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Dear Friends,

Pennsylvania’s Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) and Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit (OSTC) programs provide thousands of low- and middle-income students with access to educational opportunities at faith-based and private schools.

I believe we should continue exploring opportunities to bring additional education funding to Pennsylvania. One promising avenue is the federal Scholarship Tax Credit, which Congress created last year to expand educational opportunities for students in both public and private schools. Through this program, taxpayers can receive up to $1,700 in federal tax credits for contributions to nonprofit Scholarship Granting Organizations.

The program could generate an estimated $24 billion in additional education funding nationwide each year. For Pennsylvania, failing to participate could mean leaving hundreds of millions of dollars in potential education funding on the table.

While the governor has yet to opt in to the program, the Senate is preparing legislation that would ensure Pennsylvania families and schools can benefit from these federal resources.

Pennsylvania should expand—not reduce—educational opportunities and pursue every available source of funding to help students succeed.

Sincerely,

In this Update:

• Supporting Community Organizations Throughout the District
• Keeping Dangerous Synthetic Kratom Out of the Hands of our Children
• Join Us for a Pottstown Home Safety Event!
• Felony Murder Sentencing, PA Crime Highlighted at Senate, House Hearing
• Empowering Parents with Federal Scholarship Tax Credit
• Understanding Digital Threats to Children
• Reporting Suspected Benefits Fraud
• Getting Potholes Filled

Supporting Community Organizations Throughout the District

This week, I had the opportunity to visit numerous libraries and non-profits in Berks and Montgomery counties to award state grants in support of community services and cultural organizations.

I’m thrilled to be able to provide state resources to support these important places in our community. Our libraries are more than just sources of books and information—they are vibrant spaces where families can come together to learn, participate in programs, and discover wonderful stories. In addition, ensuring that our most vulnerable neighbors have access to nourishment and a warm, welcoming place to turn is a critical service. The Open Link is a true treasure in our community, and I’m proud to support the important work they do every day. Read the full release here.

Keeping Dangerous Synthetic Kratom Out of the Hands of our Children

As chair of the Senate Communications and Technology Committee, I have worked to close gaps in our laws when emerging technologies and products create new threats to public safety. Synthetic kratom presents a similar challenge: The marketplace is moving faster than our laws, and consumers—particularly young people—can pay the price. Read my recent editorial here.

Join Us for a Pottstown Home Safety Event!

Join me, area firefighters, and Peppa Pig for a Home Safety event on Friday, August 28^th, at 11 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Pottstown YMCA, 724 N. Adams Street in Pottstown. Information and free smoke and carbon monoxide detectors will be provided as well as fun activities for the kids, including a snow cone truck and a visit from Peppa Pig! Registration is not required. I hope to see you there.

Felony Murder Sentencing, PA Crime Highlighted at Senate, House Hearing

Law enforcement officers and other public officials shared the on-the-ground reality of their efforts to fight crime and how the General Assembly could support their mission during a joint public hearing of the Senate Majority Policy Committee and the House Republican Policy Committee.

Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday discussed sentencing for felony murder after the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled mandatory life sentences for this crime are unconstitutional. He stated Senate Bill 1400, passed twice by the Senate, would provide an appropriate sentence for felony murder. But the House changed the bill, he said, “and in doing so provides a huge break to convicted murderers.” Sunday said, “Victims deserve better than legislative gamesmanship.”

The committees learned that violent crime is down across the commonwealth, but drug offenses are on the rise, with the Bureau of Narcotics removing 56.5 million doses of fentanyl off the streets of Pennsylvania last year. Read more about the hearing and access video and testimony here.

Empowering Parents with Federal Scholarship Tax Credit

Last year, Congress established 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 Jan. 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.

Understanding Digital Threats to Children

Aug. 17 – Aug. 23 is “Social Media Safety and Parental Awareness Week” in Pennsylvania. This first-of-its-kind designation is designed to help parents, guardians and students better understand potential threats in the digital world, including cyberbullying, sextortion, AI-generated child sexual abuse material, grooming and other dangerous forms of abuse.

Find a Back-to-School Checklist and more tips on social media safety at the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

My legislative colleagues and I have worked to keep kids safe from dangers online. This includes laws criminalizing deepfakes, giving law enforcement tools to combat online abuse, creating the Task Force on Child Protection in the Digital Age and more. The Senate has also passed legislation (pending in the House of Representatives) providing safeguards for AI chatbots, prohibiting “nudification” apps and protecting young people against AI-generated child abuse materials.

Reporting Suspected Benefits Fraud

You can help eliminate fraud in benefits programs such as cash assistance, food stamps, childcare, home energy assistance and medical assistance.

Suspected fraud can be reported to the Office of the State Inspector General. A complaint should be completed only if an individual has been issued benefits that you believe the individual was not entitled to receive.

Report suspected fraud to the State Inspector General here.

Getting Potholes Filled

If you spot a pothole on a Pennsylvania road, you can report it through the PennDOT Customer Care Center.

If you notice an urgent issue, please check the list of district engineering offices and contact the one for the county in which the issue is found. 

For immediate safety concerns, call 1‑800‑FIX‑ROAD (1-800-349-7623), and always call 9‑1‑1 for emergencies.