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In this Update:
It is Now Time for the House to Protect Women Across Our Commonwealth
On Monday, I joined colleagues in the Senate; former Hempfield High School cross country and track athlete, Lily Williams; former collegiate swimmer, Emily Kreps; and my co-prime sponsors Sens. Kristin Phillips-Hill, Lisa Baker and Tracy Pennycuick, for a press conference to call on the House of Representatives to take action on Senate Bill 9 and get this legislation to the governor’s desk. It is time for the House to pass the Save Women’s Sports Act to ensure the protections provided for by Title IX are enshrined into state law and that all women and girls across the Commonwealth are offered a level playing field. Senate Bill 9, now in the House Education Committee, will ensure athletic teams designated for women are reserved for biological females in K-12 and collegiate sports. Do we wait to enact protections for women until they are erased from the sports they have rightfully earned spots on and competed for their entire life? Does it have to be your daughter for this to matter? Our girls need us to step up and guarantee that they can compete, learn and grow in a society that protects their most basic rights. They need us to Save Women’s Sports. You can view the full press conference here.
Pharmacy Caucus Holds Briefing on Issues Facing Industry
As co-chairs of the Senate Community Pharmacy Caucus, Senator Lisa Boscola and I held a pharmacy briefing to provided senators an update on issues facing our local pharmacists and the industry. Recent enactment of Act 77 of 2024 brought changes to Pharmacy Benefit Managers, which I was glad to work on. This legislation was just the start, and we must continue the conversations to provide relief and evaluate the ongoing situations that many of our local pharmacies are facing. PA Pregnancy Wellness Collaborative Highlights Work to Support Women
It was an honor to join the PA Pregnancy Wellness Collaborative (PPWC) at their press conference at the Capitol this week to raise awareness for the amazing work pregnancy support centers are doing. Across Pennsylvania, these centers offer free and confidential services to women who have nowhere or no one else to turn to, providing them with the hope and confidence they need to pursue the best life for them and their baby. As chair of the Senate Maternal and Infant Health Caucus, I have been blessed to be able to tour 10 different pregnancy support centers and am looking forward to seeing more of the incredible work these centers do firsthand. You can view my comments from the press conference here. Senate Votes to Help Fire and EMS Departments
The Senate passed legislation to address Pennsylvania’s volunteer firefighter shortage that, if left unaddressed, threatens to cause local tax hikes to fund paid services. The bill would also fix recent issues with emergency services grant funding. Senate Bill 466 would allow job training credits to count toward Firefighter I Certification, giving volunteer recruits a more flexible pathway to credentialing. It would also correct a recent administrative error that led to a number of Fire Company and Emergency Medical Services grants being rescinded. Many departments had already budgeted for those funds, and the bill would ensure they receive the support they were promised. To prevent similar issues, the bill would also establish a one-time, 15-day grace period – available once every three years – for fire and EMS companies to submit required reports without needing to demonstrate undue hardship. It moves to the House of Representatives for consideration. Bill Ensuring Sportsmen’s Rights are Protected Receives Senate Support
Legislation to protect sportsmen’s rights by aligning state law with the federal and state constitution passed the Senate and is headed to the House of Representatives for consideration. The Pennsylvania Game Code contains sections indicating it is unlawful to refuse to answer questions from representatives of the Game Commission. However, that violates the United States and Pennsylvania constitutions, which ensure no person may be “compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself” and “he cannot be compelled to give evidence against himself.” Senate Bill 518 would remove the offending sections, ensuring the protection of sportsmen’s constitutional rights. New Sextortion Scam Blackmails Children
A disturbing new scam involves organized groups of Nigerian cybercriminals targeting American children online. After befriending them – sometimes even posing as their classmates – and exchanging nude photos, the criminals blackmail them and demand money. Organized Nigerian criminals have increased this practice, known as sextortion, by 1,000% in the last 18 months. It can cause unthinkable consequences, including even suicide after a child is told that the image will be sent to their family, friends and everyone in their school if they don’t pay. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children offers a helpful tool to anyone facing this overwhelming scenario. Take It Down is a free service that allows a child to have a “hash value” – essentially a digital fingerprint – assigned to the photo being used against them. The “hash value” is then sent out to participating sites such as Instagram, Snapchat and even pornography sites that put a block on the image so it cannot be seen, shared, or spread, rendering it useless for the blackmailer. A child never has to upload the photo to the service, nor does anyone ever view the image in the process. Win Money for Your Child’s Education
In honor of PA 529 Day on May 29, Pennsylvania Treasurer Stacy Garrity invites families to contribute $10 or more to their child’s PA 529 account in May to be automatically eligible for one of six regional awards of $5,529. PA 529 plans allow families to use their savings to pay for a wide variety of education expenses, including at any qualified educational institution, from K-12 to college and career training programs. If the child doesn’t pursue education, the beneficiary can be updated to certain family members or used to repay the principal and interest on a qualified education loan for a PA 529 beneficiary or sibling. Anyone – parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and family friends – can contribute to a PA 529 plan. Saving with PA 529 does not impact a student’s eligibility for Pennsylvania state financial aid. Learn more. Election Day is Tuesday, May 20
Election Day is Tuesday, May 20, and polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. If you are in line by 8 p.m., you will be able to vote. If you applied for a mail-in or absentee ballot, your county election office must receive it by Tuesday, May 20, at 8 p.m. Track your ballot to confirm it was received. Any voter who requested to vote using a mail-in or absentee ballot but would prefer to vote in person may do so. Bring the ballot and the envelope to surrender at the polls. If you don’t have those materials, you may vote using a provisional ballot. Call 1-877-VOTESPA (1-877-868-3772) if you experience any issues. Out and About in the 30th DistrictCongratulations, Chief Hoover! Congratulations to Kerry Hoover of Martinsburg, who recently retired as Police Chief of the Martinsburg Borough Police Department after serving for 37 years! Hoover started his career within the department as a patrolman on July 14, 1988. On February 5, 1990, he became a Lieutenant and then promoted to Chief of Police on March 2, 2002. Thank you for your dedicated service, Chief Hoover!
Williamsburg Elementary School Visits the Capitol This week, I had the opportunity to join Williamsburg Elementary School as they visited the Capitol for their end of the year field trip and introduce them during session. In addition to this trip to the Capitol, they were able to visit Hershey Chocolate World and explore the sweetest place on earth! I always enjoy seeing students visit our beautiful Capitol. You can view my remarks during session, here.
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