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In this Update:
Senate Republicans Kick Off 2025-26 Session with New Members, Leadership Team
The Pennsylvania Senate convened on Tuesday for the start of the 2025-26 legislative session, highlighted by the swearing in of new and reelected members. The proceedings also included the formal reelection of Sen. Kim Ward (R-39) as senate president pro tempore, as well as a vote on rules to govern the body for the next two years. Voters gave Senate Republicans a 28-22 majority in the November 2024 General Election. Learn which members took the oath of office for the first time, who was sworn in following reelection and who is serving as part of the leadership team here. Still to come are member committee assignments for the 2025-26 legislative session. Farm Show Interview with Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding
This week at the 109th Pennsylvania Farm Show, I had the opportunity to sit down with Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding, and chat about everything happening this year at the Farm Show! From new industry innovations, concerns with the ongoing avian flu, increasing student interest in agriculture and even milkshakes! I would encourage you to listen to our discussion about all things agriculture and if you did not get a chance to stop by the Farm Show this year, I hope to see you at the Farm Show next year! Appointed Transportation Committee Chairman
Senate President Pro Tempore Kim Ward has appointed me as Majority Chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee for the 2025-26 legislative session. “Transportation and infrastructure are a critical component of making Pennsylvania’s economy prosper by connecting communities, supporting businesses, ensuring safety and enhancing quality of life,” said President Pro Tempore Kim Ward. “Sen. Judy Ward’s experience and leadership make her uniquely qualified to take on this position. I am confident she will work tirelessly to advance projects and policies that strengthen our transportation network.” The Senate Transportation Committee plays a vital role in overseeing Pennsylvania’s multimodal transportation system, including roads, bridges, public transit, railways, airports and ports. As chair, I will guide the development of legislation and policy to ensure safe, efficient and innovative transportation solutions across the state. I am honored to take on this important role. Transportation infrastructure has an important history in my district and is the foundation of our communities and a driving force behind our economy. Whether it’s repairing aging roads and bridges, enhancing public transit systems or modernizing our railways and airports, I am eager to collaborate with my colleagues to tackle challenges and seize opportunities to build a stronger, more connected commonwealth. Previously, I served as Majority Chair of the Senate Aging and Youth Committee, where I championed legislation to improve services for both senior citizens and younger Pennsylvanians. To learn more about the Transportation Committee, including meetings and hearings, visit www.transportation.pasenategop.com/. Pennsylvania Rural Population Revitalization Commission Kicks Off
The Pennsylvania Rural Population Revitalization Commission held its inaugural press conference and meeting to kick off and announce its upcoming work of studying rural population trends in the Commonwealth. Through the commissions’ work, the legislature will gain critical insight in how to reverse the rural population decline and help those communities grow and thrive.
Scholarships Available Soon for Students Earning Degrees in In-Demand Jobs
Pennsylvania students pursuing a degree for an in-demand occupation will soon be able to apply for a $5,000 scholarship through the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA) because of a law passed by Senate Republicans. To bolster industries with lots of open positions, the law requires them to agree to live and work in Pennsylvania in an in-demand occupation for at least one year for each year they accept the scholarship. Those occupations include agriculture, computer science, business, education, special education, STEM education, engineering, nursing, allied health, criminal justice and other programs approved by PHEAA. The list of in-demand occupations will be adjusted regularly to reflect Pennsylvania’s workforce needs. Out-of-state students are eligible for scholarships that allow them to pay in-state tuition rates. If a student receives a scholarship but does not complete the educational program or fails to meet other terms of the agreement, the scholarship will be converted to a loan and must be repaid by the student. The application is expected to be available on PHEAA’s website in the coming weeks, and more information will be shared then. Online Resource Tracks State Plows
