Capitol Update by Rep. Martin Causer (R-Turtlepoint)
 FacebookWebsiteBioLatest NewsState FormsPhoto GalleryContactCapitol Update Friday, July 21, 2023 The latest news from the State Capitol You are welcome to contact me through this link. EMS Task Force Set to Meet Thursday  Continuing the effort to find solutions to the state’s growing EMS crisis, I plan to convene our first EMS Task Force meeting at 6 p.m. this Thursday, July 27. The meeting will be held in person at the McKean County Department of Emergency Services in Smethport; however, people who are interested in participating but unable to attend in person will be able to join remotely. The task force is an offshoot of the EMS Town Meeting we held in May. Several people signed up for the task force following that meeting, but others who are interested are welcome to join in. All who plan to attend should RSVP to Rhonda Race in my office at rrace@pahousegop.com. The McKean County Department of Emergency Services is located at 17175 U.S. Route 6, Smethport. Bradford Senior Citizens Expo Aug. 4  Please join us on Friday, Aug. 4, for the Bradford Senior Citizens Expo! Open to senior citizens and their family members and caregivers, the event will be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford, Sports and Fitness Gymnasium, Campus Drive, Bradford. The event is free to attend, and lunch will be provided. State, county and local exhibitors will be on hand to distribute information and answer questions about a variety of issues. Health screenings will also be offered, and door prize drawings will be held at 12:30 p.m. If you can’t make it this time, mark your calendar for additional expos scheduled later this year. We’ll be at the Kane Community Center on Friday, Sept. 8, and the Roulette Fire Hall on Friday, Oct. 13. Both events run from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. For more information about the senior expos, contact the Bradford office at 814-362-4400. Information is also available at RepCauser.com or on Facebook at Facebook.com/RepCauser. PLEASE NOTE: Due to the expo, our offices in Bradford and Kane will be closed all day on Friday, Aug. 4. The office in Coudersport will remain open and may be reached by calling 814-274-9769. Come See Us at the Potter County Fair!  The Potter County Fair starts next weekend, and once again, my office will have a table set up offering a variety of brochures and booklets about state programs and services, as well as state maps. The table will be staffed in the evenings from Monday, Aug. 1, through Friday, Aug. 5. Please stop by!! More information about the fair schedule is available here. Grants Awarded in Eldred  Eldred residents will benefit from much-needed water and sewer line improvements thanks to state grants totaling nearly $8.5 million. A grant of $4.67 million was awarded to the borough of Eldred to replace approximately 9,650 feet of existing sanitary sewer collection pipe. Additionally, the Barden Brook and Shields pump stations, last upgraded in 1996 and 2003 respectively, will be replaced. A grant of $3.79 million was awarded to the Eldred Borough Water Authority to replace approximately 9,600 feet of existing distribution waterline with polyvinyl chloride waterline. A dozen fire hydrants are also set to be replaced. Work on both projects will coincide with the paving of State Route 446 by PennDOT to minimize construction impacts in the community. The grants were awarded by the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority. Bill to Help Prevent Medicaid Fraud Advances  Working to protect taxpayer dollars, a bill to help prevent fraud within the Medicaid program has been approved by the House Human Services Committee. House Bill 876 would require any Medicaid provider to use a National Provider Identifier (NPI) when submitting claims for reimbursement. The NPI is a unique identification number for covered health care providers mandated by federal law. If the provider does not have an NPI, they would be required to register for a State Provider Identifier (SPI) with the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services. The bill also would clarify where civil claims for Medicaid fraud can be filed. Both initiatives were recommended as part of a grand jury investigation of the state’s Medicaid program. The bill is pending consideration by the full House. PennDOT Seeking Workers for Winter Maintenance Program  While we are still feeling the summer heat, PennDOT is preparing for cooler temperatures by gearing up for its winter maintenance program. Positions available may include CDL equipment operators, mechanics, dispatchers, tradesman helpers and semi-skilled laborers. The positions pay between $15.88-$22.80 an hour. The winter maintenance program runs from September through April. Anyone wishing to apply should visit www.employment.pa.gov and go to the PennDOT Winter Maintenance Program posting under the “Open Jobs” section of the website. Fee Reduction to Help PA Families Save for Future Education Expenses  Pennsylvanians looking to save for their child’s future education expenses will see a reduction in operational fees for the PA 529 College and Career Savings Program Investment Plan (IP).The reduction will save PA 529 IP account owners an estimated $579,000 over the next year. The PA 529 IP offers a variety of portfolios for families to choose from, including target enrollment date options that automatically reallocate assets as a child approaches their anticipated date of enrollment. PA 529 accounts are designed to help Pennsylvania families steadily and strategically save for future educational expenses – including costs associated with universities, community colleges, trade schools, apprenticeships and K-12 education – all with significant state and federal tax advantages. For more information about saving for education with PA 529, visit pa529.com or call 800-440-4000. |