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In this Update:
- Transportation Committee Begins Work
- Standing Up for Victims and Their Families
- The Competitiveness Caucus Seeks to Unleash PA Potential
- State Champion Bishop Guilfoyle Marauders Football Team Welcomed to the Senate
- Keystone Contractors Association Scholarship Program Available
- Pennsylvanians Deserve the Truth about Electricity Costs
- Senate Acts to Fight Waste, Fraud and Abuse in Public Assistance Programs
- Mount Union FBLA has success at Regional Leadership Conference
- Bill Enabling World Cup Team Doctors to Practice in PA Receives Senate Support
- New Law Conveniently Returns Money to Pennsylvanians
- Game Commission Provides Avian Influenza Information
- Recognizing National School Choice Week
- Out and About in the 30th District
Transportation Committee Begins Work
As Majority Chair of the Senate Transportation Committee, we held our first committee meeting to kick off this legislative session. Among the legislation that was considered was a piece of legislation that would align Blair County with the other counties in our district and remove them from requiring emissions testing, when you take your vehicle to be inspected.
Senate Bill 35, which was sponsored by Senator Langerholc, would exempt certain counties from vehicle emissions testing when certain criteria is met. Already, Fulton, Huntingdon, Juniata and Mifflin Counties are exempt from these emissions standards and Senate Bill 35, when passed would remove Blair County as well. We also reported Senate Bill 149 from committee which would exempt newer vehicles, within the five most recent years, from emissions tests. This session we will continue to work to improve the lives of Pennsylvanians across our Commonwealth as focus on removing burdensome regulations. To view the full committee meeting, click here.
Standing Up for Victims and Their Families
This week, I joined Senators Lisa Baker and David Argall by introducing legislation that calls for restoring the Central Scranton Expressway name following outcry over former President Biden’s commutation decision of Michael Conahan’s sentence.
As we have seen recently, there was public outrage sparked in response to the former president’s actions taken in commuting the sentence of Conahan – a former Scranton judge who was a key figure in the infamous “Kids for Cash” scandal. Conahan was convicted for his role in corrupting Pennsylvania’s juvenile justice system, when he was supposed to be protecting our children.
In 2021, the Scranton City Council took it upon themselves and renamed the Central Scranton Expressway in honor of the former president. The commutation, however, has reignited strong opposition, with many not just throughout the region but across the state, calling for the road to return to its historic designation.
This commutation sends a terrible message to victims of abuse and those who fight for justice. Renaming the expressway is a small but significant step to reaffirm our commitment to integrity and accountability.
The Competitiveness Caucus Seeks to Unleash PA Potential
Pennsylvania is often ranked towards the bottom in national rankings for business friendliness, growth prospects and our state’s economy. For those reasons, I joined many of my colleagues in the House and the Senate for the formation of the Pennsylvania Competitiveness Caucus, which is a bipartisan effort, led by Senator Kristin Phillips-Hill, to make our Commonwealth the best in the nation for businesses, families and prosperity.
As we seek to work collaboratively to achieve these goals our mission is crystal clear. We must create opportunities across Pennsylvania to ensure that we are competitive on the national stage and that we unleash the true potential of each Pennsylvanian.
State Champion Bishop Guilfoyle Marauders Football Team Welcomed to the Senate
I was honored to welcome the Bishop Guilfoyle Academy football team and their coaching staff, led by head coach Justin Wheeler, to the Senate this week. With a final record of 15-1, the Marauders finished their year with a win against Port Allegheny, securing the PIAA Class 1A championship. However, this is not an unfamiliar feeling for this athletic program. Since 2014, they have secured 5 state championships, including three in a row in 2014, 2015, and 2016.
To be champions, it takes a level of commitment, discipline, and heart that is truly inspiring. From early morning gym sessions and late-night practices, to long hours studying film while balancing the demands of a full course load, they gave what it took and overcame every challenge in their way. These young men and their coaching staff have sacrificed every day in pursuit of their shared goal of winning a state title, and we as members of the General Assembly can learn from their tremendous example. I was also thrilled to be joined by my son, Adam, who is a 2009 graduate of Bishop Guilfoyle and is a board member for the Academy. Congratulations to our state champions!
Keystone Contractors Association Scholarship Program Available
The Keystone Contractors Association Scholarship Program is committed to awarding up to $10,000 annually to a deserving Pennsylvania student who aspires to build the future of Pennsylvania. This scholarship is a one-year scholarship up to $10,000, renewable up to three years. KCA is committed to providing $40,000 in scholarships annually.
