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In this update:
Downtown Hanover Lights Up for Christmas
What a truly wonderful way to begin the Christmas season! The festive atmosphere at Christmas in Hanover’s tree lighting set the perfect tone for the weeks ahead – bringing families, neighbors, and local businesses together in the heart of the community. Strolling along Main Street Hanover to support small businesses added even more meaning to the evening as a fun tradition our family has come to love and look forward to each year. From the warm lights to the welcoming storefronts, this annual experience reminds us of what makes the holiday season so special. I am grateful that our family has found such a heartfelt way to embrace the holiday spirit and celebrate the season with our community! You can find more photos from the evening here. Dallastown Students Explore the Capitol
Wildcat pride filled the Capitol as more students from Dallastown Area School District made the trip to Harrisburg. Third graders from Loganville-Springfield and Dallastown Elementary toured Pennsylvania’s historic Capitol, asked thoughtful questions, and saw firsthand how their state government works. Their visit came at the perfect time as the Capitol Christmas tree is now up and fully lit, making the building an even more magical place to explore during the holiday season. You can find more photos from the visit on my Facebook page. If you’re planning a visit, now is a wonderful time to bring family, friends, or a school group to see the decorations, learn about our state’s history, and enjoy this beautiful time of year under the dome. You can schedule a tour here. Unprecedented Spending Prompts Senate Committee Subpoenas
In response to instances of unprecedented spending by the Shapiro Administration, including more than $1 million in improvements to the governor’s private residence, the Senate Intergovernmental Operations Committee issued subpoenas to the Pennsylvania State Police, Abington Township (Montgomery County) and aviation company, Lets Go Air, Inc. There is no question that the governor’s security is vital, but we also have a duty to ensure that taxpayer money is being spent appropriately. Through thoughtful and efficient review, I believe we can ensure our laws and procedures protect both the Governor and the taxpayers. Legislative oversight isn’t optional – it’s a constitutional responsibility. We need to evaluate if our laws as they are written today are enough to protect the governor and Pennsylvania taxpayers at the same time. I believe there’s a place where both can exist. More information about the subpoenas is available here. Shop with a Cop Highlights the Spirit of the Season
Kris Kringle had a famous line in Miracle on 34th Street when he said, “Christmas isn’t just a day, it’s a frame of mind.” The spirit of this fan-favorite holiday movie was on full display this past weekend during Shop with a Cop at Walmart. Thank you to the entire team at Walmart and the Springettsbury Township Police Department for partnering to provide local families with gift cards and the opportunity to shop alongside our local law enforcement. Moments like these showcase the very best of our community. You can find more photos from this event on my Instagram page. York Tech Spartans Bring Leadership and Skill to the Capitol
York Tech Spartans students brought real Spartan spirit to the Capitol as they stopped by during the SkillsUSA Fall Leadership Conference. It was great meeting these driven students and hearing about the leadership training, hands-on skill building, and teamwork they’re developing through SkillsUSA all crucial components of strengthening our future workforce. I am proud of their ambition and excited to see where their skills take them. Senate Votes to Make State Funds Available for Local Bridge Projects
Legislation to make state funding available for local bridge projects was approved by the Senate. Counties receive dollars through the Highway Bridge Improvement Restricted Account within the state Motor License Fund to pay for repair and replacement of county-owned bridges. However, current law does not allow for further practical uses of leftover funds. Senate Bill 1070 would give counties the flexibility they need to improve local, municipal-owned bridges before they become at-risk. Senate Bill 1070 was sent to the House of Representatives for consideration. PA 529 is the Gift of Education
Pennsylvania Treasurer Stacy Garrity recently announced a new, easy way to give the gift of education this holiday season – Gift of College gift cards. Friends and families can buy these digital gift cards, available at pa529.com/gift, for recipients to deposit into their PA 529 College and Career Savings Program account. Anyone, including parents, grandparents, other relatives and family friends, can contribute to a PA 529 account. Savings can be used for qualified education expenses for K-12, higher education, credential programs and apprenticeship programs. The person giving the gift also gets something – a PA state tax deduction for the amount of the PA 529 contribution. In November, PA 529 was ranked one of the best college savings plans in the nation. To learn more about PA 529, visit pa529.com or call 800-440-4000. Dec. 19 Deadline to Apply for Veterans Services Grants
Nonprofits, counties and other groups that provide services to veterans have until Dec. 19 to apply for Veterans’ Trust Fund (VTF) grants to help fulfill their missions. Administered by the state Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, the VTF supports programs that improve services to veterans at the county, regional or state level. For nonprofit and veterans’ organizations, funding priorities include mental and behavioral health, transportation and employment. These applicants may request up to $40,000. County directors and their association may apply for up to $15,000 per county. Their funding priorities must include outreach initiatives, enhancing veteran service officer and advocate capabilities and addressing emerging needs such as transportation, food insecurity, suicide prevention and legal assistance. Podcast: Eminent Domain Abuse
In case you missed it, we released a new episode of Kristin’s Corner featuring my colleague Sen. Cris Dush for an in-depth discussion on eminent domain: why it matters, how it’s been misused, and what we as lawmakers are doing to protect property owners across Pennsylvania. You can listen to our conversation on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube. Our conversation comes at the perfect time: I just introduced new legislation to strengthen protections for families and farmers facing eminent domain proceedings. If you care about private property rights and government accountability, you won’t want to miss this episode. Celebrating the Bill of Rights
This upcoming Monday, Dec. 15, is national Bill of Rights Day when we celebrate the ratification of the first 10 amendments to the U.S. Constitution in 1791. The Bill of Rights guarantees civil rights and liberties to the individual, like freedom of speech, press and religion, and limits the power of government. This document forever enshrined the fundamental rights and liberties we hold sacred as Americans and set in motion the greatest self-governance experiment in the history of the world. 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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