Dawida, Michael M., 1949-

Michael (Mike) M. Dawida was born September 4, 1949 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He attended Carrick High School and then went to the University of Pittsburgh, from which he graduated in 1971 with a Bachelor of Arts degree. Dawida became a child care worker who worked with drug addicts and delinquent teenagers from 1969 to 1977. He later earned his J.D. at Hamline School of Law in St. Paul, Minnesota. He returned to Pittsburgh and worked as an attorney from 1977 to 1978. Dawida was first elected to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives in 1979 as a Democrat from the Carrick District. In his career as a Representative (1979-1984), Dawida sponsored the Clean Indoor Air Act, which sought to regulate smoking in public places. The law was responsible for creating separate smoking and non-smoking sections in restaurants. Initially, the bill was unpopular with the public and Dawida's fellow legislators, passing by only one vote. Since then the Clean Indoor Air Act has been expanded to restrict smoking in restaurants and bars. Dawida was elected to the Pennsylvania Senate in 1989 and served in this capacity until 1995. During his career as a State Senator, he was concerned with improving health and welfare conditions for residents of Pennsylvania. He introduced and sponsored the Pennsylvania Food Donor Act, which made it easier for restaurants to donate leftover food to food banks and shelters without fear of lawsuits. He brought attention to the growing homeless population in Pennsylvania's cities. He introduced and authored the landmark Pennsylvania Organ Donation Act, which encouraged the donation of organs by registering when applying for drivers' licenses. This act was used as the national model for organ donation legislation. He also focused on the economic development of the commonwealth by establishing the Pennsylvania International Partners in Progress to open markets in Eastern Europe. In 1996 Dawida was elected to the Allegheny County Board of Commissioners where he served until 2000 when a new Home Rule form of government became law. He served as its last Chairman of the Board from mid 1998 to 2000. Among his contributions as Commissioner was orchestrating several billion dollars of development projects which included Heinz Field, PNC Park, the Convention Center, and a multitude of other projects, such as the Waterfront shopping area in Homestead.