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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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Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
I would like to extend the warmest holiday wishes to you and your family. May you have a wonderful and safe season that is full of peace and cheer. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
My district office hours will be limited due to the holidays. Please call ahead to be sure my offices are open.
Also, PennDOT Driver License Centers will be closed Thursday, Dec. 25, for Christmas Day and Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026, for New Year’s Day. Customers may still obtain a variety of driver and vehicle products and services online through PennDOT’s Driver and Vehicle Services website. |
Local Share Account Grant Funding Awarded
LSA grants are distributed for projects that need funding and are in the public interest, which improve the quality of life of citizens in the community and are owned and maintained by an eligible applicant or a nonprofit organization.
Eligible projects include construction or renovation, acquisition, equipment and infrastructure. Eligible applicants include individual counties, boroughs and townships; municipal authorities; economic development agencies; and redevelopment authorities.
Last week, I joined Sen. Chris Gebhard (R-48) in announcing LSA funding brought to Berks County. I am grateful to have worked with Sen. Gebhard in bringing these critical funds to our district:
• Berks County, on behalf of the Reading Regional Airport Authority — $291,944 for wastewater system upgrades.
• Berks County Emergency Response Team — $200,000 to purchase equipment upgrades for officers countywide.
• Bern Township — $76,520 to purchase a new vehicle for the police department.
• Heidelberg Township, on behalf of the Womelsdorf Volunteer Fire Company — $52,737 to purchase rescue and extrication tools.
• Lower Heidelberg Township, on behalf of the Western Berks Fire Department — $77,746 to purchase an incident command vehicle.
• Penn Township — $40,000 to purchase a stainless-steel dump truck body for use by the public works department.
• Womelsdorf Borough, on behalf of the Womelsdorf Volunteer Fire Company — $50,608 to upgrade the fire station exhaust extraction system.
LSA grants are facilitated through distribution of gaming revenue by the Commonwealth Financing Authority, which was established in 2004 to administer Pennsylvania’s economic stimulus packages. |
Celebrate Agriculture at 2026 Pennsylvania Farm Show
The Pennsylvania Farm Show – the country’s largest indoor agricultural exposition under one roof – kicks off Saturday, Jan. 10, in Harrisburg. The show will run through Saturday, Jan. 17.
This year’s theme is “Growing a Nation,” a nod to the Commonwealth’s role – and Pennsylvania agriculture’s role – in building our country as we celebrate the 250th anniversary of the United States of America in 2026.
The 2026 Farm Show will feature fan-favorites like the 1,000-pound butter sculpture, delicious Farm Show Food Court, thousands of competitive agricultural events, homegrown celebrity cooking demonstrations at the PA Preferred® Culinary Connection, and more than 1 million square feet of hands-on agriculture education opportunities and chances to engage with the people who are growing Pennsylvania and our nation through agriculture.
Admission to the show is free, but parking is $15 per vehicle. Shuttle service is provided.
For all the latest news about the Farm Show, follow it on Facebook or click here. |
Fairness in Women’s Sports Update
House Republicans are still working to protect the rights of girls and women to compete on a level playing field by prohibiting biological males from participating in women’s sports.
And Majority House Democrats are still too afraid to call it up for a vote.
Last week, the House Education Committee again dodged a vote by re-referring two bills to address this issue – the Fairness in Women’s Sports Act (House Bill 158) and the Dads Defending Daughters bill (House Bill 1849) – to the House Judiciary Committee. This is NOT a judiciary issue but is being done solely to avoid a discharge resolution that would force the committee to bring the bills up for a vote.
Polls indicate 80% of people, regardless of political party, support women’s sports being for biological women only. Athletic competitions give women the opportunity to demonstrate their strength and skill, while also providing opportunities for recognition ranging from accolades to college scholarships. We owe it to our female athletes to ensure these rights and opportunities are protected.
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PA Budget Invests in Reading Education
With only about one-third of our fourth graders reading at grade level in Pennsylvania, this year’s state budget makes a $10 million investment in improving literacy education.