This scholarship program is ideal for graduating high school seniors and current college students who seek a construction-related degree. Now in its fourth year, the KCA has received applications from students attending 17 higher education institutions from all across the Commonwealth.
The deadline to apply for this year’s scholarship program is March 1, 2025. For more information, click here.
Pennsylvanians Deserve the Truth about Electricity Costs
This week, Gov. Josh Shapiro made multiple announcements about the cost of electricity in Pennsylvania. One of those claims is that customers will save billions of dollars through an agreement he made with PJM, a regional transmission organization that coordinates the movement of wholesale electricity in all or part of 13 states and the District of Columbia.
The reality is that none of the governor’s announcements will save any of us a single dollar on our electric bills. The truth is that his administration’s misguided policies have directly contributed to higher prices. Now, he’s trying to take credit for lower prices that won’t even happen.
Senate Republicans have prioritized advancement of meaningful legislation to help address rising costs for consumers of electricity. It is unfortunate that many of the measures were not supported by the Shapiro Administration during the last two years. We will continue working to enact energy policies which reduce costs for hardworking Pennsylvanians, ensure the future stability of our power grid, and help expand access to good, family sustaining jobs here in Pennsylvania.
Senate Acts to Fight Waste, Fraud and Abuse in Public Assistance Programs
This week, the Senate passed three bills to stop waste, fraud and abuse in Pennsylvania’s Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) and Medical Assistance program (Medicaid). The bills will be sent to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives for consideration.
Senate Bill 155 would prevent deceased people from receiving benefits by requiring the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS) to check death certificates at the Bureau of Vital Statistics against recipients of public assistance. A state audit previously found 2,324 deceased public assistance recipients received benefits totaling $700,000 in a 12-month period.
Senate Bill 156 would require DHS to compare wage records held by employers and the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue with public assistance recipients quarterly to prevent fraud. From 2019-23, the Pennsylvania Office of State Inspector General filed more than 2,900 criminal complaints of welfare fraud, with more than $15 million owed in restitution.
Senate Bill 157 would update the Public Assistance Integrity Act to require DHS to issue a yearly report on its efforts to ensure lottery winners are not receiving cash benefits. The Public Assistance Integrity Act, a bipartisan initiative signed into law in 2018, closed a loophole that did not require lottery winnings to be considered as income when determining eligibility for benefits.
Mount Union FBLA has success at Regional Leadership Conference
Mount Union FBLA recently competed at the Regional Leadership Conference held at South Hills Business School on January 10. At the conference, students competed in several presentation events and were also given the opportunity to learn from watching students from other schools in their presentation events. Of the 41 members who competed in either an objective or presentation event, 31 placed in the top 5 and 17 of those students will be competing at the State Leadership Conference being held in Hershey later this year. In performance events, those state competitors include Khloe Snyder, Maddy Snair, Keira Sieber, Briley Benson, Jacob Cramer, Dorian Loner, Jake Cooper and Dylan Shawver. In objective testing events, those state competitors include India James, Emma Swanger, Adreonna Miller, Ava McVey, Sarah Varner, Tyler Semple, London Brumbaugh, Karsyn Shields and Rylin Newman. Jenna Ritchey will also be attending as a voting delegate. We are very proud of these students and wish them luck as they continue to showcase their skills and knowledge at the State Conference
In order to help these students as they improve upon their projects from the Regional Conference, Mount Union FBLA is looking for business professionals and/or educators who would be willing to watch individual student presentations and provide feedback for ways to improve those presentations. The presentations include Graphic Design, Website Design, Public Speaking, Impromptu Speaking, Sales Presentation and Future Business Educator. If you would be interested in helping to guide these students in any of these areas or if you need more information, please reach out to Mount Union’s FBLA advisor Vicki Cooper via email at vcooper@muasd.org.
Bill Enabling World Cup Team Doctors to Practice in PA Receives Senate Support
With World Cup soccer set to come to Philadelphia, the Senate approved legislation enabling international team doctors to treat their players in the commonwealth. The bill now moves to the House of Representatives for consideration.
Philadelphia will host the FIFA Club World Cup this summer and the FIFA World Cup in 2026. In both of those contests, athletes will be supported by their traveling team doctors. Under current law, each international doctor would be required to obtain a medical license from the Pennsylvania State Board of Medicine to treat players, even for just a single match.
