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| The Barb Wire |
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The latest news from the State Capitol |
Please do not reply directly to this email, as it returns to an unmanned account.
You are welcome to contact me through this link.
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Election Integrity Wins in PA Supreme Court Decision
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court on Monday ordered counties not to count mail-in ballots that lack a correct handwritten date on the return envelope as part of the automatic recount in the close U.S. Senate race between Sen. Bob Casey and challenger Dave McCormick.
The court’s ruling not only upholds the rule of law but is also in line with the clear and plain reading of the Election Code and several past court decisions upholding the validity of requirements for filing absentee and mail-in ballots.
Following the law is essential to ensuring free, fair and accurate elections. I applaud the court’s decision and am committed to advancing policies, such as voter ID, that will further ensure the integrity of our elections.
Casey conceded the race to McCormick Thursday evening, and the automatic recount has been halted.
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Army War College Tour
It was my pleasure to welcome staff and students from the U.S. Army War College to our Capitol last Friday. It was great to talk about my legislative duties and the important local services my office can provide to constituents.
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Pennsylvania Broadband Development Authority to Distribute More Than 9,100 Laptops to Community Institutions Across the Commonwealth
Pennsylvania Broadband Development Authority (PBDA) Executive Director Brandon Carson announced the approval of 117 applications through the Digital Connectivity Technology Program for the distribution of more than 9,100 laptops to community institutions across 42 Pennsylvania counties for use by residents who do not have access to digital technology. The list of recipients includes the J. Herman Bosler Memorial Library in Cumberland County, which will receive 30 laptops.
Through the Digital Connectivity Technology Program, laptops will be distributed to public-facing institutions such as libraries, municipalities, workforce training organizations, not-for-profit organizations and other community anchor institutions in areas where affordability is a barrier. A second round of laptop applications through the program will open in 2025.
The full list of recipients can be found by clicking here.
The PBDA will also partner with the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry and PA CareerLink to introduce program participants to SkillUp PA, which offers no-cost online job skills training to the public.
SkillUp PA is an online training platform that offers a variety of courses, including computer, digital skills, Microsoft Office, QuickBooks, IT and other business courses. Participants can also pursue industry-recognized credentials in areas such as CompTIA, cybersecurity, project management, human resources and Microsoft Office Specialist.
Last June, the PBDA opened the first application period for the Digital Connectivity Technology Program using federal funds secured through the American Rescue Plan Capital Projects Fund.
In addition to funding for the Digital Connectivity Technology Program, Pennsylvania received:
• $1.16 billion to expand broadband in unserved and underserved areas and ensure every Pennsylvanian has access to affordable, high-speed internet.
• $204 million through the Broadband Infrastructure Program to connect unserved and underserved areas.
• $45 million through the Multi-Purpose Community Facilities Program for community projects to construct, acquire or improve facilities that are open to the public and will directly enable work, education, and health monitoring.
Visit the Pennsylvania Broadband Development Authority’s website, to learn more about its work to close the digital divide in the Commonwealth.
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Honoring Gold Star Families
An initiative to create a new memorial on the Pennsylvania Capitol grounds has been signed into law.
Act 145 of 2024 will create a memorial for Gold Star families, who are the ones left behind when a service member dies. It will provide grieving families with a place to gather, reflect, pray and share in fellowship with one another.
The monument, formed with four granite slabs, will be placed east of the Irvis Office Building and north of Walnut Street. It will be erected by the Woody Williams Foundation and MI Charitable Foundation at no cost to taxpayers.
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PennDOT Seeking Workers for Winter Maintenance Program
With winter just around the corner, PennDOT is looking for people to staff its winter maintenance program.
Positions available may include CDL equipment operators, mechanics, dispatchers, tradesman helpers and semi-skilled laborers. The positions pay between $17 per hour to $27.75 per hour. The winter maintenance program runs through April.
For additional information or to apply, click here.
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PA Mixed-Use Housing Development Pilot Program Accepting Grant Applications
The Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) is now accepting grant applications for its new $10 million PA Mixed-Use Housing Development pilot program to expand affordable housing options in the Commonwealth.
The pilot program will provide grant funding to eligible applicants for site development for a multi-use building, as well as conversion or rehabilitation of existing structures for mixed-use development. A portion of the project must be devoted to development of both rental and owner-occupied residential units.
Eligible applicants include municipalities, economic development organizations, redevelopment authorities, municipal authorities, industrial development agencies and for-profit organizations. The deadline to apply is Dec. 6. Click here for more information.
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Supporting Small Businesses
Consider showing some love to the small businesses in our community throughout the holiday season but especially on Small Business Saturday, which is coming up on Saturday, Nov. 30. Launched by American Express in 2010, this day is celebrated each year on the Saturday after Thanksgiving to encourage people to support the small businesses that help drive the economies of our communities.
Learn more about Small Business Saturday here.
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Hunters Can Share Their Harvest
The state Department of Agriculture and Pennsylvania Game Commission are again encouraging hunters to consider sharing their deer harvest to provide thousands of pounds of venison to people in need.
Hunters Sharing the Harvest (HSH) is Pennsylvania’s venison donation program for hunters who share their extra venison via a statewide network of participating meat processors to food pantries and community assistance centers across the Commonwealth. One deer provides about 200 servings of high-protein, low-fat venison.
HSH has distributed 2.5 million pounds of donated venison since 1991. More information about the program and how to participate is available at sharedeer.org.
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Happy Thanksgiving!
For centuries, Americans have come together in the spirit of thanksgiving. From the earliest traditions that began in Plymouth, Mass., in 1621 to the first official national observance in 1863, families have gathered in November to celebrate bountiful harvests and all that has been given to them.
In honor of the Thanksgiving holiday, state offices will be closed on Thursday, Nov. 28, and Friday, Nov. 29, including my offices. PennDOT Driver License Centers will be closed on those dates as well, though many services are available online at dmv.pa.gov.
If you are traveling, be sure to check 511pa.com for the latest traffic and weather information.
From my family to yours, may you all have a safe, healthy and happy Thanksgiving.
Our office will be closed beginning at noon on Wed., Nov. 27, through Mon., Dec. 2 for the Thanksgiving holiday. The next Barb Wire will be published the week of Dec. 2.
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Project Share Holiday Food Drive
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| Office Locations |
| District Office: 437 E North Street | Carlisle, PA 17013 | Phone: 717-249-1990 |
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| 427 Irvis Office Building | House Box 202199 Harrisburg, PA 17120-2199 | 717-772-2280 |
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