Senator Farry E-Newsletter

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In this Update:

  • Our Shredding Event is Tomorrow
  • Choice Should be Paramount in Services Provided to Individuals with Disabilities
  • Combatting Illegal Street Racing
  • Beware of E-ZPass Scam

Our Shredding Event is Tomorrow

Rep. Joe Hogan and I will be hosting a shredding event tomorrow, Saturday April 13 from 9-11:30am in my office parking lot, located at 370 East Maple Avenue in Langhorne. 

Residents of the 6th Senate District are encouraged to bring documents that contain sensitive information to be thoroughly shredded.  Due to high demand, individuals are limited to two file boxes of paper to be shredded. This is an event for residents only, no businesses, please. 

Please consider bringing a non-perishable food item to be donated to those locally in need.

Prior to the event, please place all shredding materials and donation items in the trunk of your vehicle.  Once you arrive, stay in your vehicle and staff will assist with removing the materials. 

Our staff will be on hand during the event to address any state-related issues or questions.

Choice Should be Paramount in Services Provided to Individuals with Disabilities

Last week, I held a press conference to announce the findings from the Joint State Government Commission report mandated from House Resolution 212 – which I authored while serving in the House of Representatives.  The report reviewed the services provided by the Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) to individuals with disabilities; including work opportunities and living arrangements.

The press conference was held at Associated Production Services (APS), a packaging company in Feasterville that is employed predominately by individuals with disabilities.  Currently, ODP in their rate setting penalizes operations like APS because there is not a community element. However, we heard from many of the working individuals along with their families that they are happy working at APS with their peers.  It is a clean, safe, and structured environment and they consider it their community. 

Watch what the workers of APS and their families had to say:  
The Denucci Family
Gail Thibodeau and son Matt, APS consumer

In 2017, we held a rally at the Capitol with workers from APS and similar workplaces, their families, and service providers advocating for “My Work. My Choice.”  I cannot believe we are still talking about this today.  One astounding issue is that to participate in a work program like APS, you need to be found ineligible for other programs and it is considered a workplace of last resort.  That doesn’t sound like choice.

The report reaffirms that choice should be paramount in the services provided by ODP.  The number one recommendation in the report is “promote freedom of choice.”  I am going to use this report as the blueprint to continue to advocate for programs like APS to stay open and ensure individuals with disabilities are treated fairly by the government including having the freedom to choose where they live and work. To view full press conference and Learn More

Combatting Illegal Street Racing

My legislation that would increase penalties on illegal street racing was approved this week by the Senate Transportation Committee.

Early in June, an illegal street racing event on I-95 in Philadelphia led to an incident where a driver struck two state troopers with his vehicle and the driver was ultimately shot and killed. Similar incidents have happened in Bucks and Allegheny Counties. These kinds of tragic incidents need to stop before more people or law enforcement officers are hurt or killed.

Senate Bill 998 – nicknamed the “Putting the Brakes on Street Racing” legislation – proposes a significant increase in fines from $250 to $2,000 per infraction. The bill also aims to enforce accountability on event organizers, recognizing that many participants record their stunts to post on social media and use social media to organize the event.

Crime has risen at an alarming rate here in Bucks County, especially in the neighboring communities to Philadelphia in my district.  This bill is part of my effort to combat the evolving crime and improve the safety of our communities. It now heads to the full Senate for consideration.

Beware of E-ZPass Scam

A new phishing scam is targeting E-ZPass account holders requesting information to settle outstanding toll amounts. The texts claim to be from “Pa Turnpike Toll Services” and center around urgent requests with your account that would result in a late fee if the balance does not get settled. Similar scams have been reported by toll agencies across the country in the past several days.

Customers who receive an unsolicited text, email or similar message suggesting it is from E-ZPass or another toll agency should not click the link. E-ZPass account holders can use approved safe methods to check their accounts such as the PA Turnpike E-ZPass website or the PA Toll Pay app available from the Apple App Store or Google Play store.

Those who receive a fraudulent text can file a complaint with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov. The site is dedicated to sharing information on internet crimes across law enforcement agencies.

 

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