Capitol Update by Rep. Martin Causer (R-Turtlepoint)
 FacebookWebsiteBioLatest NewsState FormsPhoto GalleryContactCapitol Update Friday, February 24, 2023 The latest news from the State Capitol You are welcome to contact me through this link. Outreach Hours Set for March 2  To help ensure access to state government information and services, I will host monthly outreach office hours at the following locations on Thursday, March 2:• Emporium Borough Office – 9-10 a.m. • Port Allegany Borough Office – 11 a.m. to noon. Services available include assistance with any state-related issues or concerns, driver license and vehicle registration applications, and applications for various state programs, such as the senior citizen Property Tax/Rent Rebate and PACE/PACENET prescription drug assistance programs. Veterans Services Available  Area veterans are invited to contact my office to schedule appointments to talk with a representative from the American Legion to ensure they are getting the services and support they need. Due to changes initiated by the American Legion, appointments in the Bradford and Kane offices will be conducted virtually via a tablet. Appointments are required for meetings with the Legion representative, whether they are in person, by phone or by tablet. The schedule for March is as follows: • Coudersport office: Thursday, March 2, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The Coudersport office is located at 107 S. Main St. Please call 814-274-9769 to schedule an appointment. • Bradford office: Wednesday, March 8, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The Bradford office is located at 78 Main St., first floor. Please call 814-362-4400 to schedule an appointment. • Kane office: Wednesday, March 29, from 9 a.m. to noon. The Kane office is located at 54 Fraley St., Suite 2. Please call 814-837-0880 to schedule an appointment. Assistance is available with issues such as compensation, education, pension, health care and death benefits. Veterans need not be a member of the American Legion to participate. Property Tax and Rent Rebate Clinics Conclude Next Week  The last two clinics to assist with filing for the 2022 Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program will be held next week in Bradford and Austin.If you haven’t been able to attend any of the clinics, you are always welcome to stop by the offices in Bradford, Coudersport or Kane for help. There is no cost for assistance, and no appointments are needed. Just bring the necessary documentation. Next week’s schedule is as follows: Monday, Feb. 27 • Bradford Senior Center, 60 Campus Drive, Bradford – 9:30-11 a.m. Wednesday, March 1 • Austin Borough Building, 21 Turner St., Austin – 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Details about the Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program are available by calling my office, or visit the Department of Revenue online here. Two Area School Districts Receive Grants for Cafeteria Upgrades  Grants were awarded to two area school districts this week to help with the purchase of needed cafeteria equipment. The Oswayo Valley School District was awarded more than $43,000, while the Smethport Area School District received more than $34,000. The grants come from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and are awarded to schools that participate in the National School Lunch Program. Schools often use the grants to purchase items such as new refrigerators, freezers, stoves and dishwashers. Across the state, more than $2.7 million in funding was awarded to 130 schools. Bill to Bring Justice for Child Sex Abuse Victims Moving in House  We finally returned to voting session this week and worked on legislation that aims to bring justice for adult survivors of child sex abuse whose cases are beyond the statute of limitations.House Bill 1 of special session proposes an amendment to the Pennsylvania Constitution to allow such victims to take civil action against their alleged perpetrators, regardless of when the abuse occurred. The “window” to take such action would be opened for a period of two years. Amending the Constitution requires the passage of identical legislation in two consecutive sessions, as well as the approval of voters in a referendum. This legislation was previously approved twice and poised for placement on the ballot until the Wolf administration failed to properly advertise the question as required by law. House Bill 2 aims to provide the same opportunity to child sex abuse victims but through a regular statute rather than constitutional amendment. Many legislators believe the constitutional amendment is required because the change could otherwise be unconstitutional. As of this writing, the bills are pending final consideration in the House. It is unknown if the Senate will consider them. PA Tourism Office Releases Happy Traveler Guide  The Pennsylvania Tourism Office has released its 2023 Happy Traveler Guide, highlighting must-see attractions and exciting events for people of all ages. It’s a great resource for planning future getaways right here in PA!Sign up to receive a free hard copy of the guide or simply view it online at www.visitPA.com. Happy travelers also can sign up to receive Happy Thoughts, a digital newsletter, in their inbox each month. Additionally, happy travelers can always refer to visitPA’s social media channels to discover the latest hot spots and get inspired for their next getaway. Marking ‘America Saves Week’  Next week, Feb. 27 through March 3, marks “America Saves Week,” an initiative launched in 2007 to encourage Americans to take steps to grow their savings. To aid in that goal, the Pennsylvania Treasury is presenting three free webinars on important savings topics: • Protecting Your Savings: Tuesday, Feb. 28, at noon. Information about cybersecurity and safeguarding your financial information. • Covering College Costs: Wednesday, March 1, at noon. Covers affordable ways to save and pay for higher education. • Overview of Treasury’s Consumer Savings Programs: Thursday, March 2, at noon. Highlights the PA 529, Keystone Scholars, and PA ABLE programs. To register for one or more of these free webinars, visit www.pa529.com/webinars. Additionally, the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency (PHFA) will offer five new podcasts, releasing one each day of the week starting Monday. The topics include Saving Automatically, Saving for the Unexpected, Saving for Major Milestones, Paying Down Debt is Saving and Saving at Any Age. The podcasts can be found on iTunes, Spotify or anywhere listeners connect with their podcasts. The public can also listen at www.PHFA.org by clicking on the podcast icon at the top-left corner of the homepage. These special podcasts will be available under the “Master Your Money” podcast series produced by PHFA as an educational tool for consumers. Recognizing the Future of Agriculture  This week, Feb. 18-25, 2023, is National Future Farmers of America (FFA) Week, a time to recognize the premier youth organization preparing members for leadership and careers in agriculture. Founded in 1928, FFA was established to prepare future generations for the challenges of feeding a growing population. There are nearly 9,000 FFA chapters combined in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The Pennsylvania FFA Association consists of more than 13,000 members from chapters across the Commonwealth. It is a student-led organization whose mission is to make a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth, and career success through agricultural education. |