PA Senate e-newsletters
March 13, 2020 Coronavirus Update I encourage you to stay up to date on the developments regarding COVID-19 (coronavirus). @PAHealthDept has a web-page to keep residents up to date with the latest information. It is a great resource so you know the facts. https://www.health.pa.gov/to…/disease/Pages/Coronavirus.aspx In response to COVID-19, the Department of General Services announced that effective […] [Read More]
February 24, 2020 Wolf’s Budget Proposal Would Boost Spending, Borrowing and Taxes Governor Wolf unveiled a $36.1 billion budget earlier this month that would boost state spending by $1.5 billion, increase borrowing by more than a billion dollars, and increase taxes on natural gas extraction, trash service and State Police coverage. The spending plan would […] [Read More]
January 31, 2020 New Bills, Grants Support Firefighters and EMS Organizations Our local firefighters and emergency medical service providers serve our communities extremely well, and they deserve our respect for all they do to protect our lives and property. I supported a package of bills in the Senate this week that will help to ease […] [Read More]
December 16, 2019 Blair County Rail Projects Receive State Funding Two important rail freight improvement projects in Blair County will move forward thanks to grants that were announced last week. The Altoona freight railcar repair facility Union Tank Car Company (UTLX) will receive a $1 million grant to rehabilitate transfer table pit retaining walls. More […] [Read More]
Senate Passes Bill to Expand Access to Psychological Services Access to all types of health care is a serious concern for many Pennsylvanians, especially in rural areas like ours where a lack of providers presents an imposing barrier to care. The Senate recently passed a bill I sponsored that would help improve access to psychology […] [Read More]
Veterans Appreciation Breakfast Scheduled for November 21 in Newville Our local veterans have earned a special place of respect and admiration for their incredible service to our nation. I look forward to meeting our local veterans and their families at a special Veterans Appreciation Breakfast on November 21 at 9 a.m. at the Zion Evangelical […] [Read More]
Senate Approves New Protections for Healthcare Practitioners, Technicians Healthcare providers have reported an uptick in the number of assaults and other dangerous situations faced in the performance of their job. The Senate recently passed a bill I authored that would provide new protections for a broad number of healthcare practitioners and technicians by increasing the […] [Read More]
Hearing Planned to Target Unscrupulous Property Buyers, Combat Blight Pennsylvania has laws in place to prevent negligent and unscrupulous property owners from buying new properties while their existing properties lie in a serious state of disrepair. Unfortunately, some negligent owners try to circumvent these laws by using numerous corporate names when purchasing properties at delinquent […] [Read More]
Senate Panel Highlights Blair County’s Approach to Blight Blight affects communities of all shapes and sizes throughout the state, and it can present a serious threat to the financial health of entire towns and cities. The Senate Urban Affairs and Housing Committee, which I chair, recently held a public hearing in Altoona to take a […] [Read More]
September 24, 2019 Committee Hears Testimony on Cost of Stormwater Systems-MS4 Requirements The Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee recently held a hearing in Chambersburg to discuss a concern that many local leaders have shared with me – the cost of complying with laws governing municipal sewer systems. The hearing included a discussion of the […] [Read More]
