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In this Update:
Key Points from This Week’s Senate Budget Hearings
Efforts to trim the governor’s $53.3 billion proposed state budget – which would spend $2.7 billion (5.4%) more than the current budget – got underway this week with Senate budget hearings. Members of the Senate Appropriations Committee focused on containing the growing cost of Medicaid and other entitlement programs and how to identify and eliminate fraud during the hearing with the Department of Human Services, the highest-spending agency in the state budget. The department requests a 6.6% increase for 2026-27. The committee also questioned officials from the Department of General Services (DGS) and the Pennsylvania State Police about missing revenue, funding projections, cracking down on new, more sophisticated fake IDs and more. DGS seeks an 11.8% spending increase for 2026-27 and the State Police’s proposed budget is more than 9% higher than the current fiscal year. You can go here to find recaps of every budget hearing, plus video and a schedule of remaining hearings, which run through March 5. Hearing Explores Ideas to Combat State Housing Crisis
Efforts to make housing more attainable for working families were reviewed during a Senate hearing with local government officials, housing advocates, builders and developers. The Senate Majority Policy Committee heard how housing shortages drive up costs for Pennsylvanian families and stall economic growth. Among the solutions explored were infrastructure partnership programs to help lower upfront development costs, state tax credits, development incentives and bond financing specifically targeted to middle-income housing development, and more. Forming a robust strategy to increase housing supply, lower costs and stimulate economic activity is a key focus for the Senate this year. Video of the full hearing and written testimony can be viewed here. Resurfacing Project to Begin on Route 72 (Quentin Road) and Route 322 in Lebanon County
PennDOT announced that a nine-month resurfacing project will soon begin on State Route 72 (Quentin Road) and U.S. Route 322 in North Cornwall and West Cornwall townships and Cornwall Borough. Work will begin Monday, March 9 and will consist of base replacement, milling, guiderail updates, drainage replacements, sign and overhead signing replacement, pavement marking updates, and other miscellaneous construction on Route 72. Most of the work will be done at night, but some work may be completed during the day. There will be single lane restrictions, as well as overnight detours for ramps and roadway sections. All work is expected to be completed by December 3rd. Share Your Thoughts with the Highway Safety Survey
Pennsylvania motorists have until Saturday to provide input on traffic safety and driving behaviors through an anonymous online survey. The aim is to understand attitudes on state Department of Transportation safety measures and reduce crashes and fatalities. The survey takes about five minutes to complete. The number of people who lost their lives on Pennsylvania highways decreased to 1,127 in 2024, the second lowest since record keeping began in 1928. While 2025 fatality data is not yet complete, preliminary numbers indicate crash fatalities have again decreased. Record-Breaking Unclaimed Property Returns to PA Residents
Pennsylvania Treasurer Stacy Garrity announced that the Pennsylvania Treasury Department returned more unclaimed property in 2025 than ever before: $334.1 million. Unclaimed property can include dormant bank accounts, abandoned stocks, uncashed checks, and more. Property is always available for the rightful owner to claim. Tangible property – often the contents of forgotten safe deposit boxes – may be auctioned after three years, but proceeds remain available to claim perpetuity. Among the reasons for the record property returns was the General Assembly’s passage of a law that allows Treasury to automatically return unclaimed property valued up to $500. In the program’s first year, nearly $50 million was returned this way. To see if any unclaimed property is available for you, visit patreasury.gov/unclaimed-property. Congratulations to Kenzie Eckhart and Kaila Francis on Scoring 1,000 Points
I was happy to present Senate citations to two student athletes from the district this week. Kenzie Eckhart, a senior at ELCO School District and Kaila Francis, a senior at Cornwall-Lebanon School District both were recognized for scoring 1,000 points over the course of their basketball careers. Kenzie plans to attend Lebanon Valley College following graduation and Kaila plans to attend Colgate University. I wish them all the best in their future endeavors! Saturday is School Bus Driver Appreciation Day
School bus drivers play a critical role in the safety and well-being of students, but shortages of these vital workers can disrupt schedules and learning. Thank you to all the men and women performing this critical task in our area. Individuals interested in becoming a school bus driver can visit the commonwealth’s Become a School Bus Driver webpage or the School Bus Hero website to learn more. Local Events
Saturday, February 28, 9am-1pm: Hamburg Marketplace Saturday, February 28, 1pm-3pm: Chili Cook Off, hosted by 910 Auxiliary Saturday, February 28, 9am-4pm: Mid Atlantic Reptile Expo Wednesday, March 4, 4-7pm: Lebanon County Career Fair Saturday, March 7, 9am-3pm: Lebanon Valley Spring Spectacular Saturday, March 14, 4-5pm: Easter Egg Hunt at Cabela’s Saturday, March 14, 10am-1pm: Thrive-Intellectual Disability/ Health and Wellness Fair
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