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Capitol Report
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#Listrak\DateStampLong#
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The latest news from the State Capitol
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Please do not reply directly to this email, as it returns to an unmanned account.
You are welcome to contact me through this link.
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District Video Alert – Milford Wine and Cheese!!
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My Bill to Protect Consumers on Track to Become Law
Earlier this week, I addressed the Senate Banking and Insurance Committee on House Bill 1972, a bill that I am proudly co-sponsoring. This legislation will better protect consumers and modernize the best practices for public adjusters. The amended bill now heads back to the House for consideration. Check out my comments below:
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Veterans Assistance Hours Available in the District
Did you know that help is available for Wayne County and Pike County veterans and their families in the district office?
The Pike County Veterans Affairs office will be in my office the first Thursday of each month and the Wayne County Veterans Affairs office will be in on the third Tuesday of each month.
Services include assistance with compensation, pension and death benefits, education and healthcare, plus other benefits. Appointments are required and available between the hours of 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. Call the office at 570-226-5959 to schedule your appointment.
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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 state 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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Fighting Back Against Forever Chemicals
The state House this week approved legislation that would ban so-called “forever chemicals” from popular consumer products in the Commonwealth.
House Bill 2145 would ban the use of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, also known as PFAS, in many common household products, such as cosmetics, dental floss, menstrual products, and juvenile products, such as crib mattresses and strollers.
The chemicals have been linked to serious health issues such as cancer; immune-system suppression; reproductive and developmental complications; and increased risk for thyroid disease, liver damage and more.
The bill now goes to the Senate for consideration.
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Marking Women Veterans Day
FRIDAY, 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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511PA Available to Help Travelers Heading to Major PA Events
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) is encouraging drivers traveling to FIFA World Cup 26 matches, FIFA Fan Festival, Major League Baseball All-Star Week or America250PA events in Philadelphia to plan their trip using the enhanced real-time travel information available on a specialized webpage at www.511PA.com/PhillyEvents.
The new webpage includes links to traffic maps, along with other helpful links and travel tips for getting to each event. Traffic maps include the average travel time for primary routes to each event. Users can see real-time incidents, construction, traffic cameras, traffic speeds and message board displays on the maps. The maps also include real-time SEPTA information, including status and next departure times.
Travelers using the “My Routes” option will also have access to a list of special points of interest when choosing their starting point or destination, making it easier than ever to find the best route to or from the events.
Read more here.
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2026-27 Hunting Licenses Available Soon
The first day to purchase your 2026-27 Pennsylvania hunting and trapping licenses, as well as resident antlerless licenses for all Wildlife Management Units (WMUs), is Monday, June 22.
Like last year, all resident hunters are guaranteed an antlerless license in any WMU in the first round, as long as they are purchased prior to July 13. There is no need for hunters to wait in line, as you’ll have 21 days to get your guaranteed antlerless license.
One antlerless deer license per hunter can be purchased per round in the first three rounds. More information is available here.
Licenses are available for purchase online at huntfish.pa.gov or in-person at license issuing agents. Click here for a map of agents across the Commonwealth.
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