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In this Update:
Celebrating Irish American Heritage Month
I joined my fellow co-chairs of the American Irish State Legislators Caucus, Sen. Tim Kearney (D-26) and Sen. Marty Flynn (D-22), in sponsoring legislation to designate March 2026 as Irish American Heritage Month in Pennsylvania. Nearly two million residents of our commonwealth proudly claim Irish ancestry, reflecting generations of immigrants and families like mine and many of my constituents who helped shape the culture, industries, faiths, and strong sense of community in cities and small towns across the commonwealth. Watch my full remarks in honor of Irish American Heritage Month on the Senate floor here. Read the full resolution here. Check out more St. Patrick’s Day photos from the Pennsylvania Senate here. St. Patrick’s Day in Pittsburgh
This year marked another great Pittsburgh St. Patrick’s Day parade! I was honored to start the morning at mass with the Bishop before walking in the parade to greet many friends and neighbors along the route. I also had the chance to congratulate Pittsburgh’s 2026 Miss Smiling Irish Eyes, Molly McKenna. A junior at Saint Mary’s College, Molly is a proud Irish dancer with a strong commitment to sharing the Irish culture with others. I was also proud to meet Miss Smiling Irish Eyes 2026 court maidens, Kennedy Aryn Elizabeth Kuntz, and Sidney Ann Hoover. Congratulations on this great achievement! Check out more photos from the parade here and the Miss Smiling Irish Eyes competition here. Senate Approves Measure to Protect Children from Harmful AI Chatbots
The Senate approved legislation to establish commonsense safeguards for children interacting with artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots. Senate Bill 1090, which I proudly supported, would require robust, age-appropriate safeguards to prevent content generation that encourages self-harm, suicide, or violence against others, and directs users to appropriate self-harm crisis resources when high-risk language is detected. Heartbreaking stories have been reported of vulnerable individuals, many including minors, who have used AI chatbots to cope with trauma, mental health, depression, and anxiety. Multiple families have alleged in lawsuits that chatbot responses contributed to their teen’s death by suicide. The bill was sent to the House of Representatives for consideration. Senate Labor & Industry Committee Approves Legislation to Improve Workers’ Compensation System, Empower Workers
Earlier this week, the Senate Labor and Industry Committee unanimously advanced legislation to:
These measures build upon broader bipartisan efforts to improve Pennsylvania’s workforce and labor policies. Learn more and watch footage from the committee meeting here. Expanding Access to Life-Saving Cancer Biomarker Testing
In 2024, legislation I sponsored alongside Rep. Kyle Mullins (D-112) to improve cancer treatment access by expanding insurance coverage for life-saving biomarker testing was signed into law. This week, the Senate Banking & Insurance Committee unanimously approved my bill with Sen. Chris Gebhard (R-48) to strengthen the original measure to ensure more Pennsylvanians have access to this clinically proven biomarker testing! Biomarker testing provides individualized, targeted treatment with diseases such as cancer, ALS, Parkinson’s, and many others. Learn more about the bill here. Legislation Expanding First Responder Training Passed by Senate
Legislation to help alleviate the shortage of emergency responder instructors across Pennsylvania was approved by the Senate. Senate Bill 782 would allow retired public school and state employees who previously worked part-time as certified EMS, fire, or police instructors to return to that work without losing their pension benefits. Retirees would not earn additional benefits. The measure was sent to the House of Representatives for consideration. Bill Advances to Protect Veterans’ Benefits from Exploitation
Earlier this week, my bill with Sen. Tracy Pennycuick (R-24), Sen. Doug Mastriano (R-33), and Sen. Dan Laughlin (R-49) aimed at safeguarding against the exploitation of our veterans was approved by the Senate Veterans Affairs & Emergency Preparedness Committee with strong bipartisan support! Veterans often face challenges when applying for and receiving the benefits they deserve. Unfortunately, some unscrupulous individuals and organizations seek to exploit these individuals by charging excessive fees and engaging in predatory practices, taking advantage of our veterans’ trust and need for assistance and causing undue financial burden. Our bill will cap fees, ensure proper contract transparency, and ban predatory practices. Learn more about the bill here. Touring Wexford-Based Veteran Non-Profit, Aurelius
I had a great tour of Aurelius’s Harrisburg location this week. Their mission to help heal PTSD and other psychological symptoms in veterans and first responders is producing impressive and transformative results for our nation’s heroes. Thank you for all you do! Learn more about this Wexford non-profit here. Check out more photos from my tour here. Honoring Big 33 Players from Southwest PA
