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In this update:
Senate Acts to Protect Fairness in Women’s Sports
This week, the Senate once again took action to protect fairness in women’s sports. Alongside my colleague, Sen. Judy Ward, I was proud to help champion Senate Bill 1293, legislation to preserve opportunities for female athletes by ensuring a level playing field in school and collegiate athletics. The bill requires sports teams to be designated as male, female, or coed, and ensures that teams designated for women are reserved for biological females. It also gives students the ability to take legal action if those protections are violated. Since 2020 in Pennsylvania, men have stolen first place from female athletes 87 times and unjustly took second or third place 64 times. Recently, the International Olympic Committee enacted new policy guidelines ensuring all sporting events under their jurisdiction for any female category are limited to biological females only. This is not a new conversation. We passed similar legislation last year with bipartisan support. Yet despite that, the House has failed to act, delaying meaningful protections for female athletes through procedural inaction. That’s why we acted again. Fairness in women’s sports should never be up for debate or subject to shifting guidance. The Senate has made it clear: equal opportunity for female athletes is not temporary, it must be guaranteed. You can find my remarks on this legislation on my YouTube channel. The legislation is similar to Senate Bill 9, which was passed by the Senate in May 2025 with bipartisan support. Since then, it has been delayed by procedural maneuvers by Democrat leaders in the House of Representatives, leaving young female athletes at risk. I urge the House to act on this legislation and restore fairness to athletic competition in our commonwealth. Read more about this issue here. Strengthening Electricity Affordability and Reliability
Pennsylvanians need electricity that’s affordable and reliable. That’s why I joined legislative colleagues in February urging action to preserve critical baseload power generation by preventing the premature shutdown of two commonwealth power plants. I’m pleased to report the Trump administration has reached agreement with the state Department of Environmental Protection and the operator of the Keystone and Conemaugh Generating Stations in Indiana and Armstrong counties to allow continued operation of both plants. The agreement ensures continued, environmentally compliant generation of 3,400 megawatts of electricity for the regional grid and preserves the livelihood of more than 1,000 workers. I applaud the parties for working to find common ground, and will continue working to expand Pennsylvania energy production to provide our residents with a true “all of the above” energy strategy to ensure affordable, reliable electricity. Talking Energy with Maryland Delegate Kathy Szeliga
In the latest episode of Kristin’s Corner, I sat down with Maryland Delegate Kathy Szeliga to talk about energy demand, grid reliability, and what it means for Pennsylvania as part of the PJM Interconnection. We discussed the growing demand for electricity, especially with the rise of data centers, and how that’s impacting states across the region. We also touched on how energy policies in neighboring states can affect Pennsylvania, particularly as we continue to play a major role in power generation. It was an insightful conversation focused on understanding the challenges and where things may be headed. You can listen to the full episode on Spotify, Apple or YouTube. Committee Approves Measure Eliminating Emissions Test Mandate for Newer Vehicles
Legislation exempting state emissions testing for newer vehicles and removing it entirely for counties where it’s no longer needed was approved by the Senate Transportation Committee. Senate Bill 1298 exempts vehicles five years old or less from the requirement and removes Blair, Cambria, Lackawanna, Luzerne, Lycoming, Mercer and Westmoreland counties from the emissions program. The Vehicle Emissions Inspection and Maintenance program mandates motorists in 25 Pennsylvania counties undergo annual emissions testing. However, a Joint State Government Commission study has shown that removing seven of these counties from the program would have minimal impact on maintaining federal air quality standards. Less than 1% of the five most recent model year vehicles fail annual emissions inspections. The measure now goes to the full Senate for consideration. You can read more about our efforts to reform emissions testing here. Recognizing Eagle Scouts
Congratulations to Scott Quantz and Jacob Dowling on earning the prestigious rank of Eagle Scout, an achievement reflecting years of dedication, leadership, and service to their communities. Scott, a member of Troop 28 in Red Lion and the son of David Poirier and Brittani and Brian Floyd, completed his Eagle Scout project at the Golden Connections Community Center, where he designed and installed safe, durable parking bollards to improve accessibility and safety for visitors. Jacob, the son of Mike and Mary Dowling, is a member of Troop 43, sponsored by Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church in Dallastown. For his Eagle Scout project, Jacob removed and reconstructed the access deck at the rear entrance of New Covenant Community Church in Delta, enhancing safety and accessibility for the congregation. Only a small percentage of Scouts achieve the rank of Eagle Scout, making this accomplishment a testament to their hard work, perseverance, and commitment to service. It was an honor to present both Scott and Jacob with congratulatory citations from the Senate of Pennsylvania. Their dedication to their communities is commendable, and I wish them continued success in all their future endeavors!