The 2025-26 Public School Code will require school entities – including school districts, intermediate units, area career and technical schools, charter schools, cyber charter schools and regional charter schools – to use evidence-based reading instruction, screen students early and intervene when a child is struggling.
The changes must be in place by the beginning of the 2027-28 school year. |
PHEAA Announces Financial Aid Webinars
The Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA) is hosting several free webinars to assist college-bound students and their families in correctly completing and submitting the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
The webinars are planned as follows:
• FAFSA Overview – Line by Line: Wednesday, Jan. 14, 6-7 p.m., and Wednesday, March 11, 6-7 p.m.
• FAFSA Completion Workshop: Thursday, Jan. 22, 5-7 p.m., and Tuesday, April 21, 5-7 p.m.
PHEAA also provides free FAFSA resources online and offers a free FAFSA toolkit to aid counselors and partners in assisting students and families with FAFSA completion.
To register for these webinars, and view a full schedule of future webinars, visit
www.pheaa.org/virtual. |
License Your Dog for the New Year
The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture is reminding dog owners to license their pets for 2026.
All dogs must be licensed when you buy or adopt them (earliest is eight weeks old) or three months of age, whichever comes first. Dog owners may choose to purchase single-year licenses or a lifetime license. To purchase a lifetime license, the dog must have some form of permanent identification, such as a microchip or tattoo. Single-year licenses must be purchased each year by Jan. 1.
Single-year licenses cost $10.80, while lifetime licenses cost $52.80. Senior citizens or people with disabilities may purchase a single-year license for $8.80 or a lifetime license for $36.80.
Licenses are available for purchase through county treasurers. For additional information, including links to forms and a list of treasurers and their contact information, click here. |
Enter Now for Litter Hawk Youth Award Program
Submissions are now being accepted for the 2026 Litter Hawk Youth Award Program, a recognition program for students in kindergarten through sixth grade to share how they help keep Pennsylvania beautiful.
This year’s theme is Celebrate America250 – Keep It Beautiful, inviting Pennsylvania students to share their creativity and inspire pride in our communities as we approach America’s 250th anniversary.
Students in kindergarten through grade four are invited to submit a poster, while students in grade five are asked to submit an essay and students in grade six should submit a video.
First place and second place winners will receive a certificate. All participants will receive a litter hawk sticker. The deadline to participate is Saturday, Jan. 31. Winners will be announced in April in conjunction with a display of winning entries at the Capitol. For more information and an application, click here. |
Help Kids Protect Their Devices
Online safety starts with protecting your kids’ devices from hackers and scammers.
The Federal Trade Commission offers these steps to help keep kids safer and encourages parents to teach their children about how to secure their devices and build good online habits:
• Set automatic updates on phones, tablets and laptops to protect your kids’ apps, web browsers and operating systems.
• Use strong passwords. Make sure your kids’ accounts and devices are protected by unique passwords. Consider helping teenagers set up and use a password manager, or the device’s password generator. Remind them not to leave devices unattended in public places.
• Secure your home wi-fi network. Change your router’s default name and password. Turn off remote management and log out as the administrator once the router is set up.
• Use parental controls to help reinforce good online habits and create safer spaces for kids to learn and play online. And, to have a better handle on what kids might be spending online, consider using parental controls to disable in-app purchases or require a password for all purchases on phones or tablets.
Learn more information about protecting kids online while enhancing their safety, privacy and healthy development at ftc.gov/KidsOnline. |
Let's Get Connected
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Our District
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Web Site
rep .com
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| Office Locations |
| District Office: Reading Regional Airport - Main Terminal, 2501 Bernville Road, Box 4, Reading, PA, 19605 | Phone: (610) 378-4407, FAX: (610) 378-4412 | Open Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. |
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| Capitol Office: 432 Irvis Office Building, Harrisburg, Pa 17020-2005 | PO Box 202005 | Phone: 717-772-9940 |
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