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Dear Friends, I know vehicle purchases are a huge investment for Pennsylvania families, and giving prosecutors the tools they need to punish car thieves and discourage theft will help protect that investment. This week, the Senate passed my legislation to stop organized efforts to reprogram key fobs to steal cars. Bad actors are always looking for new ways to commit crimes. Commonsense measures like this will let criminals know Pennsylvania takes crime seriously. Sincerely,
In this Update:
Lifesaving Bill to Eliminate Cost Barriers to Breast Cancer Diagnosis Approved by Senate
Patients who receive abnormal results from supplemental breast cancer screenings will be able to access the necessary follow-up diagnostic imaging at no cost under bipartisan legislation passed by the Senate. This ensures critical continuum of care. As cosponsor of Senate Bill 88, I’m pleased to report that the measure builds on the success of Act 1 of 2023, which provided no-cost preventive screenings for individuals at high risk. Senate Bill 88 takes the next step with no-cost follow-up diagnostic imaging and expands eligibility to include individuals at average risk. While 26 other states have followed Pennsylvania’s lead in offering no-cost supplemental breast screening since the passage of Act 1, Pennsylvania remains the only state without guaranteed coverage for diagnostic imaging. The bill now goes to the House of Representatives. PA House Passes Bipartisan Pennycuick, Kane Bill Targeting Rise of Deepfake Scams
Today, the Pennsylvania House acted to stem the rise of “deepfakes” and other forms of digital impersonation by approving legislation I introduced with Sen. John Kane that would treat them as forgeries punishable by law. These digital forgeries have been used to commit financial scams, injure personal reputations and disrupt the political process. Artificial intelligence allows individuals to create convincing images, audio and video of others, often without consent, that are nearly indistinguishable from reality. Senate Bill 649 amends the current forgery provisions in state law to include “forged digital likeness.” Under the new provision, if someone creates a digital representation of a real person without their consent and distributes it as genuine, with the intent to defraud or injure, they would be subject to penalties. The measure protects First Amendment rights and preserves valid expressions of parody, satire and other forms of free speech. The bill targets harmful impersonations while safeguarding legitimate artistic, journalistic and expressive works. The bill now heads to the Governor for his signature. Senate Approves My Bill Cracking Down on New Car Theft Tactic
On Thursday, the Senate approved my legislation that would target thieves using new technology to spoof key fobs and steal vehicles As chair of the Senate Communications and Technology Committee, I know how critical it is that our state laws keep up with technology and the criminals who exploit it. Criminals are using key programming tools and relay attack devices to gain access to vehicles by cloning or reprogramming key fobs. Current law does not specifically target this tactic. Enactment of this measure will change that. Senate Bill 739 would update the statute governing the manufacture, distribution and possession of master keys to include these new devices, making it a first-degree misdemeanor and ensuring the law keeps pace with technological developments. Senate Bill 739 now goes to the House of Representatives for consideration. PA House Passes Measure to Streamline Fishing License of Disabled Veterans
This week, the Pennsylvania House unanimously approved my legislation to remove the annual fishing license fee and application for veterans with 100% disability. Currently only those disabled veterans with a 100% permanent disability determination from the VA can receive free lifetime fishing licenses. Disabled veterans with a 100% disability determination also receive free licenses but must apply for them on an annual basis. Our disabled veterans have given our Commonwealth and nation so much. It is a small thank you to make the process of getting a fishing license simpler for these extraordinary Americans. The legislation now goes to the Governor for his approval. PA GI Bill Improvements Pass Committee
As a member of the Senate Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee, we voted this week on legislation I cosponsored with Senator Lindsay Williams aimed at strengthening and modernizing Pennsylvania’s Educational Assistance Program and the Military Family Education Program. Over the past few years, I have worked with the Pennsylvania National Guard, PHEAA, and other stakeholders to make improvements to the programs since the Military Family Education Program – also known as the “PA GI Bill” – was signed into law in 2019. As a U.S. Army veteran, I know how important education benefits are to service members. Expanding these benefits to encourage continuing education will further help our military personnel as they continue their career in the Armed Forces or return to civilian life. Under the existing programs, Pennsylvania National Guard members earn education benefits for themselves and their families when they commit to six years of service. SB870 makes meaningful updates to better support the military community. These updates include: Allowing multiple uses of the program for Guard Members who reenlist for multiple periods of service; Expanding permissible uses of the benefit to include refresher, remedial, or preparatory courses required in pursuit of an approved program of education; Providing a proportional benefit to Members who are honorably discharged prior to the completion of their service. The legislation now moves to the full Senate for a vote. Commuter Tax Fairness Act to Protect Local Taxpayers Passes Senate
This week, the Senate approved legislation I cosponsored to protect Philadelphia’s suburban communities from unfair tax burdens and ensure local tax dollars stay where they belong. Senate Bill 527 – known as the Commuter Tax Fairness Act – would return earned income tax dollars paid by non-residents to the municipalities where they live, rather than where they work. Under current law, Philadelphia’s special status as a home rule charter city allows it to retain 100% of the 3.44% wage tax paid by commuters who live in surrounding communities. Senate Bill 527 would end this inequity and align Philadelphia with all 2,560 municipalities in Pennsylvania. The bill now heads to the House of Representatives for consideration. Senate Targets PA Opioid Crisis with Expanded Reporting Tool
The Senate voted to incorporate overdose reporting by EMS providers into the statewide Overdose Information Network to make sure first responders, treatment providers and other key parties have the information they need to save lives. Senate Bill 89 would require the Pennsylvania Department of Health to coordinate with the Pennsylvania State Police to ensure real-time overdose reporting by EMS providers is incorporated into the statewide mapping system. The bill now goes to the House of Representatives. EMS providers would report information including the date and time of the overdose, location, substances used by the victim and more. In other action to prevent opioid deaths, Senate Republicans led passage of a measure giving EMS personnel permanent authority to leave behind a dose of lifesaving naloxone at non-fatal overdose scenes. Measure to Prevent Eminent Domain Abuse Approved by Senate
Legislation to protect property owners against eminent domain abuse and ensure they are fully compensated when their property is taken by government was approved by the Senate. Senate Bill 225 would ensure business owners and farmers whose properties are seized through eminent domain are compensated for loss of “goodwill,” which goes beyond the assessed value. For farms, the land may possess characteristics that make it particularly special, such as fertile soil. In the case of another business, goodwill may be because of location, access to utilities and other factors. Farmers, employers and homeowners testified before a Senate committee last year about eminent domain abuse. The bill now goes to the House of Representatives for consideration. School Bus Safety Grant Program Applications Accepted
School districts, school bus companies and municipalities have until July 3 to apply for state grants to improve school bus safety and pay for training and other costs associated with attracting much-needed school bus drivers. Legislation passed by the General Assembly allows school districts to install automated camera systems to enforce the state School Bus Stopping Law and increase safety for school children. A portion of the fines paid by violators are used for the School Bus Safety Grant Program. Details and the online application are available here. Celebrating Great Outdoors Month
The arrival of summer means plenty of opportunities to get outdoors and enjoy what nature has to offer locally and across our commonwealth. Pennsylvania is home to cool, green forests, thousands of pristine lakes and streams, hiking trails and state parks. Find plenty of ways to explore the great outdoors of our region and the state here.
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