Senator Phillips-Hill E-Newsletter

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In this update:

  • Updating DUI law to assist prosecutors
  • Senate committee votes to safeguard digital assets of students
  • State would automatically return unclaimed property under bill approved by Senate
  • Basic Education Funding Commission hears from Department of Education
  • Prohibiting consumers from financing dog, cat purchases
  • Protecting Pennsylvanians from unauthorized tracking devices
  • Hanover “Sip & Stroll” huge success for downtown
  • Report on state highway funding released
  • New Eagle Scouts
  • Measure connecting individuals in recovery to occupations approved by committee
  • Digging up our nation’s history
  • Celebrating Dairy Month with York County Farm Bureau
  • Bill ensuring educational opportunities for military children receives committee support
  • Free junior game warden camps offered across PA
  • PennDOT weekly schedule
  • Con“GRAD”ulations to the class of 2023!

Updating DUI law to assist prosecutors

The Senate approved a measure I authored along with Senate Transportation Committee Chairman Sen. Wayne Langerholc, Jr. (R-Cambria/Centre/Clearfield) to update and make several technical changes to Pennsylvania’s DUI law.

The bill comes at the request of our District Attorney, Dave Sunday, and prosecutors across the state as our state’s law needed to be updated to reflect new decisions made by both the U.S. and Pennsylvania Supreme Courts.

You can learn more here.

Senate committee votes to safeguard digital assets of students

The Senate Education Committee approved my bill that modernizes Pennsylvania law to accommodate student information being stored online, as well as students learning and attending school online. As it currently stands, student-related data is being generated, collected, and stored within our school systems, with no current protocols.

In many cases, these children do not even know their information has been compromised until they go to take out a loan or apply for a credit card. Our students deserve better protections, and this bill will provide that to students and their parents.

You can learn more here.

State would automatically return unclaimed property under bill approved by Senate

The Senate unanimously approved legislation authorizing the state to return unclaimed property without the need for rightful owners to search for it. It now advances to the House of Representatives for consideration.

Senate Bill 24 would authorize the Pennsylvania Treasury Department to automatically return single-owner property for living individuals valued up to $5,000 after a thorough identification and verification process. The legislation streamlines the return of unclaimed money and property by eliminating the need for citizens to search and file a claim. For larger and more complex claims, owners would still be required to complete a claim form and provide additional information to confirm their identity and rightful ownership.

This commonsense initiative, which exemplifies how government should work to better serve its citizens, would return more money to hardworking Pennsylvanians who may be unaware of their unclaimed property. During my tenure as state senator, my team and I have helped connect more than $300,000 in unclaimed property to its rightful owner.

Search Treasury’s unclaimed property database here.

Basic Education Funding Commission hears from Department of Education

 The bipartisan, bicameral Basic Education Funding Commission held its second meeting on Wednesday to hear from the Pennsylvania Department of Education on the history of the state’s funding formula. It provided valuable insight to the members of the commission.

This commission’s task is to review the distribution of public education funding to all 500 public school districts across the Commonwealth. I am proud to co-chair this commission with Rep. Mike Sturla, a Democrat from Lancaster County.

You can learn more about the commission here. You can find videos from our meetings here.

Prohibiting consumers from financing dog, cat purchases

The Animal Protection Caucus, of which I am a member, held an event this week to draw attention to several reform measures that would protect dogs, cats, horses and other animals in our Commonwealth. I am sponsoring a bill alongside the caucus’ co-chair, Sen. Tracy Pennycuick (R-Berks/Montgomery) to prohibit the financing of the purchase of a cat or dog. In one instance, we found a woman who unknowingly signed up to finance the purchase of a puppy with an interest rate of more than 150%!

You can read more about our effort here. The measure is supported by Humane PA.

The event coincided with Service Animal Appreciation Day, which featured several organizations from across the state, including the York County Sheriff’s Office! You can check out more photos here.

Protecting Pennsylvanians from unauthorized tracking devices

The Senate Judiciary Committee passed legislation to protect Pennsylvanians from the unauthorized use of electronic tracking devices. The bill now moves to the full Senate for consideration. I look forward to casting an affirmative vote for this measure should it be brought to the full Senate for a vote!

While tracking devices have been used for decades, the release of the Apple AirTag has resulted in a low-cost proliferation of such technology. Rather than using them to locate commonly misplaced items, some people place them in people’s purses or on their vehicles when unaware. Current law is vague on criminal culpability.

