 |
|
| |
Please do not reply directly to this email, as it returns to an unmanned account.
You are welcome to contact me through this link.
|
| Mehaffie Message |
| #Listrak\DateStampLong# |
The latest news from the State Capitol |
In this Edition:
| |
• |
Health is Wealth: Thanks for Visiting Health Expo |
| |
• |
Progress Made on Voter ID Bill |
| |
• |
Handheld Devices Ban Takes Effect June 5 |
| |
• |
Remember the Fallen This Memorial Day |
| |
• |
Driver License, Photo Centers Closed for Memorial Day |
| |
• |
Fish for Free This Sunday! |
| |
• |
Win Money for Your Child’s Education |
| |
• |
Rotary Club Serves Community, Global Causes |
|
Health is Wealth: Thanks for Visiting Health Expo
My annual Health Expo helped Dauphin County residents connect with resources and get answers to questions about overall health, elder care, local services and more. My thanks to the vendors and attendees.
Mark your calendar for my next event – a free seminar about first aid and bleeding control. “Stop the Bleed” is offered in conjunction with Penn State Health on Thursday, June 12, from 6-8 p.m. at Hummelstown Chemical Fire Co., 249 E. Main St., Hummelstown. Call 717-534-1323 for more information or to RSVP.
|
Progress Made on Voter ID Bill
I’ve been answering questions from fellow lawmakers this week to prepare my voter ID bill for a future vote. There are a lot of misconceptions and outright falsehoods circulating about House Bill 771, which I wrote with Reps. Frank Burns (D-Cambria) and K.C. Tomlinson (R-Bucks). I put a FAQs page on my website to help provide facts, rather than myths, about the legislation. You can read it here.
|
Handheld Devices Ban Takes Effect June 5
A new Pennsylvania law banning the use of handheld devices while driving takes effect on June 5.
Paul Miller’s Law limits the use of handheld cellphones or other communication devices while operating a motor vehicle. The law is named for a young man who was killed in a crash involving a distracted tractor-trailer driver in Monroe County, Pennsylvania, in 2010.
Under the law, driving while holding a mobile device is a primary violation, meaning police can pull over drivers solely for the violation. For the first 12 months, the penalty is a written warning. Effective in June 2026, the penalty is a summary offense, which carries a $50 fine, plus court costs and other fees. If a driver is convicted of homicide by vehicle and driving while distracted, they may be sentenced up to an additional five years in prison.
Drivers can still use their phones if using hands-free technology, such as a docking station, Bluetooth or speaker technology. You may also use your phone to contact emergency responders.
According to PennDOT, more than 11,000 crashes were the result of distracted driving, leading to 65 deaths and 6,700 injuries in 2023. Pennsylvania joins 28 other states with hands-free laws.
Read more here.
|
Remember the Fallen This Memorial Day
Monday, May 26, is Memorial Day – a day set aside to honor the more than 1.1 million Americans who have died in wars which the United States entered.
Please take a moment this weekend to remember these men and women who sacrificed their lives for us and for our country and consider participating in Memorial Day events in your community.
On Thursday, I participated in the Dauphin County Board of Commissioners’ veterans breakfast that coincided with Military Appreciation Month and Memorial Day.
|
Driver License, Photo Centers Closed for Memorial Day
PennDOT driver license and photo centers will be closed Saturday, May 24, through Monday, May 26, in observance of the Memorial Day holiday.
Customers may still obtain a variety of driver and vehicle products and services online through PennDOT’s Driver and Vehicle Services website, www.dmv.pa.gov. Services include driver’s license, photo ID and vehicle registration renewals; driver-history services; changes of address; driver license and vehicle registration restoration letters; ability to pay driver license or vehicle insurance restoration fee; driver license and photo ID duplicates; and driver exam scheduling. There are no additional fees for using online services.
|
Fish for Free This Sunday!
This Sunday, May 25, the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) will host a Fish for Free day to allow anyone (resident or non-resident) to legally fish on all Pennsylvania waterways. No license is required, but all other fishing regulations still apply.
This is the first of two dates set by the PFBC to enhance fishing opportunities. The next day is Independence Day, Friday, July 4. This is a great way to expose the next generation of anglers to the outdoors. More information about fishing in Pennsylvania is available here.
|
Win Money for Your Child’s Education
In honor of PA 529 Day on May 29, the Pennsylvania Treasury is inviting families to contribute $10 or more to their child’s PA 529 account in May to be automatically eligible for one of six regional awards of $5,529.
PA 529 plans allow families to use their savings to pay for a wide variety of education expenses, including at any qualified educational institution, from K-12 to college and career training programs.
Anyone – parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and family friends – can contribute to a PA 529 plan. Saving with PA 529 does not impact a student’s eligibility for Pennsylvania state financial aid. Learn more here.
|
Rotary Club Serves Community, Global Causes
The Hershey Rotary Club invited me to provide remarks at its meeting Monday. The club not only serves our region through adopt-a-highway clean-ups, dinners at Ronald McDonald House and similar initiatives, but it also supports global causes like disease prevention.
|
|
|
|
