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In This Update:
Voters Will Decide Three Ballot Questions on May 18
When voters head to the polls on May 18, they will have the final say on three potential amendments to the Pennsylvania Constitution. The way the Wolf Administration worded two of these questions has been roundly criticized as confusing and prejudicial, so it is critical for voters to understand what the questions really mean before casting their votes. The first question asks whether the General Assembly should be allowed to terminate an emergency declaration if a governor continues to wield emergency powers long after the disaster has passed. A YES vote means the General Assembly could serve as a check on the governor’s power during an emergency to protect the rights of Pennsylvanians. The second question asks whether future emergency declarations should be limited to 21 days unless extended by the General Assembly. A YES vote means the governor would be prohibited from maintaining unilateral control for an indefinite period of time during an emergency. The third question asks whether new protections should be added for Pennsylvanians based on race or ethnicity. A YES vote means the rights of all state residents would be protected – regardless of an individual’s race or ethnicity – and the new protections at the state level would match those provided by the U.S. Constitution. I encourage you to share this information with your family, friends and neighbors so everyone understands what a YES vote means for these critical ballot questions in May. Senators Martin, Yaw and Laughlin Propose Legislation to Establish a Clean Streams FundRecently, Senators Yaw, Laughlin and I proposed legislation that would create a clean stream fund to be used to protect and restore Pennsylvania’s streams and rivers, stimulate economic growth in our communities and improve the quality of life for all Pennsylvanians. Funding in the amount of $250 million will be appropriated from federal dollars allocated by the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. The focus of the fund will be on assisting with agriculture and abandoned mine drainage otherwise known as “non-point” sources. These “non-point” sources of pollution are diffuse throughout the landscape and regulated differently from end-of-pipe “point” sources such as wastewater treatment plants. Non-point sources do not have ratepayers so a Clean Stream Fund would be an appropriate way in which this important issue could be addressed. Senator Martin Announces Education HearingsIn order to continue the discussion of the state of public education in Pennsylvania, I have scheduled three hearings to be hosted the Senate Education Committee. The focus of the hearings is to discuss education reforms for Pennsylvania and will feature testimony from the Pennsylvania Department of Education, school administrators, families and representatives from all facets of K-12 education, including public, private, public charter and special education. The dates of the hearings will be on April 12, 19 and 23, begin at 10am and can be viewed on the Senate Website. Hearings Continue to Examine Governor’s Budget Proposal
The Senate Appropriations Committee continued its comprehensive review of Governor Wolf’s state budget proposal this week. Some of the highlights included:
Enhanced “Move Over” Law Goes Into Effect April 27
Lawmakers approved legislation in October that will strengthen the state’s “Move Over” law to protect first responders, tow truck operators and other motorists near the scene of an emergency. The new law – which includes greater public awareness efforts and steeper penalties for violations – will go into effect on April 27. The law requires motorists approaching an emergency response area to merge into a lane further away, or to slow down to 20 miles per hour under the posted speed limit if they cannot safely merge. The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission reports 46 emergency responders were struck and killed in the U.S. in 2020, and 10 more have lost their lives so far in 2021. PennDOT Urges Caution When Renewing Licenses and Registrations Online
Pennsylvanians who are renewing their driver’s license or vehicle registration online should be on the lookout for copycat websites that may charge additional fees or steal their personal information. PennDOT will never ask for personal documents via text message or over the internet, so customers should be aware that any similar requests are coming from a third-party source that is not affiliated with PennDOT. Online customers are encouraged to enter the web address of the PennDOT Driver and Vehicle Services website (www.dmv.pa.gov) directly into their browser’s address bar, rather than relying on a search engine. Suspicious third-party sites should be reported to the Pennsylvania Attorney General Bureau of Consumer Protection at 1-800-441-2555. Reminder: Share Your 2020 Election Experiences
The bipartisan Senate Special Committee on Election Integrity and Reform is inviting Pennsylvania voters to share their experiences from the 2020 election by taking an election survey. The information will be reviewed by the committee and will be considered as part of future election reform measures. The panel held a pair of hearings last month to gather input from local and state election officials, as well as county commissioners on the administration of the 2020 election, and to review best practices in other states that allow mail-in voting. Video and testimony from both hearings is available at https://pasenelectioncommittee.com/.
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