Happy Tuesday to my neighbors of the 168th!
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I hope everyone had a fantastic July 4th weekend! Marie, Kate, Mary Ann, Alex, Stephanie and I had a great time marching in the annual Marple Newtown 4th of July Parade.
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This parade is one of Delco’s best and has special meaning for me; I’ve been coming to it since I was little. I still remember lining up on West Chester Pike waiting for the fire engines to go by so my sister, brother, and cousins could catch the candy.
Well...now I’m marching, throwing candy, and having so much fun! So good to see so many friends lining the pike. But next year...we definitely need more candy!
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We are back in Harrisburg this week with high hopes there will be a budget to vote on this week. The House has already voted on the priorities laid out by Governor Shapiro for this budget – that includes funding for public transportation agencies like SEPTA, and additional funding for PennDOT for road and bridge improvements. We’ve also sought to identify new revenue streams, which is why I voted to support legislation calling for the tightly controlled legalization and regulation of adult-use cannabis.
There is so much to prioritize. From public education and healthcare to infrastructure and first responders, we have many opportunities to make investments that will make a difference in the lives of residents across the commonwealth. I am hopeful we will have a budget to share in the next few days.
I hope everyone has a great week, and let’s go Phillies!
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Harrisburg Update
- It's a big, bad bill
- My bill addressing the teacher shortage passes the House!
- 'Morgan Rose's Law' heads to the Senate
- House approves my legislation to protect you from sneaky subscriptions
- Act 3 of 2025 now in place to benefit of 2nd-class townships!
- Serving as Speaker pro tempore
- Tour of Tröegs Brewery
In the District
- Celebrating Independence Day
- Renewing license plates in Newtown Square
- Knocking doors in our neighborhoods
- Honoring MNHS Boys Lacrosse
My Events
- Period product donation drive for Mitzvah Circle (now thru July 18)
FYI
- Watch out for a scam targeting seniors re: inheritance
Community Events
- Chesco Pops 20th Anniversary Concert (July 20)
- Rose Tree Summer Festival Concerts (through Aug. 10)
- Free Yoga in the Park w/ Newtown Township Parks & Rec (through July 16)
- DCHD healthcare system help days for seniors (through August)
- Main Line Health Smoking Cessation program sessions
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This morning I stood with my colleagues in the Capitol Rotunda to expose the ugly truth about the so-called federal “Big Beautiful Bill” and the damage it will cause to people. The legislation defunds core government functions concerning health care, food aid, school funding, energy costs and more to pay for tax breaks for billionaires, forcing federal agencies into making massive cuts in services.
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Rep. Venkat, an emergency room physician who represents Allegheny County, said: “Without a doubt, the Big Bad Bill will decimate health care access and increase health care costs in our state. It will rip health insurance away from hundreds of thousands of Pennsylvanians, close hospitals, nursing homes, and clinics, raise premiums and other health care costs for all, and cost lives.”
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We are doing everything we can in our caucus to boost funding to state programs that help support people in these areas, but the state budget cannot fully absorb the impact. Millions of Pennsylvanians are about to SNAP benefits, hundreds of thousands are losing Medicaid coverage, and everyone will soon face higher electric bills.
One of the most frustrating aspects of the bill is how its supporters are framing cuts to programs like Medicaid and food stamps as “reducing waste.” But what is wasteful about feeding a hungry family, or making sure your neighbor who just lost their job can still get cancer treatment? The truth is, 97% of people on Medicaid are either children, retired, or adults who work full-time – and most adults recipients are enrolled for less than 2 years. And SNAP benefits actually boost local economies.
I remain hopeful in the face of these challenges because I know the strength of our community and the values we share. In Harrisburg, I will continue to fight for a budget that reflects those values—one that protects working families, strengthens our safety net, and invests in a future where we can enjoy clean energy and robust public transit*.
Together, by staying informed and looking out for one another, we can push back against policies that leave people behind and build back a stronger commonwealth for all.
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My bill addressing the teacher shortage passes the House!
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I’m proud to share that H.B. 1403, my legislation that would help teachers to return to the profession after previously inactivating their certification, passed the House unanimously last week.
The measure would remove the financial burden for teachers reactivating their certifications and pause their continuing professional education requirement. When this requirement resumes after reactivation, it would allow a teacher to get back into the classroom faster by meeting the benchmark through in-service days provided by the school.
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We passed Rep. Gina H. Curry's teacher shortage bill on the same day!
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As a parent, I know how much our kids benefit from seasoned teachers who bring a breadth of life experience to their classrooms. This move would benefit both students and educators and help alleviate the teacher shortage plaguing the commonwealth.
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'Morgan Rose's Law' heads to the Senate
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Seeing every single one of our House colleagues vote YES on our bill to help prevent SUDEP in epilepsy patients was a heartfelt victory for me and PA State Rep. Ann Flood, co-prime sponsor of HB 1442. While I learned about ‘Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy’ from a family in my district, the Hosbachs, Rep. Flood lost her dear young daughter to SUDEP in 2007.
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Our bill would require PA coroners to evaluate autopsies involving an epilepsy diagnosis for SUDEP and report it on the death certificate if so. Doctors and medical researchers still have a lot to learn about what triggers SUDEP, and this measure would help supply them with the data they need -- ultimately leading to better education for patients and their families about its signs and risks.
