Enews Update – March 5, 2021

In This Update:

Senators Aument & Martin Host Special COVID-19 Vaccine Virtual & Telephone Town Hall
Hearing Highlights Importance of Getting Students Back in the Classroom
Funding Released to Support Struggling Restaurants, Hospitality Industry
COVID-19 Vaccine Task Force Announces Plan to Prioritize Seniors and Vaccinate Teachers
PUC Urges Consumers to Explore Assistance Options
Senators Martin, Aument Announce Bill to Help Schools Find Substitute Teachers
Wildlife Conservation Officer Training Program Applications Due March 14
New Resources Available for National Guard Members, Veterans and Job-Seekers

Senators Aument & Martin Host Special COVID-19 Vaccine Virtual & Telephone Town Hall

Senator Scott Martin and I discussed Lancaster County’s COVID-19 Mass Vaccination Plan and answered questions regarding the vaccine during a special telephone and virtual town hall meeting earlier this week.

Dr. Michael Ripchinski, Chief Clinical Officer of Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health, Ray D’Agostino, Lancaster County Commissioner, and Senate Health and Human Services Committee Executive Director Joan Bradbury served as special guests during the conversation to answer questions related to the COVID-19 vaccine.

Full video coverage from the event can be found by clicking the video link above.

For more information about how to get a COVID-19 vaccine in Lancaster County, visit https://vaccinatelancaster.org/.

Hearing Highlights Importance of Getting Students Back in the Classroom

A joint hearing of the Senate Education Committee and the Senate Health and Human Services Committee on Wednesday explored the many ways the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted students, families and educators. The message from teachers, parents, students, representatives of state agencies and other key stakeholders was clear – Pennsylvania students need to be back in the classroom as soon as possible to safeguard their educational development and mental health.

Testifiers explained the numerous ways that school shutdowns and current policies are hurting young people and families. The hearing also included discussion about meeting the needs of students with special needs, challenges associated with virtual learning and hybrid models, the need for consistency in state and federal guidance to school districts, concerns about standardized testing during COVID-19, and much more.

Funding Released to Support Struggling Restaurants, Hospitality Industry

The Senate approved legislation that was signed into law last month to provide $145 million to Pennsylvania restaurants and other employers in the hospitality industry that have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and Governor Wolf’s mitigation orders. Pennsylvania Treasurer Stacy Garrity announced last week that the funding has been distributed to counties, clearing the way for employers to begin applying for grants soon.

The grant program will be administered by local economic development organizations and/or community development financial institutions. More details on how to apply in each county will be available within the next two weeks.

COVID-19 Vaccine Task Force Announces Plan to Prioritize Seniors and Vaccinate Teachers

In order to help get more Pennsylvania students back in the classroom, the COVID-19 Vaccine Task Force announced a new plan this week to provide vaccines to teachers without impacting the ability of seniors and other vulnerable populations to get vaccinated. This announcement came in conjunction with news of an improved distribution formula that accounts for a county’s overall population, population over 65, infection rate, and COVID death rate, the intent of which is to dramatically improve the vaccination rate of Pennsylvanians in Phase 1A, including seniors.

The new vaccination plan would not change who is eligible to receive the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines in Phase 1A, including older Pennsylvanians and state residents who are more vulnerable to the virus due to various health conditions. However, teachers would now be eligible to receive the newly authorized, single-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine under a separate program, which is expected to help teachers and students return to the classroom as soon as possible.

In order to deliver the vaccine quickly, the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency and the departments of Education and Health will partner with the state’s 28 Intermediate Units (IUs) to establish vaccine sites, with the support of the Pennsylvania National Guard. Lawmakers passed legislation authorizing the National Guard to deliver vaccines in February.

PUC Urges Consumers to Explore Assistance Options

Consumers and businesses who are struggling with higher heating bills this winter are encouraged to explore assistance options before existing programs are changed or eliminated. The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) is urging individuals and employers to contact their utility company to learn about assistance programs that are available, including payment plans, late-payment fee waivers and other options to resolve overdue balances.

Consumers can also call PUC’s Bureau of Consumer Services toll free at 1-800-692-7380 for more information.

Senators Martin, Aument Announce Bill to Help Schools Find Substitute Teachers

Senator Scott Martin and I are working to ensure Pennsylvania schools have additional opportunities to find qualified substitute teachers.

Lawmakers created a program in 2016 that allowed individuals training to be teachers to serve as a substitute teacher, provided the individual has valid clearances and at least 60 credit hours. However, the program is set to expire on June 30, 2021.

We plan to introduce a bill that would make this temporary program permanent so schools, intermediate units and career and technical schools can ensure qualified substitutes are available to meet the needs of students.

The lasting effects of the learning gap on this generation of students created by the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic have the potential to be quite serious. The impacts of this learning deficit do not need to be further exacerbated by a school struggling to staff their classrooms with qualified substitute teachers. It is my hope that this measure will give schools more flexibility to continue educating Pennsylvania students without further disruptions.

Wildlife Conservation Officer Training Program Applications Due March 14

Pennsylvanians who are interested in a career as a Wildlife Conservation Officer can apply now through March 14 to be a part of the next training program, which begins this summer.

The training includes a 26-week basic training course for municipal police officers in Hershey, followed by an additional 26 weeks of training at the H.R. Stackhouse School of Fishery Conservation and Watercraft Safety in Bellefonte, Centre County.

New Resources Available for National Guard Members, Veterans and Job-Seekers

The Pennsylvania National Guard Associations will host three virtual job fairs in the coming months to help connect veterans and other job-seekers with employment opportunities in their area. The first event will be held on March 24 from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m., with additional events scheduled on May 26 and July 28. Interested individuals can register to participate here.

The Department of Military and Veterans Affairs and the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA) also recently announced a new online portal to help National Guard members and their families access education benefits, allowing applications for the Military Family Education Program and the Education Assistance Program to be completed online. More details on benefits are available on PHEAA’s website.