Mauree Gingrich announces retirement

• Veteran legislator was first elected to the state House in 2002.
• Gingrich said that 15 of her bills have been signed into law with several more waiting Senate passage.
• Lebanon County Senior Deputy District Attorney Pier Hess is first to announce run for Gingrich’s seat.

Days after she said she had not made a decision about seeking re-election, State Rep. Mauree Gingrich announced Monday that she is retiring at the end of the year, ending a 14-year legislative career representing the 101st State Legislative District.

No sooner had the veteran legislator announced her plans than Pier Hess, Lebanon County Senior Deputy District Attorney, said she will run for Gingrich’s seat.

Gingrich of Palmyra said Thursday that she had not made an official decision about running for re-election and her priority was working to end the state budget impasse.

Hess could be among several candidates to run for the open seat.

“The experience has been both challenging and rewarding, and along with an outstanding staff, we have accomplished a great deal,” Gingrich, first elected to the state House in 2002, said in a press release.

The 101st district is comprised of the city of Lebanon, the boroughs of Cornwall, Mount Gretna and Palmyra, and the townships of North Cornwall, North Londonderry, South Londonderry, West Cornwall and  South Annville.

Gingrich said that she has had 15 bills signed into law with several more positioned for passage in the Senate. Gingrich has also served on several key House committees, including appropriations, where she co-chaired the welfare reform policy development team.

On the House health committee, Gingrich sponsored a bill to ensure patient safety in hospital operating rooms by assigning a circulating nurse to perform patient assessments and coordinate procedures. She also sponsored legislation to require those responsible for sterilizing hospital instruments be properly trained and certified. Her health care priority before leaving the Legislature is a bill that will improve quality care in hospitals by ensuring safe nurse staffing levels, she said in her press release.

She sponsored child protection legislation that is now law, requiring schools to teach children how to recognize sexual predators and strategies to avoid becoming a victim. Gingrich is the recipient of the Children’s Hero Award from the Lebanon County Sexual Assault Resource Counseling Center and currently serves on the Joe Allegrini Children's Hero Foundation Board.

Gingrich said her background as the former owner of a marketing research company focused on older adults and the former marketing director at Cornwall Manor helped her to craft legislation benefiting older Pennsylvanians. As a member of the House Aging and Older Adult Services Committee, Gingrich sponsored legislation to protect care-dependent older Pennsylvanians from neglect and abuse.

Before being elected to the House, Gingrich served 12 years on Palmyra borough council, including nine years as president.

After her election to the state House, she was appointed to the Pennsylvania Local Government Commission. After about 10 years of work, Gingrich said she succeeded in passing legislation to overhaul the Pennsylvania Borough Code for the first time in nearly 50 years. Her legislation clarified language in the code, making it easier for municipal officials and others to understand and comply. She followed with similar legislation to update the Township Code and Third Class City Code.

In 2013, Gingrich received her first committee chairmanship.  She was named chairman of the House Gaming Oversight Committee where she sponsored legislation to address problem gambling.

Lebanon County Republican chairman Casey Long on Monday thanked Gingrich for her service to Lebanon County residents.

“Representative Gingrich has consistently stood up for her constituents, opposing wasteful spending and higher taxes.  She has also led the fight in protecting our most vulnerable populations including the elderly, the disabled and the unborn,” Long said in a statement.

The 32-year-old Hess has worked in the district attorney’s office for more than six years. She also owns her own business, the Hess Law firm in Lebanon.

As a member of the district attorney’s office, Hess has prosecuted and convicted defendants charged with attempted murder, rape and robbery.

Hess is a 2002 graduate of Cedar Crest High School and graduated from Temple University in 2005. She obtained her law degree from Duquesne University in 2008 where she graduated cum laude.

She is a life-long county resident. Five generations are from Lebanon County, Hess said in a press release.  Her parents, David and Piper Hess, reside in Cornwall.

Hess, who described herself as a pro-life, pro-business Republican, said Monday she plans to hold a press conference soon to outline her stand on the issues.