Argall legislation to expand parental rights in Pa. schools passes Senate

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WILKES-BARRE — Sen. Dave Argall, chair of the Senate Education Committee, this week guided legislation to expand parental rights in Pennsylvania schools to final passage in the Senate.

“Too many parents feel they have been cut out of the classroom,” said Argall, R-Pottsville. “Broadening the rights of parents to decide how their children are educated has been a key focus of the Senate Education Committee.”

The Senate approved Senate Bill 913, sponsored by Sen. Wayne Langerholc,R-35, by a vote of 28-21.

The bill requires parental consent for students under 18 years of age to receive virtual mental health services while at school.

Argall said that many parents expressed serious concerns to him about the materials their children can freely access in public schools without their knowledge.

“It is important to provide resources so students can get the help they need, but parents must be involved every step of the way,” said Argall.

The Senate also approved legislation by a strongly bipartisan vote of 47-3 to ensure parents have timely and accurate information about the safety of their children at school.

Senate Bill 971, sponsored by Sen. Jarrett Coleman, R-16, would require schools to notify parents and school employees of an incident involving the possession of a weapon on school property.

Argall brought both bills up for a vote in the Senate Education Committee earlier this month. They both now advance to the House of Representatives for consideration.

Rep. Haddock, Sen. Flynn co-hosting identity theft protection shred event

State Rep. Jim Haddock, state Sen. Marty Flynn, the Duryea Police Department and Duryea Crime Watch invite residents to protect themselves from identity theft during a Community Shred Day.

The free event will be held from 10 a.m. to noon July 13, at Healey Playground, at the corner of Wright Street and Foote Avenue in Duryea.

“A company will be on hand to securely destroy the sensitive materials, giving people the peace of mind that their personal information cannot and will not end up in the wrong hands,” said Haddock, D-Luzerne/Lackawanna.

Haddock said items to shred include old bills, bank statements, medical records, canceled checks, old tax returns, or any documents that people would like to be permanently destroyed.

There is a limit of two boxes of documents per household. Staples or paperclips do not need to be removed, but documents should be taken out of binders and notebooks.

Anyone with questions can call Haddock’s office at 570-655-4883.

Shapiro, Kavulich announce 2023 Property Tax/Rent Rebate checks will go out July 1

Gov. Josh Shapiro and Secretary of Aging Jason Kavulich this week announced that rebates on property taxes and rent paid in 2023 as part of the Property Tax/Rent Rebate (PTRR) program will start to be distributed on Monday, July 1, as required by law.

This initial distribution will include approximately 442,000 rebates totaling $266 million — critical relief that is going to older homeowners, renters, and people with disabilities across Pennsylvania.

This is a significant increase from last year, when 283,468 homeowners and renters were issued rebates totaling nearly $132 million as part of the initial July 1, 2023, distribution.

“This year as of July 1, over 442,000 Pennsylvanians will receive $266 million to help make their ends meet and ease the burden of rising costs,” Shapiro said. “The Property Tax Rent Rebate program is a lifeline for many Pennsylvanians and we worked together in a bipartisan manner to deliver for our seniors and people with disabilities and put money back in their pockets. But our work isn’t done.”

Pennsylvanians who submitted their bank account information on their application forms will receive their rebates through direct deposit. Pennsylvanians who requested a paper check to be mailed to them should expect to receive their payment in the mail.

After the initial distribution of rebates on July 1, rebates will be distributed as claims are received and processed.

Shapiro also recently announced that the deadline for older adults and Pennsylvanians with disabilities to apply for rebates on rent and property taxes paid in 2023 has been extended to December 31, 2024.

For more information and to access PTRR forms/instructions, visit pa.gov/ptrr or call 1-888-222-9190 for assistance and click here to view the new lookup tool to find in-person assistance.

