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In this Update:
Robinson Hosts Hearing on Keeping Construction Jobs Local
As chair of the Senate Labor and Industry Committee, I hosted a hearing this week to discuss my legislation to require contractors on public works projects to hire local labor. The hearing was held in Carnegie at the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades District Council 57, and featured testimony from representatives of the local building trades, local and statewide contractor associations, local economic development organizations, and the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry. Senate Bill 1076 is a bipartisan initiative modeled after existing local hire programs in West Virginia, Montana, and Illinois, and specifies that at least half of workers on state and local projects exceeding $500,000 must be residents of Pennsylvania or a neighboring county. A waiver process is included if a contractor is unable to secure local workers even after utilizing a local PA CareerLink® office for recruitment. If a waiver is granted, the contractor would be required to contribute to a fund to support the training of Pennsylvanians in the construction trades. I strongly believe that Pennsylvania tax dollars should be used to support local workers. As such, my bill seeks to strengthen our workforce, keep jobs local, and promote cost containment and efficiency on taxpayer-funded projects by reducing the need for out-of-state workers to travel to Pennsylvania and be temporarily housed near the project site. Funding Announced to Support Water, Sewer, and Transportation Projects in Allegheny County
This week, the Commonwealth Financing Authority (CFA) approved nearly $3.5 Million in state funding to support critical water, sewer, stormwater, and transportation infrastructure projects in Allegheny County. The funding was awarded through the PA Small Water and Sewer Program and Multimodal Transportation Fund. These grants reflect a strong partnership between the state and our local communities. I will continue working to secure funding that supports smart infrastructure upgrades and keeps our region moving forward. Check to see if any of these projects will impact your community – more information is available here. South Fayette School Board Recognizes Girls Soccer Team
I was excited to join the South Fayette Township School Board and Superintendent Dr. Michelle Miller in honoring their High School Girls Soccer Team for winning the 2025 PIAA State Class AAA Championship. Congratulations again to the coaches and team on this incredible accomplishment! 2025 Review: Reform Measures Targeting Fraud, Waste, and Inefficiency
As we begin the second year of the 2025-26 legislative session, here’s a brief look at what we did last year to target fraud and waste, fix Pennsylvania’s broken system for issuing permits, and more. Enacted with the state budget was sweeping permitting reform that sets clear timelines for state agencies to review permit applications and creates a permit tracking system, benefiting citizens and job creators. The budget also included measures ensuring individuals receiving Medical Assistance and SNAP benefits qualify for these taxpayer dollars and preventing deceased people from receiving benefits. The Senate also passed legislation to eliminate 13 unnecessary boards, commissions and advisory committees and require automatic review of costly regulations after three years to ensure they remain in the public interest. You can find information on more government reform bills and other notable Senate-passed legislation here. Free Tax Prep with United Way of Southwestern PennsylvaniaYesterday we celebrated National Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) Awareness Day. I am a proud supporter of the EITC, which helps millions of working families keep more of what they earn. This year, the new Working Pennsylvanians Tax Credit can help increase your tax refund even more! To help you claim all the credits you’re eligible for this year, file your taxes for FREE or schedule an appointment with United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania here. Returning Whole Milk to Schools
Last June, I joined my Pennsylvania Senate colleagues in voting to approve a resolution urging Congress to pass the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act. Whole milk provides 13 essential vitamins to help build strong bones and maintain a healthy immune system. The evidence is overwhelming that both 2% and whole milk should be offered to our students in schools. We applaud the recent enactment of the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act at the federal level, which allows U.S. schools to now offer whole and 2% milk as options for students, in addition to the current reduced-fat, low-fat, and fat-free milk. The bill was in response to enactment of federal legislation in 2010 that permitted only low-fat and fat-free milk options in public schools. Within the first two years of the law taking effect, 1.2 million fewer students drank milk with their lunches. Pennsylvania ranks second in the number of dairy farms and eighth in total milk production, making this change a great positive for children while also supporting our dairy farmers! Tips for Preparing for Winter Storms and Power Outages
Pennsylvania is expecting a significant winter storm tonight into tomorrow. While winter storms are part of Pennsylvania living, they can be made worse if the power goes out. The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission offers these tips for what to do before and during winter storms:
Learn more about what to do if you lose power during the storm, how to stay safe while waiting for power to be restored, and what utilities do to deal with storms here. Stay safe, stay smart, and stay warm this weekend! Jan. 31 Submission Deadline for Student Anti-Litter Contest
Students in grades K–6 have until Jan. 31 to submit entries for the latest Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful “Litter Hawk” anti-litter campaign. This year’s theme is Celebrate America250 – Keep It Beautiful, incorporating the nation’s semiquincentennial. Students can craft their message through art, writing, or video. Winners will be announced in April and will be invited to take part in a Capitol ceremony. Contest details and application can be found here. PA Department of Revenue Job Openings
Are you good with numbers? The Pennsylvania Department of Revenue lists openings for full-time, part-time, temporary, and student positions. The department receives and collects all of the commonwealth’s General Fund tax revenue. In addition, it annually processes more than 10 million business and individual tax reports and payments. Positions include accountants, tax examiners, research analysts, clerical assistants, and others, some of them seasonal. You can review what’s currently available and subscribe for job alerts to receive automatic email notifications when new vacancies are posted in your field of interest. National Blood Donor Month
The American Red Cross reports a blood shortage as requests from hospitals exceed the available supply, drawing down the blood supply by about 35% over the past month. The shortage is especially serious for platelets and type O, A negative, and B negative blood. Every two seconds someone in the U.S. needs blood. It is essential for surgeries, cancer treatment, chronic illnesses, and traumatic injuries. Whether a patient receives whole blood, red cells, platelets, or plasma, this lifesaving relies on friends and neighbors making donations.
I’m proud to represent you in Harrisburg. Please contact me if my team can assist you with any state-level issues or services, including PennDOT, PA Department of Revenue, PA Department of Aging, PA State Treasury, etc. I’m always happy to hear from constituents, but if you need assistance or have concerns regarding a federal issue, you may want to contact your U.S. Senators and/or your member in the U.S. House of Representatives. Thank you. For anyone who hasn’t already signed up to receive my e-newsletters, you can get on the mailing list here. |
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