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In this Update:
- Sen. David J. Arnold Jr. Memorial Bridge Dedication Ceremony
- Constitutional Amendment to Eliminate School Property Taxes
- Pennsylvanians Deserve the Truth about Electricity Costs
- Senate Acts to Fight Waste, Fraud and Abuse in Public Assistance Programs
- Bill Enabling World Cup Team Doctors to Practice in PA Receives Senate Support
- New Law Conveniently Returns Money to Pennsylvanians
- Game Commission Provides Avian Influenza Information
- Recognizing National School Choice Week
- Local Events
Sen. David J. Arnold Jr. Memorial Bridge Dedication Ceremony
This week, the newly constructed bridge over Route 72 in Swatara Township was officially dedicated as the Sen. David J. Arnold Jr. Memorial Bridge. In 2024, I authored the legislative language that received unanimous support making the designation possible.
When we first started discussing doing something like this to honor Dave, the new bridge they were getting ready to build made sense for a lot of reasons. Route 72 really is the main artery that flows through the county and that is exactly how so many of you described Dave. He was the leader and lifeblood of the county courthouse.
Sen. Arnold made an indelible mark on our community. His legacy should be remembered and serve as an inspiration for us all. He served in multiple roles that helped Pennsylvanians of all ages, including those who were victims of heinous crimes. Sen. Arnold truly made Lebanon County a safer and better place to live.
I know I will think of Dave every time I drive over this bridge and see this sign behind me – and I hope you will too.
- You can read more via Lebanon Daily News here.
- You can read more via Lebtown here.
Constitutional Amendment to Eliminate School Property Taxes
In the near future, I plan to introduce a constitutional amendment to eliminate school property taxes.
For decades, the people of Pennsylvania have spoken forcefully on the need to eliminate this unfair tax. No tax should have the power to leave you homeless. Pennsylvanians are tired of hearing about relief measures that have fallen drastically short of expectations and have done little to help Pennsylvania homeowners.
A February 2023 Commonwealth Court decision called our school funding method unconstitutional for its inequitable distribution of funds and called for a new system. Now is the time to create a more equitable alternative to fund public education.
Pennsylvanians Deserve the Truth about Electricity Costs
This week, Gov. Josh Shapiro made multiple announcements about the cost of electricity in Pennsylvania. One of those claims is that customers will save billions of dollars through an agreement he made with PJM, a regional transmission organization that coordinates the movement of wholesale electricity in all or part of 13 states and the District of Columbia.
The reality is that none of the governor’s announcements will save any of us a single dollar on our electric bills. The truth is that his administration’s misguided policies have directly contributed to higher prices. Now, he’s trying to take credit for lower prices that won’t even happen.
Senate Republicans have prioritized advancement of meaningful legislation to help address rising costs for consumers of electricity. It is unfortunate that many of the measures were not supported by the Shapiro Administration during the last two years. We will continue working to enact energy policies which reduce costs for hardworking Pennsylvanians, ensure the future stability of our power grid, and help expand access to good, family sustaining jobs here in Pennsylvania.
Senate Acts to Fight Waste, Fraud and Abuse in Public Assistance Programs
This week, the Senate passed three bills to stop waste, fraud and abuse in Pennsylvania’s Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) and Medical Assistance program (Medicaid). The bills will be sent to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives for consideration.
Senate Bill 155 would prevent deceased people from receiving benefits by requiring the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS) to check death certificates at the Bureau of Vital Statistics against recipients of public assistance. A state audit previously found 2,324 deceased public assistance recipients received benefits totaling $700,000 in a 12-month period.
Senate Bill 156 would require DHS to compare wage records held by employers and the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue with public assistance recipients quarterly to prevent fraud. From 2019-23, the Pennsylvania Office of State Inspector General filed more than 2,900 criminal complaints of welfare fraud, with more than $15 million owed in restitution.
Senate Bill 157 would update the Public Assistance Integrity Act to require DHS to issue a yearly report on its efforts to ensure lottery winners are not receiving cash benefits. The Public Assistance Integrity Act, a bipartisan initiative signed into law in 2018, closed a loophole that did not require lottery winnings to be considered as income when determining eligibility for benefits.
Bill Enabling World Cup Team Doctors to Practice in PA Receives Senate Support
With World Cup soccer set to come to Philadelphia, the Senate approved legislation enabling international team doctors to treat their players in the commonwealth. The bill now moves to the House of Representatives for consideration.
