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| Mehaffie Message |
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The latest news from the State Capitol |
In this Edition:
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Voter ID Bill Introduced |
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Bow Creek Road Bill Advances |
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Grow PA Scholarship Grant Program Applications Open |
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New Online Petition Center for Taxpayers to File Appeals |
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Bid on Unclaimed Property During Treasury’s Online Auction |
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Introducing Youth to Trout Fishing |
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Recognizing Local Leaders |
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Voter ID Bill Introduced
I joined with Reps. Frank Burns (D-Cambria) and K.C. Tomlinson (R-Bucks) to introduce legislation that would require identification to be shown at the polls during future elections in Pennsylvania.
House Bill 771 would require a registered voter to show an acceptable form of ID that matches the name listed at his or her polling place before a ballot is cast. If the voter cannot produce an acceptable ID, the voter can affirm his or her identity in writing.
Voters in Pennsylvania currently are required to show identification the first time they cast a ballot in a polling place, and voters who apply to vote by mail provide a state-issued identification number, the last four digits of their Social Security number or a copy of one of the other forms of acceptable identification.
Some 81% of respondents in a nationwide survey told Pew Research they support requiring people to show government-issued photo identification to vote. The representatives said the Legislature can no longer ignore the plentiful voices calling for voter ID, saying identification requirements would give voters more confidence in the fairness and accuracy of elections.
It is important to encourage regular and robust voting to protect the very foundation of our constitutional republic. I feel people would be more likely to vote if they had increased confidence in our electoral system. This legislation offers numerous forms of acceptable ID and an alternative for the voter to affirm his or her identity, so we meet our constitutional obligation to ensure every voter has the right to vote.
House Bill 771 was referred to the House State Government Committee. |
Bow Creek Road Bill Advances
Legislation to convert Bow Creek Road in East Hanover Township from a municipally owned and maintained road to a state-owned one cleared the House of Representatives this week.
I introduced similar legislation in the 2023-24 Legislative Session and encountered delays in the Senate. My hope is the new bill (House Bill 333) clears the Senate expediently, so this issue can be resolved as requested by the township’s leadership.
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Grow PA Scholarship Grant Program Applications Open
The Grow PA Scholarship Grant Program, administered by the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA), is now open!
Created by the Legislature under Act 89 of 2024, the program offers grants of up to $5,000 per year for in-state students who attend college in Pennsylvania, pursue a degree in an in-demand occupation and agree to work in that occupation in Pennsylvania after graduation.
There are over 460 eligible programs of study or majors that lead to in-demand occupations in a variety of fields, such as agriculture, business, education, computer science, STEM, nursing, allied health and criminal justice. Awards will be issued on a first-come, first-served basis for the 2025-26 academic year.
For details about the program and eligibility, visit PHEAA.org/GrowPA.
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New Online Petition Center for Taxpayers to File Appeals
A new online platform is now available for Pennsylvania taxpayers who are filing an appeal or submitting a request for a refund with the state Department of Revenue.
Key features of the new Online Petition Center include a more user-friendly, intuitive interface; a tracker feature to allow taxpayers to follow the status of their petition; improved security and accessibility; and simpler terminology to streamline the process.
The new Online Petition Center also involves a transition to the Keystone Login account management system, meaning users will need to sign up for a new username and password to access the new system. Click here to learn more about how to register for a Keystone Login account.
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Bid on Unclaimed Property During Treasury’s Online Auction!
Pennsylvania Treasurer Stacy Garrity has announced that Treasury’s next auction of unclaimed property will take place next week on Wednesday and Thursday, March 26-27. More than 5,500 items will hit the auction block for online bidders. Anyone interested in bidding can visit Treasury’s auctioneer partner Pook & Pook Inc.’s website to register.
Items in the upcoming auction include precious and costume jewelry, collectible coins, currency and more. Any item sold at auction is carefully documented by Treasury. Net proceeds remain with Treasury until a rightful owner comes forward to claim the property, no matter how much time passes.
Unclaimed tangible property, like the items being auctioned, comes to Treasury most often from forgotten safe deposit boxes. Treasury works to find the rightful owner for at least three years before auctioning an item. Treasury holds auctions twice a year to make room for incoming property in Treasury’s vault, the largest working vault in the country.
Treasury is working to return more than $4.5 billion in unclaimed property that is owed to more than one in 10 Pennsylvanians. The average value of a claim is about $1,600. This money can belong to individuals, businesses, nonprofits, local government entities and other organizations.
Anyone can search for unclaimed property online at patreasury.gov/unclaimed-property. My office is also always glad to help you with your claim or to answer any of your questions.
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Introducing Our Youth to Trout Fishing!
Just a reminder next Saturday, March 29, 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.
The following Saturday, April 5, 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 www.fishandboat.com or the FishBoatPA mobile app for more information.
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Recognizing Local Leaders
Penn State Health students visited the Capitol this week. What an impressive group of young men and women!
Honorees from the Grantville Volunteer Fire Co. banquet earlier this month included Jim Hacker, Saul Schmolitz, Mary Schmolitz, Dhyey Patel, Aiden Mende and Will Weaver.
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