Cutler to introduce legislation prohibiting state agencies from assisting campaign events

House Republican Leader Bryan Cutler, R-Lancaster, this week said he will be introducing legislation to make it illegal for state agencies and other state governmental organizations to provide assistance for campaign events that advocate for the election or defeat of political candidates.

“As the nation moves closer to a heated general election, we have seen repeated instances of state taxpayer resources going to the assistance of campaign events held at the State Capitol,” Cutler said. “The use of state taxpayer assets, including employees in the official conduct of their duties, is grossly inappropriate and unethical.”

According to the legislation, any public official or state government employee who approves an expenditure or use of taxpayer assets in furtherance of a campaign event will be subject to a civil penalty of between $2,500 and $25,000 in addition to being barred from state government employment for a period of not less than two years.

“Pennsylvania has an unfortunate history of taxpayer resources and taxpayer paid employees going to jail because they inappropriately mixed campaigning and official duties,” Cutler said.

In addition to the legislation, Cutler offered the proposal as an amendment to House Bill 2403, but it was ruled out of order by the Speaker.

Bill allowing community service alternatives to driver’s license suspension passes Senate committee

The Senate Transportation Committee this week voted in favor of a bill sponsored by Sens. Pat Stefano, R-32, and Jay Costa, D-43, that would provide an alternative solution for Pennsylvania drivers who are unable to pay the fees of their suspended license — community service.

Senate Bill 1118 would allow for a magisterial district judge to determine if someone is financially unable to bear the costs of the fines/fees associated with a traffic offense and then instead assign community service as a payment alternative to an indefinite license suspension.

“Too often, young and economically disadvantaged drivers carry the burden of insurmountable amounts of debt, restricting their potential,” Stefano said. “Those individuals deserve a solution to retain their driver’s license so that they can continue to contribute to our communities. Providing this alternative for drivers to avoid a suspended license will not only empower those individuals to pursue employment or education opportunities but further enhance our workforce and aid the betterment of neighborhoods across the commonwealth.”

The bill would also allow those who currently have suspended licenses due to violations of driving without a license, failure to appear in court or failure to pay fines — to be provided with the option of community service if a judge sees fit. The community service payment alternative could additionally apply to suspensions related to driving with a suspended license.

“I am delighted to be supporting this bill as we move the needle on justice for low-income drivers,” said Costa. “We know that members of our community who struggle financially rely on their cars to get to work, care for family, and manage day-to-day tasks. By allowing those drivers an alternate pathway for reinstituting their license, we are delivering a justice system that works for every Pennsylvanian.”

The bill now moves to the full Senate for consideration.

Watro, Cabell announce that Roman’s Law passes Senate

Companion legislation to a bill sponsored by Rep. Dane Watro, R-Hazleton, and Rep. Mike Cabell, R-Butler Township, that would allow delayed school enrollment in Pennsylvania for young children with autism has passed in the Senate.

Senate Bill 1157, also known as Roman’s Law, sponsored by Sen. Dave Argall, R-Pottsville, will now go to the House of Representatives for consideration.

“Our proposal is grounded in the belief that such an enrollment adjustment could better cater to the unique and intensive educational needs of these students,” the House members said. “Children diagnosed with autism or other developmental delays and intellectual disabilities often require specialized attention and tailored learning approaches. A delayed start would allow for early intervention programs, providing essential support in developing social and emotional skills.”

“An extra year of specialized support can make a world of difference for these kids,” said Argall. “Parents deserve the chance to find the right path for their children.”

The legislation would allow the parents or guardians of children who have reached the compulsory school age of 6 to request a waiver from the Pennsylvania Department of Education to delay school enrollment for one year if the child has been diagnosed with autism or other developmental and intellectual disabilities. The child would also be eligible to receive early intervention services from the state during the waiver period.

Additionally, under the bill, the parent or guardian may enroll the child in kindergarten or first grade for the next school year at the end of the waiver period.

The bill is named after Roman DeAngelo, a Luzerne County boy with autism whose parents have advocated for the enrollment change.