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In this Update:
Kittanning Shredding Event Happening on Saturday
As a free service to the community, I am co-hosting a shredding event with PA State Rep. Donna Oberlander and PA State Rep. Abby Major to give area residents an opportunity to safeguard against identity theft by having personal documents securely destroyed. The event will be held on 𝐒𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝐎𝐜𝐭. 𝟏𝟐, from noon to 2 p.m., at the Kittanning Township VFD, 13126 Route 422, Kittanning. Please stay in your vehicle while staff unloads your items to be shredded. Acceptable items include all paper and manila folders. No more than three bags or boxes per household are permitted, and no businesses, please. Staples or paper clips do not need to be removed. We hope to see you there! Meeting with Peoples Library Director
It was a pleasure to meet with David Hrivnak, Director of Peoples Library in New Kensington, in my Harrisburg office. David was at the State Capitol to advocate for the library as part of the PA Library Association Conference. Peoples Library has a rich history in the community as it was started by The Woman’s Club of New Kensington in October 1927. After several location and name changes, it was incorporated as the People’s Library on October 18, 1946. In 1992, a newly built branch was also opened in Lower Burrell. Libraries, like Peoples Library, provide access to a wealth of knowledge, resources, and technology for people of all ages. Their work plays an important role in helping to foster a love for reading and lifelong learning! St. Bernard Students Visit the State Capitol
It was wonderful to welcome students, faculty and parents from St. Bernard Catholic School in Indiana to the State Capitol on Wednesday. Thank you to Principal Tina Bucci for her leadership and work to orchestrate such a meaningful day for the students, including three of my children! The group went on a tour of the Capitol, stopped by my Senate office, went to the Capitol Visitor Center, were introduced during session, and had lunch in the East Wing. It was a great day seeing these young Pennsylvanians take such an interest in the legislative process! You can watch a video reel from their visit here. Jefferson County Senior Expo
It was great to co-host a Senior Expo in Punxsutawney with my colleague, PA State Rep. Brian Smith last week. Thank you to all who attended and the venders who provided information on their services and donated wonderful door prizes. It was nice to see a few familiar faces and chat with folks! Legislative Responsibility Must Be Preserved
A resolution to ensure transparency and uphold the balance of power between legislative branches of government was adopted by the Senate. You can watch a video of my Senate Floor remarks on this important issue here. Senate Resolution 334 was introduced in response to the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue Secretary, Patrick M. Browne refusing to comply with the subpoena issued by the Senate Intergovernmental Operations Committee on July 10, 2024. The purpose of this Resolution is to have the Revenue Secretary come and explain why he cannot comply with the Senate subpoena that was issued earlier this year. We have asked for the information by every other means and our efforts have continually been thwarted. This is a continuation of a thoughtful, methodical process that we have undertaken in order to fulfill our obligation to review programs that we authorize by statute. It is imperative that the legislature has accurate and complete information. For more than a year and a half, information from the Secretary of Revenue has been sought regarding the Allentown Neighborhood Improvement Zone (NIZ). Following the Senate’s adoption of Senate Resolution 334, the Secretary of Revenue must now appear before the bar of the Senate for questioning within three legislative days. October 7th Anniversary of Hamas-led Attack on Israel
On Monday, the Senate observed a moment of silence during session in remembrance of the victims and hostages of the October 7th attack by Hamas on Israel. While a year has passed, the devastation and turmoil remains. I recently had the opportunity to meet with Liz Naftali, whose great-niece Abigail was taken from her home in Israel one year ago. Abigail’s parents were killed, and she spent 51 days as a hostage before she was freed. Abigail has returned to Israel, but her young life will never be the same. Thank you to Liz for sharing her family’s story and continuing to be a voice for those who are still being held hostage. Enhancing Broadband Access in Armstrong County
I’m pleased to join with Rep. Donna Oberlander to announce the Pennsylvania Broadband Development Authority has awarded the Armstrong Conservation District $1,874,000 in grant funding to bolster internet access within the community. The funding will be used for the Armsdale Center for Agriculture and Conservation Campus Improvements project. The facility will host a teaching kitchen, educational greenhouse, open garden classroom and a free internet café. These capital assets will assist individuals to enter the workforce by providing training in culinary and agricultural careers. As we look to empower the future workforce of our region, expanding opportunities is key. In our ever-changing and growing world, ensuring rural communities also have high-speed internet access must remain an area of focus. I’m very pleased the Armsdale Center for Agriculture and Conservation is receiving this substantial support, which will go a long way to help meet current and future broadband needs. The grant, funded through the federally backed Multi-Purpose Community Facilities Program, is part of a $45 million competitively awarded initiative to support projects that bolster high-speed broadband access for essential services, including work, education, and health monitoring, using community anchor institutions. Improving internet access in schools, libraries, recreation centers and non-profit organizations, this investment ensures that these facilities remain critical hubs for public benefit. This funding is part of a statewide, multi-year effort to improve access to high-speed internet. Legislation to Combat AI-Generated Deepfake Images of Minors in PA Set for Enactment
Legislation to combat “deepfake” images of minors and child sexual abuse materials generated by artificial intelligence (AI) received final legislative approval and is set for enactment into law. Senate Bill 1213 addresses the alarming rise in AI-generated deepfake sexual images of children and non-consenting adults. Currently, Pennsylvania law makes it illegal to share intimate images without consent but does not clearly address the use of AI deepfake technology for this purpose. This gap in our law leaves many vulnerable to a new form of digital abuse. The bill also prohibits AI from being utilized to generate child sexual abuse material, previously referred to as “child pornography,” which is not currently prohibited under law. In August, police in Lancaster County launched an investigation into a case of artificially generated nude photos that use the faces of more than 20 female teenage students. The district attorney said that in some cases charges can’t be filed because the images don’t involve actual children. Senate Bill 1213 seeks to close that loophole. Senate Committee Votes to be Prepared for Natural Disasters
As hurricanes Helene and Milton remind us of the importance of being prepared to respond to natural disasters and other emergencies, the Senate Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee advanced three bills to support Pennsylvania’s emergency responders. All three bills now advance to the full Senate for consideration. House Bill 843 would establish a second urban search and rescue team in western Pennsylvania. Funding for the team was included in this year’s state budget. The bridge collapse and East Palestine train derailment demonstrated the need for emergency response in minutes, not hours. House Bill 1304 would update the language in the 911 Law to increase penalties for misuse of the 911 system and ensure communications service providers report service outages as specified by the Federal Communications Commission or Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission. House Bill 2407 would update the state Fire and EMS Grant Program by enabling fire and EMS companies to use grants for preventative health measures, mental health awareness and treatment. The legislation also would allow testing after each of the four training modules that total 188 hours for the Firefighter 1 certification, as opposed to requiring firefighters to pass a cumulative test covering all modules as is currently the case. Finally, the bill would increase the thresholds that fire and EMS companies can borrow from the low-interest Fire and EMS Loan Program. PA’s Credit Rating Upgraded Because of Strong Budget Reserves
Pennsylvania received yet another upgrade to its credit rating because of strong budget reserves and prudent financial management of Senate Republicans. Moody’s Investor Services raised the rating to Aa2. The announcement was the fourth significant upgrade to the state’s financial outlook in the past 13 months. Previous upgrades helped Pennsylvania and its taxpayers save nearly $100 million during the December 2023 bond sale. Senate Republicans have been dedicated to building the state’s Rainy Day Fund, allocating nearly $740 million more in this year’s budget – bringing the total balance to more than $7 billion. Above the national average, the fund directly influenced the rating upgrades.
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