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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Wishing You a Happy Thanksgiving!

Pennsylvania has a rich history related to celebrating the day of thanks, as the first nationally recognized Thanksgiving was celebrated in York County in 1777. Americans had just soundly defeated the British in the Battle of Saratoga in the American Revolution. To mark the victory, the Second Continental Congress proclaimed a National Day of Thanksgiving.

The first Thanksgiving Day Parade was also held in Pennsylvania in 1920 – four years before the first Macy’s parade.

May your holiday be filled with an abundance of blessings, health and good times. In honor of the Thanksgiving holiday, my office will be closed on Thursday, Nov. 23, and Friday, Nov. 24.

On the Horizon…

The 25th annual Sayre Borough Christmas Parade will be held this Friday, November 24th at 6:30 p.m. in downtown Sayre!

Join Westfield Elementary for Small Business Saturday on November 25 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Over 40 vendors with unique gifts and free gift wrapping!

Mifflinburg’s Annual Downtown Shopping Night and Christmas Tree Lighting will take place this Sunday, November 26 from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Chestnut Street. Santa, entertainment, storefront decorating and more!

Deer season begins this week for Pennsylvania hunters! Statewide firearms deer season starts on Saturday, Nov. 25, continues on Sunday, Nov. 26, then runs through Saturday, Dec. 9, excluding only Sunday, Dec. 3. More information is available from the Pennsylvania Game Commission HERE.  Good luck, hunters!

Increase in State Funding for Penn College

Last week, the Senate approved a measure to fund Pennsylvania’s state-relate universities for 2023 – 24, which included a $3.2 million increase in state funding for the Pennsylvania College of Technology (PCT).

This vital increase was approved by Governor Shapiro on November 16th and will allow PCT to open more slots in dozens of in-demand programs such as welding, electrical, and aviation maintenance. I am very pleased that we have taken this step in rewarding their outstanding performance!

Read more HERE

Over $3.5 Million in NAP Funding Awarded in Lycoming, Sullivan Counties

I am pleased to announce $3,530,007 in Neighborhood Assistance Program (NAP) funding through the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) will be distributed across Lycoming and Sullivan Counties to assist low-income individuals and improve distressed areas in those communities. 

The Neighborhood Assistance Program allows businesses, communities, and organizations to work together to revitalize our neighborhoods and improve access to job opportunities, quality education and affordable housing. I am pleased to see this impactful investment in these worthy projects across the 23rd District!

Read more on the projects HERE

Senate Advances Key Education, School Safety Budget Priorities

The Senate approved budget implementation language that will drive out critical funding to schools and present a more streamlined approach to school safety.

House Bill 301 allocates funding for several critical priorities that were included in the 2023-24 state budget, including:

  • $100 million for K-12 mental health programs.
  • An additional $150 million for education tax credits to provide scholarships to students through the existing Education Improvement Tax Credit and Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit programs.
  • $295 million for Ready-to-Learn Block Grants.
  • More than $261 million for community colleges.
  • More than $76 million in special education funding for intermediate units.
  • $10 million to create a new Educator Pipeline Support Grant Program to provide grants to student teachers.
  • $46.5 million in reimbursements to school entities that participate in the National School Lunch and School Breakfast programs.
  • More than $70 million in state aid to public libraries.
  • $14.5 million in funding for career and technical schools.
  • $7 million to assist distressed schools.

The bill would also ensure greater collaboration in keeping children safe in the classroom by consolidating school safety programs and operations under the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD), which currently manages the highly successful School Safety and Security Grant Program created by Senate Republicans in 2018.

Learn more about other ways the bill helps students and schools here.

Healthy, Free Food Available to Low-Income Seniors

The Senior Food Box Program supplements low-income seniors’ diets with nutritious food, including non-fat dry and shelf-stable fluid milk, juice, oats, ready-to-eat cereal, rice, pasta, dry beans, peanut butter, canned meat, poultry, fish and canned fruits and vegetables.

To participate, individuals must be at least 60 years old and meet income eligibility guidelines. A single senior’s annual income may not exceed $18,954, and the income for a couple is capped at $25,636.

Seniors who would like to participate should call 800-468-2433 to be directed to the regional food bank distributing the Senior Food Box in their county of residence. Learn more here.

Loans Available for Businesses Creating and Retaining Jobs

Low-interest loans and lines of credit are available to eligible businesses that commit to creating and retaining full-time jobs and for the development of industrial parks and multi-tenant facilities.

The money can be used for land and building acquisitions, machinery and equipment purchases, working capital and accounts receivable lines of credit, multi-tenant facility projects and industrial park projects.

Learn more and apply online here.

Preparing Pennsylvanians of All Ages for Career Success

People at any stage of their careers – and even before their careers have begun – may use SkillUp PA, Pennsylvania’s free online job training platform. The free trainings are designed to fill critical skill gaps that can be a barrier to employment, prepare people for credential or certification tests and sharpen soft job skills.

Some of the courses include Being an Effective Team Member, Essential Skills for Professional Telephone Calls, Interpersonal Communication: Listening Essentials and Thinking Critically: Coming to Terms with Assumptions.

Learn more about SkillUp and enroll here.

Shop Small on Saturday

Small Business Saturday is this weekend, a great time to shop small when thinking about gifts for the holiday season.

Small businesses account for 99.6% of Pennsylvania businesses and half of our jobs. That’s why I’ve advocated for the continued phase-out of the state’s excessive Corporate Net Income Tax – which burdens many small business operators – and voted for a host of measures this year to cut government red tape that is hampering the work of these crucial job creators.

You can find state resources on starting a small business here.

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