Happy 4th of July!! Enjoy the holiday weekend for a nation of liberty, equality, and justice for all!!!

My offices will be closing at 12 PM on Thursday, July 3rd and will be closed on Friday, July 4th. The office will resume normal business hours on Monday, July 7th. Have a wonderful holiday weekend ahead!!

This week, my House colleagues and I passed important bills that will help our neighbors and improve our communities:

• We protected your wallet by capping overdraft and nonsufficient fees on bank transactions (HB 1553) and requiring a service company to clearly and conspicuously provide the consumer with the option to opt into, rather than opt out of, a service (HB 129).
• We supported new moms by expanding Medical Assistance to cover blood pressure monitors for home use as a pregnancy-related service (HB 1234).
• We acted to guard the good health of the brave firefighters who put their own safety on the line for all of us by reducing their exposure on the job to certain chemicals (HB 1261).

Over the past several weeks the House of Representatives has been passing budget-related bills to ensure Pennsylvanians’ a timely and responsible budget, but Republican Senate leaders are delaying the process by canceling their legislative session and not engaging in fruitful discussions.

The House will be back at it next week. To watch our House Sessions live, visit: www.pahouse.com/live

This week I joined the House Finance Committee in voting to support our rural communities with over $50 million in investments for rural growth funds (HB 1667). We voted to increase financial support up to $20,000 for family heirs who have deceased family members with unclaimed property (HB 1176). We also voted to protect our residents in high-rise buildings by ensuring they are all equipped with fire sprinkler systems (HB 1668).

I was proud to join my colleagues this week for the re-launch of the PA Youth and Public Safety Caucus. Our children are our future, and I will do everything in my power to continue to protect them and to uplift their voices within my role as State Representative.

My staff hosted a table providing state resource information at this year’s Berks Technical Institute’s Summer Block Party. Thank you to everyone who came out for community fun, sun, and resources! Have a wonderful Summer, everyone!!

The Borough of Wyomissing will be hosting its Annual Independence Day Parade and Celebration on Friday, July 4th. We look forward to seeing you there for some star-spangled fun!

The Berks County Commissioners are hosting a ceremony on Tuesday, July 8, at 12 PM in the Berks County Services Center at 633 Court St. in Reading.

The event will be held at the Berks County Liberty Bell on the Center’s first floor. The ceremony will include colonial reenactors, an explanation of the history involved and a reading of sections of the Declaration of Independence in German.

The installation is part of a community effort to recognize Berks County’s contribution to our nation’s history as we prepare to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Learn more at www.america250paberks.com. 

Did you use SNAP benefits to purchase food that was lost in a power outage, flood, or fire? You can ask for replacement SNAP benefits to get new food at the Berks County Assistance Office. Please review the document above for instructions on how to request replacement SNAP benefits or contact the Berks County Assistance Office at 866-215-3912.

There are new grant opportunities available for Agriculture, Environmental, Public Safety, Redevelopment, and Transportation divisions. To review these available grants with clickable links, please visit my website at: https://www.pahouse.net/Cepeda-Freytiz/News/?id=139187.

The Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program has made it easier for older friends and neighbors to stay in their homes while affording groceries, medicine, and so much more. Also, don’t forget that thanks to changes I helped to make in 2023, income eligibility and rebate amounts have increased significantly!

Keep an eye on your mailbox -- 40,000 Pennsylvanians are receiving letters as part of the PA Money Match program, which returns unclaimed property worth $500 or less automatically. Confirm your address, and you could receive a check in about 45 days! Visit patreasury.gov/unclaimed-property or contact my office for help searching for other unclaimed funds of yours that PA Treasury may be holding in safekeeping -- the average claim is worth over $1,000!

Every year, the Pennsylvania Treasury helps people claim unclaimed property that is rightfully theirs. Currently, the Treasury has nearly $3.8 billion in unclaimed property it is seeking to return to individuals and businesses.

As always, my team and I are here to help you navigate state programs and services. Please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions, concerns, or ideas. If you can't make it into my district office, you can visit one of my satellite offices! Find my office information below:

Centro Hispano Casa Senior Center

25 N. 2nd St., Reading, PA, 19601

every Thursday from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Spring Township Municipal Building

2850 Windmill Rd., Sinking Spring, PA, 19608

1st and 3rd Friday from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.

100 N. Front St., Reading, PA, 19601

1st and 3rd Monday from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Glenside/Hensler Homes O'Pake Community Center

880 Avenue A, Reading, PA, 19601

2nd and 4th Monday from 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.

We also host D.A.V Services (Disabled American Veterans) in my office

1111 Penn Ave., Wyomissing, PA 19610

every other Monday from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Pennsylvania State Capitol

104-A East Wing Main Capitol
Harrisburg, PA 17120

(717) 772-1858

District Office

1111 Penn Ave.
Wyomissing, PA 19610

(484) 577-2756