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Capitol Report
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#Listrak\DateStampLong#
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The latest news from the State Capitol
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Please do not reply directly to this email, as it returns to an unmanned account.
You are welcome to contact me through this link.
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Celebrating Pam
The District Office staff and I celebrated the career of my Harrisburg Legislative Assistant, Pam Albert, who will be retiring at the end of this month after serving the Commonwealth for 36 years. Pam says there are 'too many to count' when asked how many members she has served during her career - but former Representatives, like my predecessor, Joe Adams, were on hand to help celebrate. Her dedication to all constituents is admirable, and we wish her the best of luck, love and happiness in her well-deserved retirement!
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Get Ready for REAL ID
The deadline for enforcement of the federal REAL ID Act is less than a month away.
As of May 7, federal law will require you to present a federally accepted form of identification to board a commercial domestic flight or visit a secure federal building that requires ID at the door. Federally accepted forms of identification include a Pennsylvania REAL ID driver’s license or ID card, a U.S. passport or passport card, or a military ID.
While all Pennsylvanians must comply with the new law, obtaining a state-issued REAL ID is not mandatory. PennDOT will continue to offer standard-issue driver’s licenses and photo IDs for those residents who do not want or need one. If you’re not sure, PennDOT is offering the REAL ID online wizard to help you decide.
In light of growing reports of long lines and limited hours at the state’s driver license centers, House Republican leaders have called on the Shapiro administration to expand evening and weekend hours to ensure those who choose to obtain a REAL ID are served more efficiently. PennDOT is currently offering a series of dedicated REAL ID Days on Mondays at many driver license facilities. Check the schedule here.
To learn more about REAL ID and how to obtain one, visit www.penndot.gov/REALID.
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Welcoming Visitors to the Capitol
Members from the Wayne/Pike Farm Bureau at the Capitol. We discussed many important issues facing the agricultural industry here in our Commonwealth.
Another special visitor to the Capitol last week was Alcatraz, or Al for short. Al is an Eastern Box Turtle.
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Help Limit Spread of Spotted Lanternfly
With the state’s spotted lanternfly quarantine now expanded to 56 counties,the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture is encouraging everyone to destroy lanternfly eggs in the coming weeks to help protect valuable food and ornamental crops.
Adult insects die off over the winter after laying tiny rows of eggs, covering them with a putty-colored protective coating. The egg masses, which can be on any outdoor surface, from trees and rocks to equipment and lawn furniture, each contain 30-50 eggs approximately the size of a pinhead and have survived winters in sub-zero temperatures. Scraping and smashing them is easy and requires no special tools.
To learn how to recognize and report spotted lanternflies, control them on your property and keep from taking them to new homes when you travel, visit www.agriculture.pa.gov/spottedlanternfly.
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Heating Assistance Program Extended Through
April 18
While the cold weather is finally waning, residents who are struggling with their home heating bills are reminded they can still apply for assistance from the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) through this Friday, April 18.
LIHEAP is a federally funded program that helps individuals and families pay their heating bills through home heating energy assistance grants. It also provides crisis grants to help in the event of an emergency or if a resident is in danger of losing his or her heat due to broken equipment, lack of fuel or termination of utility service.
The income eligibility guidelines for LIHEAP are set at 150% of the federal poverty income level. For example, the gross income limit for an individual is $22,590 and for a family of four it is $46,800.
Residents may apply for LIHEAP online at www.compass.state.pa.us, by phone at 1-866-550-4355 or by contacting the County Assistance Office in their county of residence.
Click here for additional information.
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PennDOT Invites Pennsylvanians to Share Feedback on Winter Services
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) is seeking the public’s feedback on winter services through an online survey.
The survey is available now through April 28 and should take about five minutes to complete. All responses are anonymous.
The 16-question survey asks respondents about their timeline expectations for safe and passable roadways, how they rank snow-removal priorities and how they rate PennDOT’s winter services.
Click here to take the survey.
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Upcoming District Events
My staff and I have a lot of events planned in the coming months. More details to follow, but here is a sneak peek:
July 12th – Damaged License Plate Event
July 19th – Shredding Event
August 9th – Damaged License Plate Event
September 5th – Senior Expo
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