Capitol Update by Rep. Martin Causer (R-Turtlepoint)
 Facebook Website Bio Latest News State Forms Photo Gallery Contact Capitol Update Friday, November 18, 2022 The latest news from the State Capitol Please do not reply directly to this email, as it returns to an unmanned account.You are welcome to contact me through this link. Happy Thanksgiving!  As we look ahead to next week, I’d like to wish you and yours a very safe and Happy Thanksgiving.For centuries, Americans have come together in the spirit of thanksgiving. From the earliest traditions that began in Plymouth, Mass., in 1621 to the first official national observance in 1863, families have gathered in November to celebrate bountiful harvests and all that has been given to them. In honor of the Thanksgiving holiday, state offices will be closed on Thursday, Nov. 24, and my offices will also be closed on Friday, Nov. 25. PennDOT Driver License Centers will be closed Nov. 24-25 as well, though many services are available online at www.dmv.pa.gov. If you are traveling, be sure to check www.511pa.com for the latest traffic and weather information. Supporting Small Businesses  Consider showing some love to the small businesses in our community throughout the holiday season but especially on Small Business Saturday, which is coming up on Saturday, Nov. 26.Launched by American Express in 2010, this day is celebrated each year on the Saturday after Thanksgiving to encourage people to support the small businesses that help drive the economies of our communities. Learn more about Small Business Saturday here. 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 November is as follows: • Kane office: Wednesday, Nov. 30, and Wednesday, Dec. 28, 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. • Coudersport office: Thursday, Dec. 1, 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, Dec. 14, 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. 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. Hunters Can Share Their Harvest  The state Department of Agriculture and Pennsylvania Game Commission are again encouraging hunters to consider sharing their deer harvest to provide thousands of pounds of venison to people in need.Hunters Sharing the Harvest (HSH) is Pennsylvania’s venison donation program for hunters who share their extra venison via a statewide network of participating butchers to food pantries and community assistance centers across the Commonwealth. One deer provides about 200 servings of high-protein, low-fat venison. Thanks to the program’s generous supporters, hunters pay nothing to ensure their venison helps to provide a warm meal to someone in need in their community. The program reported near record participation last year with 187,426 pounds of venison donated in the 2021-22 deer seasons. HSH has distributed more than 2 million pounds of donated venison since 1991. More information about the program and how to participate is available at www.sharedeer.org. Improving Health Care Delivery  A new law adopted by the General Assembly will help improve the timely delivery of health care services by reforming the prior authorization process in the Commonwealth.Act 146 of 2022 aims to simplify the prior authorization process, making it more effective, consistent and transparent. The law will require insurers to make available an electronic communications network that permits prior authorization requests to be submitted electronically, and authorizations and adverse determinations to likewise by returned electronically. It also gives the Pennsylvania Insurance Department authority over external reviews of benefit determinations under the Affordable Care Act. With the new law, the Commonwealth joins 44 other states that already have external review authority. The major provisions of the law take effect in January 2024. Aiding the Fight Against Child Abuse, Neglect  Pennsylvanians looking for opportunities to help protect our children will soon have the opportunity to make a $5 charitable donation to the Children’s Trust Fund (CTF) when renewing their driver’s license or state identification card.Established by law in 1988, CTF’s mission is to fund three-year grants to community-based programs that help prevent child abuse and neglect. Since its inception, CTF has invested more than $40 million through 320 grants. Still, child abuse and neglect are significant problems throughout the United States as well as Pennsylvania. Over 3 million children per year are abused or neglected in the U.S., and over 40,000 are the subject of reports in Pennsylvania. It has been estimated that 1 in 1,000 children in Pennsylvania are abused or neglected, according to the National Center for Biotechnology Information, U.S. National Library of Medicine. Funds for the CTF traditionally are generated from a $10 surcharge on all applications for marriage licenses and divorce complaints; however, those funds have been in decline for the last 10 years. The new donation opportunity will help generate funds for CTF and raise awareness of its mission. Learn more about CTF here. |