|
||||
|
In this Update:
$50,000 Grant for Greene County Senior Center
A state grant of nearly $50,000 has been awarded to the Waynesburg Senior Community Center for significant improvements. Funding will be used to paint the ceilings and replace flooring throughout the center. The project also includes upgrades to kitchen equipment to create a safer work environment and an overhaul of the technology offered at the center. These changes will allow for better programming for residents and attract new participants. Blueprints, which operates the senior center, changes people’s lives, embodies the spirit of hope and improves communities. Advocating for this funding to help the center continue to be an important fixture in our community to help adults as they age was a no-brainer, and I am happy my support brought some lottery money to Greene County. The grant funding is appropriated by the General Assembly with proceeds from the Pennsylvania Lottery. Harrisburg Happenings
The Pennsylvania Bituminous Coal Queen Pageant has been an annual tradition for 69 years in Carmichaels, Greene County, and is hosted by The King Coal Association to cap off the week-long King Coal Show celebration. The 2024 PA Bituminous Coal Queen is Ava Smith, an honor roll student at Carmichaels Area School District and captain of the varsity cheerleading squad and the cross country team. Ava has a deep personal connection to the coal industry as her great-great-grandfather worked in the Yatesboro Coal Mine in the 1920s, and her father, Jeremy, has devoted over 20 years to coal mining. Congratulations on your achievement, Ava! You can watch my floor remarks and Ava’s speech by clicking the image above. Many thanks to pageant directors Lisa Allison and Jean Hockenberry for their continued dedication to running this amazing program. It was also wonderful to meet Ava’s mother, Deana, who accompanied her on the trip! Pictured with me on the Senate floor (L-R) is Lisa Allison, Jean Hockenberry, Ava Smith, and Deana Smith.
This week during session, I rose to announce my intention of submitting an affirmative vote for Senator Kristin Phillips-Hill’s legislation (Senate Bill 226) requiring the PA School Board Association (PSBA) to be subject to the Right-to-Know Law, just as the individual school boards they represent are currently subject to. I also have legislation in the Senate Finance Committee (Senate Bill 141) that would exclude future non-public employees of PSBA from public pension benefits provided by the Public School Employees’ Retirement System (PSERS). You can watch my floor remarks by clicking the image above.
Last year my legislation that was signed into law, Act 56 of 2024, was a huge win for hardworking Pennsylvanian’s by reducing the tax burden faced by farmers and landowners who have leased their mineral rights, giving them the same tax benefits afforded to investors. The bottom line being around 200k people had more money in their pockets at the end of the year. It was a pleasure meeting with Thaddeus Stevens, Pennsylvania Oil & Gas Landowner Alliance Board President (pictured right) and MeeCee Baker, President/CEO of Versant Strategies (pictured left), to discuss the impact of the new tax code.
Last week I attended the Beagles and Bagels news conference in Harrisburg to rally support for Senator Doug Mastriano’s Senate Bill 381, “The Beagle Bill.” This bipartisan bill offers protections to both dogs and cats designed to defund laboratories supported by taxpayers from conducting painful animal testing and would promote adoption.
Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre artists Colin McCaslin and Tommie Lin Kesten held a wonderful performance in the State Capitol Complex yesterday during Arts Advocacy Day! Thank you so much for visiting me and my staff in the office. I am a strong supporter of the arts and sit on the Pittsburgh Ballet Board of Trustees. Focus on the 46th
Last month I met with my dear friend and Olympic gold medalist, Kurt Angle, and his partner, David Hawk, as well as Sam DeMarco, who works with U.S. Senator Dave McCormick. Kurt and David are working together on a wonderful initiative to solicit and procure funding and donations for the U.S. Women’s Olympic Wrestling Team. I’m excited to be a part of it.
Also during the month of April – Dawn Keezer, Executive Director of the Pittsburgh Film Office, invited me, Senator Devlin Robinson, Senator Wayne Fontana, Rep. Emily Kinkead, and Sam DeMarco from U.S. Senator Dave McCormick’s office for a behind the scenes tour of the hit series ‘Mayor of Kingstown’ which was filming at the closed SCI Pittsburgh facility yesterday. It was an opportunity to see a major film production utilizing local crews in action. As the founder of the Film Industry Caucus, I am a strong advocate for the PA Film Tax Credit program which has helped attract film productions and infuse more than $767M into the Commonwealth since the beginning of 2023. Free Career Kick-Start Event for Women
I am partnering with Pennsylvania Women Work to host Career Kick-Start on Wednesday, May 28, from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Frank Sarris Public Library, 35 N. Jefferson Ave., Canonsburg. Participants will learn how to identify professional skills and strengths and communicate them on a resume and in interviews, as well as how to find and apply for job openings. They will be able to learn about employment opportunities, take a free professional headshot and meet individually with a career coach to refine their resume. Tina Kreuzer, a 2024 Career Kick-Start participant, said, “After attending the program, I saw a two-fold increase in responses to my resume, leading to more interviews and ultimately multiple job offers. The result – I transitioned to a new career in an incredibly competitive job market. I wholeheartedly endorse this program because it is comprehensive, practical and incredibly encouraging.” Space is limited. Women who are interested are asked to register online at www.pawomenwork.org/event/career-kick-start. Please call 412-742-4362 with any questions. 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.
If you are not already subscribed to this newsletter please sign up here. |
||||
|
||||
Want to change how you receive these emails? 2025 © Senate of Pennsylvania | https://www.senatorbartolotta.com | Privacy Policy |
