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In this Update:
81 Elections and Counting – Lorraine Koon Honored for Voting Record
Lorraine Koons was honored this week for being an active voter for 81 years – a perfect voting record since she was 21 years old. The first President she voted for was Franklin D. Roosevelt. I joined Lebanon County Election’s Director, Sean Drasher, Rep. Russ Diamond (R-102) and our County Commissioners to present a citation for her induction into the Pennsylvania Voter Hall of Fame. A lifelong Cleona resident, Lorraine now resides at Lebanon Valley Homes in Annville. She was also a true “Rosie the Riveter,” helping to repair B-17 bombers and C-47 cargo planes during WWII. Congratulations and thank you for your dedication to our country! Gebhard Bill Benefitting Fort Indiantown Gap Police Officers Passes Senate
The full Senate passed my legislation to allow Fort Indiantown Gap police officers to be Act 120 certified under the Municipal Police Officers’ Education and Training Commission (MPOETC). Currently, police officers at Fort Indiantown Gap complete all the same certification requirements but are never assigned numbers by MPOETC. This can prevent them from being able to transfer to another police department without retaking the exam. At a time when police officers are desperately needed, my bill would eliminate an unnecessary burden for them. The change would help recruiting efforts at Fort Indiantown Gap and would ensure they are treated like every other municipal police department, school police department and the Capitol Police. Senate Bill 327 is similar to a bill that allowed automatic certification for school police officers. It now moves to the House for consideration. Calling All Firefighters and EMS Workers
I will be joining Rep. Jamie Barton (R-124) to host a Pizza & Policy event for first responders on Tuesday, May 27 from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Berks County Encore Strausstown Senior Wellness and Activity Center. Come to grab a bite to eat and tell us about some of the challenges we may be able to help you address in Harrisburg. Please RSVP by calling 484-660-3721. Citizen Naturalization Ceremony in Lebanon County
Last week, I had the honor of attending the Citizen Naturalization Ceremony in Lebanon County. I can tell you it was quite an inspirational event. To become a naturalized citizen, these candidates needed to be lawful permanent residents for at least five continuous years, be of good moral character and be attached to the principles of the Constitution. They also must be proficient in English and pass a civics test that evaluates their knowledge of U.S. history and government. I felt a tremendous sense of national pride and excitement for these new citizens. It was no easy task, and I commend them for going through the lawful process. Immigration is a great thing when done the legal way. I wish them all success as they pursue their own American Dream. Senate Votes to Help Fire and EMS Departments
The Senate passed legislation to address Pennsylvania’s volunteer firefighter shortage that, if left unaddressed, threatens to cause local tax hikes to fund paid services. The bill would also fix recent issues with emergency services grant funding. Senate Bill 466 would allow job training credits to count toward Firefighter I Certification, giving volunteer recruits a more flexible pathway to credentialing. It would also correct a recent administrative error that led to a number of Fire Company and Emergency Medical Services grants being rescinded. Many departments had already budgeted for those funds, and the bill would ensure they receive the support they were promised. To prevent similar issues, the bill would also establish a one-time, 15-day grace period – available once every three years – for fire and EMS companies to submit required reports without needing to demonstrate undue hardship. It moves to the House of Representatives for consideration. Bill Ensuring Sportsmen’s Rights are Protected Receives Senate Support
Legislation to protect sportsmen’s rights by aligning state law with the federal and state constitution passed the Senate and is headed to the House of Representatives for consideration. The Pennsylvania Game Code contains sections indicating it is unlawful to refuse to answer questions from representatives of the Game Commission. However, that violates the United States and Pennsylvania constitutions, which ensure no person may be “compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself” and “he cannot be compelled to give evidence against himself.” Senate Bill 518 would remove the offending sections, ensuring the protection of sportsmen’s constitutional rights. New Sextortion Scam Blackmails Children
A disturbing new scam involves organized groups of Nigerian cybercriminals targeting American children online. After befriending them – sometimes even posing as their classmates – and exchanging nude photos, the criminals blackmail them and demand money. Organized Nigerian criminals have increased this practice, known as sextortion, by 1,000% in the last 18 months. It can cause unthinkable consequences, including even suicide after a child is told that the image will be sent to their family, friends and everyone in their school if they don’t pay. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children offers a helpful tool to anyone facing this overwhelming scenario. Take It Down is a free service that allows a child to have a “hash value” – essentially a digital fingerprint – assigned to the photo being used against them. The “hash value” is then sent out to participating sites such as Instagram, Snapchat and even pornography sites that put a block on the image so it cannot be seen, shared, or spread, rendering it useless for the blackmailer. A child never has to upload the photo to the service, nor does anyone ever view the image in the process. Win Money for Your Child’s Education
In honor of PA 529 Day on May 29, Pennsylvania Treasurer Stacy Garrity invites families to contribute $10 or more to their child’s PA 529 account in May to be automatically eligible for one of six regional awards of $5,529. PA 529 plans allow families to use their savings to pay for a wide variety of education expenses, including at any qualified educational institution, from K-12 to college and career training programs. If the child doesn’t pursue education, the beneficiary can be updated to certain family members or used to repay the principal and interest on a qualified education loan for a PA 529 beneficiary or sibling. Anyone – parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and family friends – can contribute to a PA 529 plan. Saving with PA 529 does not impact a student’s eligibility for Pennsylvania state financial aid. Learn more. Election Day is Tuesday, May 20
Election Day is Tuesday, May 20, and polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. If you are in line by 8 p.m., you will be able to vote. If you applied for a mail-in or absentee ballot, your county election office must receive it by Tuesday, May 20, at 8 p.m. Track your ballot to confirm it was received. Any voter who requested to vote using a mail-in or absentee ballot but would prefer to vote in person may do so. Bring the ballot and the envelope to surrender at the polls. If you don’t have those materials, you may vote using a provisional ballot. Call 1-877-VOTESPA (1-877-868-3772) if you experience any issues. Thank You Aniyah Garcia for Visiting the Capitol
I very much enjoyed having Aniyah Garcia, who is a junior at Cornwall-Lebanon School District, shadow me at the Capitol this week. Aniyah is interested in pursuing a career in public service and I was happy to give her some real-life experience. I wish her success in all her future endeavors. Local Events
Sunday, May 18, 1-4pm: Wernersville Train Station Open House Saturday, May 13, 10am-2pm: 3rd Annual Cram-A-Cruiser Sunday, May 18, 7-11am: Lawn Fire Co. Biker Breakfast Saturday, May 17, 9am-7pm: 35th Annual Union Canal Day Saturday, May 17, 9am-4pm: Community Day Event at Juniper Village at Lebanon Saturday, May 17, 9am-11:30am: Mid-Atlantic Reptile Show at Lebanon Expo Center Saturday, May 17, 11am-2pm: Kiwanis Club Kid’s Fun Day
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