Senator Pennycuick E-Newsletter

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In this Update:

  • Donate a Phone, Connect a Hero!
  • 2024 PA Farm Show
  • Cultivating a Future of PA Agriculture with Secretary Redding
  • North Penn High School Students Go Head-to-Head in Mock Convention
  • Recognizing Distinguished Service at the New Hanover Fire & Rescue Appreciation Dinner
  • Snell Road Bridge Reduced to 10 Tons
  • PUC Public Input Hearings Set in Late January and Early February for Rate Increase
  • 2023 Review: Empowering Parents with Their Children’s Education
  • 2023 Review: Supporting Pennsylvania Veterans
  • Check Out My New Website
  • PA Youth: Become a Litter Hawk
  • Helping First Responders Access Federal Dollars

Donate a Phone, Connect a Hero!

We’re thrilled to have collected 15 phones for Cell Phones For Soldiers! These seemingly small devices will be transformed into lifelines for our brave troops overseas, connecting them to loved ones back home and providing invaluable support.

Since 2004, this incredible organization has gifted over 400 million minutes of talk time and kept 25 million phones out of landfills, all while aiding active-duty military and veterans with free communication services and emergency funding.

Interested in donating? Please contact my office more information.

2024 PA Farm Show

I had an amazing time at the PA Farm Show! What a tremendous showcase of Pennsylvania’s agricultural abilities!

Cultivating a Future of PA Agriculture with Secretary Redding

At this years Farm Show, I sat down with Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding to talk about sparking kids’ interest in agriculture, school gardens, and our focus on keeping PA whole milk in our schools.

I’m committed to working with Secretary Redding to cultivate a future where our kids connect with agriculture, appreciate fresh food, and have access to healthy choices.

What are your thoughts on these topics? Let’s keep the conversation going!

North Penn High School Students Go Head-to-Head in Mock Convention

Thank you to North Penn High School and Dr. Haley for welcoming me to their Mock Convention! Witnessing the students’ vibrant engagement in learning about democracy and the convention process was truly inspiring. Their energy and commitment leave me certain that some of these shining faces will grace the halls of Harrisburg one day!

Recognizing Distinguished Service at the New Hanover Fire & Rescue Appreciation Dinner

Proudly presented Senate citations to four incredible New Hanover Volunteer Fire & Rescue Services heroes at their Appreciation Dinner! 50 years of dedicated service – truly humbling & inspiring. A huge thank you to ALL our fire & rescue personnel! You are the backbone of our community.

Snell Road Bridge Reduced to 10 Tons

The Snell Road Bridge located between Sanatoga and Pruss Hill Roads has been posted for a weight restriction of 10 tons. This represents a significant decrease from the previous limit of 33 tons.

To ensure clear communication of this change, I have included pictures of the newly posted weight restriction signs. It is crucial that everyone who utilizes the Snell Road Bridge is aware of this new weight limit to avoid potential traffic disruptions and ensure the safety of both drivers and the bridge itself.

PUC Public Input Hearings Set in Late January and Early February for Rate Increase

The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) announced the scheduling of an extensive series of 12 in-person and telephonic hearings in late January and early February to gather public input on the requests by Pennsylvania American Water Company (PAWC) to increase rates for water and wastewater services.

PAWC serves 681,707 water and 97,585 wastewater customers in 37 counties and is the largest regulated water and wastewater service provider in Pennsylvania.

If you wish to testify at an in-person public input hearings, you are encouraged to pre-register with the Office of Consumer Advocate (OCA) prior to the date of your hearing.  Those who pre-register and provide the information listed below will be called to testify at the hearing in the order in which they pre-register.  

If you wish to testify at a telephonic public input hearing, you must pre-register with the OCA by Thursday, Feb. 1, 2024, to receive the call-in information. Individuals will testify in the order in which they pre-register. 

If you do not wish to testify but want to listen to the public input hearing, you may also contact the OCA to obtain the call-in information. 

To pre-register for either in-person or telephonic public input hearings, contact the OCA by phone at 1-800-684-6560 or by email at consumer@paoca.org and provide the following:

  • Your first and last name.
  • The date and time of the public input hearing.
  • A phone number where you can be reached prior to the hearing.
  • Your email address (if you have one).
  • If you require an interpreter to participate in the hearing, the language of the interpreter. 

For more information please visit their website.

2023 Review: Empowering Parents with Their Children’s Education

Just as Senate Republicans led efforts to help students, we also focused on increasing parents’ involvement in the education of their children. After all, the people who know their child best and love them most should not be barred from playing an active role in their lives in any environment.

We passed a bill to empower parents to protect their own child from accessing sexually explicit content at school, without impacting the books available to other students. Schools should not have the ability to show our children content adults are barred from viewing at their jobs if their parents don’t support it. Another bill would expand parents’ access to what students are learning.

A new law makes it easier for parents to enroll their children in school when they move because of the family’s involvement in the military. It would help students avoid delays that can require them to take summer classes or graduate later than expected.

2023 Review: Supporting Pennsylvania Veterans

Our military members and veterans made the selfless decision to serve our country and preserve the American way of life we hold so dear. The Senate passed several measures in 2023 to support military families and veterans.

Act 13 of 2023 ensures Pennsylvanians entering military service can retain professional licenses and certifications. Previously, veterans had a much more challenging transition from military life to civilian life because certain skills they obtained during the service were not recognized. Now, veterans don’t have to waste time duplicating the training they already received.

Senate Resolution 46 establishes the Task Force on Women Veterans’ Health Care, which will study the unique health care and access issues facing female veterans and make recommendations to the governor and General Assembly for action.

Other measures we passed exempt disabled veterans’ benefit payments from income eligibility calculations for government programs, provide educational support for children of National Guard and Reserves members, establish the Veteran-Owned Business Loan Guarantee Program and more.

Check Out My New Website

I recently redesigned my website to improve its speed, make it more user-friendly – particularly on mobile devices – and give it a fresh look so it is easier for you to get the state-related information you need. My goal is always to make your experience dealing with your government as positive as possible, whether you prefer to interact online or in person.

My offices are available to serve you with all sorts of things, including status reports on legislation, applications for Pennsylvania birth and death certificates, state tax forms, PACE/PACENET applications, voter registration forms and more.

PA Youth: Become a Litter Hawk

Kids in grades kindergarten through sixth grade who want clean places to live and play are invited to become litter hawks to help people see how litter and trash hurt the environment through art, words or video.

Individuals, school classrooms, homeschoolers, scout groups, clubs and other organized groups are all welcome to participate. Prizes will be awarded to two entries per grade. Categories are poster (K-4), essay (5) and video (6). Apply online by Jan. 31, and winners will be announced in May.

Helping First Responders Access Federal Dollars

Federal assistance grants are available to support firefighter and emergency medical service organizations, but only a fraction of the first responders who apply do so successfully.

Giving organizations the information they need to access this critical funding for vehicles, gear and more will help local governments avoid raising taxes to cover the costs associated with keeping our communities safe.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency offers free webinars about how to apply for funding under the Assistance to Firefighters grant program and workshops covering the Assistance to Firefighters grant program, Fire Prevention and Safety grant program and Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response grants. Learn more.

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