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In this update:
Mobile Mammography in East York
Thursday, Oct. 1 October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. In addition to our monthly office hours in Springettsbury Township, I will be partnering with WellSpan Health to offer mammograms! They will also be providing free blood pressure screenings. Appointments are required and there are only three spots remaining! Visit WellSpan Health’s website or call 717-466-2666 to schedule yours! In the District
I had the pleasure of meeting with the very impressive Spring Grove rocketry team and presenting them certificates in recognition of their excellence! At the American Rocketry Challenge National Finals, Spring Grove High School had two teams place 21st and 31st out of 1,107 schools across the country. Their middle school team also placed 53rd! On top of that, Spring Grove also had teams place second, third, fourth, sixth, and eighth across different competitions at Battle of the Rockets! In addition, sophomore student, Gautham, just earned a spot on the U.S. National Space-Modeling Team and will be competing in Poland next year! Congratulations and best of luck to all these students! You have quite a future ahead of you.
Stocking 1,200 largemouth bass with Rep. Kate Klunk and the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission in West Manheim Township was a great experience! In a couple years, these fish will feed and bring enjoyment to sportsmen across southern York County! Did you know Saturday, Sept. 26, is National Hunting and Fishing Day? This day is a symbolic recognition of the significant contributions our sportsmen make to our commonwealth and the unmatched role they play in conservation!
This past weekend, I attended the 6th Annual Bridge Building Festival, hosted by Building Bridges for Brianna, and it was as inspiring as always. If you or someone you know is in crisis or having thoughts of suicide, please reach out to the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988. Brianna’s story is why I am sponsoring legislation that unanimously passed the Senate in October of last year that would create a specialty license plate for mental health awareness with proceeds allocated to the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. The bill is awaiting consideration in the House Transportation Committee.
I had the privilege of visiting Empire Beauty School’s York campus, where I got to meet some amazing people and learn about the great work they are doing in and out of the classroom.
Not only did I get to learn about the incredible work being done by Bayada Home Health Care but I also had the privilege of meeting a true bundle of hope and joy. Mazikeen is a resilient one-year-old living with Trisomy 18 and acute respiratory failure. While her daily routine includes specialized respiratory support and G-tube feedings, her bright spirit shines through it all. She is incredibly fortunate to be surrounded by such deeply dedicated parents and an exceptional healthcare team. Senate Bill Protecting Children from Harmful AI Chats Needs House Action
It’s critical that our commonwealth establish commonsense safeguards for children increasingly interacting with AI chatbots. The Senate overwhelmingly passed bipartisan legislation to do just that back in March, but the House of Representatives has yet to consider it. Senate Bill 1090 would require robust, age-appropriate safeguards to prevent content generation that encourages self-harm, suicide or violence against others, and directs users to appropriate crisis resources whenever high-risk language is detected. In recent years, vulnerable individuals, including minors, have used AI chatbots to cope with trauma, depression and anxiety, only to have chatbot responses allegedly contribute to deaths by suicide. I urge the House to pass this bill so it can be enacted before the year is out. Read more about this important measure. I also introduced legislation, Senate Bill 22, with Sen. Vincent Hughes (D-Philadelphia) to protect minors and their mental health from social media. This bill would require parental consent for minors to open social media accounts, prohibit data mining on minors, as well as install other safeguards. Shapiro’s Troubling Health Regulations: Thousands of Pennsylvanians Weigh In
Thousands of Pennsylvanians – ordinary citizens, school officials and many others – have voiced their opposition to Gov. Josh Shapiro’s proposed health regulations which would vastly expand state government’s power over their lives. Thank you to each and every person who took the time to let your voice be heard! I’ve added my voice to the effort in this letter to the Independent Regulatory Review Commission, which spells out the reasons these regulations must be stopped. Comments were submitted asking the commission to reject the proposal, which would give the state more power to enter homes and businesses without a warrant, speak to students without parents present, access private health records, and more. Gov. Shapiro and the state Department of Health should listen to the people and withdraw this 502-page executive branch overreach. Pennsylvanians endured the previous governor’s mandates during COVID lockdowns, and we cannot afford to go back. Learn more about what’s at stake at this State Health Regulations information webpage. Garrity Announces $1,000 Bonus for Families’ Education Savings
Pennsylvania Treasurer Stacy Garrity is giving families with qualified PA 529 College and Career Saving Program Guaranteed Savings Plan (GSP) accounts a $1,000 bonus contribution, enhancing education savings for about 107,000 Pennsylvania families. The bonus is being paid for through surplus dollars in the GSP Fund. PA 529 GSP savers with at least a $1,000 account balance, or those with at least a $100 balance with contributions made since 2022, as of July 31, 2026, are eligible for this bonus deposit. Account owners will see this deposit reflected in their third quarter statement. The PA 529 GSP allows families to save at today’s tuition rates to cover tomorrow’s tuition costs with account growth dependent on tuition inflation. For more information, visit the PA 529 website. March for Life Brings Record Crowd to Capitol
The recent March for Life outside the state Capitol was the largest ever, with more than 6,000 people traveling from across the state to pledge their support for protecting the unborn and supporting mothers. It was especially heartening that so many of the enthusiastic participants in the march were young citizens who clearly understood the stakes. This year, I also had the opportunity to speak with Pastor Jim Herbert of Glenview Alliance Church in southern York County! I will always be a voice for the voiceless! Suicide Prevention Month Raises Awareness and Spreads Hope
Suicide Prevention Month is a time to raise awareness, spread hope and encourage discussion of a difficult topic. Warning signs of suicide include:
The National Alliance on Mental Illness has more information about risk factors. The 988 Lifeline provides free and confidential support over call, text or chat for people in distress 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Empathetic, trained professionals provide prevention and crisis resources for you or someone you know. As I noted earlier, I am hopeful the House of Representatives will take up my legislation to provide more resources to strengthen and support 988 Lifeline. Certified Veteran-Owned Businesses Gain New Opportunities
Pennsylvania veteran-owned small businesses that get certified can be listed on a state database, opening doors to state contracting opportunities. To qualify for certification, businesses must be at least 51% veteran-owned, meet “small business” revenue and size standards, and hold a valid third-party certification. The state does not certify a business as veteran owned; it only verifies it. Find out how to obtain certification and third-party verification at the Department of General Services. October Mobile Office Hours
Thursday, Oct. 15 We look forward to bringing these resources directly to the community and helping residents access the support they deserve. Learn more about special events that will prioritize certain state-related services throughout the year at our mobile offices. 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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