Capitol Update by Rep. Martin Causer (R-Turtlepoint)
 FacebookWebsiteBioLatest NewsState FormsPhoto GalleryContact Capitol Update Friday, March 24, 2023 The latest news from the State Capitol You are welcome to contact me through this link. Around the District  Thank you to Kane Rotary for inviting me to be their guest speaker for Monday’s luncheon. I appreciated the opportunity to provide an update on my efforts to work on behalf of rural Pennsylvania. I am pictured here with President-elect Kate Kennedy and Jill Grosch, Rotary program chair and manager of my Kane office. Thank you to all Rotarians for the great work you do in the community!  It was a pleasure to meet with local Pennsylvania Game Commission Wardens Helen Karp and Justin Slomian. Helen is new to the commission and covers portions of eastern McKean County and western Potter County, while Justin serves the western part of McKean. Timber, Orphan Well Plugging Focus of Budget Hearing Questions As chairman of the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee, I was in Harrisburg this week to participate in state budget hearings with the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) and the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). I questioned DCNR Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn about the importance of timber harvesting and proper forest management. I also pressed for answers on forest conservation easements. Watch the exchange. I also questioned DEP’s Acting Secretary Richard Negrin about the agency’s ongoing failures when it comes to plugging orphan wells in the Commonwealth. Additional budget hearings this week focused on education and agriculture. To view completed hearings, or check the schedule for next week, click here. In-Person Help for Unemployment Claimants  The Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry (L&I) is extending its program that enhances Pennsylvanians’ access to the Unemployment Compensation (UC) system by offering in-person appointments to claimants in communities throughout the Commonwealth.The program, now called UC Connect, has served nearly 34,000 UC claimants with in-person appointments at 58 PA CareerLink® locations since its launch in May 2022 with grant funding through the U.S. Department of Labor. In-person services for UC claimants are designed to assist individuals who do not have proper technology, equipment or technical skills; individuals without access to home Internet or broadband; and individuals with limited-English proficiency. To schedule an appointment, claimants should contact a PA CareerLink center directly. More information about UC Connect, including how to find your local CareerLink, is available here. The UC system failed miserably during the pandemic, and I am hopeful this program continues to provide our citizens with the assistance they deserve. Grab That Rod and Reel!  Just a reminder that this Saturday, March 25, is Mentored Youth Trout Fishing Day across the Commonwealth.To participate, youth anglers (those under the age of 16) must have either a free Mentored Youth Permit or a Voluntary Youth Fishing License. More information about the mentored youth program, as well as a link to obtain a permit or license, is available here. Next Saturday, April 1, is the first day of trout season. If you haven’t already, be sure to buy your fishing licenses and permits and get your gear organized. Visit the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) online at fishandboat.com or the FishBoatPA mobile app for more information. PFBC Offers Grants to Inspire Interest in Fishing and Boating  The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) is seeking applicants for grants to support education programs that promote new and renewed interest in fishing and boating.The grants aim to connect Pennsylvanians with the fun of Commonwealth waterways by teaching fishing and boating skills and providing quality locations where these activities can be enjoyed. Organizations are encouraged to engage groups under-represented in the fishing or boating population to learn the benefits of these activities, including community, wellness and taking advantage of the outdoors. The grants will reimburse qualifying organizations up to $25,000 for eligible expenses for the period of July 1 to June 30, 2024. The grants require a minimum of 25% match of total project costs. The deadline to submit applications is April 14. More information, including the application, can be found on the PFBC R3 Grant Program page on the PFBC website. New Military-Themed License Plates Now Available  Three new military-themed license plates are now available from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT): the Air Medal license plate, Afghanistan and Iraq Veterans license plate, and Blue Star Family license plate.Applicants for the Air Medal plate and the Afghanistan and Iraq Veterans plates must submit a completed Form MV-150, along with a legible photocopy of their DD214. The Air Medal plate contains the standard Pennsylvania license plate colors and depicts an image of the Air Medal. The Afghanistan and Iraq Veterans plate is offered only to veterans who served in both theaters of operation. The license plate contains the standard Pennsylvania license plate colors and depicts images of both the Afghanistan Campaign Medal and the Operation Iraqi Freedom Medal. Applicants for the Blue Star Family plate must submit a completed Form MV-920 and certify they are a family member of an active-duty, Reserve or National Guard service member. The license plate contains the standard Pennsylvania license plate colors and depicts an image of the Blue Star Family flag, which has a red border around a white background with a blue star in the center. All are available for passenger cars or trucks with a registered gross weight of not more than 14,000 pounds for a fee of $23. More information about these and other specialty plates is available here. |