|
|||
|
In this Update:
Community Highlights
Findlay Township’s Fair in the Woodlands was a huge success! I sat in the dunk tank to support the Autism Caring Center in Oakdale on Friday. On Saturday, I met a lot of great folks walking through the parade. I also had the privilege of presenting several congratulatory proclamations. The Imperial Volunteer Fire Department celebrated its 100th anniversary, and three of their senior members were honored for their decades of service with the department.
‘Shop with a Cop’ was a great experience helping a few area students get ready for school with much needed supplies. Thanks to the Pennsylvania State Police, Allegheny County Camp Cadet, and Macy’s at the Mall at Robinson for partnering with Leetsdale, Moon Township, North Fayette, Stowe Township, the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, UPMC, Allegheny County Police Department, and Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office. Everyone made the day very special for these students! Thank you for all that you do!
It was a chilly day on Monday for the 10th anniversary of the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, but that did not stop me from joining my friend and colleague Rep. Natalie Mihalek to complete the challenge! One of my priorities this session was to advocate for better and easier access for biomarker testing for those diagnosed with cancer, ALS, and other diseases. Thankfully, this bill was signed into law so ALS patients can have more personalized treatments. Thank you to everyone who supports this important cause!
Congratulations to Michelle and the entire Conti Law team on the grand opening of their new location on Steubenville Pike in Oakdale!
I was honored to present a gift of $5000 to Operation Troop Appreciation thanks to Peoples Natural Gas Essential Fund. Operation Troop Appreciation is a 100% volunteer organization that assists any service member deployed anywhere for any reason and those transitioning back to civilian life. A truly amazing effort by Monica and crew. Thank you for everything you do! A Closer Look at Supporting Student Safety Initiatives and Education Funding
Continuing our legislative 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. Additional funding for safety grants is available to schools that apply by Thursday, Sept. 26. Information on this grant program is available online. This year’s state budget increased K-12 education funding by more than $1 billion, one of the largest increases in our Commonwealth’s history. Other education funding initiatives in the budget include a 6% increase for community colleges, $100 million for special education, and a $25 million increase for career and technical education. I was pleased to support several additional programs to benefit education, including Pennsylvania’s Ready to Succeed Scholarship Program. My legislation to expand this program is part of the Senate’s Grow PA plan, which aims to create broader access to post-secondary education and career training opportunities. I was proud to work with my colleagues to implement these measures and look forward to continuing to advocate for PA students in the upcoming legislative session. 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. New PA License Plate Coming in 2025
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) has unveiled a new standard license plate for vehicles. The new plate, showcasing Pennsylvania as the birthplace of America, will be available in 2025. It features the Liberty Bell and the text, “Let Freedom Ring.” Military, special organization, special fund and specialty plates without legislatively mandated designs will also be updated with the new design. If you would like to be one of the first to get the new license plate, sign up for updates. You will be notified when the license plate is ready to order. When the plates become available, fee information will be included with replacement instructions on PennDOT’s website and will vary based on plate type and any optional personalization. The department and its partners will use all existing standard issue license plate inventory before transitioning to the new plate design. 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.
For anyone who hasn’t already signed up to receive my e-newsletters, you can get on the mailing list here. |
|||
|
|||
Want to change how you receive these emails? 2024 © Senate of Pennsylvania | https://senatorrobinson.com | Privacy Policy |
