View this email in a browser

FREE Senior Expo September 18

Rep. Joe Hamm and I will host our annual FREE Senior Expo on September 18^th from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Community Baptist Church in Montoursville.

This event includes door prizes, health screenings, and refreshments. Over 75 exhibitors from government agencies and non-profit organizations will be on hand! We encourage all seniors and their caretakers to come gather information and take advantage of these essential services.

For more information, please call 570-398-4476.

173^rd Annual Sullivan County Fair

I had a great afternoon at the 173^rd Annual Sullivan County Fair. Congratulations to this year’s Friend of Fair Award winners Grace Cott and Kempton Wilcox! It was great to see so many familiar faces and visit with attendees.

NAP In Action

It was a pleasure to welcome nonprofit and business partners and community leaders to last month’s “NAP In Action” seminar.

The Neighborhood Assistance Program continues to be a game changer for community development across the 23^rd District and last year, I worked with Sen. Nick Miller to double NAP’s funding cap in the budget.

A special thank you to Paul Macknosky from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development and Joe Marsicano from the Senate grants team for joining us to help navigate the process, access these resources and replicate success stories.

Sullivan County Chamber Holds Legislative Update

The Sullivan County Chamber of Commerce recently held their Legislative Brunch. It was great to connect with so many chamber members, local business leaders and officials about the issues most important to them. Together we’re working to make PA more competitive and business friendly.

Deane Center Celebrates America250PA Award

Wellsboro’s Deane Center for the Performing Arts recently celebrated a $10,000 America250PA Semi Quin grant to support their 2026 programming! Deb Rudy of my Wellsboro office was there to join the Deane Center team and America250PA representatives.

These six upcoming performances will bring fantastic immersive and historical theatre to life for both audiences and local students. Congratulations!

SBA Disaster Relief Available for Businesses and Nonprofits Impacted by Drought

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced the availability of low interest federal disaster loans to small businesses and private nonprofit (PNP) organizations in Pennsylvania who sustained economic losses caused by the drought beginning July 15, 2024.

In the 23^rd District, the disaster declaration covers the counties of Lycoming and Sullivan. The SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program is available to eligible small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, nurseries and nonprofits with financial losses directly related to this disaster.

More information HERE.

State Fire & EMS Grant Window Opens

The Pennsylvania State Fire & EMS Grant program will be open for applications from September 5^th until October 20^th at 4 p.m. This annual grant program is available for volunteer and career fire companies, emergency medical services, and rescue squads. Application and guidelines available HERE.

DCNR ATV & Snowmobile Grants Still Available

There is still time to apply for ATV & Snowmobile Grants through the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR).

This competitive grant program funds projects related to ATV and snowmobile trails and facilities, including land acquisition, planning, development, rehabilitation, maintenance, equipment purchases and educational programs.

Municipalities, nonprofit organizations and for-profit organizations in Pennsylvania can apply through September 30^th. More information HERE.

Public Health Notice for Mansfield Borough

The Pennsylvania Department of Health has notified Mansfield Borough that West Nile Virus was detected in a mosquito sample collected in Mansfield Borough. While this does not mean there is an immediate health threat, it serves as an important reminder to take simple steps to protect yourself and your family:

• Use insect repellent when outdoors, especially at dawn and dusk
• Wear long sleeves and pants when possible
• Remove standing water around your property (birdbaths, buckets, tires, etc.), as this is where mosquitoes breed.

Most people bitten by a mosquito carrying West Nile Virus will not get sick, but some may develop flu-like symptoms. If you experience severe headaches, confusion, or a high fever, contact a healthcare provider.

The Borough will continue to work with county and state health officials to monitor the situation.

Northern Tier Local Coordinated Transit Plan Update Survey

Improving Public Safety

Public safety is one of my top priorities, and the Senate has taken many important steps this year. We passed new laws closing a legal loophole to require sports officials and nonprofit volunteers and employees convicted of sexual assault to register as sexual offenders, and improving the enforcement of Protection from Abuse petitions.

To boost fire protection, we enacted measures targeting Pennsylvania’s volunteer firefighter shortage, fixing issues with emergency services funding and making it less cumbersome for firefighters to obtain their certification.

Legislation passed by the Senate and awaiting action in the House of Representatives includes a bill prohibiting non-monetary bail for the most dangerous individuals and cracking down on thieves using new technology to steal vehicles by spoofing key fobs. 

I’ll keep working hard to make our communities safe. You can review other measures we passed to increase public safety and address other subjects here.

Senate Acts to Help Charitable Organizations Raise Funds

More Pennsylvanians are using cashless payments for transactions, so we approved legislation to allow charitable organizations to accept electronic payments, such as credit cards and Venmo, to raise funds.

Senate Bill 416 would allow nonprofits such as volunteer fire companies, youth sports leagues, churches and veterans’ groups to accept electronic payments for raffle tickets. Under current law, nonprofits are limited to accepting only cash or checks for these transactions, which has made it harder to raise funds in today’s increasingly cashless society.

The legislation also adds safeguards to ensure accountability and transparency in the use of digital payment methods. Organizations must still comply with the Small Games of Chance Act. The bill was sent to the House of Representatives for consideration.

Improving Health Care

The Senate approved several measures this year to improve the delivery of health care in our communities.

Among the new laws we passed was a measure establishing a statewide stroke registry to deliver vital information to EMS providers and hospitals, ensuring the best treatment possible. Other laws aim to reduce overdose deaths by incorporating real-time reporting by EMS providers into the statewide overdose mapping system, and giving EMS personnel permanent authority to leave behind a dose of naloxone at overdose scenes, placing this lifesaving medication in the hands of a caregiver or loved one.

Critical measures passed by the Senate and awaiting action in the House of Representatives include bills to strengthen Pennsylvania’s no-cost breast cancer screening law by ensuring diagnostic imaging is fully covered, and preserving prescription drug coverage for more than 10,000 seniors.

You can review other measures we passed to improve health care and address other subjects here.

New Law Streamlines Fishing Licenses for Disabled Veterans

A new law we passed earlier this year is now in effect removing the annual fishing license fee and application for veterans with 100% disability.

Previously, only those disabled veterans with a 100% permanent disability determination from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs could receive free lifetime fishing licenses. Disabled veterans with a 100% disability determination also receive free licenses but must apply for them on an annual basis.

Act 21 of 2025 takes away the annual fee and application part of the process and allows all disabled veterans with a 100% disability determination, whether or not it is a permanent determination, to purchase free lifetime fishing licenses.

2026-27 PA Student Aid Guide Available

For parents and students planning for college, the new Student Aid Guide from the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA) provides a complete overview of the financial aid process.

The guide can help you:

• Estimate costs
• Access state and federal aid
• Fill out applications
• Set up a timeline to make the process manageable

For more help planning for college, check out PHEAA webinars and EducationPlanner.org.

Pennsylvania’s School Bus Stopping Law

Students are heading back to class, so we all need to be on the lookout for children around school buses and bus stops.

Some reminders about Pennsylvania’s School Bus Stopping Law:

• Motorists must stop at least 10 feet away from school buses that have their red lights flashing and stop arm activated.
• Motorists must stop when they are behind a bus, meeting the bus or approaching an intersection where a bus is stopped.
• Motorists following or traveling alongside a school bus must also stop until the red lights have stopped flashing, the stop arm is withdrawn and all children have reached safety.

School districts are permitted to install automated camera systems on buses to enforce the law. You can find more information about the law and penalties, and safety tips for children, here.  

Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can update your preferences or unsubscribe

2025 © Senate of Pennsylvania | https://www.senatorgeneyaw.com | Privacy Policy