Proposal to limit student smartphone use during school signed into law

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WILKES-BARRE — The General Assembly passed and Gov. Josh Sapiro signed a proposal championed by Sen. Ryan Aument, R-36, to improve students’ mental health and academic performance by giving schools the resources they need to effectively limit student smartphone use during the school day.

The proposal incorporates the use of secure, lockable smartphone bags in which students would deposit their mobile devices until the end of the school day.

Specifically, Senate Bill 700 included Aument’s proposal to amend the School Safety & Mental Health grant program to allow for the purchase of these smartphone bags as an eligible use of the funding.

The bill funded the program at $100 million and provided each school district with an automatic base grant of $100,000 and each intermediate unit, area career and technical school, charter school, regional charter school or cyber charter school with an automatic base grant of $70,000.

“This funding is a huge opportunity for any school district looking to address one of the major root causes of the mental health crisis plaguing our kids — smartphones and social media,” said Aument. “Now that this proposal has been signed into law, I intend to work towards ensuring that every school district in Pennsylvania knows this funding is available to them and that a robust cellphone policy has the power to help them regain their students’ focus in class, restore the social environment on campus, and boost academic performance.”

Since the early 2010s, there has been a steep decline in mental health in children, and their academic performance is suffering. This decline directly correlates to the rise of smartphones and social media apps.

“Kids spend so much time on social media and using their smartphones that it’s taking a toll on them mentally, emotionally, and academically,” Aument said. “Smartphone restrictions have proved successful in reversing these trends. Students deserve to learn without a constant distraction in their pockets, and my proposal would give them that.”

Senate Bill 700 also requires schools to develop and adopt an official policy to prohibit the use of cellphones during the school day in exchange for the grant funding to purchase the smartphone bags. While this requirement and the funding tied to it are currently voluntary for school districts, Aument says that moving forward he plans to pursue a statewide prohibition on cellphone use during school hours.

Senate Bill 700 is now Act 55 of 2024.

Learn more about Sen. Aument’s initiative to create smartphone-free schools in Pennsylvania and the research supporting it at https://bit.ly/4cGoVSq.

U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee advances Judge Saporito’s nomination to the full Senate

The U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee has advanced eight judicial nominations — including U.S. Magistrate Judge Joseph F. Saporito, Jr. — to the full Senate, continuing the Committee’s work to bring balance to the federal judiciary.

The committee announced on July 11 that the nominations were advanced, including one circuit court nominee and seven district court nominees.

Judge Saporito’s nomination is to be United States District Judge for the Middle District of Pennsylvania.

In May, U.S. Senators Bob Casey and John Fetterman announced that President Joe Biden had nominated Judge Saporito to serve on the United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania.

“Judge Saporito has served the people of Luzerne County and Northeastern Pennsylvania for nearly four decades — from his time as an Assistant Public Defender to his work as a magistrate judge,” said Sen. Casey, D-Scranton. “His diversity of professional experience, deep commitment to service, and unquestioned integrity will serve him and the people of the Middle District well in this new role. I look forward to voting to swiftly confirm him.”

Sen. Fetterman, D-Braddock, said Judge Saporito’s nomination to serve as a District Judge for the Middle District of Pennsylvania is a testament to his remarkable qualifications.

“With more than four decades of dedicated service in the Luzerne County Public Defender’s office, his commitment to public service shines through,” Fetterman said. “His extensive experience makes him well-prepared to serve as a District Court Judge. It’s my privilege to support his nomination, and I look forward to voting to confirm him.”

Pennsylvania’s U.S. Senators have a long-standing tradition of working together to recommend and confirm nominees to the federal bench. Sen. Casey previously worked with then-Senators Arlen Specter (R-PA) and Pat Toomey (R-PA), with whom he confirmed 37 District Court Judges for Pennsylvania on a bipartisan basis from 2007-2022.

Casey and Fetterman have continued this practice, most recently working together to recommend and confirm Judge Julia Munley and Judge Karoline Mehalchick in the Middle District.

Judge Saporito Jr., has been a U.S. Magistrate Judge for the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania since 2015 and has been the Court’s Chief U.S. Magistrate Judge since February 2024.

