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In this Update:
September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month
Approximately 400,000 children and adolescents are diagnosed with cancer each year. Here in Pennsylvania, we continue to combat this life-altering disease on many fronts. In 2017, the General Assembly created the Pediatric Cancer Research Fund which allows residents to donate a portion of their state income tax returns to fight childhood cancers. A bill I authored in 2018 later expanded these options to include voluntary donations when renewing a driver’s license and vehicle registrations. To date this initiative has generated $4.5 million in donations. Another law I authored in 2019 ensures students facing an extended absence of school can use telepresence technology to keep up with their studies without missing out on critical social interactions with teachers and classmates. The General Assembly also approved the use of $10 million from the Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement each year since 2021 to support state pediatric cancer research hospitals – a total of $40 million to date! As we observe September as Childhood Cancer Awareness Month and see our children off to a new school year, I ask that you keep the children and their families facing this incredibly challenging disease in your thoughts. Food Drive Launched in Honor of Hunger Action Month
In honor of Hunger Action Month in September, my Strasburg and Harrisburg offices will collect unexpired, non-perishable food items through Sept. 30 to help local families in need. All items collected will be donated to Twin Valley Food Pantry in Berks County. Learn more about the types of products that can be donated at https://twinvalleyfoodpantry.com/food-drive/. Eliminating Waste and Fraud in State Government
Reforming the way state government operates includes removing barriers to creating good jobs and preventing fraud and waste of taxpayer dollars. This year, we passed legislation to implement stricter oversight to block regulations that will cost employers or taxpayers more than $1 million, and require automatic review of these kinds of regulations after three years to ensure they remain in the public interest. Other bills passed by the Senate require the Department of Human Services to prevent fraud in public assistance, prevent dead people from receiving benefits and ensure unemployment compensation benefits don’t go to claimants who try to avoid work. To reduce the risk of data breaches in taxpayer-funded systems, we passed legislation requiring all state IT contracts to meet national cybersecurity standards. You can review all the notable bills we’ve passed in 2025 here. Help for Caregivers: PA CareKit
Caring for a loved one is a selfless act that strengthens family bonds but can be difficult for the caregiver. The PA CareKit can be a great help. From the Pennsylvania Department of Aging, the PA CareKit is a collection of tools and information to help you manage stress, navigate the health care system, stay connected and find support. Topics include the First Five Steps, Understanding Your Needs, Key Caregiving Terms and Concepts, and Caregiving Resources. If you’re a caregiver, I hope you find this information useful for this challenging but lifechanging role. Learn Skills with the Pennsylvania Outdoor Corps
Residents ages 15 to 25 can learn new skills, gain job experience and improve public lands with the Pennsylvania Outdoor Corps. Skills-building and training opportunities include infrastructure maintenance, habitat restoration, CPR and first aid and more. Interested individuals can learn how to get paid fixing trails, planting trees and more here. National Crime Prevention Week
A key role as lawmaker is passing legislation to combat crime and keep our communities safe. We rely on police to enforce those laws and the justice system to impose punishment when appropriate. National Crime Prevention Week is a reminder of the role citizens play in keeping their neighborhoods safe. The National Crime Prevention Council offers these crime prevention and personal safety tips to help you and your community outsmart potential lawbreakers.
If you have a question about the information in this e-newsletter or other state related matters that you would like a response to, please click HERE to submit your inquiry through my website. This will help to ensure that we are able to respond to your question in a timely fashion due to the high volume of emails and the ever growing amount of computer generated spam mail we receive daily. |
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