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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 Highlights
I recently attended the Hamlin Fire and Rescue annual installation of officer’s dinner. Special congratulations to Harold Henneforth on his 50 years of service. Outstanding commitment to public service!
At the Chamber of the Northern Poconos annual luncheon at Camp Ladore I Wayment, we honored Shepard Wood of Woodworks Construction, LLC as the Young Entrepreneur of the year, and The Human Resource Center as the Green Energy Business of the Year. Congratulations!
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House Returns to Session Monday
The state House is scheduled for its first voting session day of the 2025-26 Legislative Session this Monday, Jan. 27. The current makeup of the chamber is 101 Republicans and 101 Democrats, due to the tragic passing of Rep. Matt Gergely of Allegheny County over the weekend.
Most of the standing committees of the House will be meeting next week to organize, including the committees on which I serve: Appropriations, Commerce, Game & Fisheries, Insurance and Intergovernmental Affairs & Operations.
The start of a new session means we must reintroduce any legislation we have worked on during the last two years that did not make it to the governor’s desk to be signed into law. I plan to introduce two bills and am co-sponsoring many others. The first bill addresses how to make guardianship proceedings more efficient. Guardianship disputes often prove emotionally and financially draining for families. The timely hearing process contemplated by this legislation will ensure fairness to all parties by preventing long delays that may exacerbate conflict, anxiety, and financial burden. The second piece of legislation would grant a tax credit to employers who contribute towards paying their employees’ health insurance premiums. This legislation seeks to ease the burden of health insurance premiums by rewarding businesses who shoulder some of the cost. This policy will strengthen small businesses within the Commonwealth, making them more competitive with larger franchises, and will enable more access to health care for Pennsylvania workers.
Remember, all House sessions and committee meetings are streamed live at www.PAHouseGOP.com.
You can also keep up with the news from Harrisburg by visiting my website and following me on Facebook and Instagram.
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New Permit Tracking Tool Available
On the heels of permitting reforms approved by the General Assembly last year, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and the Commonwealth Office of Digital Experience (CODE PA) have launched a new tool to track the progress of permit applications submitted to DEP.
The Permit Status Tracker can:
• Search by authorization ID or keyword.
• Filter by county, program area, permit type, application type, status and submission date.
• View application status, details and estimated processing time.
• Find contact information for your reviewer.
The tracking system was one of three initiatives aimed at improving the state’s permitting process adopted last year as part of the 2024-25 state budget. Act 54 of 2024 also allows applicants to use third-party entities approved by the state to expedite the review process for air, land and water permits issued by DEP and county conservation districts. It also holds DEP accountable for permit delays.
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Does Your Home Contain Radon?
January is National Radon Action Month. An estimated 40% of Pennsylvania homes have higher levels of radon than national safety standards, due to the state’s geology. However, residents can perform a simple test to detect this gas, which is considered the second leading cause of lung cancer.
Radon is a colorless, odorless, radioactive gas that occurs naturally from the breakdown of uranium in soil and rocks and enters homes through cracks in the foundation or other openings. High levels of radon tend to be found in basements, but the gas can be found anywhere in the home.
Winter is a good time to test for radon, because doors and windows are generally closed, providing more accurate results. Simple radon test kits are inexpensive and available at home improvement and hardware stores.
Click here for additional information.
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PGC Seeks Help for Winter Turkey Survey
The Pennsylvania Game Commission (PGC) is asking for the public’s help finding turkey flocks to trap for ongoing projects. Pennsylvanians are encouraged to report the location of any turkey flocks they see across the state. Information is being collected online here through March 15.
Among other things, visitors to that webpage are asked to provide the date of the sighting, the location and the type of land (public, private or unknown) where birds are seen.
Trapping turkeys during winter is part of the commission's ongoing population monitoring, and it provides information for large-scale turkey studies.
Read more here.
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Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period
The Pennsylvania Department of Aging (PDA) is reminding older adults the annual Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period runs now through March 31. During this time, beneficiaries who currently have a Medicare Advantage plan can switch to a different plan or to original Medicare. Changes to their enrollment will take effect on the first of the month following the month in which they enroll.
Pennsylvania Medicare Education and Decision Insight (PA MEDI) – the Commonwealth’s Medicare counseling program – is available through the 52 local Area Agencies on Aging to help beneficiaries with Medicare questions. Older adults can receive unbiased, no-cost Medicare assistance from trained PA MEDI counselors who can walk them through their options to assist in making informed health insurance decisions that optimize their cost savings and access to health care and benefits.
Medicare Advantage is a Medicare-approved plan from a private company that offers an alternative to original Medicare for health and drug coverage. These “bundled” plans include Part A Hospital Insurance, Part B Medical Insurance and usually Part D Drug Coverage.
PA MEDI counselors do not sell Medicare insurance products, nor do they endorse any insurance company, product or agent. Counselors will not recommend policies, companies or insurance agents but will provide free, confidential and unbiased personalized assistance.
Contact your local Area Agency on Aging to schedule a personalized counseling session. For more information, call the toll-free PA MEDI Helpline at 1-800-783-7067 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
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