View this email in a browser

In this Update:

• Holiday Drive
• Clearly Ahead Development Annual Membership Meeting
• Langerholc to Introduce Legislation Reforming Public Housing
• New Senate District Map Takes Effect
• New Law Targets Repeat DUI Offenders
• Enforcement of REAL ID Delayed Until 2025
• Fishing Licenses and Permits for 2023 Available Now
• You Can Help Honor Those Who Gave All

Holiday Drive

The Richland office is starting to fill up with donations for our Holiday Drive!  Just a reminder that we are collecting donations of toiletries, socks, gloves, hats, etc. to be distributed to the Johnstown Family Soup Kitchen before Christmas.

Clearly Ahead Development Annual Membership Meeting

It was a pleasure attending the Clearly Ahead Development Annual Membership Meeting & Mixer at River Landings in Clearfield. It was wonderful to see all of the progress they have made this year.

Langerholc to Introduce Legislation Reforming Public Housing

This week, I announced my intent to introduce legislation to reform public housing within the Commonwealth.

In October, the Senate Urban Affairs and Housing Committee held a hearing in the City of Johnstown examining the state of public housing. Testimony showed a marked rise in the transient population dramatically affecting local schools, social services and law enforcement.

My initiative will establish a Public Housing Safety Committee within each Public Housing Authority to properly vet and deny admissions to individuals with a recent criminal record if they present a threat to the health and safety of the community.

We want to have a welcoming community here in Johnstown for anybody that wants to work here, wants to live here, wants to raise their family here, but we must make certain that we are not attracting the wrong type of individuals to our area. This legislation uses the very few tools that the Federal Government has given the states in regard to public housing to ensure our communities are safe for all of our residents.

This legislation will be narrowly tailored to serve a substantial, legitimate and nondiscriminatory interest and will not violate protections under the Fair Housing Act and other relevant federal laws.

New Senate District Map Takes Effect

New boundaries for my Senate District are now in effect. The map was redrawn as part of redistricting following the most recent census.

You can find a detailed map and list of municipalities here. I look forward to serving new and remaining constituents, and keeping you informed, in the years ahead.

New Law Targets Repeat DUI Offenders

December is National Impaired Driving Prevention Month, a good time to note that legislation we passed earlier this year has taken effect that increases penalties on repeat DUI offenders and hopefully reduces tragic deaths.

Under the new law, an individual charged with DUI with a BAC of .16 or higher or a DUI involving controlled substances, and already has the following number of prior offenses, commits:

• A third-degree felony for two prior offenses (previously two or more prior offenses), punishable by up to seven years in prison.
• A second-degree felony for three or more prior offenses, punishable by up to 10 years in prison. (Previously a third-degree felony.)

It also requires consecutive sentencing for certain repeat DUI offenders and imposes an 18-month driving privilege suspension for a second-degree DUI conviction.

The measure is named in honor of Deana DeRosa Eckman of Delaware County, who was killed in a 2019 head-on collision involving a truck operated by someone previously convicted of five DUIs.

Enforcement of REAL ID Delayed Until 2025

The deadline to obtain a REAL ID has been extended by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to May 7, 2025. The extension means you will continue to be able to board a domestic flight or enter a secure federal building with a standard driver’s license until that date.

REAL ID is a federal law that dictates how states issue driver’s licenses and ID cards if they are going to be acceptable for federal purposes.

REAL ID is optional for Pennsylvania residents. You will be able to get either a REAL ID driver’s license/identification card, or a standard driver’s license or identification card. If you do not get a REAL ID, you must have an alternate form of federally acceptable identification (valid passport, military ID, etc.) to board domestic commercial flights and enter certain federal facilities after May 7, 2025. You can find comprehensive information at PennDOT’s REAL ID page. (NOTE: The page has not been updated to reflect the new May 7, 2025 deadline.)

Fishing Licenses and Permits for 2023 Available Now

Pennsylvania fishing licenses, permits and gift vouchers for 2023 are available now. Licenses are valid immediately and are good for 13 months.

They can be purchased through the HuntFishPA online portal on the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission website, on your smartphone using the mobile app or by visiting a retail license issuing agent, which you can find here.

In addition to licenses and permits, such as the trout or Lake Erie permits, you can purchase vouchers that can be given as gifts and redeemed by recipients.

You Can Help Honor Those Who Gave All

Every year at this time, Wreaths Across America helps communities remember the fallen, honor those who served in the military and teach children about their country by laying wreaths on the graves of heroes.

These acts of remembrance take place at Arlington National Cemetery, and more than 3,400 locations in all 50 states, at sea and abroad.

Ceremonies take place Dec. 17, and you can help by sponsoring a veterans’ wreath at a cemetery near you, volunteering or donating to a local sponsorship group. You can search for the nearest participating cemetery here.

2024 © Senate of Pennsylvania | https://www.senatorlangerholc.com | Privacy Policy