A Must See Movie! News from Harrisburg! Protect Yourself from Contractor Fraud!

Rep. Ismail Smith-Wade-El October 3, 2025 | 9:17 AM

Hello from Harrisburg!

I’m with my colleagues this week advocating for and working to pass legislation that will make our lives better in Pennsylvania. I want to keep you up to date on information that I hope you will find helpful.

Upcoming office closures
Upcoming events
Job opportunities with PennDOT
In the district
At the Capitol: Legislation passed this week
Beware, Seniors! Signs of contractor fraud
State grant program funding
Registration for Toys for Tots is NOW OPEN!
Coats for kids

Upcoming Office Closures

Our office will be closed the following days for a combination of training, a holiday and community events:

Monday, October 6
Monday, October 13
Tuesday, October 21
Thursday, October 23

Upcoming Events

A Must See Movie!

I encourage everyone to come out this Saturday, Oct. 4, for an important, award-winning film about three students fighting to reinstate 97 books suddenly pulled from their school libraries.

After the film, I will participate in a panel discussion, and I would love to hear your thoughts about it.

Lancaster Bail Fund Tie Die Fundraiser: Solidarity: Sunday, Oct. 5.

Lancaster Bail Fund is holding a tie-die fundraiser this Sunday, Oct. 5, from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Buchanan Park, 901 Buchanan Avenue Lancaster, PA 17603.

Solidarity Sunday recognizes that our strength as a community lies in our support of one another and with unity in the face of challenges.

In 2021, LBF, a volunteer-run non-profit organization, was established as an option for people who would otherwise be jailed because of their inability to pay the often arbitrary price of their pretrial freedom.

Learn more at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/solidarity-sunday-tickets-1735461043699

Calling all Job Seekers! PennDOT is Hiring!

PennDOT is holding a hiring event for job seekers to learn about winter temporary and permanent CDL operator (starting pay is $22.49/hr.) and diesel equipment mechanic positions (starting pay is $27.75/hr.) in Lancaster County.

The event will be held from 8 a.m. to 2: p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 7, at the Lancaster County Maintenance Office, 2105 Lincoln Highway East, Lancaster, PA 17602. For more information, call 717-299-7621.

Learn more here: Lancaster County Hiring Event | Department of Transportation | Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Mark Your Calendars!

Get ready for my Senior Health Fair! It’s one of my favorite events of the year because I get to meet some truly awesome constituents and share with them helpful information on how to live healthy lives.

In the District

On Wednesday, David Ramos from my office joined Burrowes Elementary School for their Coffee with a Cop event.

At the Capitol: Legislation Passed this Week

This week I returned to Harrisburg.

We’re still waiting on the Republican-controlled Senate to pass the budget. Our schools, municipalities and social services are hurting because they don’t have funding to run in the new fiscal year.

Tell state Sen. Scott Martin at (717) 397-1309 to do his job and pass the budget that works for all Pennsylvanians.

While the Senate is sitting around doing nothing, my House colleagues and I passed important bills that would help our neighbors and improve our communities:

We protected consumers by requiring disclosure of flood-related risk factors during the homebuying process (HB 1704); requiring companies that collect personal information electronically to take steps to protect that data from breaches (HB 997); establishing the Landslide and Sinkhole Insurance Program (HB 589); and giving consumers rights when it comes to their personal data and requiring certain businesses to protect consumer privacy and limit the collection of consumer data (HB 78).

We also protected communities by closing loopholes in our law by expanding background checks for purchases of long guns (HB 1593).

Beware Seniors! Signs of Contractor Fraud

Many contractors see Pennsylvania’s nearly 2 million senior residents as ripe for construction fraud.

Construction/contractor fraud, or home improvement fraud, includes overpayment for home construction projects, incomplete work or damaged property.

Watch out for these signs of contractor fraud: demands for upfront payment, extra billing for unrequested work, shoddy or non-existent work, altered invoices, and high-pressure sales tactics.

To protect yourself and your finances, keep these things in mind when hiring a contractor:

Get several bids on your home repair to make sure you aren’t overpaying for work.
Carefully verify contractors’ backgrounds. All contractors must display their official registration number on all contracts, estimates, proposals and advertisements distributed within the commonwealth. To verify, call all toll free 1-888-520-6680.
Be wary of online ads and social media claims as scammers use fake reviews or PO boxes for their listed addresses as a way to build trust.
Make sure the contract is in writing. Go here for a list of what must be included in the contract.
Carefully review the contract with another person. If you have questions, consult a contract attorney to review the terms with you before signing.

If you have any reason to suspect contractor fraud, report it!

Call 1-866-623-2137 (toll-free helpline).
Email: seniors@attorneygeneral.gov.
Submit a Senior Protection Complaint with the Attorney General's Office.

State Grant Program Funding Available

The latest grant opportunities from the state have been released! My office is happy to connect you with government funding opportunities like these, so please reach out if you have any questions or need a letter of support.

Registration for Toys for Tots is NOW OPEN!

Families who need a little extra help this holiday season can sign up today to receive toys for their children. Register early to secure your spot!

Please make sure you read the updated information about applying before you register.
Click here to register: https://lancaster-pa.toysfortots.org/local-coordinator-sites/lco-sites/local-toy-request-single-form.aspx or contact my office to sign up.

Help spread the word by sharing this information so that every child has the chance to experience the joy of Christmas morning.

Coats for Kids

The Salvation Army will be hosting their Coats for Kids in partnership with WGAL. Please visit their Facebook page or scan the QR code in the flyer for registration and more information.