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In this Update:
Senate Passes New Funding for Hospitals, Health Care Workers
The Senate this week approved critical funding for hospitals and frontline health care workers who continue to keep Pennsylvanians safe during the COVID-19 pandemic. The bill was sent to the governor for enactment. It allocates a total of $225 million to hospitals and their employees. The additional dollars will be allocated as follows:
This is an effort to support frontline health care professionals who have sacrificed so much for our communities, especially over these past 2 years. Of the total funds allocated, the major health care facilities that provide services to those living in the 41st Senatorial District are to receive a total of nearly $2.5 million, with $1,199,802 going to Indiana Regional Medical Center, $920,115 ($74,472 of which is for behavioral health) to Armstrong Center for Medicine & Health (ACMH) and $354,158 to Punxsutawney Area Hospital. The legislation requires the funding to be directed to retention and recruitment programs for staff. Hospital executives and administration, contracted staff and physicians would not be eligible for payments. Student Loan Relief for Nurses Available through March 1
Applications are being accepted through March 1 for the new Student Loan Relief for Nurses program. Qualified nurses working through the COVID-19 pandemic may be eligible to receive student loan relief of up to $2,500 for each year of work (beginning with 2020) for up to three years, with a maximum benefit of $7,500. The Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency indicates the high volume of applications has slowed the review process, and online applications are not offered. You can learn more about the program and the application process here. Senate Acts to Improve PA National Guard Health Care
Legislation to increase the number of health care providers in the Pennsylvania National Guard was approved by the Senate. The bill was sent to the House of Representatives for consideration. The legislation improves the Medical Officer or Health Officer Incentive Program, which was created in 2014 to provide an education stipend to those who qualified through their time in the armed services. This incentive program began to address the lack of health care providers within the Guard. However, some health professionals, such as dentists and physician assistants, were inadvertently left out of the program. Senate Bill 927 would establish a broader definition of “health professional” to capture those left out of the original program. It would also create education stipend tiers based on the participant’s education level, so that physicians and physician assistants would get a higher reimbursement to help pay down their higher tuition debt. Congressional Redistricting Map Approved by General Assembly
Legislation to redraw the boundaries of Pennsylvania congressional districts to reflect changes in population was approved by the Senate and sent to the governor, who vetoed the measure. The U.S. Constitution requires congressional redistricting following the updated census count every 10 years. The preliminary congressional map was developed after a series of public hearings held by the state Senate and House of Representatives. Growing Greener Grant Awards Announced
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) this week announced water cleanup projects throughout the state have been selected to receive funding through the state’s Growing Greener Plus program. Within the 41st Senatorial District, two projects were selected: $294,061 was awarded to Armstrong Conservation District’s Mahoning-Redbank Creek Ag BMP (Best Management Practices) Project, seeking to install BMP to reduce agricultural runoff to streams and rivers, and $51,374 was awarded to the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy (Indiana County) for its Yellow Creek Streambank Stabilization Project. Growing Greener remains the largest single investment of state funds in Pennsylvania’s history to address Pennsylvania’s critical environmental concerns of the 21st century. The DEP’s portion of Growing Greener allocates grant funding for watershed restoration and protection, abandoned mine reclamation and abandoned oil and gas well plugging projects. TEC Holds Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony in Indiana
I’d like to congratulate Erick Lauber and the Technology and Entrepreneurship Center, which this week opened at 664 Philadelphia Street in Indiana. The mission of the TEC is to foster entrepreneurship and enhance the success of new tech companies through a program of business incubation and education, resulting in a more diverse local economy, new job opportunities in the Indiana area, and increased wealth. If you are a start-up tech company or someone in need of a shared workspace, visit tecenter.org today. Property Tax/Rent Rebate Applications Being Accepted
Older and disabled Pennsylvanians can apply now for rebates on property taxes or rent paid in 2021. The Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program benefits eligible Pennsylvanians age 65 and older, widows and widowers age 50 and older, and people with disabilities age 18 and older. The income limit is $35,000 a year for homeowners and $15,000 annually for renters, and half of Social Security income is excluded. After checking eligibility requirements, you can file your rebate application online by visiting mypath.pa.gov. Submitting your application online does not require you to sign up for an account. You can check the Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program instruction booklet to learn which information you will need to complete the process. |
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