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Dear Friends, Receiving medical assistance at home is possible thanks to the extraordinary work of the skilled in-home nursing care workforce. In Pennsylvania, some 13,000 medically fragile children and adults are able to live at home due to the compassionate skilled care these nurses provide. In-home care is much less expensive than hospital stays and allows patients to live their lives to the fullest and kids to enjoy their childhoods. Below please find an editorial I recently wrote about ways we can assist these providers and the families they serve. Sincerely,
In this Update:
Op-Ed: Pennsylvania Needs to Do More to Allow Individuals to Receive Care at Home
Pennsylvania is falling short on homecare. Seniors and people with disabilities deserve to age in place with dignity. Read my op-ed here. September Food Drive
September is National Hunger Month. Because of this, I am hosting a food drive to support our local community. My office will be accepting non-perishable food items at my Red Hill office from Sept. 3-30. Donations can also be brought to my mobile office locations during office hours only. Every donation, no matter how small, helps. Have questions? Please give my office a call at 215-541-2388. Shawn McGlinchey Retires After 37 Years
After a remarkable 37-year career, Shawn McGlinchey is retiring from the Krapf School Bus Group! As a dedicated veteran of the United States Coast Guard and a respected transportation leader, Shawn has significantly impacted public safety in Pennsylvania. Thank you for your service, Shawn. Congratulations on your well-deserved retirement! Pennsylvania Hospitals Champion Organ Donation, Pottstown Hospital Earns Platinum Recognition
Pennsylvania hospitals are dedicated to improving the health of their patients and communities by promoting organ, eye, and tissue donation. The Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania (HAP) recognizes and celebrates hospital teams leading these efforts through the Donate Life Pennsylvania Hospital Challenge. In partnership with the Pennsylvania Department of Health and the state’s two organ procurement organizations—the Center for Organ Recovery & Education (CORE) and Gift of Life Donor Program—HAP supports the annual Donate Life Month campaign. During April, 118 participating hospitals across Pennsylvania conducted various activities to raise awareness and encourage organ donation, including internal training sessions, donor registration drives, community events, and public outreach initiatives. Among the outstanding hospitals participating in the Donate Life Pennsylvania Hospital Challenge, Pottstown Hospital is honored to receive platinum recognition for its exceptional contributions to organ donation. This achievement underscores Pottstown Hospital’s commitment to saving lives and making a positive impact on the community. I commend all participating hospitals for their invaluable contributions to organ donation. Their hard work and dedication make a significant difference in the lives of countless individuals. State Police Announce Quarterly Firearms Purchase Denial Investigations
Pennsylvania law requires all gun purchases to undergo a background check. The Pennsylvania State Police’s Instant Check System (PICS) is used by county sheriffs, police chiefs, and licensed firearm dealers to determine if an individual is eligible to possess a firearm. In the second quarter, PICS successfully prevented countless illegal firearm purchases by denying applications from individuals who should not have access to guns. This system has proven to be an invaluable tool in law enforcement efforts to combat gun violence. Thousands of referrals to law enforcement have been made through PICS, demonstrating its effectiveness in identifying and addressing potential threats.
For more information on PICS and carrying firearms in Pennsylvania, visit psp.pa.gov. A Closer Look at Supporting Student Safety Initiatives
Families need to be able to trust their children will be protected from harm when they’re at school, and students deserve to focus on their learning. Continuing Senate Republicans’ leadership of efforts to provide safe learning environments for students, $100 million was included in this year’s state budget for all school districts to address school safety, security needs and mental health concerns. An additional $20 million for safety grants is also made available to nonpublic schools that apply by Thursday, Sept. 26. Applications for both grant programs are available online. In addition, this spring I introduced legislation called Alyssa’s Law to require that Pennsylvania public schools be equipped with silent panic alarms that directly notify law enforcement in the event of a school-based emergency. This law is of utmost importance because it enables school authorities to take proactive measures that can potentially save lives during emergencies. I am hopeful the General Assembly will consider this legislation this fall. New this year, schools may use their funding for the purchase of lockable cellphone bags to benefit students’ mental health by giving them a much-needed break from their mobile devices while in school. Over the last decade there has been a sharp drop in children’s mental health, which directly correlates to the increased use of cellphones and social media apps. The cellphone bags are another tool schools may choose to use if they feel it’s appropriate based on their area, school board and parents’ perspective. Recently passed legislation calls for every school district in Pennsylvania to have a school security officer who has completed armed security training to protect students. The security presence will consist of at least one trained and vetted school security officer, which may be either a school police officer, school resource officer or school security guard. See what other steps Senate Republicans are taking in our work to strengthen Pennsylvania here. Senate Approves $75 Million to Expand Educational Opportunities for Students
Parents know best when it comes to the individual needs of their children, which is why Senate Republicans continue to stand up for parental empowerment and involvement in their children’s education. We’ve worked to dedicate an additional $75 million this year to the Educational Improvement Tax Credit Program (EITC). The EITC program helps to provide students with the opportunity to learn in the environment that best meets their specific educational needs. Through a collaborative approach of providing tax credits to businesses making contributions to create additional educational opportunities for Pennsylvania families, more children are able to receive assistance. Eligible contributions are those made to scholarship organizations, educational improvement organizations and pre-kindergarten scholarship organizations. Students are eligible to receive a scholarship if their household’s annual income is no greater than $112,348 plus $19,775 for each dependent member of the household. Learn more about the EITC program here. You Can Now Get Customized Travel Alerts with 511PA
We all want to avoid heavy traffic, road closures and anything else that will delay us on the road, and potential hassles will be different for motorists depending on where they live and where they are going. 511PA now offers the opportunity to sign up for personalized travel alerts based on specific areas and routes, days and times, and road issue (type of trouble and when cleared). On 511PA’s website, navigate to “My 511” at the top to set up an account to begin receiving alerts. Expanded Access to Benefits for PA Disabled Veterans
A new Pennsylvania law that went into effect this month exempts 100% of disabled veterans’ benefit payments from income calculations for any commonwealth program or benefit. Act 27 of 2024 ensures veterans who receive disability compensation will not have those payments counted against them when applying to programs such as the Real Estate Property Tax Exemption, the Educational Gratuity Program, the Veterans Temporary Assistance Program and the Military Family Relief Assistance Program. The exclusion also applies to unspent veterans’ benefit payments and is extended to the unmarried surviving spouse of a veteran upon that veteran’s death. Celebrating Back to School Month by Brushing Up on School Bus Safety
As students head back to school, school buses require additional caution from drivers. School districts are now permitted to use automated cameras on stop signal arms to enforce the school bus stopping law. Learn more and find parent safety tips and a reminder of other laws here. Pennsylvania law requires motorists to stop at least 10 feet away from school buses when their red lights are flashing and their stop arm is extended. Motorists following or traveling alongside a school bus must also stop until the red lights have stopped flashing, the stop arm is withdrawn, and all children have reached safety. Do not proceed until all the children have reached a place of safety. Penalties for failure to obey school bus safety laws can result in a $250 fine and a $35 surcharge to be deposited into the School Bus Safety Grant Program account, five points on a driving record and a 60-day license suspension.
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