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Legislative Report
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The latest news from the State Capitol |
Mark Your Calendars
My office will be hosting a number of events in the coming several weeks.
An evening News & Brews will be held on Wednesday, April 24, from 5-7 p.m., at All Saints Brewery, 1602 Route 119, Greensburg. This will be an opportunity to discuss state-related issues. Pizza and beverages will be provided. Alcoholic beverages will be available at attendees’ own expense. Please RSVP by April 18 by calling 724-834-6400.
A morning Coffee Talk will be held on Friday, May 10, from 8-10 a.m., at Carbon Volunteer Fire Department, 421 Juniper St., Greensburg. This will be another opportunity to discuss state-related issues. Please RSVP by May 8 by calling 724-834-6400.
My annual Senior Expo is scheduled for Thursday, May 16, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Delmont Volunteer Fire Department, 2360 State Route 66, Delmont. A wide variety of vendors and exhibitors will be available from local, state, federal and nonprofit organizations to answer questions on health care, insurance, nutrition, personal safety and much more.
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Addressing Adolescent Treatment
This week, the House Human Services Committee, of which I am a member, conducted a hearing on adolescent drug treatment. We heard about the lack of treatment options available in the Commonwealth. Samantha Osterlof, a recovering addict, told the story of her journey, which began in high school. Please click here to watch her testimony.
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Keeping Vaping Products Out of the Hands of Minors
To help keep harmful vaping products out of the hands of minors, the House this week passed legislation that would add “electronic nicotine delivery systems” (ENDS) to the law that currently makes it illegal to sell tobacco products to minors. House Bill 97 also would make it illegal for students to use tobacco products on school grounds. The devices include, but are not limited to, e-cigarettes, JUULs and vape pens.
While the products are touted as harmless by some, medical experts have warned that the high doses of nicotine available in many products negatively affect the developing adolescent brain, and the long-term effects of inhaling vaporized chemicals are unknown.
The bill now moves to the Senate for consideration.
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Setting Up Students for Career Success
Working to ensure Pennsylvania students have a diverse array of career paths from which to choose, the state House overwhelmingly approved a bipartisan package of bills designed to boost career and technical education (CTE) at schools across the Commonwealth.
The initiatives are a cornerstone of the House Republican Caucus’ #GoodJobs4PA initiative aimed at ensuring all Pennsylvanians have access to good-paying jobs and careers.
To help students plot their path to success, there are bills that would allow technical schools to recruit students like colleges do; make it easier for students to see where credits transfer; create a database of workforce development programs at secondary and post-secondary institutions; create an online career resource center; and allow students who complete classes in STEM education to apply the credits to a course through a vocational-technical school, technical institution or vocational school.
The package is also aimed at improving business and education partnerships by creating a CTE investment incentive program, requiring CTE programs to establish advisory committees and having at least once administrator from a CTE center on each of the state’s Workforce Development Boards.
The bills now go to the Senate for consideration.
Learn more about #GoodJobs4PA here.
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Ensuring Seniors Stay Eligible for PACE and PACENET
This week, the House Aging and Older Adult Services Committee approved a package of bills designed to help eligible seniors continue to receive PACE and PACENET prescription drug benefits.
House Bill 754 would ensure any individual enrolled in PACE and PACENET as of Dec. 31, 2018, remains eligible if their maximum income limit is exceeded due solely to a Social Security cost-of-living adjustment.
House Bill 375 would exclude the cashing of savings bonds for seniors ages 65 and older from being counted toward income when applying for lottery-funded programs, including PACE and PACENET.
The final part of the package, House Bill 684, would remove the value of federal veterans’ disability payments and the value of all state service-connected payments from income eligibility calculations for the PACE and PACENET programs.
The bills now go to the full House for consideration.
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How Much Do My Prescriptions Cost?
The state Department of Aging maintains an online database to help consumers compare the cost of frequently used medications.
The cost of prescriptions for cash-paying customers can vary widely between pharmacies, as each pharmacy sets its own prices for cash payers. Patients with prescription insurance coverage will also find price shopping useful if their coinsurance is based on a percent of the total cash price.
The online tool updates prices weekly, lists prices by ZIP code or distance from location, includes pharmacy store details, and lists pharmacies with low-cost generics and those that match lower prices.
You can learn more about the tool by clicking here or calling 1-800-835-4080.
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Safety Tips for Kids on the Internet
The internet comes with benefits, as well as risks, especially for children. Parents are encouraged to help kids follow safe and responsible computer practices.
The best way to keep kids safe online is to start conversations about being online early and continue to monitor their internet use and discuss how to use it responsibly. It is important children know that some people online have bad intentions, including bullies, predators, hackers, scammers and those sharing inappropriate content.
Ensuring children use cell phones responsibly and safely means establishing what responsible use looks like, including if calls or texting are allowed during dinner or while doing homework, ensuring they treat others the same way they want to be treated, and deciding on the privacy settings, web filters and child safety controls you want on your child’s phone.
Teens and tweens communicate online using social media, chat rooms and virtual worlds, and it is important they know how to safely navigate these spaces. They should understand that after they post something, it cannot be taken back. Even if they delete it, they should limit what they share.
You can learn more about keeping your kids safe on the internet by clicking here.
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| Office Locations |
| 101 Ehalt Street, Suite 105, The Train Station, Greensburg, PA 15601-2300 | Phone: (724) 834-6400 |
| Youngwood Borough Bldg, 17 South 6th Street, Youngwood, PA 15697 | Phone: (724) 925-5490 |
| 432 Irvis Office Building, House Box 202057, Harrisburg, PA 17120-2057 | Phone: (717) 260-6146 |
| Email: mailto:enelson@pahousegop.com |
| TTY: 855-282-0614 |
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