|
|||||
|
In this Update:
Senate Votes to Help Relieve Long-Term Care Worker Shortage
The number of Pennsylvania residents ages 65 and over is expected to nearly double by 2040, but even now many nursing facilities are forced to take beds out of service because they can’t fill direct care positions. The Senate recently passed legislation to tackle this critical problem by making it easier for those seeking employment at long-term care centers while still ensuring employees are well-qualified. Senate Bill 114 would encourage more employees to join the long-term care workforce by expanding the availability of training courses for nurse aides and the eligibility for individuals to take the nurse aide competency exam. The bill was sent to the House of Representatives for consideration. Pennsylvania Concealed Carry Reciprocity
Pennsylvania has concealed carry reciprocity agreements with 32 states, the most recent being Virginia. Under the Uniform Firearms Act, the Office of Attorney General is responsible for reviewing and identifying the status of concealed carry reciprocity with other states. Another state may recognize the validity of a Pennsylvania concealed carry license through (1) written reciprocity agreement, (2) mutual statutory reciprocity, or (3) unilateral recognition. As required by the Pennsylvania Uniform Firearms Act, 18 Pa.C.S. § 6109(m), the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General is conducting its annual review of concealed carry license reciprocity. The Office of the Attorney General will be providing a survey to the remaining 18 states and Washington D.C., to review if an agreement may be reached. The survey asks three questions of those states that do not currently recognize Pennsylvania concealed-carry licenses: 1) whether the state would be interested in negotiating a reciprocity agreement, 2) whether Pennsylvania licensees can legally carry a concealed firearm in the state, and 3) whether a Pennsylvania licensee may apply for a concealed carry in the state. It is anticipated, depending on the information supplied in the survey, that similar agreements may be reached with the State of Nebraska and the State of South Carolina, which recently have enacted firearms laws like those of Virginia. For more information on Pennsylvania’s Concealed Carry Reciprocity, click here. Join Us for Discover STEM
September is Hunger Action Month
September is Hunger Action Month and my legislative district offices across the 30th District will be accepting donations of unexpired, non-perishable food items. All donations collected will be given to local food banks in our communities. We greatly appreciate your support! Fire and EMS Funding Assistance Available
Our local fire and EMS companies are committed to saving lives and protecting property, so I’m pleased to announce they can apply now for assistance through the state Fire Company and Emergency Medical Services Grants program. The funding is available to volunteer or career fire, rescue and EMS organizations and can be used for facility improvements, equipment purchase and repair, debt reduction, training and certification, and more. The deadline to apply is Oct. 20. More information, important dates and the online application can be found here. Measure to Help Veteran-Owned Businesses Approved by Senate
Beyond serving our nation in the military, many veterans create jobs through their entrepreneurial spirit. We approved legislation to promote these veteran-owned businesses. Senate Bill 64 would authorize the creation of a special logo to promote veteran-owned businesses. To be eligible, a business must be registered with the Department of State and at least 51% of the ownership interest must be held by a veteran, reservist or member of the National Guard. To discourage the logo from being used fraudulently, anyone who falsely claims to be a veteran to obtain this designation would face a misdemeanor of the third degree. The bill was sent to the House of Representatives for consideration. Expanding Government Transparency with OpenBookPA
The Pennsylvania Treasury has launched an expanded portal for state government transparency, providing taxpayers with more tools to explore state finance details. OpenBookPA’s new features include:
Announced by Treasurer Stacy Garrity earlier this month, OpenBookPA also links to the Treasury Checkbook, which includes payments made by Treasury to vendors and the Contracts e-Library, which makes available state contracts, purchase orders and amendments valued at $5,000 or more for public review. Happy Rosh Hashanah
Rosh Hashanah begins Monday at sundown. To everyone celebrating the Jewish New Year, I hope it brings thoughtful reflection, personal growth and renewed hope. Out and About in the 30th District“Bringing the World to Pennsylvania” The Southern Alleghenies Planning & Development Commission (SAP&DC) hosted the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) along with overseas trade representatives from 13 foreign markets as part of a statewide “Bringing the World to PA” event. They met with local businesses to network with these representatives and discuss international trade opportunities. This is a wonderful event that helps our local businesses compete in the world marketplace.
Fulton County Chamber of Commerce Networking Event Fulton County Medical Center (FCMC) hosted this month’s Fulton County Chamber of Commerce networking luncheon. President and CEO Mike Makosky highlighted the exceptional services that FCMC provides as well as the challenges facing rural healthcare systems.
Crossroads Pregnancy Center Celebrates 40 Years of Service Crossroads Pregnancy Center marked its 40th anniversary this week with its annual fundraising banquets, held in Blair, Mifflin, and Huntingdon Counties. The events celebrated four decades of compassionate care and support for women, babies, and families in central Pennsylvania. With locations in Lewistown, Mount Union, Huntingdon, Altoona and Mifflintown, Crossroads provides a wide range of free services to teens, women and men. These include pregnancy testing, ultrasounds, counseling, and educational resources during AND after pregnancy. This year’s guest speaker was Wendy Burpee, Executive Director of Genesis Women’s Clinic in Pottstown and Phoenixville. Wendy shared her powerful personal testimony and the journey that led her to serve women through her work at Genesis. As the Chair of the Senate Maternal and Infant Health Caucus, I will be taking the Caucus to tour Genesis Women’s Clinic in October.
Mifflin County 3rd Grade Agricultural Tour The annual Mifflin County 3rd Grade Agricultural Tour was held at the Kish View Farms owned by the Spicher Family in Belleville. Hundreds of 3rd Graders from around the county were able to spend the day at the farm learning about agriculture by visiting several booths of information on various practices. Mifflin County Farm Bureau continues to be the driving force behind this yearly event.
Blair County Chamber of Commerce Breakfast This week I had the pleasure of being a guest speaker, along with my colleague Representative Scott Barger, at the Blair County Chamber of Commerce’s monthly breakfast. We addressed the topic of the state budget, among other issues that were of interest to the group.
If you are not already subscribed to this newsletter please sign up here. |
|||||
|
|||||
Want to change how you receive these emails? 2025 © Senate of Pennsylvania | https://senatorjudyward.com | Privacy Policy |