Winter weather can impact safety on the roads, particularly before snow is cleared and salt is spread to mitigate icy spots. As the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) crews work to keep roads passable, you may be wondering where the plow is in your area. All of PennDOT’s roughly 2,200 owned and rented plow trucks are equipped with automated vehicle location systems, which use in-truck technology to log and share data in real time for that truck. View the routes of these interstate and expressway trucks here. PennDOT maintains nearly 40,000 miles of roads and 25,400 bridges statewide, which translates to more than 95,000 snow-lane miles. More Veterans are Eligible for Free Birth and Death Certificates
New this year, more veterans and their families are eligible for free birth and death certificates from the Pennsylvania Department of Health because of legislation passed by Senate Republicans. All veterans who were discharged or released from services under conditions other than dishonorable can receive a veteran fee waiver. Previously, they were only available for military members who were in active service or who were honorably discharged. Normally, there is a non-refundable $20 fee per copy, but with this law, up to 10 free copies will be available. The fee waiver may be applied to applications for the veteran, spouse and dependent children. To be eligible for the waiver, applications for birth and death certificates must be submitted with documentation proving military status. Schedule Your Free State Capitol Tour
If you’re looking for a fun educational activity for your family, you can tour the state Capitol for free. During a 30-minute guided tour, Capitol tour guides point out architectural and artistic highlights as they make the Capitol’s history come alive. There is also an Interactive Welcome Center and Capitol Gift Shop to enjoy during your visit. Guided tours are offered every half hour Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Weekends and most holidays, tours are offered at 9 a.m., 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Schedule a tour online or by calling the Tour Guide Office at 1-800-TOUR-N-PA (868-7672). Groups of 10 or more require advanced reservations. For your safety, group size is limited to 40. How Technology Powers Pennsylvania Agriculture
Senators Vogel and Pennycuick hosted a town hall during this year’s Farm Show to discuss how technology is being used to transform agriculture in Pennsylvania. It was great to hear from Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding; Dr. Troy Ott, Dean of Penn State College of Agriculture Sciences; and farmers in the industry on how technology is helping them produce more and increase efficiency.
National Association of Women Highway Safety Leaders Scholarship Opportunity
The National Association of Women Highway Safety Leaders (NAWHSL), Distinguished Young Women in Traffic Injury Prevention is providing a scholarship opportunity. The scholarship funded by NAWHSL supports young women who aspire to a career saving lives and preventing injuries on the road. NAWHSL will be holding their annual conference in Pittsburgh this August in tandem with the Governors Highway Safety Association annual meeting. For more information on the scholarship and how to apply, click here. My Week at the 109th Pennsylvania Farm Show!
Each year, the Pennsylvania Farm Show provides an amazing opportunity for folks across our Commonwealth to head to our Capital and see what our bustling agricultural industry has to offer as it provides over $132 billion to our state’s economy annually. I always enjoy seeing friends from back home, here in the district, providing their specialties to visitors. From Juniata County, we visited with Nuts for You, who always provides delicious cinnamon roasted nuts and kettle corn. From Blair County the DelGrosso food booth was well represented showing their wide array of sauces available. Of course, it wouldn’t be Farm Show week without a stop to see the butter sculpture, which is made from 1,000 pounds of butter donated by Land O’Lakes. The theme for the butter sculpture this year was “From Moo to Marvel: Dairy Cows Power Pennsylvania.” I always love visiting with constituents at the Farm Show and highlighting what our agricultural industry has to offer here in Pennsylvania!
Out and About in the 30th DistrictMifflin County Sportsman Association Recently I attended a check presentation at the Mifflin County Sportsman Association, where they received $30,000 from the Game Commission’s Shooting Range Improvement Program. Grant funds from the program will be used to improve the association’s 5-stand and trap range and to increase capacity and safety, as they continue to host more events. Pictured here with me are Game Commission Shooting Sports Division Chief Todd Holmes; Game Commission Executive Director Steve Smith; and Mifflin County Sportsmen Association’s Vice President Steve Gibbons and Director Garrett Leupold.
Juniata County Business and Industry Annual Meeting Juniata County Business and Industry held its annual meeting recently at the Port Royal Community Center. The crowd was given updates on activities during the previous year as well as reports of officers and election of Board Members. Chris Hoffman, President of the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau was the guest speaker at this year’s event, joined by Mark Partner, Juniata County Commissioner.
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