Budget Hearing Q&A: Budget Secretary
March 04, 2020
I asked about changes the state’s contract to expand internet service during the #PASenate #PABudget hearing with Budget Secretary Jen Swails.
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Budget Hearing Q&A: Professional Liability Joint Underwriting Association
March 04, 2020
During a #PASenate #PAbudget hearing, I asked about the current market for medical liability insurance and the importance of the PA Joint Underwriting Association as a coverage option.
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Budget Hearing Q&A: DEP (Part 2)
March 04, 2020
The overuse of special funds makes it difficult to provide oversight of taxpayer dollars. I questioned @PennsylvaniaDEP Secretary Patrick McDonnell about this, as well as my bill to improve PA’s permitting process. #PASenate #PAbudget
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Budget Hearing Q&A: Environmental Protection (DEP) (Part 1)
March 04, 2020
At the #PASenate #PAbudget hearing with @PennsylvaniaDEP, I questioned Secretary Patrick McDonnell about the proposed electric transmission line through southern York County & PA citizens paying more due to other states’ energy policies.
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Budget Hearing Q&A: Penn College/Thaddeus Stevens College/Community Colleges
March 03, 2020
I highlighted the importance of higher education entities working to meet the demands of today’s workforce during a #PASenate #PAbudget hearing with @PennCollege, @thaddeusstevens and @NorthamptonComm.
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Budget Hearing Q&A: Conservation & Natural Resources
March 03, 2020
I told @DCNRnews Secretary Cindy Dunn that the effort I’m leading to close the PA digital divide would receive a great boost if DCNR permitted more cell & radio towers on land it controls. #PASenate #PAbudget
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Budget Hearing Q&A: State-Related Universities
March 03, 2020
It’s important to attract in-state students to Pennsylvanian’s state-related universities. During a #PASenate #PABudget hearing, I wanted to know what is being done to make that happen and to also help students manage debt wisely.
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Budget Hearing Q&A: Penn State Ag Research & Ag Extension
March 02, 2020
I asked the Dean of Penn State’s @agsciences & @psuextension about efforts to survey farmers on what they are doing to control pollution and raised concerns about the growing incidence of Lyme Disease in PA. #PASenate #PABudget
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Budget Hearing Q&A: Penn School of Veterinary Medicine
March 02, 2020
During the #PASenate #PABudget hearing with @pennvet, I asked about the shortage of veterinarians in certain fields.
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Budget Hearing Q&A: Agriculture (Part 2)
March 02, 2020
During the #PASenate #PABudget hearing with @PAAgriculture, I discussed efforts to protect and encourage Pennsylvania’s industrial hemp farms and challenges to agri-tourism.
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Budget Hearing Q&A: Agriculture (Part 1)
March 02, 2020
During the #PASenate #PABudget hearing with @PAAgriculture, I asked about the Department’s investigation of the amusement ride accident at last year’s York Fair and farm land preservation.
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Budget Hearing Q&A: Community & Economic Development (Part 2)
February 27, 2020
During the #PASenate #PABudget hearing with @PADCEDnews, I asked about the EITC program.
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Budget Hearing Q&A: Community & Economic Development (Part 1)
February 27, 2020
During the #PASenate #PABudget hearing with @PADCEDnews, I raised concerns about the state’s oversight of tax credit programs
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Budget Hearing Q&A: Education (Part 2)
February 27, 2020
During a #PASenate #PABudget hearing I asked if the @PADeptofED would support giving local school districts the ability to opt out of prevailing wage requirements as a way to save costs and do more with their resources.
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Budget Hearing Q&A: Education (Part 1)
February 27, 2020
At the #PASenate #PAbudget hearing with @PADeptofEd, I noted the administration’s proposal for all-day kindergarten is an unfunded mandate that will make school property taxes worse & asked about the rollout of my flexible instruction law.
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Budget Hearing Q&A: Department of Health
February 26, 2020
During the #PASenate #PABudget hearing on the @PAHealthDept, I wanted assurances that personal information would not be shared when collecting prescription drug data.
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Budget Hearing Q&A: Human Services, Part 2
February 26, 2020
At the #PASenate #PAbudget hearing with @PAHumanServices, I sought assurances from Secretary Teresa Miller that the administration has dropped its plan to raise taxes on local ambulatory service centers, which save tax dollars.
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Budget Hearing Q&A: Human Services, Part 1
February 26, 2020
At the #PASenate #PAbudget hearing with @PAHumanServices Secretary Teresa Miller, I asked how she could ensure that $3 million in proposed state funding for Planned Parenthood would not be used for abortions.
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Budget Hearing Q&A: Treasury Department
February 25, 2020
I asked the head of the @PATreasury about efforts to monitor compliance with the state’s Unclaimed Property Program and the outcome of changes to the program. #PASenate #PABudget
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Budget Hearing Q&A: Treasury Department
February 25, 2020
During today’s #PASenate #PABudget, I wanted to know if General Fund short-term borrowing and cash flow fluctuations were common practice and commended the @PATreasury on efforts to provide transparency in documenting state spending
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Budget Hearing Q&A: PennDOT
February 25, 2020
At the #PASenate #PAbudget hearing with @PennDOTnews, I questioned Acting Secretary Yassmin Gramian about cost overruns & delays with the I-83 Melrose Interchange project & how to prevent contractors from doing the same on other projects.
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Budget Hearing Q&A: LCB
February 25, 2020
During a #PASenate #PABudget hearing with the PA Liquor Control Board, I asked about the percentage of sales made with credit and debit cards and how LCB works to reduce fees.
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Budget Hearing Q&A: LCB
February 25, 2020
During a #PASenate #PABudget hearing with the PA Liquor Control Board, I asked about the percentage of sales that are conducted online and whether LCB is working to upgrade its e-commerce system to meet the demands of consumers. [Read More]
Budget Hearing Q&A: Aging
February 24, 2020
I raised concerns about the declining number of available beds at nursing homes and other care providers and the impact of a minimum wage increase during a #PASenate #PABudget hearing with the Department of Aging. [Read More]
Budget Hearing Q&A: Auditor General
February 24, 2020
During the #PASenate #PABudget hearing with @PAAuditorGen, I asked about cybersecurity initiatives and voter registration integrity. [Read More]
Budget Hearing Q&A: Labor & Industry
February 24, 2020
During a #PASenate #PABudget hearing with @PALaborIndustry, I asked how we are supporting job training programs in skilled trades, as well as the benefits of allowing school boards to exempt construction projects from prevailing wage requirements. [Read More]
Budget Hearing Q&A: Attorney General
February 20, 2020
At Thursday’s #PASenate #PAbudget hearing, I questioned @PAAttorneyGen Josh Shapiro on his controversial legal opinion on buyers of 80-percent receivers, which are not considered firearms under federal law. I also asked about the lack of a consistent data breach strategy across state agencies.
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Budget Hearing Q&A: Department of State
February 20, 2020
During the #PASenate #PABudget hearing with @PAStateDept, I asked about the lack of information regarding the number of physicians in Pennsylvania.
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Budget Hearing Q&A: Department of State
February 20, 2020
During the #PASenate #PABudget hearing with @PAStateDept, I asked about fraud prevention efforts regarding absentee and mailed ballots.
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Budget Hearing Q&A: State System of Higher Education
February 20, 2020
During today’s #PASenate #PABudget @State System hearing, I questioned a request to fund scholarships for Cheyney University after allegations of financial mismanagement and urged continued efforts to reduce regulatory red tape.
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