Senate Bill 159 would make it a misdemeanor of the second degree to use such devices to track another person without consent. Exceptions include law enforcement agencies conducting investigations and parents keeping tabs on their children.

Hanover “Sip & Stroll” huge success for downtown

Congratulations Main Street Hanover on a successful Sip & Stroll this past weekend! Main Street Hanover is a nonprofit organization that works to expand the economic capacity of the Hanover community and relies on its community of volunteers to help with programming.

If you are interested in learning more about Main Street Hanover’s events or volunteering, please check out their website!

New Eagle Scouts

Congratulations to the newest Eagle Scouts from York County — Odin Woods and Jack Crowl of Troop 811! I attended their Court of Honor this past weekend along with family, friends, and fellow scouts.

Odin, the son of Charles and Woods, constructed stairs and a walkway at the Maryland and Pennsylvania Railroad Heritage Village in Airville. Jack, the son of Gayle Stinson and the late James “Jim” Crowl, built a labyrinth for the Chanceford Presbyterian Church in Airville.  He also constructed a bench for the labyrinth in honor of his father.

Each of these Eagle Scout service projects will benefit the community for years to come. Well done, gentlemen!

Report on state highway funding released

The Legislative Budget and Finance Committee, which I chair, released two reports this week.

One report, at the request of Sen. Lisa Baker (R-Luzerne/Pike/Susquehanna/Wayne/Wyoming), analyzed Pennsylvania state highway maintenance funding for PennDOT. The committee also released its annual report studying the impact of tavern gaming on the state Lottery. You can read that report here.

You can watch our committee meeting here.

Measure connecting individuals in recovery to occupations approved by committee

To combat Pennsylvania’s heroin and opioid epidemic, the Senate Labor and Industry Committee passed a bill to connect individuals in recovery with jobs. It now moves to the full Senate for consideration.

Senate Bill 69 would establish the Recovery to Work Pilot Program, pairing those in recovery with occupations through local workforce development boards. As local workforce development boards would lead the implementation, the strategies will be locally focused to meet the needs of local employers and the local treatment and recovery community.

Additionally, the legislation would provide incentives for businesses and training providers to participate in the program.

Digging up our nation’s history

My team recently visited Camp Security, which was a Revolutionary War-era prison camp from 1781-1783. The camp housed prisoners of the Revolutionary War, including troops under British General John Burgoyne’s command who were captured in New York.

The prison was guarded by the York County militia. The site is the last remaining undeveloped POW camp from the Revolutionary War.

Learn more about this important historical location in our own backyard here.

Celebrating Dairy Month with York County Farm Bureau

This past Sunday was the annual Ice Cream & Strawberry Social for York County Farm Bureau members. I really appreciated the opportunity to spend time with our local farmers and share a legislative update. Special thanks to Perrydell Farm and Dairy and Shaw Orchards for your contributions!

Bill ensuring educational opportunities for military children receives committee support

Legislation to reduce the educational challenges faced by children of PA National Guard and Reserve members was approved by the Senate Education Committee and is before the full Senate for consideration.

Military families face frequent reassignments, posing educational challenges for children transitioning between schools in different states.

Senate Bill 209 would give children of National Guard and Reserve members the same help provided to those of active-duty military families through the Military Interstate Children’s Compact. The compact provides a consistent set of policies that make getting started in a new school, joining extracurricular activities and meeting graduation requirements as easy as possible for military children. 

This follows similar efforts I spearheaded to support military spouses. I am grateful to see the state take the next step to help all members of our military families!

Free junior game warden camps offered across PA

The Pennsylvania Game Commission (PGC) offers free Junior Game Warden Camps in each of PGC’s six regions in June and July for youth ages 12-15.

Campers will learn about wildlife crime forensics and how wardens catch poachers and solve wildlife-related crimes. Additional instruction will include woodland tracking skills, outdoor survival skills and wildlife capture techniques for nuisance complaints and research purposes.

Registration, available here, is limited to those who have not attended a camp previously.

Upcoming PennDOT maintenance projects   

You can view PennDOT’s list of scheduled maintenance projects for next week below. If you have trouble viewing the schedule, please click here

Con“GRAD”ulations to the class of 2023!

 York County seniors celebrated their achievements and milestone of graduation. To the students and their parents, teachers, advisors, and everyone who helped along the way – congratulations! The entire York County community celebrates your accomplishments as we look forward to a brighter future led by these graduates!

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