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In this Update:

• Empowering Parents with Federal Scholarship Tax Credit
• COMING SOON: Lancaster Senior Expo Set for Aug. 27
• Pennsylvania Has New Tools to Solve Violent Crimes
• State Budget Boosts College Tuition Assistance
• PA College Savings Fees Waived for Fifth Straight Year
• Red Tape Slashed for PA Cosmetology Workers
• Booking a Tour of Your State Capitol

Empowering Parents with Federal Scholarship Tax Credit

Last year, the U.S. Congress created a new Federal Scholarship Tax Credit to create new learning opportunities for students. I joined a bipartisan group of colleagues this week to announce legislation that would ensure Pennsylvania families can benefit from this new program.

The program would allow taxpayers to earn up to $1,700 in tax credits for contributions to non-profit Scholarship Granting Organizations. These organizations could use the funds to provide scholarships for education-related services at private or public schools, including tuition, fees, academic tutoring, special education services, technology services and classroom supplies.

For students and families to be eligible for scholarships, a state must opt in with either an order signed by its governor or a law passed by the state legislature by January 1, 2027. If a state does not opt in, taxpayers in that state will still be eligible for the tax credit, but the money will fund scholarships in other states.

Our legislation would ensure Pennsylvania students in both public and private schools would have access to these new resources. Learn more about this opportunity for Pennsylvania students and families here.

COMING SOON: Lancaster Senior Expo Set for Aug. 27

Approximately 60 exhibitors will be available to offer information on programs and services for older community residents at my Senior Expo Aug. 27. This free public event will be held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Farm and Home Center, located at 1383 Arcadia Road in Lancaster.

State, county and local agencies will be on hand to provide information on a wide variety of benefits for older Pennsylvanians, including health and wellness, assistive technologies, consumer protection, income tax assistance, veteran benefits, traffic safety, utility assistance, and much more. Free health screenings, door prizes and light refreshments will also be available for visitors.

Some of the features of this year’s expo include:

• America250PA celebrating the nation’s 250^th anniversary.
• A secure drug take-back box to dispose of unused prescriptions (offered by the Lancaster District Attorney’s Office).
• Technology tutoring for seniors offered by Tech Buddies, a non-profit organization that encourages teenage volunteers to help older Pennsylvanians with cell phones and other devices.
• Three prominent Lancaster historical organizations – Historic Rock Ford, LancasterHistory and the Demuth Museum of Art – will highlight our rich heritage and contributions to our nation’s story.

Seniors can RSVP to attend the expo by clicking here.

Pennsylvania Has New Tools to Solve Violent Crimes

Law enforcement agencies will be able to access new tools to boost clearance rates for homicide and other violent crime cases through a new state law. 

The Violent Incident Clearance and Technological Investigative Methods (VICTIM) Act was enacted with the new state budget. The law establishes a grant program administered by the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency to help police hire and retain detectives and investigators, and upgrade technology used to analyze evidence.

Solving more violent crimes will help make communities safer by getting offenders off the streets while also serving as a deterrent to would-be criminals who know their crimes will not go unanswered.

State Budget Boosts College Tuition Assistance

Under the new state budget we recently passed, the maximum PA State Grant award has increased to the highest amount in program history, helping students across the commonwealth and their families pay for higher education.

For the 2026-27 fiscal year, the maximum award is $6,000, up from $5,750, the amount it’s been for four years. The funding is administered by the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA).

Each year, PHEAA’s board reevaluates the awarding formula by analyzing several factors, including tuition costs, the effect of inflation on family incomes, the number of expected applicants and recommended funding for the program as part of the annual budget process. Read more about the PA State Grant program here.

PA College Savings Fees Waived for Fifth Straight Year  

Pennsylvania Treasurer Stacy Garrity announced asset-based fees for the PA 529 College and Career Savings Program’s Guaranteed Savings Plan (GSP) will be waived for the fifth year in a row.

PA 529 GSP account owners will not see any asset-based fees on their quarterly statements for July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027, resulting in $5.9 million in savings. This fee waiver is funded through surplus earnings of the GSP fund.

The PA 529 GSP allows families to save at today’s tuition rates to meet tomorrow’s tuition costs. Families can choose from a variety of tuition levels to save from community college to Ivy League. PA 529 GSP account earnings are based on tuition inflation rates.

Red Tape Slashed for PA Cosmetology Workers

Legislation to streamline licensing for the cosmetology workforce has been signed into law, a major step in addressing Pennsylvania’s ongoing workforce shortages.

Act 43 of 2026 authorizes Pennsylvania to join the Cosmetology Licensure Compact, an interstate agreement that makes it easier for licensed cosmetologists — who provide treatments for hair, skin and nails — to obtain a multistate license and work in participating states without unnecessary red tape. It also ensures cosmetology professionals in active-duty military families face no burdensome licensure requirements in compact states.

Pennsylvania is the 13th state to enter the compact, joining neighboring states Ohio, West Virginia, Maryland and Delaware. Read more about this new law here.

Booking a Tour of Your State Capitol

Summer is a great time to tour your state Capitol, a National Historic Landmark featuring Renaissance designs, paintings, stained glass and furnishings by some of the best artisans in the world.

Scheduling in advance is recommended, but walk-ins are welcome according to availability. Tours take approximately 30-45 minutes and are limited to 40 guests total per tour. Self-guided tours do not take place on weekends and holidays.

More than the seat of Pennsylvania’s government, the Capitol is a magnificent symbol of the hopes and vision of the commonwealth that gave birth to a nation. Find details and book a tour here.