Senator Phillips-Hill E-Newsletter

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In this update:

  • See You at Christmastime in Loganville!
  • AI and Children: Legislation to Keep Kids Safe
  • New Law Will Preserve Prescription Access for Seniors
  • Honoring 250 Years of the United States Marine Corps
  • Advancing a Statewide Sweet & Salty Trail to Boost PA’s Economy
  • Demanding Answers on PennDOT-Issued CDLs
  • Attorney General’s New Elder Exploitation Section Expands Protections for Older Pennsylvanians
  • Shrewsbury Elementary Tours Capitol
  • Connecting with Leaders at Hanover Area Chamber’s Legislative Luncheon
  • Bill to Ensure Disabled Veterans Receive Free Hunting Licenses Passes Senate
  • Celebrating Wagman’s New Headquarters in York County
  • National Diabetes Awareness Month
  • Upcoming PennDOT Maintenance Projects

Christmastime in Loganville Returns This Saturday

Christmastime in Loganville returns Saturday, Nov. 22 from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. I hope you’ll make a stop at our annual district office open house while enjoying the festivities.

As part of the 40th anniversary celebration, our office will be open to welcome neighbors, share holiday treats, and connect with everyone participating in this beloved community tradition.

For kids – young and old – a train display will be sure to delight everyone who is looking to get into the holiday spirit. We will also raffle off this year’s Capitol Christmas tree ornament.

There are 23 locations marked by Christmas flags featuring crafts, homemade food, gifts, demonstrations, and more! You can find more information here. I hope to see you there! 

AI and Children: Legislation to Keep Kids Safe  

The Senate approved legislation to better protect young people against the increased threats posed by child sexual abuse materials (CSAM) generated using artificial intelligence (AI).

Senate Bill 1050 would require all individuals classified as mandated reporters to notify authorities of all instances of CSAM they become aware of, including those produced by a minor. A mandated reporter includes teachers, childcare workers, health care providers and others responsible for caring for children. The bill was sent to the House of Representatives for consideration.

The Senate previously passed key legislation to combat the issue of sexually explicit materials created through AI by passing Act 125 of 2024 and Act 35 of 2025, which addressed deepfakes and sexual deepfakes.

In addition, Senate Bill 1090, the Safeguarding Adolescents from Exploitative Chatbots and Harmful AI Technology (SAFECHAT) Act, was approved by the Senate Communications and Technology Committee. Read about that measure here.

New Law Will Preserve Prescription Access for Seniors

Legislation to prevent thousands of Pennsylvania seniors from losing access to life-sustaining prescription medications is set to become law following final passage by the Senate.

House Bill 923 would extend the practice of excluding Social Security cost-of-living adjustments when calculating income eligibility for the PACE and PACENET programs. The exclusion, currently set to expire at the end of 2025, will be extended through Dec. 31, 2027 when the bill is signed by the governor.

Without the extension, 10,039 PACENET enrollees would lose their coverage. Additionally, 12,594 PACE enrollees would move to PACENET, losing their lower copayment and their PACE-paid Part D premium.

Honoring 250 Years of the United States Marine Corps 

This week, I joined the celebration in the Capitol rotunda to mark the 250th birthday of the United States Marine Corps – an extraordinary milestone celebrating courage, sacrifice, and service.

Sen. Devlin Robinson, my colleague and a proud Marine Veteran, led a ceremony honoring the Corps’ history and legacy. Members of the First Capitol Detachment #521, Marine Corps League from York also participated, adding a special local connection to the event.

I was grateful to join Treasurer Stacy Garrity, Sen. Greg Rothman, Rep. Eric Nelson, and many others as we paid tribute to generations of Marines who have answered the call to defend our nation. You can find more photos from the event on my Facebook.

Advancing a Statewide Sweet & Salty Trail to Boost PA’s Economy

Pennsylvania is one step closer to launching a new statewide experience celebrating the Commonwealth’s iconic snack and confection makers. This week, the Senate Community and Economic Development Committee advanced my bipartisan resolution with Sen. Lisa Boscola to create the Sweet & Salty Trail.

The trail would showcase many of the beloved Pennsylvania companies that produce snacks enjoyed across the country. These businesses are not only part of our state’s identity, but they also play a key role in supporting local jobs, attracting tourism, and strengthening our economy.

As co-chairs of the Pennsylvania Competitiveness Caucus, Sen. Boscola and I are committed to promoting initiatives that highlight the commonwealth’s strengths and expand economic opportunity. The Sweet & Salty Trail would give residents and visitors alike a new way to explore Pennsylvania while supporting the manufacturers that help drive our communities forward.

