|
||||
|
In this Update:
Dedication of the New Snyder Hill 911 Communications Tower
An upgraded 911 communications tower was recently dedicated & celebrated in Jefferson County. The new tower replaces aging infrastructure and will provide reliable emergency management communications to Jefferson County and parts of northern Indiana County due to its proximity to the county line. Funding for the new tower was allocated through a DCED grant under an LSA award in October 2024. Thank you to Jefferson County Department of Emergency Services Director, Tracy Zents and Deputy Director, Chris Clark, and many other local officials & partners in seeing this project through to completion – well done! National Night Out – Northern Westmoreland County
Communities across northern Westmoreland County gathered to celebrate the relationship between residents and first responders during National Night Out. It was great to join Westmoreland County PA District Attorney’s Office Nicole Ziccarelli and other local leaders to visit with many of the emergency services folks & volunteer firemen from my district – my deepest gratitude to each and every one of you for all you do! A Great Day in Punxsutawney!
It was great to spend time in Jefferson County recently making several stops throughout the day to visit businesses and facilities, including:
I was pleased to be joined by PA State Rep. Brian Smith, former State Representative Sam Smith & and County Commissioners at several of the stops in and around Punxsutawney. The day concluded with the presentation of a mayoral proclamation celebrating August 6, 2026, as ‘Senator Joe Pittman Day’ in the Borough. My sincere thanks to Mayor Bill Clement for bestowing this honor to me – I am extremely grateful & humbled. Indiana County Veteran Celebrates Birthday Milestone It is always a great honor to recognize veterans, most especially those celebrating milestone moments, such as local resident, Fred Decarlo. Fred was born on July 28, 1926, and celebrated his 100th birthday on July 28, 2026, a remarkable milestone! Mr. Decarlo served our nation with honor and courage during World War II, joining the generation of Americans whose sacrifice and dedication helped preserve the freedoms we cherish today. Fred devoted 35 years of service to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania through the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board with dedication & professionalism. He also shared 73 years of marriage with his wife, demonstrating a lifelong commitment to love, faith, and enduring partnership. Wishing Fred a wonderful and blessed year ahead! Felony Murder Sentencing, PA Crime Highlighted at Senate, House Hearing
Law enforcement officers and other public officials shared the on-the-ground reality of their efforts to fight crime and how the General Assembly could support their mission during a joint public hearing of the Senate Majority Policy Committee and the House Republican Policy Committee. Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday discussed sentencing for felony murder after the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled mandatory life sentences for this crime are unconstitutional. He stated Senate Bill 1400, passed twice by the Senate, would provide an appropriate sentence for felony murder. But the House changed the bill, he said, “and in doing so provides a huge break to convicted murderers.” Sunday said, “Victims deserve better than legislative gamesmanship.” The committees learned that violent crime is down across the commonwealth, but drug offenses are on the rise, with the Bureau of Narcotics removing 56.5 million doses of fentanyl off the streets of Pennsylvania last year. Read more about the hearing and access video and testimony here. Empowering Parents with Federal Scholarship Tax Credit
Last year, Congress established a new Federal Scholarship Tax Credit to create new learning opportunities for students. I joined a bipartisan group of colleagues this week to announce legislation that would ensure Pennsylvania families can benefit from this new program. The program would allow taxpayers to earn up to $1,700 in tax credits for contributions to non-profit Scholarship Granting Organizations. These organizations could use the funds to provide scholarships for education-related services at private or public schools, including tuition, fees, academic tutoring, special education services, technology services and classroom supplies. For students and families to be eligible for scholarships, a state must opt in with either an order signed by its governor or a law passed by the state legislature by Jan. 1, 2027. If a state does not opt in, taxpayers in that state will still be eligible for the tax credit, but the money will fund scholarships in other states. Our legislation would ensure Pennsylvania students in both public and private schools would have access to these new resources. Learn more about this opportunity for Pennsylvania students and families here. Understanding Digital Threats to Children
Aug. 17 – Aug. 23 is “Social Media Safety and Parental Awareness Week” in Pennsylvania. This first-of-its-kind designation is designed to help parents, guardians and students better understand potential threats in the digital world, including cyberbullying, sextortion, AI-generated child sexual abuse material, grooming and other dangerous forms of abuse. Find a Back-to-School Checklist and more tips on social media safety at the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. My legislative colleagues and I have worked to keep kids safe from dangers online. This includes laws criminalizing deepfakes, giving law enforcement tools to combat online abuse, creating the Task Force on Child Protection in the Digital Age and more. The Senate has also passed legislation (pending in the House of Representatives) providing safeguards for AI chatbots, prohibiting “nudification” apps and protecting young people against AI-generated child abuse materials. Reporting Suspected Benefits Fraud
You can help eliminate fraud in benefits programs such as cash assistance, food stamps, childcare, home energy assistance and medical assistance. Suspected fraud can be reported to the Office of the State Inspector General. A complaint should be completed only if an individual has been issued benefits that you believe the individual was not entitled to receive. Report suspected fraud to the State Inspector General here. Getting Potholes Filled
If you spot a pothole on a Pennsylvania road, you can report it through the PennDOT Customer Care Center. If you notice an urgent issue, please check the list of district engineering offices and contact the one for the county in which the issue is found. For immediate safety concerns, call 1‑800‑FIX‑ROAD (1-800-349-7623), and always call 9‑1‑1 for emergencies. |
||||
|
||||
Want to change how you receive these emails? 2026 © Senate of Pennsylvania | https://senatorpittman.com | Privacy Policy |
