Happy Thursday, 168th!

As the 2025-2026 legislative session winds down, I’ve been reflecting on how we’ve made it a productive two years.

As prime sponsor of 37 bills (and co-sponsor on over 450), I’ve worked with members of our community, advocates, stakeholders, and my colleagues to move 14 of those bills through committee approval – of those, 10 made it to the House chamber for a vote and moved to the Senate.

I’m thrilled to report two of those bills made it to the Governor’s desk and were signed into law; one was written into the Fiscal Code and enacted as part of the 2026 budget, and another was unanimously voted out of the House to honor a local first responder. Both of these successful bills originated in our district when concerned residents came to me to share their concerns, which I then figured out how to address through legislation.

Act 55 of 2026, passed just a few weeks ago, was the result of a collaboration with Middletown residents Colleen and John Hosbach, and inspired by their beautiful daughter Morgan. Morgan Rose’s Law will honor the life of their beautiful daughter, Morgan, by helping doctors and families prevent a fatal risk of epilepsy.

I was also thrilled when House Bill 1403, inspired by Radnor Township School Board Director Susan Stern, was written into the state budget – it’s already helping to ease the teacher shortage by waiving fees that were preventing retired educators from returning to the profession.

I am so proud of Act 3 of 2025 and the collaboration with Newtown Township Supervisor Leonard Alteri, who saw a gap in state law which needed to be addressed.

And finally, our neighbors with Edgmont and Rocky Run Fire Companies helped me successfully move House Bill 459 to designate a portion of Route 352 as the Chief Joseph J. Montgomery, Jr. Memorial Highway. It was such a special day when we joined Chief Montgomery’s family, friends, and colleagues to dedicate in his honor a road he raced down so many times as he answered calls for help.

But we still have so much work to do!

So much good legislation still needs to move to the Governor’s desk. When our next legislative session begins on Dec. 1, I look forward to reintroducing bills to protect our hospital and health systems, address e-waste recycling, support victims of domestic violence, help people gain access to needed medications, and support our chiropractors. We came so close, and I look forward to getting them over the finish line next session.

Thank you to everyone who came out to our events over the past few weeks, and thank you to Team 168 (Marie, Kate, Mary Ann, Alex, Kevin and Josie) for all their hard work to plan and execute these programs. They have been working hard to deliver for residents in the 168th -- check out the numbers for our work this year (so far)!

I wish everyone a safe and fun Halloween, and don’t forget to get out and make your voice heard on November 3rd! VOTE!

In service,

In this edition:

Legislative happenings

When the current legislative session ends in a few weeks, we’ll say goodbye to colleagues from both sides of the aisle who have had long and distinguished careers serving our commonwealth.

I just had to share this photo with one of my favorites, the incomparable Rep. Eddie Day Pashinski from Luzerne County, who has served since 2006!

In the House chamber, our votes tackled issues including cancer screenings for firefighters, guardrails for Flock cameras, and preventing data centers from obtaining public utility status. Sadly, these bills will most likely have to be reintroduced next session for a chance to get passed into law, as Senate leaders have made it clear they will not hold votes on them before the year ends.

Some bills that made it to Governor Shapiro’s desk which I have been proud to co-sponsor or support include:

Senate Bill 416: Allows volunteer fire companies and youth sports leagues (& other nonprofits who depend on small games of chance to raise money) to accept payment for raffle tickets and other games via platforms such as Venmo and PayPal. I know many in the 168th have been paying attention to this bill!

House Bill 453: Defining 911 operators as first responders. This important recognition of their essential position on the front lines of emergency care allows them to access the health benefits their work necessitates.

House Bill 1123: Insurance companies now have to cover colorectal cancer screenings starting at age 45. Early diagnosis saves lives!

House Bill 2474 : State law is now modernized to clarify that deepfakes created by AI are under the umbrella of suspected child sexual abuse material that teachers and other workers who deal with children are required to report to law enforcement.

Senate Bill 1014: Pennsylvania is now among the first states to apply a bell-to-bell cell phone ban to all schools -- public, private, charter, cyber charter, career and technical schools, and intermediate units. School districts get to maintain local control by determining how to implement the ban, and the law grants exceptions for students with medical conditions or individualized learning plans that require a personal communication device.  

Volunteering with Mitzvah Circle

Team 168 took a day to travel out of the district and lend some helping hands at Mitzvah Circle, which gives meaningful support to local families by providing basic necessities. We shopped for two families in need to prepare them for colder temperatures, help them out with school supplies and toiletries, and the best part – finding two books and toy for each child.

Fran Held and her team are running a very impressive operation to uplift folks throughout Southeastern Pennsylvania, but sometimes their stock cannot keep up with the need. We are hosting a winter wear drive to keep children, and their families warm this season. See details below!

Celebrating fall at festivals across the 168th

The weather this month made the district’s fall fests the place to be! I took my best guy to meet up with friends in Newtown Square at the Garrett Williamson Harvest Festival  -- including Millie and Elsa, two miniature Highland cows! If you want to meet them, they will be at the Pennsylvania Farm Show this January!