Read more about the resolution here.

Demanding Answers on PennDOT-Issued CDLs

Even before national headlines emerged this week about an illegal immigrant truck driver arrested in Kansas with a PennDOT-issued commercial driver’s license (CDL), I joined Senators Jarrett Coleman, Doug Mastriano, and Dawn Keefer in demanding answers from state officials.

Last month, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) discovered 12 illegal immigrants in Oklahoma, all holding PennDOT-issued CDLs, during a federal raid. These incidents raise serious and urgent questions about how such licenses were issued and what safeguards failed.

Pennsylvanians deserve full transparency about how this happened and what steps are being taken immediately to correct it. Public safety is non-negotiable, and the integrity of our licensing system must be restored.

Read more here.

Attorney General’s New Elder Exploitation Section Expands Protections for Older Pennsylvanians

An expansion of protections and services for seniors, focused on deterring financial theft and holding offenders criminally responsible, was announced with the launch of the Office of Attorney General’s Elder Exploitation Section by Attorney General Dave Sunday.

The section will primarily focus on cases involving financial exploitation, deception and theft from older residents — typically perpetrated by relatives, caregivers or appointed conservators and powers of attorney.

These are complex cases, involving meticulous review of financial records and other documents. Municipal police departments may not have the resources required to take on these investigations. The Elder Exploitation Section will have the resources, and expects referrals to come from police departments, county, state, and federal agencies and other sources.

Shrewsbury Elementary Tours Capitol

It was a pleasure to welcome students and staff from Shrewsbury Elementary School to the Capitol last week. Rep. Kate Klunk and I had a great time meeting with these bright Southern York County School District students and talking about our work in Harrisburg. Thank you for visiting your state Capitol, come back anytime!

Connecting with Leaders at Hanover Area Chamber’s Legislative Luncheon

Last week, I joined Rep. Kate Klunk, local leaders, and community partners at the Hanover Area Chamber of Commerce’s Fourth Quarter Legislative Luncheon.

The event offered a valuable opportunity to hear updates from all levels of government, including a helpful federal overview from Larissa Bailey of Congressman Lloyd Smucker’s office.

Engaging directly with community leaders and stakeholders is essential to ensuring your priorities are heard in Harrisburg. I’m grateful for opportunities like this to stay connected, share updates, and continue working together to strengthen our region.

Bill to Ensure Disabled Veterans Receive Free Hunting Licenses Passes Senate

The Senate passed legislation that would close an unintended gap in Pennsylvania’s existing free hunting license program for disabled Veterans.

Under current law, only Veterans who suffered injuries during combat and were deemed 100% disabled by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs are eligible for free hunting licenses. Partially disabled Veterans may purchase discounted licenses. Those who suffered service-connected injuries outside of combat — in training, non-combat operations, peacetime duties or other hazardous activities — are not currently eligible for a discount.

Senate Bill 1020 would expand eligibility so that all 100% disabled Veterans qualify for a free hunting license, regardless of how or where their service-connected injuries occurred. It would also maintain discounted licenses for partially disabled Veterans. The bill was sent to the House of Representatives for consideration.

Celebrating Wagman’s New Headquarters in York County 

I joined community and business leaders to celebrate Wagman’s ribbon cutting and grand opening at its new headquarters. This major investment reflects more than 120 years of dedication to York County and positions the company for continued growth in construction, heavy civil work, and geotechnical services.

Congratulations to Mike Glezer, Lisa Wagman Glezer, and the entire Wagman team on this exciting milestone and their ongoing commitment to our region.

National Diabetes Awareness Month

November is National Diabetes Awareness Month. The disease affects more than 38 million Americans, including adults and youth, with nearly two million diagnosed with Type 1. It is a condition that causes the pancreas to make very little insulin or none at all. Diabetes can damage a person’s eyes, kidneys, nerves and heart when not properly managed.

The good news is that taking charge of your health may help you prevent diabetes health problems. Find out more here.

Upcoming PennDOT Maintenance Projects  

Most weeks, PennDOT provides me with its upcoming maintenance schedule. However, there will be no work schedule until the end of November as PennDOT crews will be conducting dry runs and participating in snow academy.

Once that is completed, we will resume sharing the weekly maintenance updates. For future updates, please continue to check back here on Friday afternoons or over the weekend once regular scheduling resumes.

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