It’s very important to me that Mon Valley residents be able to make ends meet, so I want to make sure you know about assistance programs that can help qualifying customers with their bills from Pennsylvania American Water.

Customers can receive grants or discounts, depending on their income. Customers can also make payment arrangements before falling behind on a bill, and a new forgiveness program can also help customers pay off their past due account balance. Customers behind on their bill due to a medical emergency also might be able to avoid shutoff or have service restored.

Learn more about the programs here:  PA American Water programs.

The House last week passed my bill to make it easier to rehabilitate and preserve certain historic properties in Pennsylvania—the first bill of mine to pass the House since I was sworn in this spring. House Bill 1572 would alleviate some of the construction and rehabilitation costs of property preservation by increasing a tax credit available for each project under the state’s Historic Preservation Tax Credit. The bill is now under consideration in the state Senate.

The tax-credit program provides tax credits to qualified taxpayers who are restoring a qualified historic structure into an income-producing property. Last session, the General Assembly took an important step by increasing the total tax credits issued per year from $5 million per year to $20 million. However, each qualifying project can only receive a credit of $500,000, and my legislation would increase the per-project cap on the credit to $1.5 million.

I have introduced a new bill, H.B. 1702, to help business owners keep up with industry trends by allowing for pre-mixed cocktails on tap.

Current law prohibits storing pre-mixed cocktails—such as a margarita or mojito—for more than 24 hours, for health and safety reasons. However, an innovative new product stores the ingredients for cocktails in kegs, and licensees simply add the alcohol and place the sealed keg on tap, just like beer.

There are many benefits to this innovation—there is a uniform amount of alcohol in each drink, there is a higher level of sanitation than pouring drinks by hand, and it makes life easier on businesses. Currently, 36 other states allow these kegs, and Pennsylvania licensees should be able to join the list.

A bill to repeal the state’s longstanding ban on Sunday hunting has been sent to Gov. Josh Shapiro’s desk. The governor’s office said he will sign the bill soon.

House Bill 1431 gives the Pennsylvania Game Commission the authority to approve general Sunday hunting. For private property, Sunday hunting would only be allowed with the owner’s written permission.

A bill to allow for more big-ticket games and payouts from the PA Lottery has been sent to the governor after clearing the General Assembly last week.

The bill will allow the Lottery, which pays for important senior programs, to sell more big-ticket prize games, such as its popular $30 and $50 scratch-off tickets. It does that by lowering the Lottery’s mandated profit margin from 20% to 10% on its traditional games.

This change will also be good for the Lottery. It will attract more customers and allow the Lottery to better compete with other forms of entertainment so it can continue to support senior programs such as transportation services and rebates for rent and property taxes.

My team and I are here to assist with a variety of state government-related services, so please don’t hesitate to visit the district office at Tube City Center in McKeesport, call us at 412-664-0035, or visit my website, www.repgoughnour.com. 

Pennsylvania State Capitol

117-A East Wing

Harrisburg, PA 17120
(717) 783-1018

District Office

409 Walnut St. First Floor

McKeesport, PA 15132-2524

(412) 664-0035