Welcoming Our Guest Chaplain, Pastor Jeff Markey
It was a pleasure to welcome Pastor Jeff Markey of Aldersgate Church in York Township to the Senate as our guest chaplain. We were grateful to have Pastor Markey open the Senate in prayer and share a moment of reflection with the chamber. Joining him for this special occasion were his children, Corinne, Cayla, and Joshua. Thank you, Pastor Markey, for your service, your leadership, and for being with us in Harrisburg! You can find Pastor Markey’s prayer and introduction here. You MAY Have Unclaimed Property!
You may have unclaimed property waiting for you! Join my team at our mobile office in Springettsbury Township on May 7 to find out. A Treasury specialist will be onsite to help you search for unclaimed property, answer questions, and guide you through the process of filing a claim. Come search for yourself and family at York Area United Fire & Rescue Station, located at 50 Commons Drive in York, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. In addition to unclaimed property assistance, my team will be available to help with a variety of state-related services. Stop by and take a few minutes to see if money could be waiting to be returned to you. You can search for unclaimed property and find out more about the program here. Main St Market Reopens in Glen Rock
Have you checked out Main St Market in Glen Rock yet? I had the opportunity to join the team for their ribbon cutting and grand re-opening, and it was great to see this local favorite back in action! Following a major construction project, the market has unveiled a larger space, a refreshed storefront, and new outdoor improvements. Located at 17 Main St. in Glen Rock, Main St Market continues to serve as a one-stop destination in the heart of the community, offering a grocery selection, bakery, bistro, and coffee options. Their partnerships with Traveller Coffee Co. and Alpaca Lunch add even more to the experience, making it a unique and welcoming place to stop in. If you haven’t visited yet, I encourage you to check it out and support this local business! York Tech Spartans Visit the Capitol
During a busy session day, it was great to welcome students and educators from York County School of Technology to the Capitol. York Tech continues to provide students with valuable, hands-on learning experiences that translate directly into real-world careers. The range of programs and the level of talent coming out of this school are truly impressive and speak to the strength of career and technical education in our region. It was a pleasure spending time with these students and educators and highlight the important role York Tech plays in preparing the next generation of our workforce right here in York County. A Century of York County SPCA
Happy to join the celebration marking 100 years of compassionate care and service by the York County SPCA. This incredible milestone reflects decades of compassion, care, and commitment to animals all made possible by the support of our York County community. Take the PA Family Health Needs Assessment Survey
You can provide feedback to help improve maternal, child and family health in Pennsylvania by completing the Family Health Needs Assessment Survey by April 30. You can find the survey here. It’s part of the federal Title V Maternal and Child Health Services Block Grant, managed in Pennsylvania by the Department of Health. It requires a comprehensive needs assessment every five years to identify key health priorities. The survey takes about 20 minutes to complete. If you have any questions, please email RA-DHPATITLEV@pa.gov. Booklet Helps You Prepare Your Child for Kindergarten
If your child is entering kindergarten this fall, you can help prepare them for the experience with the Kindergarten Here I Come booklet filled with resources and activities that follow Pennsylvania’s Early Learning Standards. Topics in the booklet include:
You can review and download the booklet here. Upcoming PennDOT Maintenance Projects
Most weeks, PennDOT provides me with its upcoming maintenance schedule. While my team and I aim to keep this information up to date, please note that the page may not always reflect the latest changes. For the most accurate details, I recommend checking back on Friday afternoons or over the weekend, as we usually receive updates from PennDOT on Fridays. You can view the full list here to see if any roadwork might impact you and your family. |
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