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In this Update:
A Closer Look at Supporting Student Safety Initiatives
Families need to be able to trust their children will be protected from harm when they’re at school, and students deserve to focus on their learning. Continuing our focus on providing safe learning environments for students, $100 million was included in this year’s state budget for all school districts to address school safety, security needs, and mental health concerns. An additional $20 million for safety grants is also made available to nonpublic schools that apply by Thursday, Sept. 26. Applications for both grant programs are available online. New this year, schools may use their funding for the purchase of lockable cellphone bags to benefit students’ mental health by giving them a much-needed break from their mobile devices while in school. Over the last decade there has been a sharp drop in children’s mental health, which directly correlates to the increased use of cellphones and social media apps. The cellphone bags are another tool schools may choose to use if they feel it’s appropriate based on their area, school board, and parents’ perspective. Learn more about the initiative here. Recently passed legislation calls for every school district in Pennsylvania to have a school security officer who has completed armed security training to protect students. The security presence will consist of at least one trained and vetted school security officer, which may be either a school police officer, school resource officer, or school security guard. See what other steps we are taking in our work to strengthen Pennsylvania here. Senate Approves $75 Million to Expand Educational Opportunities for Students
Parents know best when it comes to the individual needs of their children, which is why Senate Republicans continue to stand up for parental empowerment and involvement in their children’s education. We’ve worked to dedicate an additional $75 million this year to the Educational Improvement Tax Credit Program (EITC). The EITC program helps to provide students with the opportunity to learn in the environment that best meets their specific educational needs. Through a collaborative approach of providing tax credits to businesses making contributions to create additional educational opportunities for Pennsylvania families, more children are able to receive assistance. Eligible contributions are those made to scholarship organizations, educational improvement organizations, and pre-kindergarten scholarship organizations. Students are eligible to receive a scholarship if their household’s annual income is no greater than $112,348 plus $19,775 for each dependent member of the household. Learn more about the EITC program here. Let’s Chat at the Cloister on Sept. 5
Keeping an open line of communication as your state senator is one of my top priorities, which is why I host events to share information and hear about issues that are important to you. I will be holding a Chat at the Cloister event on Thursday, Sept. 5, from 6-7:30 p.m. at the Ephrata Cloister in Saal Building, 632 W. Main St., Ephrata. Sign up here. Celebrating 46 Years of Chris Riggs’ Public Service
Congratulations to Deputy Chief Chris Riggs upon his retirement from the Lancaster County Office of the Sheriff, concluding a career spanning 46 years of service. Deputy Chief Riggs served this country with honor and distinction as a member of the United States Armed Forces for 24 years. During that time, he served with the Marine Corps, the National Guard, and the Navy. He was deployed to Kuwait in 2006 and Iraq from 2008-09. During his two decades with the Lancaster County Office of the Sheriff, he has served in a variety of positions. In addition, he was a member of the United States Marshals Service Eastern Pennsylvania Violent Crimes Fugitive Task Force for seven years. Best wishes to Deputy Chief Chris Riggs! Welcome Veterans BBQ at Garden Spot Village
Photo left to right Matt, Sharon, and Mark Lockwood, Senator Ryan Aument, Larry Martin, Lamar Martin, Mike Martin I recently attended a veterans’ barbeque at Garden Spot Village (GSV). As an Iraqi veteran, I especially appreciated the opportunity to talk with veterans from WWII, Korea, and Vietnam and their spouses. Thank you to GSV staff Mark Lockwood, Matt Lockwood, and Dawn Giffy for organizing the event and the New Holland VFW Post 7362 for sponsoring it. Red Rose Transit Authority Schedule and Route ChangesRed Rose Transit Authority will be making changes to its routes and schedules on Nov. 11. Review the new routes and schedules here. New Preserved Farmland in Lancaster County
The Department of Agriculture’s Farmland Preservation Program has added 2,752 acres on 31 farms in 14 counties, bringing the total number of permanent conservation easements on 6,423 Pennsylvania farms up to 642,006 acres across the commonwealth. Locally, Gregory and Lafaye Musser’s 75-acre crop operation in Manheim and Joel and Irene Rutt’s 150-acre crop and livestock operation have been preserved. That brings the total acreage of preserved farmland in Lancaster County up to 79,935 across 962 farms. You Can Now Get Customized Travel Alerts with 511PA
We all want to avoid heavy traffic, road closures, and anything else that will delay us on the road, and potential hassles will be different for motorists depending on where they live and where they are going. 511PA now offers the opportunity to sign up for personalized travel alerts based on specific areas and routes, days and times, and road issue (type of trouble and when cleared). On 511PA’s website, navigate to “My 511” at the top to set up an account to begin receiving alerts. Expanded Access to Benefits for PA Disabled Veterans
A new Pennsylvania law that went into effect this month exempts 100% of disabled veterans’ benefit payments from income calculations for any commonwealth program or benefit. Act 27 of 2024 ensures veterans who receive disability compensation will not have those payments counted against them when applying to programs such as the Real Estate Property Tax Exemption, the Educational Gratuity Program, the Veterans Temporary Assistance Program, and the Military Family Relief Assistance Program. The exclusion also applies to unspent veterans’ benefit payments and is extended to the unmarried surviving spouse of a veteran upon that veteran’s death. Celebrating Back to School Month by Brushing Up on School Bus Safety
As students head back to school, school buses require additional caution from drivers. School districts are now permitted to use automated cameras on stop signal arms to enforce the school bus stopping law. Learn more and find parent safety tips and a reminder of other laws here. Pennsylvania law requires motorists to stop at least 10 feet away from school buses when their red lights are flashing and their stop arm is extended. Motorists following or traveling alongside a school bus must also stop until the red lights have stopped flashing, the stop arm is withdrawn, and all children have reached safety. Do not proceed until all the children have reached a place of safety. Penalties for failure to obey school bus safety laws can result in a $250 fine and a $35 surcharge to be deposited into the School Bus Safety Grant Program account, five points on a driving record, and a 60-day license suspension.
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