Prior to his appointment to the bench, Judge Saporito served as a part-time Assistant Public Defender in the Office of the Public Defender for Luzerne County from 1985 to 2015, while concurrently maintaining a private legal practice at Saporito & Saporito and then Saporito, Saporito & Falcone.

Judge Saporito received his J.D. from the Dickinson School of Law in 1985, and his B.A. from Villanova University in 1982.

Treasurer Garrity praises General Assembly for approval of Money Match legislation

Treasurer Stacy Garrity on Monday praised the General Assembly for unanimously approving legislation to enact Pennsylvania Money Match, which will allow the Pennsylvania Treasury Department — for the first time ever — to automatically return unclaimed property to its rightful owners.

Senate Bill 24, sponsored by Sen. John DiSanto (R-15), was sent to Gov. Josh Shapiro for his signature last week. Similar legislation, House Bill 2092, was introduced by Rep. Ryan Bizzarro (D-3) in the House.

“This is a huge and exciting step forward,” Treasurer Garrity said. “With Pennsylvania Money Match, we’ll be able to return unclaimed money directly to thousands of hardworking Pennsylvanians. Government isn’t known for removing red tape – but that’s exactly what this bill will do. I want to thank Sen. DiSanto for his strong leadership in the Senate and Rep. Bizzarro for the great work he did in the House. Money Match absolutely deserves the bipartisan support it received.”

Sen. DiSanto said SB 24 will make it easier for the Pennsylvania Treasury to return unclaimed property to its rightful owners.

“And I am thankful to my legislative colleagues for passing this commonsense legislation that makes government work better,” Sen. DiSanto said.

Pennsylvania Money Match will authorize Treasury to automatically return single-owner properties valued up to $500 after a thorough identification and verification process. At least 14 other states have successfully implemented similar programs.

Pennsylvania Money Match will not affect claims for properties valued above $500 or those that have multiple owners or other complexities. Those claimants will still need to file a claim and provide any required supporting documentation.

More than one in 10 Pennsylvanians is owed some of the $4.5 billion in unclaimed property being safeguarded by Treasury. The average value of a claim is about $1,600.

Since taking office, Treasurer Garrity has returned more than $700 million in unclaimed property and has implemented multiple improvements to the unclaimed property program, all designed to make the process easier and faster, including:

• Completing a total system upgrade for the first time in more than 15 years.

• Implementing a fast-track process for many claims.

• Allowing direct deposit payments for many claimants.

To search Treasury’s unclaimed property database, visit patreasury.gov/unclaimed-property.

Tennis champion Serena Williams to headline 40th PA Chamber Annual Dinner on Oct. 7

Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry is serving an ace for the biggest event of the year.

The PA Chamber announced that Serena Williams, the greatest tennis champion of all time and global icon, will be the keynote speaker at its 40th PA Chamber Annual Dinner, which will be held on Monday, Oct. 7, at the Hershey Lodge.

“Serena Williams is the G.O.A.T. and it’s fitting that in the same year we’re celebrating 40 years of our revered Annual Chamber Dinner, our keynote speaker is a world champion who for decades withstood the test of time, forged her own destiny, served as an inspiration to millions, and seamlessly transitioned into a life of business leadership,” said PA chamber president and CEO Luke Bernstein. “We can’t wait to host one of the world’s most recognizable and dominant public figures for a program that will also celebrate the Chamber Dinner’s history and highlight Pennsylvania’s important role in shaping America’s future.”

A four-time Olympic gold medal winner, the Associated Press named Serena Williams the Female Athlete of the Decade for her dominance and success in the 2010s, which was highlighted by her winning the 2017 Australian Open while expecting her first child.

During the height of Serena’s tennis career, her passion for fashion design led her to fashion school and the development of her own clothing line, S by Serena. In the years since, Serena’s brands have expanded to include makeup with the launch of WYN BEAUTY in partnership with Ulta Beauty, jewelry and more, while her venture capital firm, Serena Ventures, seeks to advance businesses and innovation that promotes diverse leadership and opportunity.

“I’ve taken on many titles throughout my life — athlete, CEO, investor, founder, author, wife, mother, the list goes on,” Williams said. “I’ve been lucky over my career to have been uplifted by my family, my mentors and some of the world’s greatest thought leaders who have helped shape my life’s path and brighten my vision for the future. I look forward to sharing my experiences at this milestone occasion for the Pennsylvania Chamber.”