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House approves my legislation to protect you from sneaky subscriptions
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The House also recently passed my bill that would help prevent you from paying for unwanted paid subscription services you didn’t intend to sign up for, by requiring companies to provide more transparency on how to cancel a subscription before you’re automatically charged.
“Negative option” schemes are when a company automatically enrolls you in a paid subscription plan after accepting a free trial or introductory offer – often via fine print that’s easy to miss – then forces you through a convoluted process to cancel it.
House Bill 129 would modernize Pennsylvania’s Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law to require a company to clearly and conspicuously provide you with the option to opt into, rather than opt out of, subscribing to a service at full price after a trial period – turning a “negative option” into a “positive option.” The bill now heads to the state Senate for consideration.
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Act 3 of 2025 now in place to the benefit of second-class townships!
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My bill to allow immediate effective dates for ordinances in Second-Class Townships has reached the Governor’s desk! Working with Newtown Township Supervisor Leonard Altieri, we crafted this legislation to enhance governance in Second-Class Townships. Act 3 of 2025 is now the law of the Commonwealth! We were honored to join Senator Tim Kearney the day it was reported out of the Senate Local Government Committee, of which he is a member.
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Serving as Speaker pro tempore!
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What an honor to serve as Speaker pro tempore during the PA House session on June 25th!
I may have only had the gavel for a short time, but the spirit of the 168th was running the show. Grateful for the opportunity—and for colleagues who helped me.
Thank you, Madam Speaker Joanna McClinton for giving me a peek at what it’s like behind the rostrum!
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Did you know that Pennsylvania is considered a great state for beer brewers? We rank highly in both overall beer production and the number of craft breweries, with more than 500 spread across the state. The brewing industry in Pennsylvania has a significant economic impact, contributing billions of dollars to our economy.
During one of our breaks last week, I joined my fellow members of the bipartisan Craft Beer Caucus to visit one of PA’s most successful breweries: Tröegs Independent Brewing in Hershey.
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We toured their impressive facility and heard directly from co-founder Chris Trogner about the genesis of the business, the challenges the industry faces, what they’ve overcome to enjoy tremendous success, and discuss what we can do as legislators to support the industry. Oh…we also sampled what they had brewing!
If you haven’t been to Tröegs and you are a beer aficionado, I highly recommend it! Cool scene, kid-friendly, you can see the beer operation up close, and the beer and food are delicious. My personal favorites were the Haze Charmer (a pale ale with hints of pineapple and grapefruit) and Field Study (an IPA with notes of melon)! ??
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Celebrating Independence Day
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The 168th District certainly knows how to celebrate the Fourth of July! From the spirited Marple Newtown Parade to a festive afternoon at Human Good at Rosemont—with my mom, dad, and special guest Ryan Borowski— the day was filled with pride, community, and joy.
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A heartfelt thank you to the Newtown Township Police Department, Newtown Township Public Works, and all who made our journey down Route 3 safe and fun.
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It was great to join Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon, Delaware County District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer, Rep. Jennifer O'Mara, Rep. Greg Vitali, Newtown Township Supervisor Leonard Altieri, and Edgmont Supervisor Lindsey Conan for this special celebration.
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Renewing license plates in Newtown Square
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Kate and Alex joined Josh from Sen. Kearney’s office for a License Plate Replacement Event in conjunction with the Newtown Township Police Department. Did you know you can get a ticket and fine for having an illegible license plate? We helped almost a dozen neighbors avoid that!
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If you weren’t able to make it to the event, we can still help you replace your license plate with just a few forms – give us a call or stop in!
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Knocking doors in our neighborhoods
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My staff has been out and about knocking on doors in Middletown to meet our neighbors at your doorsteps and share info about the state-related services we offer at the district office. If you see us out and about, we'd love for you to come up and say hi!
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Honoring MNHS Boys Lacrosse
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Congratulations to the Marple Newtown School District High School Boys Lacrosse Team on capturing their third consecutive PIAA Class 2A state title!
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What a thrill to join my colleagues Rep. Jennifer O'Mara and Rep. Greg Vitali to present each member with a citation from the PA House of Representatives! Congratulations! You make us #PAHD168 proud!
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Watch out for a scam targeting seniors re: inheritance
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A new e-mail-based scam involving someone posing as a state employee is targeting seniors with messages about collecting an inheritance from overseas, several PA agencies are warning.
The scam uses fake emails that mimic Commonwealth addresses to convince victims to send money in exchange for the fictitious inheritance. One reported case saw an older Pennsylvanian lose money over nearly a year.
Officials urge residents to:
- Ignore unsolicited messages offering money or prizes.
- Verify suspicious emails (official state emails end in @pa.gov).
- Never share personal info or send money to unknown individuals.
Report suspicious activity to state agencies or local law enforcement by calling 1-866-PAComplaint; visiting pa.gov/consumer; or contacting the Attorney General's office at 1-800-441-2555 or attorneygeneral.gov.
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Pennsylvania State Capitol
28-B East Wing
Harrisburg, PA 17120
(717) 772-2005
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District Office
24 S. Newtown Street Rd., Suite 100
Newtown Square, PA 19073
(484) 427-2884
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