Philadelphia will host the FIFA Club World Cup this summer and the FIFA World Cup in 2026. In both of those contests, athletes will be supported by their traveling team doctors. Under current law, each international doctor would be required to obtain a medical license from the Pennsylvania State Board of Medicine to treat players, even for just a single match.
Senate Bill 184 would exempt international team doctors from needing to obtain a Pennsylvania medical license to care for their athletes. Much like how the law treats team physicians licensed in other states, international doctors would be limited to treatment of just their players and would be prohibited from practicing in all health care facilities in the commonwealth.
New Law Conveniently Returns Money to Pennsylvanians
Money you weren’t expecting may soon be coming your way! The Pennsylvania Treasury Department sent the first batch of letters this week to people who have unclaimed property, thanks to legislation passed by Senate Republicans.
The new law, PA Money Match, allows the Pennsylvania Treasury to automatically return certain unclaimed property. Eligible properties must be valued at $500 or less and belong to a single owner. Those with eligible properties will receive a letter in the mail to confirm their address. After doing so, they will receive a check for their property in about 45 days.
Pennsylvania Treasurer Stacy Garrity announced this week that the first round of PA Money Match has the potential to return more than $2 million to more than 8,000 Pennsylvanians – and more will be coming later this year. Treasury is working to return more than $4.5 billion in unclaimed property, which includes things like dormant bank accounts, uncashed checks, rebates, insurance payments and more. Check if you have unclaimed property, and contact my office if you need any assistance in filing a claim.
Game Commission Provides Avian Influenza Information
Earlier this year, the Pennsylvania Game Commission announced that highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) was the cause of death for wild waterfowl in northeastern Pennsylvania.
To best protect the health of wildlife, domestic animals and humans, the Game Commission asks the public to assist them by doing the following:
- Report sick or dead wild birds to the commission by calling 1-833-PGC-WILD (1-833-742-9453), emailing pgc-wildlifehealth@pa.gov or using the online Wildlife Health Survey tool.
- Dispose of a dead wild bird found on your property – if the commission hasn’t responded within 24 hours – by burial or commercial/residential trash. Both methods will protect scavenging wildlife. If electing to dispose of the carcass, the following guidance is provided:
- Before picking up the wild bird carcass, put on disposable or washable gloves. If gloves are unavailable, a plastic bag can be used as a makeshift glove.
- If performing on-site burial, a burial hole at least two feet deep will discourage scavenging. Do not bury the carcass in an area that could contaminate a water supply.
- If disposing of the carcass in commercial/residential trash, place the carcass in a plastic bag along with any disposal gloves that were used. Then place everything in a second plastic bag before disposal.
- Once disposal is complete, immediately wash your hands and any non-disposable gloves that were used.
Because HPAI impacts more than just wildlife, please also report any sick or dead domestic bird to the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture at 717-772-2852. Anyone who isn’t feeling well after having contact with sick or dead birds is encouraged to contact their primary care physician or the Pennsylvania Department of Health at 877-724-3258.
Recognizing National School Choice Week
Students succeed in different environments. By giving families the opportunity to choose their child’s school, students will be more successful and better prepared to enter the workforce with skills that will make Pennsylvania competitive in a variety of fields.
When campaigning, Gov. Josh Shapiro agreed with the Senate Republican perspective that parents need greater school choice, and we intend to hold him to that promise. Families and educators visited the Capitol this week to highlight this important need in honor of National School Choice Week.
We will continue to lead efforts in 2025-26 to increase parental involvement in the education of their children. Parents know best and should be able to choose the education option that allows their children to succeed.
Local Events
Saturday, February 1, 9am-10am: Winter Wellness Walk
1102 Red Bridge Rd, Reading (Berks, PA)
Click here
Saturday, February 1, 2pm-3pm: Plant Swap @ Myerstown Community Library
199 N. College St, Myerstown (Lebanon, PA)
Click here
Saturday, February 1, 8am: Grundsau Uni Weather Prediction
Myerstown Community Park (Lebanon, PA)
Click here
Saturday, February 1, 5pm: Deer Processing Workshop
Middle Creek Visitor Center (Lancaster, PA)
Click here
Tuesday, February 4, 9am-3:30pm: Crops Conference
80 Rocherty Rd, Lebanon (Lebanon, PA)
Click here
Saturday, February 1-9: The Great American Outdoor Show
PA Farm Show Complex (Dauphin, PA)
Click here
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