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In this Update:
- Emissions Reform Measures Pass Transportation Committee
- Introduction of Guests from Senate District 35
- PA State Association of Township Supervisors Legislative Grassroots Reception
- Career and Technical Education
- Meeting with Constituents in Harrisburg
- Upcoming Events in Senate District 35
- Easterseals Western and Central Pennsylvania Ribbon Cutting
- Senate Passes Bill to Protect Newborns
- Increasing Accountability and Disaster Response Capability
- Senate Votes to Protect Seniors from Financial Exploitation
- Broadband Grant Program Opens May 10
- Register to Vote by May 1
- Free Tick Testing for All Pennsylvanians
- Call Before You Dig
Emissions Reform Measures Pass Transportation Committee
I am happy to announce that two pieces of legislation, Senate Bill 561 and 562, passed the Senate Transportation Committee.
Senate Bill 561 would exempt the five newest model year vehicles from the outdated emissions test and remove the gas cap testing requirement for subject vehicles without a gas cap. Senate Bill 562 exempts Blair, Cambria, Lackawanna, Luzerne, Lycoming, Mercer, and Westmoreland counties from the vehicle emissions test as they have consistently met air quality standards.
I have demanded that our outdated emissions laws be changed. There is absolutely no legitimate or justifiable reason that these bills cannot be signed into law. While this may seem like Groundhog Day as we have passed these before, I call upon my colleagues in the House to expeditiously pass and send to the governor for signature. Cambrians and other county residents have been burdened for far too long.
As the usage of fuel-efficient cars has become more widespread, a vehicle emissions test has proven to be less effective at reducing air pollution. Between 2010-19, there were more than 21 million newer vehicles that passed the emissions test 99.65% of the time. Newer vehicles are consistently passing emissions tests due to newer, more fuel-efficient vehicles on the market.
Senate Resolution of 2017 directed the Joint State Government Commission to evaluate the impacts of removing counties from the vehicle emissions testing program. A product of the resolution identified seven counties as candidates for removal from vehicle emissions testing, as outlined in Senate Bill 562.
Both measures have passed the Senate in previous legislative sessions and have not received House action. Senate Bills 561 and 562 now head to the full Senate for consideration.
Introduction of Guests from Senate District 35
I had the pleasure of introducing Rosalie Danchanko, and her interns Daniel Schumcher and Lukas Tepper from the Highlands Health Clinic in Johnstown. Daniel and Lukas are from Germany and are currently spending their gap year helping the residents of Johnstown.
PA State Association of Township Supervisors Legislative Grassroots Reception
This week, I had the pleasure of speaking to township supervisors across Senate District 35 at the PA State Association of Township Supervisors 2023 Legislative Grassroots Reception.
Career and Technical Education
It was CTC day at the Pennsylvania State Capitol on Tuesday. Thank you to students of Greater Johnstown Career and Technology Center for visiting and advocating so well for career and technical education.
Pennsylvania Department of Education Executive Deputy Secretary Angela Fitterer stopped at the Greater Johnstown Career and Technology Center (GJCTC) and learned about their High School and Adult Education Programs as well as their innovative ways of approaching Workforce Development. Thank you for visiting the GJCTC and the 35th Senatorial District.
Meeting with Constituents in Harrisburg
Melody Tisinger from Bottle Works Ethnic Arts Center stopped by my Pennsylvania State Capitol office this week to chat about the importance the Arts have in our local community.
Thank you, Darlene Rowles from Clearfield County for meeting with me on behalf of the American Cancer Society.
I had the opportunity to meet with constituents from Centre and Clearfield counties representing Central Intermediate Unit 10.
It was great meeting with constituents from Skills of Central PA this week in Harrisburg.
Upcoming Events in Senate District 35
Blood Drive:
Please help us save lives by registering to donate during our Blood Drive on May 2nd from 12:30pm – 6pm at the Richland Fire Hall on Scalp Avenue in Johnstown. To schedule an appointment visit here, enter RICHLAND and scroll down to find May 2nd.
Cambria County Residents:
We will be at the Portage Borough Building on May 5th and at the Northern Cambria Borough Police Department on May 23rd for license plate replacement events. We will also be holding replacement events in Ebensburg and Johnstown!
Centre County Residents:
License Plate Replacement Events are scheduled for May 18th in Philipsburg and June 15th at my office in Ferguson Township.
Clearfield County Residents:
On May 17th, I will be hosting a License Plate Replacement Event at the Clearfield County Fair Grounds from 4:30 – 6:30 pm.
Attention Non-Profits:
Please join me on May 22nd from 5:30pm – 8:00 pm at the Young Peoples Community Center in Ebensburg for a Small Games of Chance Seminar presented by PA State Police, Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement. To register visit here.
