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In this Update:

• PA House Democrats Fail Murder Victims’ Families While Jeopardizing the Safety of Our Commonwealth’s Communities
• Standing Up for Rape Crisis Services
• Tremendous Win for Private Property Rights
• Protecting Our Communities from Child Predators and Human Trafficking
• Investing in the Future of PA College Students
• Honoring Veterans with Visual Impairments with a Capitol Monument
• Find Summer Getaway Ideas Here in PA
• Pennsylvania Parks and Forests Photo Contest Accepting Entries

PA House Democrats Fail Murder Victims’ Families While Jeopardizing the Safety of Our Commonwealth’s Communities

In March, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled the state’s sentencing guidelines for second-degree murder cases – life without the possibility of parole – are unconstitutional. The court gave the legislature 120 days to set new guidelines that ensure fairness, accountability and public safety.

The Senate took this responsibility seriously by working with victim advocates, law enforcement, prosecutors and the Pennsylvania Attorney General to create new guidelines that will ensure the punishments fit the terrible nature of these crimes. We passed this bill twice with the support of all these key stakeholders. Both bills passed with bipartisan support.

Unfortunately, House Democrat leaders failed to act until the last minute and fought to include an amendment that was not negotiated with stakeholders and falls well short of our goals of protecting the families of victims and ensuring community safety. Instead of doing the hard work of negotiating a similar product to the Senate’s, they threw together a soft-on-crime amendment that raised numerous new legal concerns, including not even providing a minimum or maximum sentence for these crimes. Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday shared these concerns in a letter to the House prior to their final vote. See Attorney General Sunday’s letter here.

Inserting this problematic language at the last possible minute ensured Pennsylvania would miss the deadline and throw our legal system into chaos with 67 different counties being forced to find 67 different solutions – some of which could involve a number of the 1,160 individuals that have been convicted of these crimes being set free.

I stood with key advocates earlier this week – including Attorney General Sunday, Lancaster County District Attorney Heather Adams, Victim and Witness Services Director Deanna Weaver, and my colleague Senator Kristin Phillips-Hill – in calling for the House to avoid these pointless political games and do what is right for the families of victims and the security of our communities. Read more about this press conference here.

While House Democrat leaders failed to get the job done, I will continue to work with my colleagues to resolve this issue as quickly as possible, because the consequences of doing nothing would be dire.

Standing Up for Rape Crisis Services

Rape crisis centers across Pennsylvania play a vital role in supporting victims of sexual violence, and I’m pleased that this year’s budget includes a historic $12 million increase for rape crisis centers.

The significant funding for rape crisis centers would not have been possible without Senate Republicans pushing for support well above the governor’s request.

With total state funding now amounting to nearly $25 million, this increase almost doubles the funding available for services, including 24-hour crisis hotlines, counseling, medical and legal advocacy, prevention education and accompaniment for survivors navigating hospitals, police investigations and court proceedings.

If you or someone you know have been the victim of sexual assault and need to access rape crisis services, click here to find a center located near you.

Tremendous Win for Private Property Rights

Every Pennsylvanian deserves to feel safe and secure on their own property, and this week the Pennsylvania Supreme Court upheld the strong privacy and property protections provided by our state constitution.

The court’s unanimous decision, which came in a case involving two hunting clubs and the Pennsylvania Game Commission, is a major victory for private property rights across the commonwealth. It puts needed restrictions on the use of warrantless searches and correctly overturns the court’s 2007 decision in Commonwealth v. Russo.

Specifically, the court held that “Article I, Section 8 provides Pennsylvania citizens with greater protection than the Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution as it relates to the open fields of any landowner that has demonstrated a reasonable expectation of privacy by taking sufficient steps to exclude intruders therefrom.”

State game wardens have an important and dangerous job, which we all respect. However, the court emphasized the Game Commission must also respect the lawful rights of property owners.

Protecting Our Communities from Child Predators and Human Trafficking

We are making progress in the never-ending fight against child predators and human trafficking in Pennsylvania.

Senate Bill 45, which I supported and which was recently signed into law as Act 41 of 2026, will help Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday and law enforcement officials across the state target and prosecute human trafficking more effectively. This is a huge step forward.

And in the new state budget, we also increased funding for two key programs overseen by AG Sunday – the Child Predator Interception Unit and the Human Trafficking Enforcement and Prevention program.

If you believe you may have information about a trafficking situation, call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 888-373-7888.

Investing in the Future of PA College Students

The successful Grow PA Scholarship program invests in Pennsylvania students looking to pursue a college education, develops the future of our workforce and incentivizes jobs to remain here in the commonwealth.

Importantly, the program secures a commitment for students to stay and work in Pennsylvania communities after graduation, helping to address the state’s future economic and demographic challenges.

With demand rising for Grow PA scholarships, the Senate secured a $10 million funding increase for the program in the 2026-27 state budget – bringing the annual funding total to $42.5 million.

Grow PA, established in 2024, offers grants of up to $5,000 per year for in-state students who pursue a degree or certification in an in-demand occupation and is administered by the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency. Learn more about this program here.

Honoring Veterans with Visual Impairments with a Capitol Monument

A Braille Flag monument honoring veterans with visual impairments could be installed at the Pennsylvania Capitol Building under legislation I authored that passed the Senate and was sent to the House of Representatives for consideration.

The Braille Flag was created to honor the service of veterans who have been left with life-long visual disabilities. Under Senate Bill 1303, the monument would be made of bronze and include the Pledge of Allegiance in Braille.

The display would be sponsored by the Moose Lodge and the American Braille Flag Project, a non-profit organization dedicated to the placement of these flags throughout the country. Read more about Senate Bill 1303 here.

Find Summer Getaway Ideas Here in PA

There’s plenty of summer left. If you haven’t had time for a vacation yet, or you’re looking for another getaway, there’s plenty to experience here in our commonwealth.

Use VisitPA to explore by regions, such as the Pennsylvania Wilds, Great Lakes, Laurel Highlands, the Lehigh Valley, Dutch Country and more. Break it down by things to do, outdoor activities, dining and other experiences.

From rivers and trails to iconic attractions and historic sites, you can start planning your trip at the VisitPA website.

Pennsylvania Parks and Forests Photo Contest Accepting Entries

Amateur and professional photographers: Take your best photos of the landscapes, wildlife and activities in a Pennsylvania state park or forest and enter the 2026 Pennsylvania Parks and Forests Foundation “Through the Seasons” photo contest.

A panel of experts will select a Judges’ Choice in each category prior to the photos being made available for public voting on the foundation’s Facebook page. Award winners receive gift cards and may be showcased in photo exhibitions.

Find rules and entry info at the Pennsylvania Parks and Forests Foundation website. All photos must be submitted by Sept. 30.