Senate Bill 184 would exempt international team doctors from needing to obtain a Pennsylvania medical license to care for their athletes. Much like how the law treats team physicians licensed in other states, international doctors would be limited to treatment of just their players and would be prohibited from practicing in all health care facilities in the commonwealth.
New Law Conveniently Returns Money to Pennsylvanians
Money you weren’t expecting may soon be coming your way! The Pennsylvania Treasury Department sent the first batch of letters this week to people who have unclaimed property, thanks to legislation passed by Senate Republicans.
The new law, PA Money Match, allows the Pennsylvania Treasury to automatically return certain unclaimed property. Eligible properties must be valued at $500 or less and belong to a single owner. Those with eligible properties will receive a letter in the mail to confirm their address. After doing so, they will receive a check for their property in about 45 days.
Pennsylvania Treasurer Stacy Garrity announced this week that the first round of PA Money Match has the potential to return more than $2 million to more than 8,000 Pennsylvanians – and more will be coming later this year. Treasury is working to return more than $4.5 billion in unclaimed property, which includes things like dormant bank accounts, uncashed checks, rebates, insurance payments and more. Check if you have unclaimed property, and contact my office if you need any assistance in filing a claim.
Game Commission Provides Avian Influenza Information
Earlier this year, the Pennsylvania Game Commission announced that highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) was the cause of death for wild waterfowl in northeastern Pennsylvania.
To best protect the health of wildlife, domestic animals and humans, the Game Commission asks the public to assist them by doing the following:
- Report sick or dead wild birds to the commission by calling 1-833-PGC-WILD (1-833-742-9453), emailing pgc-wildlifehealth@pa.gov or using the online Wildlife Health Survey tool.
- Dispose of a dead wild bird found on your property – if the commission hasn’t responded within 24 hours – by burial or commercial/residential trash. Both methods will protect scavenging wildlife. If electing to dispose of the carcass, the following guidance is provided:
- Before picking up the wild bird carcass, put on disposable or washable gloves. If gloves are unavailable, a plastic bag can be used as a makeshift glove.
- If performing on-site burial, a burial hole at least two feet deep will discourage scavenging. Do not bury the carcass in an area that could contaminate a water supply.
- If disposing of the carcass in commercial/residential trash, place the carcass in a plastic bag along with any disposal gloves that were used. Then place everything in a second plastic bag before disposal.
- Once disposal is complete, immediately wash your hands and any non-disposable gloves that were used.
Because HPAI impacts more than just wildlife, please also report any sick or dead domestic bird to the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture at 717-772-2852. Anyone who isn’t feeling well after having contact with sick or dead birds is encouraged to contact their primary care physician or the Pennsylvania Department of Health at 877-724-3258.
Recognizing National School Choice Week
It is evident that students across the Commonwealth succeed in vastly different environments. By giving families the tools and the opportunity to choose their child’s school, students will be more successful and better prepared to enter the workforce with skills that will make Pennsylvania competitive in a variety of fields.
When campaigning, Gov. Josh Shapiro agreed with the Senate Republican perspective that parents need greater school choice, and we intend to hold him to that promise. Families and educators visited the Capitol this week to highlight this important need in honor of National School Choice Week.
I have been proud to lead the efforts here in Pennsylvania that will increase parental involvement in the education of their children. Parents should be able to choose the education option that best fits their families and allows their children to succeed.
Out and About in the 30th District
Hollidaysburg PSP Barracks Honored to Receive AED Donation
This week the Spencer Davis Foundation along with the Gregory W. Moyer Foundation donated 10 AED units to the Hollidaysburg State Police barracks (Troop G) in Blair County. These units will be placed in patrol vehicles with troopers. The Hollidaysburg barracks is one of three stations to date that are recipients of this effort.
Spencer Davis is a Hollidaysburg Area School District student athlete whose life was saved by his coaches performing CPR when he collapsed on the athletic field during practice in September. Spencer’s family is raising awareness on the importance of having AEDs readily available at schools and other public places. The Gregory W. Moyer Foundation is named after a 15-year-old boy who lost his life in 2000 when he collapsed from a cardiac arrest at a sporting practice. His family has been raising awareness and speaking to groups about the importance of AEDs for more than two decades.
Freedom Township Fire Department Annual Banquet
What a pleasure to join everyone for the Freedom Township Fire Department’s Annual Banquet this past weekend. I was honored to present Ron Henry, Fire Chief, with a Senate Citation for his 50 years of dedicated service to the fire company. Christie Yingling of Servpro was recognized for her dedication to the department. Pictured with Christie is fireman Tommy Miller.
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