We then headed over to Edgmont to our friends at White Horse Village for their annual OctoFair! Tried some games of chance (no luck) but found a few treasures, including some good friends!

I loved being out and about and having the chance to hear from my neighbors on the new retired teacher COLA and ways we can collaborate with possible state funds to enhance our open spaces!

Radnor Fire turns 120!

For 120 years, Radnor Fire Company has been there when our community needs them most. These first responders, volunteers and career staff, show up on what, for many, is the worst day of their lives. What a thrill to join them in celebrating their 120 years of service, and present a citation honoring their commitment to Radnor and surrounding communities.

One of the first meetings I had as a newly elected commissioner in 2018 was with the leadership of RFC. They educated me on the challenges our volunteer fire and EMS experience. I took those concerns to heart as we worked as a township to maintain this vital service, and I continue to fight as their representative in Harrisburg. We’ve had success (eliminating minimum loaded miles, and allotting an additional $30 million in grant funding), and I’m continuing work to meet even more of our volunteer fire companies’ needs.

Thank you, RFC, for all you have taught me, all you do for our communities, and for all the sacrifices made to ensure the safety and wellbeing of our communities. Cheers to another 120 years!

Shredding & e-recycling in Newtown Square

We had a great Saturday morning in Newtown Square helping neighbors get rid of the clutter they cleared from their homes! J&K Secure Shredding destroyed over two and a half tons of documents, and Sycamore is recycling eleven pallets of household appliances, TVs, computers, and cell phones to keep your personal information secure.

Our next shred & e-recycle event will be in May 2027 -- stay tuned for details!

Exploring MNSD's renovations

I joined Rep. O’Mara and administrators from Marple Newtown School District for a tour of Russell Elementary in Broomall to see how schools are using state grant funding to make safety and security upgrades. Next on the list for MNSD as a result of these state dollars are renovations to out-of-date bathroom facilities!

We also stopped at Paxon Hollow Middle School to check out the boiler room, which is now set for an upgrade after many decades. As a former school board director, it was so nice to be back among our students and see how I’m able to support them as a state lawmaker.

Visiting Truewood

I had the pleasure of joining some of my colleagues and Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon for a visit to Truewood by Merrill in Middletown. We met with residents and staff to talk about the issues important to them concerning aging and the challenges of long-term care.

Thank you for your hospitality, Truewood!

FYI

Boating safety reminders for fall

Radnor R U OK? program for seniors

Carbon monoxide alarm reminder

As Pennsylvanians turn back their clocks, the I am urging residents to replace batteries in smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) alarms; free smoke alarms can be requested from the American Red Cross via Ready PA. Pennsylvania reported 153 home fire deaths in 2025—the most in the nation—and nonworking or missing smoke alarms are a common factor in fatal fires.

Checking alarms and replacing batteries save lives. Home fires can leave fewer than two minutes to escape, so residents should practice an escape plan with two exits per room, an outside meeting place, and help for children, older adults, and people with access needs. CO is odorless and colorless; working CO alarms provide early warning.

Test alarms monthly, replace them every 10 years, and consider alarms with flashing lights, vibration, or voice alerts. Contact local fire departments for installation help; renters should check landlord requirements.

Pennie open enrollment

Pennie’s Open Enrollment begins November 1. Explore affordable health coverage options, including plans that cover 10 essential health benefits, such as preventive care, emergency services, and prescription drugs. Visit pennie.com to explore your options and check eligibility.

Federal small business credit survey

Delco EDC and the Greater Philadelphia Growth Partnership have created a survey in which all for-profit businesses in the Southeast Region are invited to participate.  Responses will help shape their efforts in supporting regional employers. Individual responses are anonymous.

Responses also help the organizations have meaningful conversations with our state elected leadership, regional financial institutions, and economic development providers on the availability of low-cost and low-interest capital to our small business community. The survey will be open though November 13th.

Reminders about voting by mail

You can be confident that if you’re a registered voter in PA, you can vote by mail safely and securely. You may return your completed mail ballot in the mail or at a designated county drop box.

Completed mail-in and absentee ballots must be received by the Delaware County Bureau of Elections by 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, November 3, 2026. 

Community Events & Announcements

A free, virtual event in November will give students and educators the opportunity to connect directly with professionals working in high-demand health care careers.

The Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania will host its second annual Virtual Health Care Career Exploration on Thursday, November 12 and 19, at 9 a.m. EST. Participants will have the opportunity to engage with presenters, ask questions, and learn more about in-demand health care careers. This year’s program will feature medical assistants, physical and occupational therapy professionals, nurses, emergency medical technicians, pharmacy technicians, and sterile processing technicians.

Students will learn what these professionals do, explore education and training pathways, and hear firsthand advice about preparing for a career in health care. Registration is available now.

Pennsylvania State Capitol

28-B East Wing
Harrisburg, PA 17120
(717) 772-2005

District Office

24 S. Newtown Street Rd., Suite 100
Newtown Square, PA 19073
(484) 427-2884

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