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In this Update:
Attainable Housing Enables a Strong EconomyThe challenges Pennsylvania faces are often interconnected. Issues that may not seem to impact one another are often closely related. A perfect example is a strong economy and sufficient housing. To grow our economy and create more job opportunities, we must be able to house workers filling those jobs and their families. However, Pennsylvania currently has a shortage of attainable housing. Fueling the supply issue is excessive government red tape preventing construction companies, contractors, architects, and neighborhood planners from moving forward with important projects to increase the number of available homes in our area. Cutting this red tape and getting government out of the way of private investment will ease the housing shortage, bringing even more opportunity to our commonwealth for families and the working class to prosper. Senate Republicans took steps to address the problem of permitting delays that impact companies building whole neighborhoods and individuals building their own homes. The Streamlining Permits for Economic Expansion and Development (SPEED) Program, created this year, established permit review timelines by the Department of Environmental Protection and conservation districts. A new permit tracking system will be implemented, and applicants will have the option for third-party review of air, earth disturbance, and water permit applications. Learn more about my priorities for the upcoming legislative session. Discussing Ways to Improve PA’s Education System
Teach Plus hosted its annual PA Needs Teachers Summit to discuss ways to get more qualified teachers into the classroom and end the teacher shortage in Pennsylvania. I was proud to speak about how the Commission on Education and Economic Competitiveness is committed to helping resolve this issue. The Commission is preparing legislative recommendations for how we can redesign the state’s education system to better prepare students to succeed in a globalized economy. The recommendations, due by November 2025, will be a great step forward in making prosperity possible for more Pennsylvanians. Shopping Small Boosts Our Local Economy
To spotlight the role that small businesses play, Small Business Saturday will be held Saturday, Nov. 30. The holiday season is a wonderful time to shop small! More than 1.1 million small businesses in Pennsylvania benefit their local economies and employ 2.5 million people. The state offers helpful information for people who are considering starting or expanding their business. Learn more about writing a business plan, registering your business, and choosing a business structure. Shop local this Small Business Saturday by checking out one (or more!) of these terrific Lancaster County small businesses offering homemade edible treats, crafts, toys, candles, and many more unique gifts. Visiting Lititz Area Mennonite School Students
Last month, I spoke with fourth-grade students at Lititz Area Mennonite School about my role as a state legislator and how a bill becomes a law. To explain the legislative process, I used the example of legislation permitting year-round school, which the students surprisingly liked! Supporting Our Jewish Community
I had a tremendous visit with leadership from Teach PA, the foundation for Jewish day schools, and other advocates. We discussed our collective work to combat hate against the Jewish community in Pennsylvania and around college campuses. We also discussed the negative impacts of student smartphone use and the academic, emotional, and social need to limit access to these devices during the school day. Regular Firearms Deer Season Begins Nov. 30
Regular firearms season runs from Nov. 30 to Dec. 14 in most areas of the state. Certain wildlife management units (WMUs) offer additional hunting opportunities. WMUs 2B, 5C, and 5D have an extended season from Dec. 26 to Jan. 25, 2025. WMUs 4A, 4D, and 5A have an extended season from Jan. 2-20, 2025. Pennsylvania hunters have shared their deer harvest since 1991, helping Hunters Sharing the Harvest (HSH) distribute 2.5 million pounds of venison. Hunters can drop off a whole field-dressed deer at a participating processor. There is no fee to donate a deer. In an average hunting season, HSH hopes to provide the state’s food banks with 100,000 pounds of processed venison. The food banks then re-distribute the meat to more than 5,000 local provider charities such as food pantries, missions, homeless shelters, Salvation Army facilities, and churches. Hunters’ donations help combat food insecurity, which more than 1.6 million Pennsylvanians currently experience. Recognizing Local Agriculture Advocate: Luke Reichard
It is Luke Reichard’s first year on the Pennsylvania Farm Show Junior Committee. He grew up farming with his father and is a student at Delaware Valley University majoring in crop science with hopes of becoming a plant breeder. Luke serves as president of his graduating class and treasurer of his school’s National Agribusiness Marketing Association chapter. Read more about the members of the PA Farm Show Junior Committee here. Happy Thanksgiving!
Nearly 250 years ago, the Second Continental Congress proclaimed a national day of Thanksgiving in honor of the American victory at the Battle of Saratoga. The battle was an important one for our new country. After the Continental Army had been in retreat, the British discovered that despite what they originally thought, the American army would not be easily defeated. In 1863, President Abraham Lincoln declared Thanksgiving a national holiday on the last Thursday in November. Gathering with loved ones gives us the opportunity to celebrate our own perseverance and successes. This Thanksgiving, may you be blessed with full tables and full hearts. Because of the Thanksgiving holiday, my office will be closed on Thursday, Nov. 28, and Friday, Nov. 29.
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