In this update:

• Free Paper Shredding 7/26
• Legislative Updates from Harrisburg
• Bringing E-Scooters to Pittsburgh

• PIT Public Trial
• $258 Million in Tax Rebates
• And so much more!

My office will be closed Thursday, July 3 and Friday, July 4 for Independence Day.

I hope you and your loved ones have a safe and happy Fourth of July!

Una and I had a fantastic time at the Ross Independence Day Parade—special thanks to Randy Ferguson from Hunters Sharing the Harvest for giving us a ride in the parade. I can’t wait to continue celebrating alongside all of you in the coming days!

I was proud to stand with state Department of Agriculture Secretary and other state leaders in State College this week to call out egregious cuts Congress is floating to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), otherwise known as food stamps. We refuse to sit quietly as food access for nearly two million Pennsylvanians is jeopardized.

I’ve said it a hundred times before, but it bears repeating: nobody should go hungry in the wealthiest nation on Earth.

Nothing says “public service” like ripping food away from families and kicking them off health care. Pennsylvanians deserve leaders who will actually fight for their well-being. Congressional Republicans should be ashamed.

Save the date for my free paper shredding event with Senator Lindsey Williams on Saturday, July 26 from 9 to 11 a.m. at the Ross Department of Public Works! It’s a great opportunity to safely destroy documents containing personal data, as well as get the latest information on resources and programs available from the state from my team.

Call my office at (412) 321-5523 or email RepKinkead@pahouse.net with any questions about the event.

As our divided legislature continues to negotiate the state budget, my Democratic colleagues and I remain focused on passing a budget that delivers funding for critical programs and services – like public transportation – to move Pennsylvania forward. Discussions are ongoing and will continue in the coming days, as we continue to wait patiently to hear from the Republican-controlled state Senate.

And while we wait for the Senate, the House is continuing to pass bills like those below to improve the lives of all Pennsylvanians. You can learn more about the over 200 bills we’ve passed this legislative session at pahouse.com/deliveringforpa.

H.B. 583 – Restoring dental coverage for basic services like root canals within the Medical Assistance (Medicaid) program.

H.B. 928 – Ensuring day care facilities can obtain prescriptions for and maintain a constant supply of EPI pens.

H.B. 1445 – Prohibiting insurance companies from denying coverage for care that is received from a health care provider solely because it is provided in a school setting.

H.B. 1216 - Banning “junk fees” and requiring the disclosure of all mandatory fees and charges included in the advertised and displayed price of any good or service.

H.B. 1610 – Closing corporate tax loopholes and creating the Working Pennsylvanians Tax Credit.

H.B. 1425 – Protecting children and teens from e-cigarettes and vapes.

H.B. 1403 – Helping childcare workers and teachers complete professional education requirements.

H.B. 506 – Supporting childcare providers participating in the Child Care Works program.

H.B. 1095 – Protecting fair housing access by establishing procedures to limit access to eviction records in certain cases, such as no-fault evictions.

H.B. 559 – Giving communities more input on liquor license decisions.

Remember that, to become law, these bills must also be passed by the state Senate and then approved by the governor.

Did you know that privately-owned e-scooters are not street legal? My bill, H.B. 1633, addresses that significant safety issue and would allow municipalities like Pittsburgh to have sustainable micro-mobility options like e-scooter shares! When our shared e-scooter pilot program expired in 2023, 40 Pittsburghers lost their jobs and we lost one of the most accessible last-mile micro-mobility options. We're taking lessons learned from that program to enhance mobility while protecting sidewalk access. We can and we should implement safe, permanent e-scooter programs—it’s a great option for low-carbon transportation in cities like Pittsburgh.

I had so much fun showing our House Chair of Transportation, Rep. Ed Neilson (D-Phila.), what some of the latest scooters and electric vehicles can do when Lime visited our state Capitol last week!

Bellevue Pride was one for the books! My team and I had such a wonderful day tabling and meeting more of our community members. Pride Month may be over, but our support for LGBTQIA+ folks is year-round.

The grand opening of the transformed Pittsburgh International Airport is scheduled for this Fall, 2025. But before we get to that milestone, there are several others, including a public trial of the transformed PIT that is key to being able to finalize an opening date. And you can be a part of it.

Scheduled to be held during the month of September (with a final date forthcoming), PIT is inviting people to participate in a public trial for the new space; a full-scale dress rehearsal for what a typical day at the airport will look and feel like. It’s a voluntary opportunity to test, shape, and influence the new PIT experience before it officially opens.

You’ll act as a passenger, move through the terminal, and experience the transformed PIT to help us enhance and improve the PIT experience for everyone.

Get more information and sign-up here.

More than 425,000 seniors and Pennsylvanians with disabilities have begun receiving a total of $258 million in rebates on property taxes and rent they paid in 2024.

These rebates come from the newly expanded Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program, an expansion I voted for in 2023, helping it pass the General Assembly and become law.

The expansion marks the largest targeted tax cut for seniors in nearly 20 years, raising both rebate amounts and income eligibility limits. The program now offers rebates up to $1,000, and nearly 150,000 first-time applicants have already benefited.

Applications are still open and the deadline to apply for a rebate on rent or property taxes paid in 2024 has been extended to Dec. 31, 2025.

To apply or check your rebate status, visit pa.gov/ptrr or file online using myPATH. Free assistance is available through my office, Department of Revenue offices, or Area Agencies on Aging.

If you have any questions about PTRR or need assistance with any state-related matter, my staff and I are here to help! Reach out at RepKinkead@pahouse.net or call 412-321-5523.

Pennsylvania State Capitol

116-B East Wing

Harrisburg, PA 17120
(717) 787-5470

District Office

658 Lincoln Ave.

Bellevue, PA 15202
(412) 321-5523