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In this Update:
Operation Enduring Freedom Remembrance Ceremony
Monday, I hosted Operation Enduring Freedom Remembrance Day at Soldiers Grove to honor the soldiers who gave their all. I was joined by Brigadier General John R. Pippy of the Pennsylvania National Guard, Newly nominated to serve as Pennsylvania’s Acting Adjutant General, Major David Boyles, PA National Guard Chaplain. We specifically remembered Army Staff Sgt. Brian K. Mowery, Staff Sgt. Kenneth R. VanGiesen, and Sgt, Edward W. Koehler, who died on July 18, 2011in Ghazni Province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked their convoy with an improvised explosive device. They were assigned to 131st Transportation Company, 213th Area Support Group, Pennsylvania National Guard, Williamstown, Pa. We will never forget their sacrifice! To watch the full Ceremony please visit here. Senate Bill 1160 – Vietnam War Veterans Day, in House VAEP Committee
Monday, the House Veterans Affairs & Emergency Preparedness Committee took up and advanced my Senate Bill 1160, which officially codifies March 29th as Vietnam War Veterans Day in Pennsylvania. To all of our Vietnam Veterans – “Welcome Home!” Senator Mastriano’s Holocaust Education Bill, SB 1100, has passed the Senate Education Committee.
On Wednesday of this week, Senator Mastriano’s Holocaust Education Bill passed the Senates Education Committee. This is historic legislation as, for the first time, it codifies into law the teaching of the most horrific act of genocide in modern times, the Holocaust, into our educational teachings. As the years pass, things fade from our memories and the horrors of the past somehow seem less horrific. As Winston Churchill so famously said, “Those that fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it”. We saw that “fading of memory” occur on Pennsylvania college campuses after the horrific attacks in Israel on October 7th, 2023. Through what can only be attributed to ignorance brought on by a “Lack of Education”, students were swayed to fall for the “from the river to the sea” cry, not fully understanding the atrocities the Jewish people have suffered. Through education and understanding, future generations will be taught, will remember the holocaust, so that they will indeed “Learn from history” and will never let it be repeated. To view the debate regarding SB1100 in the Education Committee please visit, 10/9/24 SB 1100 Debate Education on Vimeo SB142 – Abolishing the Funeral Directors Remarriage Penalty, has passed in the House.
This week, My Senate Bill 142 passed both the house & Senate and will be heading to the Governors desk for his signature. Senate Bill 142 removes the antiquated “marriage penalty” for funeral directors which basically prohibited them from remarrying should they wish to keep their business. Thanks to SB142, we can now welcome funeral directors to the 21st century! SR 348 – Move Over Awareness Day
SR348 is a Resolution recognizing October 19, 2024, as “National Move Over Day” in Pennsylvania. Senate VAEP Committee Advance Bills Supporting Emergency Responders
On Tuesday, The Senate Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee, advanced three bills that would support Pennsylvania’s emergency responders. “Each of these measures is important to our emergency responder community and has been worked on extensively over the course of the 2023-24 legislative session,” Mastriano said. House Bill 843 would establish a second urban search and rescue team in western Pennsylvania. Funding for the team was included in this year’s state budget. “In August of 2023, our committee heard first-hand the need for a second urban search and rescue team, Mastriano said. “Currently, there is a team – Task Force 1 – located in Philadelphia with great capabilities; however, western Pennsylvania has had several major incidents in recent years, like the bridge collapse and East Palestine train derailment, where emergency response and expertise is needed in minutes, not hours.” House Bill 1304 would update the language in the 911 Law to keep up with changing technologies. “Last year, we re-authorized the 911 Law and commissioned a study to look at possible savings,” Mastriano said. “While we wait for the study, House Bill 1304 would allow us to update the terminology, increase penalties for misuse of the 911 system, and ensure service outage reporting requirements for communications service providers.” House Bill 2407 includes several reforms for Pennsylvania fire companies and EMS organizations. The bill would update the state Fire and EMS Grant Program by enabling fire and EMS companies to use grants for preventative health measures, mental health awareness and treatment. The legislation also would give firefighters the flexibility to test after each module rather than taking a cumulative test to receive their Firefighter I certification. This language came from Mastriano’s Senate Bill 1101. The bill also would increase the thresholds that fire and EMS companies can borrow from the low-interest Fire and EMS Loan Program. This provision is similar to Mastriano’s proposal in Senate Bill 1193. “House Bill 2407 will provide needed flexibility to firefighters as they go through the Firefighter I certification,” Mastriano said. “Right now, firefighter applicants must complete four training modules totaling 188 hours. They then must pass a cumulative test covering all four modules. This legislation would enable applicants to be tested following each of the four modules.” The three bills now advance to the full Senate for consideration. Video from the committee meeting is available here. Stand with Israel
Italian-American Heritage Month
