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| The Latest News from Your State Representative |
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Supporting Property Tax Relief for Seniors While Funding Pennsylvania Schools
This week, I voted in favor of House Bill 1678, legislation designed to provide additional property tax rebates to Pennsylvania homeowners while ensuring funding reaches all 500 school districts across the Commonwealth.
The bill would amend Pennsylvania’s Tax Reform Code to generate funding for enhanced property tax relief, with a particular focus on helping seniors and other homeowners who are facing rising costs. It also updates provisions related to the state’s gross receipts tax to help support the property tax rebate program.
Many seniors across Pennsylvania live on fixed incomes and continue to feel the effects of increasing everyday expenses. I believe additional property tax relief can help them remain in their homes and continue to be active members of their communities.
While this legislation is a starting point, it represents an important step forward. Pennsylvanians do not have to choose between helping taxpayers and funding schools. Both priorities can be addressed at the same time.
The legislation passed the House with bipartisan support and now moves to the Senate for further consideration.
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Protecting Pennsylvania Families from Harmful PFAS Chemicals
I was proud to co-sponsor and vote in favor of House Bill 2145, legislation that would prohibit the intentional use of harmful per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in a variety of high-contact consumer products commonly used by Pennsylvanians.
The legislation, which passed the House with bipartisan support, would ban the intentional use of PFAS in products such as cosmetics, dental floss, menstrual products, and certain infant and children's items.
Protecting the health and safety of Pennsylvania families should always be a priority. Many of these products are used every day by people who may not realize they are being exposed to potentially harmful chemicals. This commonsense measure takes an important step toward reducing that exposure while providing manufacturers with time to transition to safer alternatives.
PFAS is a class of synthetic chemicals that have been linked to serious health concerns, including cancer, immune system suppression, fertility issues, pregnancy-related complications and other adverse health effects. Often referred to as “forever chemicals,” PFAS does not readily break down in the environment and can accumulate in soil, water, and the human body over time.
Research has shown that PFAS-containing consumer products can contribute to environmental contamination, including groundwater and drinking water supplies, when they are discarded in landfills. Children may be especially vulnerable to exposure because of their frequent contact with products that can contain these chemicals.
This legislation is an important step toward protecting public health and Pennsylvania's natural resources.
House Bill 2145 now advances to the Pennsylvania Senate for consideration.
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Bill to Expand Prescription Drug Repository Passes House
To minimize waste and improve access to medications for those in need, I recently joined a unanimous vote in the House for legislation to expand our Cancer and Prescription Drug Repository Program.
Under House Bill 69, both healthcare facilities and individuals would be able to voluntarily donate unused prescription drugs (other than cancer drugs) to the program. The program would ensure safety by requiring donated drugs to meet strict criteria before being accepted under the program.
The existing Cancer and Prescription Drug Repository Program was created in 2008 to help low-income cancer patients receive access to life-saving medications. The proposed expansion is similar to laws already in place in 44 other states. House Bill 69 now heads to the Senate.
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Celebrating 80 Years of Service by ALCOSAN
I was proud to join my colleagues in recognizing the Allegheny County Sanitary Authority (ALCOSAN) as it celebrates 80 years of service to communities throughout our region.
Since its founding, ALCOSAN has played a vital role in protecting our waterways, safeguarding public health and investing in the infrastructure that supports our communities. Its efforts have helped preserve the Allegheny, Monongahela and Ohio rivers while ensuring residents benefit from reliable wastewater treatment and environmental stewardship.
To commemorate this milestone, my House colleagues presented a House of Representatives citation honoring ALCOSAN's eight decades of service. The citation was presented on behalf of participating legislators by Rep. Emily Kinkead (D-Allegheny).
I extend my congratulations and gratitude to everyone who has played a role in ALCOSAN’s success and look forward to seeing the organization continue its important work in the years ahead.
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Spending Time with Our Nation’s Heroes
This week, I was honored to attend a special VFW event at the Coraopolis VFW for the residents of the Southwest Veterans Center.
Our veterans have sacrificed so much to protect the freedoms we enjoy every day, and it is always a privilege to spend time with those who have served our nation. Their courage and commitment to our country deserves our deepest gratitude and respect.
Thank you to the VFW for hosting this event and for your continued support of our veterans. Supporting those who have served will always be important to me, and I remain committed to ensuring our veterans receive the recognition, care and appreciation they have earned.
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District Events Coming Your Way! Make Plans to Attend!
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Marking Women Veterans Day
Today, June 12, is Women Veterans Day, marking the 78th anniversary of the 1948 Women’s Armed Services Integration Act.
While the law allowed women the right to permanently serve in the regular armed forces, women served in America’s wars and conflicts long before it took effect. According to the U.S. Veterans Administration, women played vital roles in the Revolutionary War, and more than 400 women fought in the Union and Confederate armies during the Civil War. In World War I, about 35,000 women officially served, and by World War II, 350,000 women served in a variety of roles.
In Pennsylvania, drivers have the opportunity to further this recognition by purchasing an “Honoring Our Women Veterans” license plate, now available for passenger cars and trucks, as well as motorcycles. A portion of the cost for the plates goes directly into the Pennsylvania Veterans’ Trust Fund, which provides grants to organizations that serve veterans in need.
For more information about Women Veterans Day, click here.
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Celebrate Flag Day
Sunday, June 14, commemorates the adoption of the United States flag. Since a 1916 proclamation by President Woodrow Wilson, this date has been marked as “Flag Day.” Congressional legislation designating that date as national Flag Day was signed into law by President Harry Truman in 1949.
From 13 stars to 50, the American flag has been a symbol of freedom and liberty throughout the world. To learn more about the history of the American flag, click here.
To learn more about how to treat the flag and how to display it, read the United States Flag Code here.
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Juneteenth National Freedom Day
Next Friday, June 19, is Juneteenth National Freedom Day. Considered the longest-running African American holiday, Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865, when union soldiers reached Galveston, Texas, with news of the end of the Civil War, which had occurred two months earlier with the surrender of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee in Virginia.
The troops’ arrival also came two and a half years after President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation, establishing that all enslaved people in Confederate states in rebellion against the Union “shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free.”
Learn more about the history of Juneteenth here.
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Driver License Centers Closed for Juneteenth
All PennDOT driver license and photo centers, including the Riverfront Office Center in Harrisburg, will be closed Friday, June 19, in observance of Juneteenth National Freedom Day.
Customers may still obtain a variety of driver and vehicle products and services, including all forms, publications and driver training manuals, online through PennDOT's Driver and Vehicle Services website, www.dmv.pa.gov.
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