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| Mehaffie Message |
An Update on Important Bills
On Wednesday, the House Children & Youth Committee advanced House Bill 2400 for the Keystone STARS program. I've partnered with Rep. Jared Solomon on this initiative. House Bill 2400 would allow child care providers to receive credit for years of experience. Providers could advertise Keystone STARS status with signage. Now, we need the full House to vote on it.
Also, I continue to advocate for House Bill 19 to license applied behavior analysts in Pennsylvania. These board-certified providers provide important therapies for those with autism, post-traumatic stress disorder, substance abuse disorder and other diagnoses. I authored this bill to not only provide title protection for the analysts, but also give peace of mind to clients who need to know their provider is licensed. The bill remains with the Senate’s Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure Committee. Please consider contacting your senator to respectfully ask that he or she support House Bill 19.
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Archives Internship Available at PA Capitol
The Pennsylvania House of Representatives Archives Internship Program is currently accepting applications for the spring 2023 session.
The 13-week program is based in Pennsylvania’s Capitol Building in Harrisburg, where interns work alongside professional archivists to process collections, craft finding aids, create exhibits and work with digital collections. This internship provides a great opportunity for students interested in public history to gain valuable real-world experience.
Qualified applicants will:
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Be undergraduate second semester juniors, seniors, and graduate students. |
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Be enrolled in a Pennsylvania college/university or be a Pennsylvania resident enrolled in an out-of-state institution. |
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Have a GPA of 3.0 or higher. |
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Complete an application and submit a resume, official college transcripts and two letters of recommendation. |
For more information, click here.
Applications are due by Nov. 1.
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PennDOT Phases in Newly Designed Driver Licenses, ID Cards
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) announced this week it is updating the design and enhancing security features of its driver licenses and identification cards.
All driver license and photo centers will transition to the new products by mid-November. The new products will be phased in over the next four-year renewal cycle, so license and ID card holders can continue using their existing cards until they are up for renewal. The new cards look different and have additional enhanced security features that improve fraud prevention and protect from counterfeiting and alteration.
Both standard and REAL ID compliant products will use the new design and security features. REAL ID is optional in Pennsylvania; however, beginning May 3, 2023, Pennsylvanians will need a REAL ID-compliant driver’s license, photo ID card, or another form of federally acceptable identification (such as a valid passport or military ID) to board a domestic commercial flight or enter a federal building or military installation that requires ID. More information about REAL ID is available here.
For 24-hour access to a variety of PennDOT services, click here.
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Plan for Child’s Higher Education with PA 529
September is College Savings Month, the perfect time for families looking to save for their child’s future education to visit www.pa529.com and learn about the various plan options and tax advantages.
In fact, the website for the PA 529 College and Career Savings Program has been completely redesigned. The new site makes finding information about PA 529 accounts easier than ever with a streamlined look. Whether you want to save for college, technical school, a qualified apprenticeship or even K-12 expenses, the PA 529 program can help by offering great savings options and tremendous tax benefits.
The updated website was designed to improve user experience by making better use of the homepage, simplifying navigation and content, and integrating the Keystone Scholars program.
Treasurer Stacy Garrity has made multiple improvements to the program to make it more accessible to every family, including:
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Allowing accounts to be opened with no minimum deposit. |
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Reducing the minimum contribution to just $1. |
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Cutting fees for all PA 529 Investment Plan account owners. |
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Waiving asset-based fees for PA 529 Guaranteed Savings Plan account owners through June 2023. |
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Bolstering savings in PA 529 GSP accounts with $100 deposits. |
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Free Admission to PA History Sites, Museums Saturday
The Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission (PHMC) is inviting people across the Commonwealth to explore state-owned historic sites along the Pennsylvania Trails of History for free this Saturday, Sept. 24.
The Pennsylvania Trails of History comprises museums and historic sites organized along four theme-based “trails” crossing the Commonwealth. They include Military History, Industrial Heritage, Historic Homes, and Rural Farm and Village. Visitors are invited to explore one or more of the trails to learn about the people, places and events that make Pennsylvania so special. Located throughout the state, the sites are only a short drive away. There’s also The State Museum of Pennsylvania for a wide variety of Pennsylvania history under one roof.
For more information and a list of participating historic sites and museums, click here.
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Sign Up for Sportsmen’s Newsletter
Are you an outdoors enthusiast? Please visit this page to receive future communication related to hunting, fishing and other outdoor activities.
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I’m so appreciative Hummelstown continues to offer a Sept. 11, 2001, commemoration every anniversary. I was honored to participate.
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The Pennsylvania Optometric Association invited me to the The Salvation Army Harrisburg Capital City Region, where its providers were offering free eye exams last Saturday. Association members talked to me about the importance of eye exams for children.
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Last weekend, The Middletown Home hosted its pumpkin festival – complete with a pumpkin-chucking trebuchet! I was happy to join them.
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Linda and I couldn't have had a nicer day for the Hummelstown Arts Festival (above) and Middletown Area Historical Society ice cream social (below). Both events are great demonstrations of community fellowship that is only made possible through volunteerism.
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