Senator Yaw E-Newsletter

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Dear Friends,

Hello! Thank you for subscribing to my E-newsletter. I am honored to serve the 23rd Senate District and look forward to working with you toward building a better future for Pennsylvania!

This E-newsletter serves to keep you updated on what is happening throughout Bradford, Lycoming, Sullivan, Tioga and Union counties and what I am doing as your state senator in Harrisburg. I hope that you will find this E-newsletter helpful, and if you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me.

Gene Yaw
State Senator
www.SenatorGeneYaw.com

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In The News…

Voter ID Legislation to Ensure More Fairness, Accuracy.

$1.2 Million Awarded to Local Volunteer Fire, EMS Companies.

Senator Looks at Future of Power After Close Call with Rolling Blackouts.

Sen. Yaw Working on a Bill for Stream Maintenance.

PennDOT, Partners Urge Designated Driving on Super Bowl Sunday.


Honoring Penn College Police Lieutenant Pletz

Congratulating Lt. Pletz during Thursday’s Penn College Board of Directors meeting.  Photos by:  Cindy Davis Meixel, Writer/Photo Editor, Penn College.

Photos by:  Cindy Davis Meixel, Writer/Photo Editor, Penn College.

I was pleased to present Pennsylvania College of Technology Police Lt. David C. Pletz with a citation from the state Senate for his actions in the line of duty in September, when he was fired upon while responding to an off-campus incident on Vine Avenue.

The citation references an earlier honor accorded to Pletz – a Silver Star for Bravery from the National Association of Chiefs of Police – and notes that Pletz’s actions on Sept. 28 led to the swift apprehension of the assailant, who faces criminal charges for firing multiple rounds from a 9 mm handgun at Pletz.  Thank you for your service!

Around the District

On The Mark: I joined Mark Lawrence and Joe McGranaghan this week to discuss voter ID and constitutional amendment process, the impasse in the House, and working with Gov. Shapiro.  RECAP

The Heart of Lewisburg Ice Festival took place last weekend in Union County, and I had an opportunity to drop by and visit with Lewisburg’s Mayor Kendy Alvarez, Cynthia Peltier (Director of the Lewisburg CommUnity Zone), Ellen Ruby (Executive Director of the Lewisburg Downtown Partnership), and Lynn Ragusea (Lewisburg Downtown Partnership) during the, very cold, event.

Pictured with Lewisburg Mayor Kendy Alvarez at downtown’s Ice Festival

While in Union County, I had the opportunity to present Mifflinburg Bank and Trust’s President and CEO Jeffrey Kapsar with a special Senate congratulatory citation marking the institution’s 150th anniversary. 

Don’t Miss the Big Picture on LNG

By Sen. Gene Yaw (R-23)

Late last year, the Pennsylvania Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee, which I chair, held a hearing in Philadelphia about the city’s critical role in boosting liquified natural gas exports – and the positive geopolitical and climate impacts that come along with it.

Nobody knew, however, because no reporters in the region bothered to show up.

Aside from a few costumed protestors who would clearly favor Russian domination over the global energy market and the continued pollution and warmongering their LNG offers, no one came to hear what labor unions, gas companies and European business and climate experts had to say.

This is strange considering the overwhelming support for aiding Ukraine and stopping Russia’s totalitarian advances. It’s even more unusual considering the overwhelming scientific evidence illustrating a direct correlation between LNG and lowered greenhouse gas emissions worldwide over the next decade.

But that’s okay. I’ll tell you what they had to say.  READ MORE

Report Tracks College Savings Accounts in Rural and Urban Counties

 A new report from the Center for Rural Pennsylvania and the Pennsylvania Treasury Department evaluated trends in post-secondary education savings accounts, also known as PA 529 accounts.

PA Treasury offers two PA 529 plans: the PA 529 Guaranteed Savings Plan (GSP), which allows families to save at today’s tuition rates to meet tomorrow’s tuition costs, and the PA 529 Investment Plan (IP), which offers a variety of investment options.

The report examined differences between rural and urban Pennsylvania beneficiaries in the amount of savings, consistency of contributions and types of accounts opened. Key findings:

  • Education savings in PA 529 accounts are more highly concentrated in urban counties.
  • More than 60% of all contributions in PA 529 accounts between January 2018 and March 2022 went to Investment Plan accounts in urban counties.
  • A sharp increase in contribution amounts occurred in the third and fourth quarters of 2021, with Investment Plan contributions rising more than 30% from inflation-adjusted prior-year values.
  • Rural beneficiaries received an average $56 less per quarter than their urban counterparts – even after controlling for income, education and age.

The Treasury Department is increasing rural outreach to promote college savings. You can watch a discussion of the findings here.

How to File PA Income Tax Returns Online

Tax-filing season has opened, and the state Department of Revenue reminds taxpayers of the free online option to file their Pennsylvania personal income tax returns: mypath.pa.gov.

Taxpayers do not need to create a username or password to perform many functions in myPATH. That includes filing the Pennsylvania Personal Income Tax Return (PA-40), making a payment, responding to department requests for information and checking the status of a refund.

The deadline to submit 2022 personal income tax returns is April 18.

Personal income tax assistance is also available through the department’s Online Customer Service Center and by calling 717-787-8201 between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Taxpayers may also visit a Department of Revenue district office for state personal income tax filing assistance.

Educational Gratuity Program Helps Children of Fallen Military Members

We owe a debt of gratitude to Pennsylvanians who served in the military, especially those disabled or killed during conflict. Part of paying that debt is helping to care for the impacted families.

The Educational Gratuity Program provides education financial assistance for children of honorably discharged veterans with service-connected disabilities who served during war or armed conflict, or children of veterans who died during war or armed conflict.

Children of eligible veterans must be between the ages of 16 and 23, living in Pennsylvania five years prior to application and attend a school within the commonwealth. You can read more about eligibility and applying here.

Entries Accepted for Statewide “Art of the State” Exhibition

Artists and craftspeople are invited to submit applications to show their work in the 56th annual “Art of the State” exhibition.

“Art of the State” is a juried exhibition open to Pennsylvania residents at least 18 years of age. Artists will compete in five categories: painting, work on paper, sculpture, craft, and photography and digital media. Entries must be submitted online. Additional information and the link to enter are available at statemuseumpa.org/artofthestate. The application deadline is May 5.

More than $4,000 in cash awards will be presented. “Art of the State” is scheduled to open to the public at The State Museum on Sept. 10.

Watch PA Wildlife Anytime from Home

You can watch black bears, eagles and snow geese this winter through the Pennsylvania Game Commission’s round-the-clock livestreams.

A new 24-7 livestream from a black bear den in Pike County brings to four the number of livestreams the Game Commission plans to run into the spring of 2023. Also showing are the Farm Country Eagle Livestream, which provides a bird’s-eye view into a long-established nest in a giant sycamore overlooking scenic farmland, the popular Hanover, Pa. Eagle Livestream and the agency’s Snow Goose Livestream capturing the migratory action at Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area.

Pennsylvania’s black bears usually are born in January and begin walking in about eight weeks. They leave the den when three months old. Bald eagles typically lay eggs in mid-February and the eggs hatch in mid- to late March. Snow goose migration typically peaks at Middle Creek from mid-February to March.

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