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2026 Student Government Seminar

Nearly 200 students from 15 schools across the 23rd District converged on Pennsylvania College of Technology’s campus earlier this month for this year’s Student Government Seminar.

The seminar gives high school students the opportunity to engage with elected officials, debate important issues, develop legislation and vote on mock bills in an open session. Each year, I’m so impressed by the interest, leadership and decision-making skills displayed by these fantastic groups of students.

THANK YOU to Penn College for their generous hospitality and to all this year’s volunteers, participants and sponsors, including Waste Management, for another very successful event. We couldn’t do it without all of you!

Protect Pennsylvania’s Hunting Economy

For more than 50 years, the first Monday after Thanksgiving served as the traditional opening day of statewide firearms deer season, drawing families, friends and sportsmen from every corner of the state into our forests and towns. But that tradition was upended in 2019 when the Pennsylvania Game Commission (PGC) moved the opener to the Saturday after Thanksgiving, a decision that has had unintended and harmful consequences for local economies.

That’s why I’ve joined with Sen. Lisa Boscola to introduce legislation that would restore the traditional opening day and revitalize the economic engine that this annual event once provided for rural Pennsylvania.

Read more HERE.

Read my latest Op-Ed HERE.

Yaw, Pickett Announce Funding for Natural Gas Expansion Awarded in Wyalusing Borough

A natural gas expansion project in Wyalusing Borough, Bradford County has been awarded $977,918 in state funding through the Commonwealth Financing Authority’s (CFA) Pipeline Investment Program (PIPE), which I authored in 2016.

With the funding, Leatherstocking Gas Company will install 10,920 feet of natural gas line in Wyalusing Borough along State Route 6 and several streets within the borough. This addition will supply natural gas to 110 residential households and 60 commercial facilities and will serve the entire Wyalusing community. 

Read more HERE.

County Commissioners Hold Spring Conference

L to R: Brian Hoffman, Sullivan Co. Commissioner; Daryl Miller, Bradford Co. Commissioner; Sam VanLoon, Tioga Co. Commissioner; Marc Rice, Tioga Co. Commissioner; Senator Yaw; Shane Nickerson, Tioga Co. Commissioner; Preston Boop, Union Co. Commissioner; Jeff Reber, Union Co. Commissioner and Zach Gates, Bradford Co. Commissioner. 

It was great to see so many familiar faces at this year’s County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania (CCAP) Spring Conference in Harrisburg! Our county commissioners work to strengthen our communities every day and we had a great conversation about local issues, projects and priorities.

Jersey Shore Celebrates 200^th Year

The Jersey Shore community kicked off its 200^th anniversary earlier this month. Residents, businesses and local leaders joined the celebration, and I presented Mayor Lon Myers with a Senate Citation. I’m looking forward to celebrating this wonderful community in the year ahead!  

Local Students Visit Capitol

Students from C.E. McCall Middle School in Montoursville visited the Capitol recently as part of Music in our Schools Month and put on a wonderful performance in the Capitol Rotunda.

Thank you to the students and families from MAC Homeschool Group in Mifflinburg for stopping by our beautiful State Capitol during your visit to Harrisburg!

Scholarships Presented to Lycoming County Students

Thanks to the generosity of the Bridge Educational Foundation, M&T Bank and Waste Management, students at St. John Neuman Regional Academy will receive $20,620 in scholarships through Pennsylvania’s Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC).  My Chief of Staff, Nick Troutman, was on hand to celebrate along with Alisia McNamee, Principal, Judy Archibald of Waste Management and Rep. Jamie Flick.

Department of Revenue Schedules Local PTRR/PA-40 Filing Events

The Pennsylvania Department of Revenue is scheduling their annual Pennsylvania Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program and PA-40 filing events across Pennsylvania. The following events are upcoming in our area –

Bradford County

April 13 – 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. – McCallum Manor, 32 S. Minnequa Ave., Canton

Tioga County

March 31 – 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. – Riverside Part, 1-30 Diehr St., Blossburg.

Sullivan County Assistance Office Relocates

The Sullivan County Assistance Office, formerly located at 918 Main Street, Laporte, PA, has been relocated and is now at:

11099 U.S. 220
Dushore, PA 18614
Phone: 570-946-7174
Hours: M-F 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Distance: 11.5 Miles from the former location.

Online: Apply for and renew benefits, report a change, or submit verification documents online at www.dhs.pa.gov/COMPASS.

Mobile app: Download the free myCOMPASS PA mobile app from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store to report changes, submit verification documents, and even check SNAP/TANF balances right from a mobile device.

Call the Customer Service Center at 1-877-395-8930 or 215-560-7226 in Philadelphia with questions or updates to information.

Call 1-866-550-4355 to apply for or renew SNAP, Medicaid, or CHIP benefits

Senate Approves Measure to Protect Children from Harmful AI Chats

The Senate approved legislation to establish commonsense safeguards for children interacting with artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots. The bill will be sent to the House of Representatives for consideration.

Senate Bill 1090 would require robust, age-appropriate safeguards to prevent content generation that encourages self-harm, suicide or violence against others, and directs users to appropriate self-harm crisis resources whenever high-risk language is detected.

Heartbreaking stories have been reported of vulnerable individuals, including minors, who have used AI chatbots to cope with trauma, mental health, depression and anxiety. Multiple families have alleged in lawsuits that chatbot responses contributed to their teen’s death by suicide.

Legislation Expanding First Responder Training Passed by Senate

Legislation to help alleviate the shortage of emergency responder instructors across Pennsylvania was approved by the Senate.

Senate Bill 782 would allow retired public school and state employees who previously worked part-time as certified EMS, fire or police instructors to return to that work without losing their pension benefits. Retirees would not earn additional benefits.

The measure was sent to the House of Representatives for consideration.

Senate Acts to Protect Vehicle Choice in Pennsylvania

Legislation preserving Pennsylvanians’ ability to choose their preferred vehicle by prohibiting state mandates on specific vehicle purchases was approved by the Senate.

Senate Bill 990 protects consumer choice, encourages innovation and helps prevent higher costs associated with uniform mandates. The bill supports a comprehensive approach to transportation that includes gas and diesel-powered vehicles, hybrids, electric vehicles and emerging technologies, allowing new advancements to develop and compete.

The bill was sent to the House of Representatives for consideration.

Shooting Range Improvement Program Accepting Applications

Shooting ranges and related organizations open for public use have until May 8 to apply for state grants for development and renovation work that helps ensure community access to safe ranges.

Related organizations include shooting clubs, recreational shooting organizations, archery clubs and education groups. Public use of facilities includes public range times, educational outreach/trainings or organized shooting competitions. Retail ranges are not eligible to apply for this program.

Each Pennsylvania Game Commission region will receive at least one project. Learn about eligible projects and how to apply here.

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