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In this Update:
Data Center Legislation Addressing Community Concerns and Energy Cost
With the influx of data centers being proposed across Pennsylvania, including one in South Annville Township, I have heard from many constituents who are concerned about the impact this new industry could have on their communities. While municipalities are responsible for local land-use decisions, many have struggled to fully understand the environmental and community impacts of data centers and to revise their zoning ordinances quickly enough to address growing interest from developers. That is why I am partnering with my colleague Sen. Jarrett Coleman (R-16) and co-sponsoring legislation to give municipalities the option to place a moratorium on data center applications. This would allow local governments, if they choose, the time to review and update their ordinances and establish conditional-use policies that address concerns such as power supply, water consumption, noise, and setbacks in a way that best protects their communities. I am also co-sponsoring legislation to eliminate the Computer Data Center Equipment Exemption Program. Instead of continuing to provide a special tax incentive to the already-thriving data center industry, this bill would direct that revenue to the Motor License Fund for the sole purpose of reducing the Oil Company Franchise Tax, which adds about 58 cents to every gallon of gas. Senate Acts to Protect Fairness in Women’s Sports
The Senate again approved legislation to protect the safety and opportunities of female athletes by requiring scholastic sports teams to be designated based on biological sex. Senate Bill 1293 would require public schools and colleges to label sports teams as male, female or coed. The legislation states only biological females can join teams designated for women. The bill would also allow students to take legal action if they are harmed by violations of this rule. Since 2020 in Pennsylvania, men have stolen first place from female athletes 87 times and unjustly took second or third place 64 times. Recently, the International Olympic Committee enacted new policy guidelines ensuring all sporting events under their jurisdiction for any female category are limited to biological females only. The legislation is similar to Senate Bill 9, which was passed by the Senate in May 2025 with bipartisan support. Since then, it has been delayed by procedural maneuvers by Democrat leaders in the House of Representatives, leaving young female athletes at risk. I urge the House to act on this legislation and restore fairness to athletic competition in our commonwealth. Read more about this issue here. Commonwealth Court Strikes Down Ban on Public Funding of Abortions
I was deeply troubled by the Commonwealth Court ruling this week. For decades, Pennsylvania law has prohibited the use of taxpayer funds for abortion. In a 4-3 ruling, the Commonwealth Court struck down a ban on public funding for abortion and declared “reproductive autonomy” as a right. This bypasses the democratic process entirely and is unsupported by the text or history of our Constitution. Simply put, no such right exists. This ruling overrides longstanding protections and forces millions of Pennsylvanians to fund procedures that conflict with their deeply held religious beliefs. I have previously supported a Pro-Life Amendment to our state Constitution and remain committed to that effort. I will continue to advocate on behalf of those taxpayers and on behalf of the unborn. Strengthening Electricity Affordability and Reliability
Pennsylvanians need electricity that’s affordable and reliable. That’s why I joined legislative colleagues in February urging action to preserve critical baseload power generation by preventing the premature shutdown of two commonwealth power plants. I’m pleased to report the Trump administration has reached agreement with the state Department of Environmental Protection and the operator of the Keystone and Conemaugh Generating Stations in Indiana and Armstrong counties to allow continued operation of both plants. The agreement ensures continued, environmentally compliant generation of 3,400 megawatts of electricity for the regional grid and preserves the livelihood of more than 1,000 workers. I applaud the parties for working to find common ground, and will continue working to expand Pennsylvania energy production to provide our residents with a true “all of the above” energy strategy to ensure affordable, reliable electricity. Committee Approves Measure Eliminating Emissions Test Mandate for Newer Vehicles
Legislation exempting state emissions testing for newer vehicles and removing it entirely for counties where it’s no longer needed was approved by the Senate Transportation Committee. Senate Bill 1298 exempts vehicles five years old or less from the requirement and removes Blair, Cambria, Lackawanna, Luzerne, Lycoming, Mercer and Westmoreland counties from the emissions program. The Vehicle Emissions Inspection and Maintenance program mandates motorists in 25 Pennsylvania counties undergo annual emissions testing. However, a Joint State Government Commission study has shown that removing seven of these counties from the program would have minimal impact on maintaining federal air quality standards. Less than 1% of the five most recent model year vehicles fail annual emissions inspections. The measure now goes to the full Senate for consideration. You can read more about our efforts to reform emissions testing here. Take the PA Family Health Needs Assessment Survey
You can provide feedback to help improve maternal, child and family health in Pennsylvania by completing the Family Health Needs Assessment Survey by April 30. You can find the survey here. It’s part of the federal Title V Maternal and Child Health Services Block Grant, managed in Pennsylvania by the Department of Health. It requires a comprehensive needs assessment every five years to identify key health priorities. The survey takes about 20 minutes to complete. If you have any questions, please email RA-DHPATITLEV@pa.gov. Booklet Helps You Prepare Your Child for Kindergarten
If your child is entering kindergarten this fall, you can help prepare them for the experience with the Kindergarten Here I Come booklet filled with resources and activities that follow Pennsylvania’s Early Learning Standards. Topics in the booklet include:
You can review and download the booklet here. Local Events Saturday, April 25, 10:30am-1:30pm: Healthy Kids Day Saturday, May 2, 8am-2pm: Conrad Weiser FFA Native Plant and Vegetable Sale Saturday, May 2, 12am-5pm: Ephrata Rhythm & Brews Saturday, May 2, 8am-12pm: Lebanon County Master Gardners – Plant Sale Saturday, May 2, 12pm-4:30pm: Police K-9 Benefit Event Saturday, May 2, 9am-1pm: Blooms & More Festival Wednesday, May 20-25: The Myerstown Carnival 2026 Saturday, May 23, 3pm-9pm: 15th Annual Jonestown Block Party
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