Dear Neighbor,

Last week my office and I continued our work to provide seniors with the latest information on state and local services at our senior fair!

The senior fair was a great place to learn more about state programs, featuring over 30 vendors from local and state offering helpful information, free resources, and support services tailored for seniors and their families. In addition to all the information, I was pleased to welcome the Luzerne County District Attorney’s Office to provide a safe method to “take-back” and properly dispose of any expired and unused prescriptions. Click here to watch Fox 56’s coverage of the event.

If you were unable to attend my senior fair, my district office in Wilkes-Barre located at 152 S. Pennsylvania Ave. or my office in Plains located at the Tuft-Tex Complex, 1325 N. River St., Ste. 101A are great places to learn more about the programs and get help applying for them.

An essential part of my job as a state legislator and servant to my community is to ensure that you know about the state services and government programs that are available to you. We experienced a great turnout which is always a positive thing. Because there are so many state programs available, it can get a little overwhelming. So, the more seniors who go to these events, the more seniors who are in the know about these important programs. Additionally, it allows me to continue to connect with seniors from all over the valley, especially all those from my district, so I can best represent them in Harrisburg.

Thank you to everyone who helped make this such a successful event – including my district office team pictured below with myself and a special shout out to State Sen. Marty Flynn and his staff for also participating in this event.

This is a reminder that PA’s distracted driving law, also known as Paul Miller’s Law, goes into effect on Thursday, June 5. The law bans drivers from using handheld, interactive mobile devices while driving – even when stopped at traffic lights or in traffic.

Here’s what you need to know:

• What's banned: Holding or supporting a phone or other device with any part of your body while driving. This includes texting, browsing, or dialing unless it's a single-button press.
• What's allowed: Using hands-free technology like Bluetooth or dashboard mounts for calls, navigation, or music. Emergency calls to 911 are also permitted.
• Enforcement: For the first year, violations will result in written warnings. Starting June 5, 2026, a first offense will carry a $50 fine plus court costs and fees.

You can read more about the law here.

May is Women’s Health Month — a great reminder for women across Pennsylvania to prioritize their health by scheduling important check-ups and preventive screenings. Early detection through services like breast and cervical cancer screenings can make all the difference, and many of these are available free thanks to insurance coverage under the Affordable Care Act. For eligible women, the Pennsylvania Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program offers free screenings and follow-up care, helping remove barriers to accessing vital health services.

To better understand the challenges women face in using these benefits, the Pennsylvania Insurance Department joined by the Department of Health, the Department of Human Services, and the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs have launched a new survey.

The goal is to hear directly from women about any questions or obstacles they might have when accessing free preventive services like regular check-ups, screenings, and pregnancy care. The survey is quick and will remain open until July 7. It’s a great opportunity to share your experience and help improve access to care.

Effective NOW, you need a REAL ID, valid U.S. Passport, or military ID to board a domestic airline flight or visit a federal government building that requires such ID.

If you don’t already have a flight scheduled or have no need to visit a federal government building in the immediate future, your regular PA driver’s license or non-driver's ID will keep working just fine.

Make no mistake – you might eventually want a REAL ID, but you can get one when it’s convenient for you. Unless you’ve got plane tickets already booked and don't have a passport or other federally accepted ID to board your flight, there is not an urgent rush to get your REAL ID. There are also acceptable alternative forms of identification that you can use.

Pennsylvania now offers a new EBT Card Lock safety feature through the ConnectEBT app or website. This feature allows you to lock your EBT card when not in use to protect your SNAP and cash benefits from skimming and theft. Locking your EBT card blocks all purchases, balance inquiries, and transactions to keep your funds secure.

Users can lock their card when it’s not in use, then unlock it using the app or website before making a purchase. There’s also an auto re-lock feature to automatically re-lock your card to protect your card 30, 60, or 90 minutes after unlocking. Click here for more information.

Thanks again to everyone who attended my senior fair, to my staff, Sen. Flynn and his staff, and to all the Wyoming Valley Managers for making our 2025 Senior Fair a success for all.

Let us continue to work together to build a stronger and safer America by searching for the TRUTH and finding the FACTS to guide our words, and our actions. Please, STAY STRONG and SAFE! Our democracy needs us to come together for the good of all.

Sincerely,

Rep. Eddie Day Pashinski

121st Legislative District