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Dear Friends,

Next week, the state Senate is back in session. One of the first items on the agenda is my legislation to ban nudification applications from being developed, operated, or made available in Pennsylvania, including through online application marketplaces.

Through Artificial Intelligence individuals can take an image of another individual and manipulate the image to generate a fake nude or sexually explicit photo of that person. These applications serve no legitimate purpose and should not be available in Pennsylvania. For children and young people, the consequences can be devastating. In a matter of seconds, an image can be manipulated, distributed to countless people, and inflict emotional and reputational harm that can last a lifetime.

As Chair of the Communications and Technology Committee, I am committed to ensuring technology is not used as a weapon, particularly against children, victims or vulnerable individuals.

Sincerely,

In this Update:

• Upcoming Social Media Safety and Awareness Event at Boyertown High School
• Commemorating the 73^rd Anniversary of the Korean-U.S. Alliance
• Boyertown Area Fire and Rescue Grant
• Pottstown Fire Department Grant
• Collegeville Community Park Improvements
• PA Dept. of Health Troubling Health Regulations: Thousands of Pennsylvanians Weigh In
• My Senate Bill Protecting Children from Harmful AI Chats Needs House Action
• Suicide Prevention Month Raises Awareness and Spreads Hope
• Garrity Announces $1,000 Bonus for Families’ Education Savings
• Certified Veteran-Owned Businesses Gain New Opportunities

Upcoming Social Media Safety and Awareness Event at Boyertown High School

Join me on October 13^th at 6 p.m. for an informational session for parents and students to discuss social media safety. The session will be held at the Boyertown Area High School. All are welcome to attend. We will hear from experts in the healthcare community and law enforcement about tips for safe use of social media, gaming platforms and other online communication, information on cyberbullying, sextortion and deepfakes (and what to do if it happens), addressing student mental health concerns in a digital world, and emerging trends for parents to be aware of. To register, call (215) 541-2388 or visit here to fill out the online form.

Commemorating the 73^rd Anniversary of the Korean-U.S. Alliance

Last weekend, I had the distinct honor of attending the 73^rd Anniversary of the Korean U.S. Alliance. I also received an award on behalf of my dad posthumously who served in the Korean conflict. It was a beautiful event and I’m grateful for the opportunity to participate.

Boyertown Area Fire and Rescue Grant

On Monday, I was pleased to visit the Boyertown Fire and Rescue Company to announce a state grant of $750,000 for a new fire truck.

Boyertown Area Fire and Rescue serves approximately 10,400 residents in Berks County. Its primary service area is Boyertown Borough, Colebrookdale Township, and the northern half of Douglass Township. The station provides fire, vehicle rescue, technical rescue, HazMat, and other emergency services. It also provides mutual aid outside its primary district when requested.

As your state Senator, ensuring our emergency responders have the resources they need to protect and serve our community is a top priority. I’m grateful for their service and the critical work they do on behalf of the Boyertown area.

Pottstown Fire Department Grant

This week, I met with officials from the Pottstown Fire Department to celebrate grant funding which I and Rep. Joe Ciresi recently helped secure from DCED’s LSA Statewide Program. $550,000 will go towards Good Will’s upcoming purchase of a new fire truck. I’m proud to support state investments in important community projects like these!

Collegeville Community Park Improvements

Collegeville Borough will receive a $200,000 grant to improve Community Park. I was proud to advocate for this funding through the LSA Statewide Program. The grant will support upgrades to the existing playground equipment, including important ADA accessibility improvements. It’s always an honor to support projects like these that expand recreational opportunities for everyone in our community.

PA Dept. of Health Troubling Health Regulations: Thousands of Pennsylvanians Weigh In

Thousands of Pennsylvanians – ordinary citizens, school officials and many others – have voiced their opposition to the PA Dept. of Health’s proposed health regulations which would vastly expand state government’s power over their lives. Thank you to each and every person who took the time to let your voice be heard!

Learn more about what’s at stake at this State Health Regulations information webpage.

My Senate Bill Protecting Children from Harmful AI Chats Needs House Action

It’s critical that our commonwealth establish commonsense safeguards for children increasingly interacting with AI chatbots. The Senate overwhelmingly passed my bipartisan legislation to do just that back in March, but the House of Representatives has yet to consider it.

Senate Bill 1090 would require robust, age-appropriate safeguards to prevent content generation that encourages self-harm, suicide or violence against others, and directs users to appropriate crisis resources whenever high-risk language is detected.

In recent years, vulnerable individuals, including minors, have used AI chatbots to cope with trauma, depression and anxiety, only to have chatbot responses allegedly contribute to deaths by suicide. I urge the House to pass this bill so it can be enacted before the year is out. Read more about this important measure.

Suicide Prevention Month Raises Awareness and Spreads Hope

Suicide Prevention Month is a time to raise awareness, spread hope and encourage discussion of a difficult topic.

Warning signs of suicide include:

• Comments about suicide
• Increased alcohol and drug use
• Aggressive behavior
• Withdrawal from friends and family
• Dramatic mood swings
• Impulsive or reckless behavior

The National Alliance on Mental Illness has more information about risk factors.

The 988 Lifeline provides free and confidential support over call, text or chat for people in distress 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Empathetic, trained professionals provide prevention and crisis resources for you or someone you know.

Garrity Announces $1,000 Bonus for Families’ Education Savings

Pennsylvania Treasurer Stacy Garrity is giving families with qualified PA 529 College and Career Saving Program Guaranteed Savings Plan (GSP) accounts a $1,000 bonus contribution, enhancing education savings for about 107,000 Pennsylvania families.

The bonus is being paid for through surplus dollars in the GSP Fund. PA 529 GSP savers with at least a $1,000 account balance, or those with at least a $100 balance with contributions made since 2022, as of July 31, 2026, are eligible for this bonus deposit. Account owners will see this deposit reflected in their third quarter statement.

The PA 529 GSP allows families to save at today’s tuition rates to cover tomorrow’s tuition costs with account growth dependent on tuition inflation. For more information, visit the PA 529 website.

Certified Veteran-Owned Businesses Gain New Opportunities

Pennsylvania veteran-owned small businesses that get certified can be listed on a state database, opening doors to state contracting opportunities.

To qualify for certification, businesses must be at least 51% veteran-owned, meet “small business” revenue and size standards, and hold a valid third-party certification.

The state does not certify a business as veteran owned; it only verifies it. Find out how to obtain certification and third-party verification at the Department of General Services.