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Capitol Report
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#Listrak\DateStampLong#
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The latest news from the State Capitol
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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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Honoring the Fallen on Memorial Day
On Monday, we will pause to honor Memorial Day, a solemn occasion to remember and pay tribute to the brave men and women who gave their lives in service to our nation. Their courage, sacrifice, and steadfast devotion to protecting our freedoms will never be forgotten.
From the battlefields of history to the present day, these fallen heroes embody the highest ideals of duty, honor, and country. As we enjoy the freedoms they fought to defend, let us reflect on the true cost of liberty and the lives laid down to preserve it.
Please join me in remembering and honoring all who made the ultimate sacrifice, and consider participating in the following Memorial Day events around our community:
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Sunday, May 25, at 1 p.m. - Mount Holly Springs Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7343 Memorial Day Ceremony
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2 Watts St., Mt. Holly Springs, PA 17065 |
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Sunday, May 25, at 1 p.m. - Boiling Springs Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 8851 Memorial Day Parade and Picnic
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Boiling Springs High School: 21 Academy St., Boiling Springs, PA 17007 |
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Monday, May 26, at 10 a.m. - Mt. Zion Cemetery Memorial Day Ceremony
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1369 Boiling Springs Road, Boiling Springs, PA 17007 |
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Monday, May 26, at 10 a.m. - Mechanicsburg Area Veterans Council Memorial Day Parade
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Parade Route: Filbert and Simpson → Simpson → Frederick → Mechanicsburg Cemetery |
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Monday, May 26, at 11 a.m. - Memorial Service at Mechanicsburg Cemetery
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320 S Frederick St., Mechanicsburg, PA 17055 |
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Monday, May 26, at 11 a.m. - Silver Spring Township Memorial Day Ceremony
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80 Willow Mill Park Road, Mechanicsburg, PA 17050 |
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For more information about Memorial Day and its history, click here.
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Rossmoyne Elementary Fourth Grade TEAM Graduation
It was a pleasure to speak with fourth grade students at Rossmoyne Elementary (my alma mater!) and congratulate them on their graduation from the TEAM program. TEAM stands for Teaching, Educating, And Mentoring. Students learned an array of valuable life skills like online safety, gun safety, fire safety, and how to be a kind person to their classmates, families, teachers, and everyone they meet.
A huge thank you to the men and women of the Lower Allen Police Department for taking the past eight weeks to share the information with students and ensure our future generations are well taken care of.
Congratulations to everyone. I know you will keep what you learned as you grow into our future leaders.
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Reading at Elmwood Academy
On Wednesday morning, we were back in action at Elmwood Academy! My time with the students turned into a deep dive on world history, but I loved being able to answer their questions.
Seeing how curious and knowledgeable students are when I visit schools makes me so excited for the future and what this generation will bring to the table. I’m looking forward to coming back again soon. Thank you for having me!
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Fish for Free This Sunday!
This Sunday, May 25, the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) will host a Fish for Free day to allow anyone (resident or non-resident) to legally fish on all Pennsylvania waterways. No license is required, but all other fishing regulations still apply.
This is the first of two dates set by the PFBC to enhance fishing opportunities. The next day is Independence Day, Friday, July 4. This is a great way to expose the next generation of anglers to the outdoors. More information about fishing in Pennsylvania is available here.
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Handheld Devices Ban Takes Effect June 5
A new Pennsylvania law banning the use of handheld devices while driving takes effect on June 5.
Paul Miller’s Law limits the use of handheld cellphones or other communication devices while operating a motor vehicle. The law is named for a young man who was killed in a crash involving a distracted tractor-trailer driver in Monroe County, Pennsylvania, in 2010.
Under the law, driving while holding a mobile device is a primary violation, meaning police can pull over drivers solely for the violation. For the first 12 months, the penalty is a written warning. Effective in June 2026, the penalty is a summary offense, which carries a $50 fine, plus court costs and other fees. If a driver is convicted of homicide by vehicle and driving while distracted, they may be sentenced up to an additional five years in prison.
Drivers can still use their phones if using hands-free technology, such as a docking station, Bluetooth or speaker technology. You may also use your phone to contact emergency responders.
According to PennDOT, more than 11,000 crashes were the result of distracted driving, leading to 65 deaths and 6,700 injuries in 2023. Pennsylvania joins 28 other states with hands-free laws.
Read more here.
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Driver License, Photo Centers Closed for Memorial Day
PennDOT driver license and photo centers will be closed Saturday, May 24, through Monday, May 26, in observance of the Memorial Day holiday.
Customers may still obtain a variety of driver and vehicle products and services online through PennDOT’s Driver and Vehicle Services website, www.dmv.pa.gov. Services include driver’s license, photo ID and vehicle registration renewals; driver-history services; changes of address; driver license and vehicle registration restoration letters; ability to pay driver license or vehicle insurance restoration fee; driver license and photo ID duplicates; and driver exam scheduling. There are no additional fees for using online services.
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Prevent Lyme: Check for Ticks
May is Lyme Disease Awareness Month. As you spend time outdoors, it is important to check yourself, loved ones and pets for ticks and be aware of the symptoms of Lyme disease and other tick-related ailments.
The first line of defense against Lyme is to take precautions outdoors by treating clothing and gear with products containing 0.5% permethrin, using insect repellent, and avoiding wooded and brushy areas with high grass or leaf litter. When you return indoors, check your clothing, gear and pets for ticks; shower as soon as possible after being outdoors; and check your body for ticks, particularly in areas such as under the arms, in and around the ears, back of the knees and other similar areas.
If bitten, an individual should monitor the area for the appearance of a bull’s eye rash, though the rash does not develop in all cases. Early symptoms of Lyme disease include fever, fatigue, headache and muscle aches. However, symptoms may progress to arthritic, neurologic and cardiac symptoms if not treated.
Lyme disease is caused by the bacteria Borrelia burgdorferi and is transmitted by the bite of a blacklegged tick or deer tick. If you pull a tick from yourself, a loved one or your pet, you may have it tested to determine if it carries Lyme or other tick-borne diseases. More information about how to get a tick tested at the East Stroudsburg University Tick Lab is available here.
Learn more about Lyme disease symptoms, treatment and prevention here.
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New Sextortion Scam Blackmails Children
A disturbing new scam involves organized groups of Nigerian cybercriminals targeting American children online. After befriending them – sometimes even posing as their classmates – and exchanging nude photos, the criminals blackmail them and demand money.
Organized Nigerian criminals have increased this practice, known as sextortion, by 1,000% in the last 18 months. It can cause unthinkable consequences, including suicide, after a child is told the images will be sent to their family, friends and everyone in their school if they don’t pay.
The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children offers a helpful tool to anyone facing this overwhelming scenario. Take It Down is a free service that allows a child to have a “hash value” – essentially a digital fingerprint – assigned to the photo being used against them. The “hash value” is then sent out to participating sites such as Instagram, Snapchat and even pornography sites that put a block on the image so it cannot be seen, shared or spread, rendering it useless for the blackmailer. A child never has to upload the photo to the service, nor does anyone ever view the image in the process.
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