View this email in a browser

In this Update:

• New Office Hours in Elysburg
• Join Me at Damaged License Plate Replacement Events
• New Sportsman License Plate Available
• Bloomsburg Fair Queen Visits State Capitol
• Senate Votes to Strengthen PA’s Sexual Offender Registry
• Bill to Minimize Utility Disruptions, Protect Workers Passes Senate
• Senate Approves Bill Exempting Milk Haulers from Travel Bans
• $10 Million Available to Farmers for Agricultural Innovation
• October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month
• State Pumpkin Contest Open Until Oct. 20

New Office Hours in Elysburg

My office will be hosting office hours at St. Mark Lutheran Church, 225 N. Market St., Elysburg, on the third Friday of each month beginning on Oct. 18.

Residents should call the Mount Carmel office at 570-339-5937 to reserve time with staff during the Elysburg outreach hours. Residents should use the entrance and parking lot on the Penn Avenue side of the church.

Learn more about how we can help you at these office hours by reading the full article on my website.

Join Me at Damaged License Plate Replacement Events

Has your license plate lost its reflectivity or is it peeling, discolored or unreadable from 50 feet away? Then join me at one of my two upcoming damaged license plate replacement events.

I am co-hosting the first damaged license plate replacement event with Rep. Michael Stender (R-108) on Thursday, Oct. 17, from 2-4 p.m. on the 200 block of Iron Street, Danville.

Please register to attend this event by visiting Rep. Stender’s website.

I am hosting the second damaged license plate replacement event on Monday, Oct. 28, from 4-6 p.m. at the Susquehanna Valley Mall, 1 Susquehanna Valley Mall Drive, Selinsgrove.

Please register to attend this event by visiting my website or calling 570-743-1918.

There is no fee for this service and those who need a new license plate can receive help filling out the necessary paperwork. Please bring your vehicle registration card. Once the forms are submitted to PennDOT, the new replacement license plate will arrive by mail to the applicant’s home address.

New Sportsman License Plate Available

There is a new specialty plate available through PennDOT to highlight Pennsylvania sportsmen.

The Pennsylvania Game Commission, Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, and PennDOT collaborated on the plate and a portion of the fee will be used to promote youth hunting and fishing activities.​

Learn more here.

Bloomsburg Fair Queen Visits State Capitol

I met this week with 2024 Bloomsburg Fair Queen Alyssa Bergenstock at the Capitol. It was a pleasure to meet with her and learn about her role at this year’s fair! I wished her good luck as she competes for the state fair queen title.

Senate Votes to Strengthen PA’s Sexual Offender Registry

The Senate unanimously approved legislation to protect children from sexual predators by closing a loophole in existing state law. The legislation now heads to the House of Representatives for consideration.

Senate Bill 1317 would add the crime of sexual assault by a sports official, volunteer or employee of a nonprofit association as a Tier II sexual offense, requiring individuals convicted of this offense to register as a sexual offender under the Sexual Offender Registration and Notification Act. Under current law, those convicted of this offense are not required to register as sex offenders.

Bill to Minimize Utility Disruptions, Protect Workers Passes Senate

The Senate unanimously passed a bill to improve and extend protection of Pennsylvanians and the workers who maintain essential underground utilities such as gas, water, telecommunications and more. The bill now moves to the House of Representatives for consideration.

Senate Bill 1237 would make permanent the PA One Call Law, which has been extended for 50 years and is set to expire on Dec. 31. PA One Call prevents accidents that threaten the safety of Pennsylvanians, construction workers and other excavators. It also minimizes utility service disruptions by ensuring underground utility lines are properly marked prior to any digging.

The bill would also enhance safety protocols by improving communication between excavators, facility owners and the Public Utility Commission, as well as requiring better documentation of underground utility lines. To prevent dangerous situations, the legislation calls for expanded timelines for filing violation reports and additional consequences for non-compliance.

Senate Approves Bill Exempting Milk Haulers from Travel Bans

The Senate approved legislation to exempt milk haulers from travel bans imposed during a declaration of disaster emergency. It heads to the House of Representatives for consideration.

Senate Bill 153 would allow a licensed milk hauler to transport milk on highways even during weather-related commercial travel bans. These vehicles would be required to display a decal that would be developed and issued by the Pennsylvania Milk Marketing Board.

Dairy producers and processers had to dispose of milk due to weather-related commercial vehicle travel bans, rather than have it transported to market. This adversely affects their already tight profit margins, threatening farmers financially and making them more likely to be forced out of the industry – compromising Pennsylvanians’ access to healthy beverages and foods.

$10 Million Available to Farmers for Agricultural Innovation

To support farmers who supply our communities with healthy foods and beverages, $10 million has been dedicated for the new Agricultural Innovation Grant Program in this year’s budget.

Funding can be used to improve efficiency on the farm or in processing, generate energy while reducing nutrient waste leaving the farm and support crops that effectively store carbon or replace non-renewable resources. It can also be used to address practical challenges including data collection, biosecurity and odor remediation.

Learn more about eligibility and apply online by Nov. 15.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

As we kick off Breast Cancer Awareness Month in Pennsylvania, we honor the brave survivors, fighters and advocates who inspire us all in the battle against breast cancer. Each year, we turn the Capitol fountain pink as a powerful reminder of our commitment to raising awareness, advancing research and supporting early detection efforts.

This month serves as an important time to reflect on the progress we’ve made and the work that still lies ahead. One in eight women will get breast cancer in her lifetime, so early detection and access to life-saving treatments remain critical. We stand united in spreading awareness and fostering hope, reminding everyone that we can make a lasting impact in the fight against breast cancer.

Stay up to date here.

State Pumpkin Contest Open Until Oct. 20

The Department of Agriculture has announced its PA Preferred® Pumpkin Palooza Contest. Participants are encouraged to express their creativity by painting or carving a pumpkin.

Pumpkins must be purchased from a Pennsylvania farm, and contestants must be a Pennsylvania resident. Three age divisions include child (11 and younger), youth (12-17) and adult (18 and older).

Contestants should email a photo of their submission, with the subject “PA Pumpkin Palooza Entry,” to agcontests@pa.gov by Oct. 20. Winners, who will be emailed on Oct. 24, will receive a PA Preferred swag bag. Learn more.

2024 © Senate of Pennsylvania | https://senatorculver.com | Privacy Policy