Easterseals Western and Central Pennsylvania Ribbon Cutting
My staff attended the ribbon cutting ceremony at Easterseals Western and Central Pennsylvania in downtown Johnstown to unveil their new sound booth and equipment. Congratulations!
Senate Passes Bill to Protect Newborns
The Senate unanimously passed legislation to protect babies whose parents are unable to care for them. The bill now moves to the House of Representatives for consideration.
Senate Bill 267 would expand Pennsylvania’s Safe Haven Law to allow parents to surrender their unharmed baby at participating urgent care centers. The urgent care centers will ensure the newborn is transported to a hospital and placed in the care of a health care provider.
Currently, people may bring their newborn (up to 28 days old) to any Pennsylvania hospital, to a police officer at a police station or to an emergency services provider at an EMS station. The Department of Health estimates that 50 babies have been saved by Pennsylvania’s Safe Haven Law since 2003.
Increasing Accountability and Disaster Response Capability
Legislation requiring Senate confirmation of the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA) director was approved by a bipartisan Senate vote. Senate Bill 433 would increase accountability and ensure the agency is prepared to deal with emergencies efficiently and effectively.
PEMA is the lead emergency coordination agency in the commonwealth tasked with guaranteeing the safety of 13 million residents. This includes oversight of 911 centers and the Emergency Alert System, as well as hazardous materials and incidents involving five nuclear power plants.
Five state agencies with fewer employees than PEMA require Senate confirmation. The bill is before the House of Representatives for consideration.
Senate Votes to Protect Seniors from Financial Exploitation
The Senate approved a bill to help protect Pennsylvania senior citizens from financial exploitation scams using information that is already available within state government.
Under Senate Bill 137, the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General would notify the Department of Aging about any investigations or enforcement actions involving someone age 65 or older and related to the Pennsylvania Telemarketer Registration Act.
The improved information sharing would enable the Department of Aging to deliver warnings to local area agencies on aging in counties across the commonwealth while ensuring strict adherence to confidentiality rules.
Senate Bill 137 now heads to the House of Representatives for consideration.
Broadband Grant Program Opens May 10
The Pennsylvania Broadband Development Authority recently approved the Pennsylvania Broadband Infrastructure Program which will provide $200 million in funding to businesses, nonprofits, local governments and economic development organizations.
This program will fund line extension and development projects, as well as large-scale regional infrastructure projects. Upon completion, projects must deliver service that meets or exceeds symmetrical download and upload speeds of 100 Megabits per second, with prioritization being given to fiber-optic deployment.
The application period will begin May 10 and will close July 10. View program guidelines here.
Register to Vote by May 1
The deadline to register to vote in Pennsylvania’s May 16 primary election is Monday, May 1. Your county election board must receive your application for a mail-in or absentee ballot by Tuesday, May 9.
To legally register, individuals must be a citizen of the United States, reside in their local voting precincts at least 30 days prior to the election and be at least age 18 on Election Day, Tuesday, May 16. Once registered to vote, you are not required to register again unless you change your residence, name or political party affiliation.
Voter registration forms, mail-in ballot applications and absentee ballot applications are available here or from your local county’s Board of Elections. You can also use the site to check your registration status.
Free Tick Testing for All Pennsylvanians
Pennsylvania leads the nation in the number of Lyme disease cases. As we continue to fight Lyme and other tick-borne diseases in the commonwealth, East Stroudsburg University offers a valuable resource for all Pennsylvanians.
The university has a tick lab, which provides free testing on ticks for harmful diseases including Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever and more. Send a tick sample to the lab and receive the test results that are often necessary evidence for doctors to treat you and increase your chance of staying healthy.
This week, the Senate passed a bill to require school officials to notify a student’s parents or guardian if a tick is removed from them at school and inform them of the symptoms of Lyme disease. The bill also calls for schools to provide the tick to parents or guardians if they would like to send it to the lab for testing.
To remove a tick, use fine-tipped tweezers to grasp it as close to the skin’s surface as possible and then pull upward with a steady, even pressure. Avoid twisting or jerking as this can cause the mouth-parts to break off and remain in the skin. After removing the tick, thoroughly clean the bite area and your hands with rubbing alcohol or soap and water.
For more information about tick-borne diseases or how to submit a tick for testing here.
Call Before You Dig
As the weather improves, more people are doing outdoor projects. To stay safe during your excavation project and avoid hitting an underground utility line, call PA One Call by dialing 8-1-1 before you dig.
State law requires contractors and residents to contact PA One Call at least three days prior to excavation. This minimizes risk to the contractors or homeowners who are doing the digging; to utility workers and emergency responders who are mobilized to deal with the damage; and to bystanders who live, work or travel near the locations of the incidents.
Pennsylvanians can dial 8-1-1 to connect with the One Call system, while out-of-state residents or businesses can call 1-800-242-1776. Learn more here.
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