View this email in a browser

In this Update:

• New Law Boosts School Safety, Educational Opportunities
• Tips for Safe Winter Driving
• Look Out for Scams, Fraud and Theft During the Holiday Season
• Fishing Gift Vouchers, Licenses on Sale
• College Application Period is Open
• Dec. 7: Remembering a Day of Infamy

New Law Boosts School Safety, Educational Opportunities

A law approved last month along with the state budget made several key improvements to school safety and helped expand educational opportunities for young people.

The school safety improvements were based on a study I requested from the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee that studied the success of Act 44 of 2018, which was one of the most consequential school safety laws in the state’s history.

Some of the improvements included:

• Updating training and reporting requirements for the Safe2Say Something anonymous school threat reporting system.
• Creating school safety personnel training standards.
• Strengthening cooperation between schools and law enforcement to ensure timely response to incidents.
• Establishing a rolling review of school safety and security assessment providers.
• Requiring school safety and security meetings with school leaders and school employees.
• Permanently establishing the Office of School Safety and Security within the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency.

The new law also helps high school students and their families better understand financial aid options for college and career training programs by ensuring universal completion of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

Last year, Pennsylvania’s FAFSA completion rate was barely over 50 percent, a decline of more than 10 percent from the previous year. It is estimated that more than $147 million in Pell Grants went unused in Pennsylvania alone.

Both the FAFSA and school safety provisions were based on bipartisan legislation I authored during the current legislative session.

In addition, the law addressed modernization of qualifications for the Lancaster County Career and Technology Center, improved reading instruction curriculum, reformed truancy measures, expanded Ready-to-Succeed Scholarships, and additional school choice opportunities for students in economically disadvantaged schools.

Tips for Safe Winter Driving

Last winter, there were more than 8,320 vehicle crashes statewide, with 2,959 injuries on snowy, slushy or ice-covered roadways and 29 fatalities – 17 of those fatalities were attributed to crashes where a driver was going too fast for conditions and drove out of their lane.

For safe travels this winter, check out the Winter Driving Guide and other suggestions from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, such as keeping an emergency kit handy.

Motorists can check conditions on more than 40,000 roadway miles, including color-coded winter conditions on 2,900 miles, by visiting www.511PA.com. Free and available 24 hours a day, 511PA provides traffic delay warnings, weather forecasts, traffic speed information and access to more than 1,200 traffic cameras.

Look Out for Scams, Fraud and Theft During the Holiday Season

The holiday shopping season is prime opportunity for scams, fraud and theft. Some of the most common scams to be on the lookout for include bait-and-switch scams, skimming devices and fraudulent “cybersquatting” websites.

Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday offered several tips to prevent scammers from taking advantage when shopping online:

• Watch out for bait-and-switch scams, where a retailer lures customers with a low price — but then substitutes a product that either costs more or is less desirable. Also be alert for scammers, known as cybersquatters, who use fraudulent internet domains that look and sound like legitimate brands or stores to trick unsuspecting customers.
• Be especially careful when paying for services or items with wire transfers, cryptocurrency or money orders. Scammers may also ask for payment for things like bills, parking tickets, etc. via a gift card, which is a big red flag — a gift card is not a normal payment method for these items.
• Do not provide your Social Security number or bank account information and be wary of emails and texts you didn’t request.
• Read the fine print. “Buy Now, Pay Later” services could have hidden fees or penalties in their agreements.

The Attorney General’s Office has set up a Scams Complaint Form residents can fill out should they encounter any scams. The FBI also provides tips on how to avoid holiday scams and identify skimming devices, which are estimated to cost consumers and financial institutions more than $1 billion per year.

Fishing Gift Vouchers, Licenses on Sale

Gift vouchers for your favorite angler, along with Pennsylvania fishing licenses and launch permits, are now available from the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission.

Items for the upcoming 2026 season can be purchased at HuntFish.pa.gov or by visiting one of nearly 700 retail license issuing agents. Licenses, permits and vouchers purchased now are valid immediately for up to 13 months, from Dec. 1, 2025, through Dec. 31, 2026.

While in-person retail purchases remain popular, online purchases can save time and help you avoid long lines, especially right before the spring trout season, which begins statewide on Sat., April 4, 2026. Customers can choose an auto-renew option at the time of purchase.

College Application Period is Open

The application period for most colleges is now open. If the process is new to you, you can find plenty of resources for the college planning and application process here.

Find out which colleges have your major, as well as information for students with disabilities, veterans and adult students.

The Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency can help you access student financial aid services, including grants, loans and other funding opportunities, including the new Grow PA Scholarship Grant Program.

Dec. 7: Remembering a Day of Infamy

Each year on Dec. 7, we remember the 2,403 service members and civilians killed during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii in 1941. A further 1,178 people were injured in the attack, which permanently sank two U.S. Navy battleships and destroyed 188 aircraft.

We remember not just the surprise attack, but the steely resolve of Americans to do whatever it took to defeat the Axis forces of World War II.

Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can update your preferences or unsubscribe

2025 © Senate of Pennsylvania | https://senatorscottmartinpa.com | Privacy Policy