National Italian-American Heritage Month is celebrated in October. Wednesday, Senator DiSanto presented an Italian Heritage Resolution honoring the sons and daughters of Italy. 2024 General Election – Important Dates
Key Voting Dates to Remember: October 21, 2024: Last day to REGISTER before the November election October 29, 2024: Last day to apply for a mail-in or civilian absentee ballot November 5, 2024: Last day for the county election office to receive completed mail-in and civilian absentee ballots (must be received by 8:00 P.M.) November 5, 2024: GENERAL ELECTION November 12, 2024: Last day for the county election office to receive completed military and overseas absentee ballots (submitted for delivery no later than 11:59 P.M. on November 4) Legislation to Combat AI-Generated Deepfake Images of Minors in PA Set for Enactment
Legislation to combat “deepfake” images of minors and child sexual abuse materials generated by artificial intelligence (AI) received final legislative approval and is set for enactment into law. Senate Bill 1213 addresses the alarming rise in AI-generated deepfake sexual images of children and non-consenting adults. Currently, Pennsylvania law makes it illegal to share intimate images without consent but does not clearly address the use of AI deepfake technology for this purpose. This gap in our law leaves many vulnerable to a new form of digital abuse. The bill also prohibits AI from being utilized to generate child sexual abuse material, previously referred to as “child pornography,” which is not currently prohibited under law. In August, police in Lancaster County launched an investigation into a case of artificially generated nude photos that use the faces of more than 20 female teenage students. The district attorney said that in some cases charges can’t be filed because the images don’t involve actual children. Senate Bill 1213 seeks to close that loophole. Senate Committee Votes to be Prepared for Natural Disasters
As hurricanes Helene and Milton remind us of the importance of being prepared to respond to natural disasters and other emergencies, the Senate Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee advanced three bills to support Pennsylvania’s emergency responders. All three bills now advance to the full Senate for consideration. House Bill 843 would establish a second urban search and rescue team in western Pennsylvania. Funding for the team was included in this year’s state budget. The bridge collapse and East Palestine train derailment demonstrated the need for emergency response in minutes, not hours. House Bill 1304 would update the language in the 911 Law to increase penalties for misuse of the 911 system and ensure communications service providers report service outages as specified by the Federal Communications Commission or Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission. House Bill 2407 would update the state Fire and EMS Grant Program by enabling fire and EMS companies to use grants for preventative health measures, mental health awareness and treatment. The legislation also would allow testing after each of the four training modules that total 188 hours for the Firefighter 1 certification, as opposed to requiring firefighters to pass a cumulative test covering all modules as is currently the case. Finally, the bill would increase the thresholds that fire and EMS companies can borrow from the low-interest Fire and EMS Loan Program. PA’s Credit Rating Upgraded Because of Strong Budget Reserves
Pennsylvania received yet another upgrade to its credit rating because of strong budget reserves and prudent financial management of Senate Republicans. Moody’s Investor Services raised the rating to Aa2. The announcement was the fourth significant upgrade to the state’s financial outlook in the past 13 months. Previous upgrades helped Pennsylvania and its taxpayers save nearly $100 million during the December 2023 bond sale. Senate Republicans have been dedicated to building the state’s Rainy Day Fund, allocating nearly $740 million more in this year’s budget – bringing the total balance to more than $7 billion. Above the national average, the fund directly influenced the rating upgrades. What Do You Think of PennDOT’s Construction and Maintenance Services?
Motorists have until Tuesday, Oct. 22, to provide feedback regarding PennDOT’s construction and maintenance services via an online survey. The survey asks respondents how they receive PennDOT roadway information and how often PennDOT meets or exceeds expectations regarding construction and maintenance services. Respondents are also asked about experiences with reporting concerns to their department, and whether or how they use the state’s 511PA traveler information services. Act 1 of 2023
Act 1 of 2023, a landmark law we passed in Pennsylvania, eliminates all costs associated with screening breast MRI, ultrasound, genetic testing and counseling for individuals at high risk of breast cancer who are insured under state-regulated plans. High-risk factors include a personal or family history of breast cancer, abnormal breast screenings or dense breast tissue. Individuals with gene mutations like BRCA1 or BRCA2, or those with a first-degree relative carrying these mutations, are also covered for additional screenings and genetic counseling. The law will be fully in effect for all state-regulated insurance plans by the end of 2025, though many plans will begin coverage between 2024 and 2025. To find out if your plan qualifies, check with your insurer or employer’s human resources. For uninsured or underinsured women who need immediate screenings, Pennsylvania offers no-cost options through the Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program.
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