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In this Update:
Tuesday is Election Day
Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 5, and polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. If you are in line by 8 p.m., you will be able to vote. If you are voting with a mail-in or absentee ballot, your county election office must receive it by Tuesday, Nov. 5, at 8 p.m. Track your ballot to confirm it was received. Any voter who requested to vote using a mail-in or absentee ballot but would prefer to vote in person may do so. Bring the ballot and the envelope to surrender at the polls. If you don’t have those materials, you may vote using a provisional ballot. Call 1-877-VOTESPA (1-877-868-3772) if you experience any issues. For anyone who has questions on Pennsylvania’s election process, you can visit my Understanding Pennsylvania Elections webpage for information of voting basics and voting process. Oliver’s Cigar Lounge and Bar Reopens
Congratulations to Edward and Wendy Manning for the grant reopening of Oliver’s Cigar Lounge and Bar in Shamokin! One year after their opening, damage caused by a fire forced them to close Oliver’s for repair. It is amazing to see the resilience of Edward and Wendy to reopen and share their passion with the community again! Bicentennial of the Lafayette Free and Accepted Masons Lodge
It was an honor to be a guest for the Lafayette Free and Accepted Masons’ 200th anniversary celebration. Over the last 200 years, the organization has been serving the Selinsgrove area. The group now consists of 244 dedicated members. Congratulations on 200 years! Harry Mathias: 2024 Distinguished Citizen Award Winner
Congratulations to Harry Mathias for receiving the 2024 Distinguished Citizen Award presented by the Columbia-Montour Council Boy Scouts. Harry, you have giving so much of your time and energy to the community over the year. I thank you for your service and commitment. I was happy to present Harry with a Senate citation for his achievement. Nonprofit Tours This Week
This week, I toured nonprofits in the district. I toured the Ronald McDonald House-Danville at Geisinger Medical Center. I met with staff to learn about current projects and upcoming plans for the facility. I commend them and all the volunteers who provide a vital service for families in need. Later, I visited Haven Ministries of Sunbury. Haven Ministries provides emergency shelters to community members in need. They have grown their ministry greatly in the last few years to try to meet the growing demand for shelters. Thank you for the services you provide to the community! Learn more about the Ronald McDonald House here. PA Families to Receive More Support Saving for the Future
Because of a bill passed this session, families saving for educational expenses and costs for those with disabilities could soon have more support from their employers. A tax credit will encourage employers to contribute to their employees’ PA 529 College and Career Savings Program accounts and PA ABLE accounts. Beginning January 2025, employers will receive a 25% tax credit on matching employer contributions of up to $500 per employee per year. The law helps employers offer their employees a significant benefit so they can attract the best workers while receiving a financial incentive themselves. It supports Senate Republicans’ priorities of empowering Pennsylvania families and protecting Pennsylvania jobs. New Law Creates Rape Kit Tracking System
Having received unanimous support from the General Assembly, a bill to establish a statewide rape kit evidence tracking system is now law. Act 122 of 2024 allows survivors to track the status of their rape kits throughout the testing process, from collection to destruction. With this legislation, Pennsylvania joins 35 states and the District of Columbia that have already implemented rape kit tracking systems. It brings Pennsylvania into compliance with the Fairness for Rape Kit Backlog Survivors provision of the recent Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) reauthorization. To comply with VAWA, the law provides a waiver for survivors who file untimely claims for compensation due to delays in rape kit testing. Survivors would not need to undergo an appeal process for consideration of this waiver. Bill Giving Parents Info About Student Tick Removal Now Law
Legislation giving parents the opportunity to access important information about their child’s health was approved by the Senate and is now law. It requires schools to notify a parent or guardian if a tick is removed from a student and provide the tick to them for testing. When discovering a tick on yourself, a family member or a pet, it’s important to send it to the Pennsylvania Tick Research Lab at East Stroudsburg University. For free, the tick can be tested for common illnesses to provide you and your health care provider with valuable information about potential exposure. For more than a decade, Pennsylvania has had more cases of Lyme disease than any other state in the nation. While Lyme disease is reason enough to take precautions, ticks also carry a host of other illnesses with undesirable symptoms. Time to Turn Clocks Back This Weekend
Daylight saving time will end at 2 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 3, so Pennsylvania residents should turn their clocks back one hour before going to bed on Saturday night. Biannual time changes can be a great reminder to check or change the batteries in smoke detectors and carbon monoxide alarms. Smoke detectors and carbon monoxide alarms should be replaced every 10 years and located near bedrooms and on each level of the residence.
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