA evidence in the United States.

Greenleaf was named "Best Leader in the 50 States for May 2007" by NewPoliticalReview.com, an online magazine that focuses on issues of national and state public policy.  The senator, who provides an occasional column to the magazine, is the first state senator to receive the recognition.  Other recipients have included members of Congress and Governors.  Greenleaf was cited by NewPoliticalReview.com publisher Anthony Mirabile for his record of legislative accomplishments for families and consumers.