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In this Update:

• Auditor General DeFoor in 6^th District to Announce Volunteer Relief Aid
• Capitol Fountain Dyed Pink in Honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month
• My Bill to Strengthen Employee Ownership Opportunities Passes Senate
• School Bus Driver Safety Bill Approved by Senate
• Senate Passes Bill to Establish Animal Abuser Registry
• Upcoming Pet Adoption Events in the District

Auditor General DeFoor in 6^th District to Announce Volunteer Relief Aid

I was honored to have Pennsylvania Auditor General Tim DeFoor in the 6th District yesterday to announce more than $71 Million in Aid to Support Volunteer Firefighters. You can watch full press conference here.

Auditor General DeFoor presented The Firemen’s Relief Association of Warrington Township a check for $215,228.98 to support their volunteer firefighters that choose to risk their own lives protecting our communities. I am grateful to Warrington Fire Co. 1 for hosting the event and for all they do serving our community.

I authored legislation, Act 91 of 2020, to expand and enhance several fire and emergency medical services programs. The legislation addressed ongoing challenges within the first responder community, including allowing these relief funds to be used for expenditures directly related to recruitment and retention.

As a fire chief and active volunteer firefighter for 37 years, I know firsthand how important this funding is to ensure our volunteer fire companies are prepared with the proper resources to respond when emergencies happen.

Capitol Fountain Dyed Pink for Breast Cancer Awareness

I was proud to join my colleagues and friends from the Pennsylvania Breast Cancer Coalition at the State Capitol as we kicked off Breast Cancer Awareness Month by turning the East Wing Fountain pink. I proudly wear pink for all those we lost to breast cancer, the survivors and thrivers, especially my wife Kristen who endured a two-year journey with breast cancer and is now cancer free.

The event was a powerful reminder of the importance of early detection and how it saves lives. I have been a long-time strong advocate for access to affordable healthcare, authoring legislation to ensure cost isn’t a barrier for women being screened for breast cancer—an effort reinforced by my own family’s experience.

My Bill to Strengthen Employee Ownership Opportunities Passes Senate

My bill to help Pennsylvania businesses transition to employee ownership and preserve jobs within commonwealth communities was approved by the Senate this week.

Senate Bill 478 would establish the state Office of Employee Ownership within the Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) and create an employee ownership advocate to lead efforts to promote employee ownership, provide education and outreach, and connect businesses with available resources. It would also establish an Employee Ownership Advisory Board to advise DCED and the General Assembly on policies and programs supporting employee-owned businesses.

Pennsylvania has thousands of small and family-owned businesses that are critical to our communities and local economies. As business owners consider retirement or other transitions, employee ownership can provide another path to keep those businesses operating, protecting good-paying jobs and giving employees an opportunity to have a stake in the companies where they work.

This legislation is about keeping businesses rooted in Pennsylvania and providing workers a greater opportunity to share in their success.

Senate Bill 478 has received bipartisan support and now heads to the House of Representatives for consideration.

I am pictured here at New Age Industries, an,100% employee-owned manufacturer in Southampton.

School Bus Driver Safety Bill Approved by Senate

Approximately 1.5 million children are transported on school buses every day in Pennsylvania, and the Senate approved legislation aimed at keeping reckless bus drivers from getting behind the wheel.

Senate Bill 1262 would increase penalties for school bus drivers who transport children while under the influence of alcohol, a controlled substance or a dangerous combination of both. Read more about this school bus safety measure.

The latest Senate action follows passage last year of Senate Bill 65, which would increase the required stopping distance for drivers approaching from the opposite direction when a school bus is stopped with its red lights flashing. Both bills await passage in the House of Representatives.

Senate Passes Bill to Establish Animal Abuser Registry

The Senate approved Senate Bill 1311, known as Aimee’s Law, to help prevent convicted abusers from obtaining more animals by establishing a statewide animal abuser registry. The bill was sent to the House of Representatives for consideration.

People selling, transferring or offering dogs, cats or horses for adoption would be required to check the registry, which would be maintained by Pennsylvania State Police, and refuse placement with anyone listed. These requirements will help shelters, rescues and others placing animals in new homes identify convicted abusers before another animal is put at risk.

The legislation, which I am a proud co-sponsor, is named after a six-month-old husky found abandoned in a crate beneath a bridge in Erie during subzero temperatures. She was severely underweight, covered in filth and suffering from frostbite on all four paws. Despite the rescuers’ efforts to save her, Aimee did not survive. Read more about Aimee’s Law.

Upcoming Pet Adoption Events in the District