Congratulations to Peter Bonnet of Avonworth High School, Rory Knipp of Central Catholic High School, and Myles Turner of Moon Area High School for making the PA Big 33 Football Classic team! These athletes have proven through hard work that they are among the best in the Commonwealth. Keep up the excellent work! Check out more photos from their visit to the State Capitol in Harrisburg this week here. Securely Shred your Old Documents at our Identity Theft Prevention EventLooking to shred old documents? My office will host an identity theft prevention event with Rep. Andrew Kuzma (R-39) on Saturday, March 28, from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., at South Park High School located at 2005 Eagle Ridge Road, South Park, PA 15129. Shred America will be on site with industrial shredders for attendees to dispose of their sensitive documents for FREE. Please note, there is a limit of two boxes per person. Additional information about the event can be found here. Please call my office at (412) 785-3070 with any questions. Thanks for Attending Our Senior Solutions Event
Thank you to everyone who attended my Senior Solutions clinic with Rep. Jeremy Shaffer (R-28)! Our staff was able to help constituents with Property Tax and Rent Rebate (PTRR) applications, Pittsburgh Regional Transit (PRT) Senior ConnectCards, and unclaimed property from the PA Treasury Department. Kathy Nipps Retires from YMCA
Congratulations to Kathy Nipps on her retirement from the Baierl Family YMCA! Kathy’s dedication to improving our community is admirable, and I wish her all the best in this new chapter. Check out more photos from Kathy’s retirement breakfast here. Congratulations to New Eagle Scouts
Congratulations to Carter Claypool, Mitchell Humbert, and Jacob and Justin Potanko from Troop 860 for attaining the rank of Eagle Scout! They completed their projects at Webb Park and Chartiers Park as part of their mission to improve their communities, and I was proud to present them with Senate citations honoring their achievements. Check out more photos from the Troop 860 Eagle Scout Court of Honor ceremony here.
Congratulations to Justin Mattes, Hendrix Odham, Jack Zukowski, and Gabe Zych from Boy Scout Troop 4 for earning the prestigious rank of Eagle Scout! They completed their Eagle Scout projects for local organizations like the Bethel Park Lions Club, St. Catherine Laboure Catholic Parish, the St. Louise de Marillac School (STL) Soccer Organization, and Seton LaSalle High School. Their dedication and service to our community is commendable, and they should all be very proud of their accomplishments. Check out more photos from the Troop 4 Eagle Scout Court of Honor ceremony here. Touring Community LIFE’s Homestead Facility
This week, I toured Community LIFE’s Homestead location, and had a productive conversation with their leadership and staff about the program and how it helps seniors in our area age in place with dignity. Being able to continue living at home as you age is invaluable, and I’m so appreciative of the great work this organization does to give our loved ones this opportunity! Learn more about their program here. Check out more photos from my tour here. McCandless-Franklin Park Ambulance Authority’s Annual Meeting
Congratulations to McCandless-Franklin Park Ambulance Authority on an incredible year! At their annual meeting earlier this week, MFPAA honored their 47 amazing team members for responding to 9,191 calls with 22 successful, life-saving CPR resuscitations last year – PLUS, delivery of a baby just last Friday! Thank you for your excellent service to Marshall, Franklin Park, Bradford Woods, Pine, and McCandless. Check out more photos from the meeting here. Supporting Southwest Meals on Wheels
Before my trip to Harrisburg last week, I was pleased to stop by the Bridgeville Volunteer Fire Department to support Southwest Meals on Wheels. This incredible program provides meals to homebound seniors and other community residents. Check out more photos from the fundraiser here. Sen. Scott Hutchinson’s Annual Senator for a Day
It was great to see students so engaged and excited to learn about the Pennsylvania state legislature! Thank you, Sen. Scott Hutchinson (R-21), for inviting me to participate in your Senator for a Day event at PennWest University’s Clarion campus. Check out more photos from the event here.
In November 2025, I invited some of the best and brightest high school students in my district to join me at Robert Morris University for my annual Senator for a Day event where students debate ideas and move proposals through the legislative process using parliamentary procedure – just like a senator does. One of the mock bills last year mirrored my legislation to make PA schools phone-free. After spirited debate, these nearly 100 high school students from all across Allegheny County voted overwhelmingly in favor of removing the distraction of phones from schools! Just a few months later, the PA Senate did the same. City & State Panel Discussion on Procurement and Diversity
I was pleased to join City and State PA for a panel discussion on procurement and diversity in Pennsylvania. As chair of the Senate Labor & Industry Committee, I enjoyed hearing different perspectives on how to use public works projects as an opportunity to provide construction jobs across the Commonwealth. Check out more photos from the discussion here. VA VITAL to Host Disability Claims Clinic at Robert Morris UniversityThe U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ Veterans Integration to Academic Leadership – or VITAL – is hosting a Disability Claims Clinic at the Robert Morris University (RMU) Center for Veterans & Military Families on March 25, from 10 a.m. to 2p.m. Federal Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) representatives will be on site to assist with claims and answer any benefit-related questions. More details about the event are available here.
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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