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In This Update:
- Wolf Administration Announces Plan to Add Tolls to Nine Existing PA Bridges
- Lawmakers Authorize Use of PA National Guard to Distribute COVID-19 Vaccine
- Senate Approves Bill to Generate More Private Donations to Support Veterans
- Legislation Would Create Medals of Commendation for Firefighters, Law Enforcement, EMS
- Senate Passes Bill to Boost Farmland Preservation
- Mixed Earners Unemployment Compensation Claimants Must File by March 12
Wolf Administration Announces Plan to Add Tolls to Nine Existing PA Bridges
The Pennsylvania Department
of Transportation (PennDOT) unveiled a proposal last week to toll nine
existing bridges on the Interstate System. The plan raised serious
concerns since it was done unilaterally by the Wolf Administration
without any sense of transparency or accountability, and without the
input or authorization of the General Assembly.
Eight of the nine bridges
are in Senate Districts represented by Republicans. The tolling proposal
would impact the following bridges:
- I-78 Lenhartsville Bridge Replacement Project in Berks County;
- I-79 Widening, Bridges and Bridgeville Interchange Reconfiguration in Allegheny County;
- I-80 Canoe Creek Bridges in Clarion County:
- I-80 Nescopeck Creek Bridges in Luzerne County:
- I-80 North Fork Bridges Project in Jefferson County;
- I-80 Over Lehigh River Bridge Project in Luzerne and Carbon counties;
- I-81 Susquehanna Project in Susquehanna County;
- I-83 South Bridge Project in Dauphin County; and
- I-95 Girard Point Improvement Bridge Project in Philadelphia County.
Imposing these bridge tolls
will negatively impact the people who use those highways as part of
their daily commute — just as surely as if we would impose any of the
other taxes that the governor wants to levy as part of his budget this
year. The North Fork Bridge tolling in Jefferson County has the
potential to tax tear up U.S. Route 322 in downtown Brookville in the
25th District by trucks looking to avoid the tolls.
Legislation
will be proposed soon to reform the statute that PennDOT is utilizing to
push this plan forward and prevent new tolling without proper
transparency and oversight.
Residents and business owners
impacted by the potential of tolling can reach out using the following
tools for the North Fork Creek Project. - Website: www.Penndot.gov/i80NorthFork (Scroll to bottom of page to access link to submit comment);
- Email: i80NorthFork@pa.gov;
- Phone: (814) 796-5009
- Mail: PennDOT District 10-0, c/o I-80 North Fork Bridges Project, 2550 Oakland Avenue, Indiana, PA 15701-3388.
Lawmakers Authorize Use of PA National Guard to Distribute COVID-19 Vaccine
The Senate voted recently to authorize the use of the Pennsylvania National Guard to distribute the COVID-19 vaccine.
The bill would allow the National Guard to operate under the guidance
of the Pennsylvania Departments of Health and Human Services to help
collect, secure and transport doses of the vaccine.
In addition, National Guard
members who have the necessary training would be permitted to
administer the vaccine to Pennsylvanians who want to receive it. The
proposal could help improve Pennsylvania’s troubled roll-out of the
COVID-19 vaccine. The state currently ranks 46th in the nation in terms of the percentage of distributed vaccines that have been administered.
Senator
Dush Takes a Stand Against Those Who Would Whitewash Unconstitutional
Actions of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court and Secretary of State During
2020 General Election.
Calls
during the Petitions and Remonstrances (P's and R's) periods of the
Session days of late have caused Senator Dush to take to the Floor in
direct response to members who have been calling for hunting down and
going after those who have expressed publicly their dissatisfaction with the November election.
Dush
used the Supreme Court's own words against it in the actions it took
which added language to the election code in violation of the
Constitution. His remarks are available at the following links:
Tuesday:
Part 1: https://pasen.wistia.com/medias/s8h62pqlvh Part 2: https://pasen.wistia.com/medias/3yk1huqtnu
Wednesday:
Part 1: https://pasen.wistia.com/medias/ha88n8307k Part 2: https://pasen.wistia.com/medias/f3samaelzb
They may also be watched on his official Facebook Page at:
https://www.facebook.com/SenatorCrisDushPA
Senate Approves Bill to Generate More Private Donations to Support Veterans
Pennsylvanians could donate more money to help veterans
under a bill the Senate approved on Wednesday. The legislation would
increase the donation amounts to the Veterans’ Trust Fund when
Pennsylvanians renew a driver’s license, ID card or vehicle
registration.
The bill would increase the
donation amount from $3 to $5, or from $6 to $10 when applying for a
two-year vehicle registration. All donations support grants to county
directors of veterans’ affairs, veterans’ service organizations and
other charitable organizations that provide assistance, shelter and
living necessities to veterans and their families.
Legislation Would Create Medals of Commendation for Firefighters, Law Enforcement, EMS
The Senate passed legislation this week that would create a new way to honor members of law enforcement, firefighters, and EMS personnel
who demonstrate uncommon heroism in the line of duty. The bill would
establish special medals of commendation to be awarded to members of
these organizations who are injured or killed in the line of duty, or
who demonstrate exceptional gallantry, heroism and bravery in the face
of life-threatening circumstances.
The color of each medal –
the Star of Valor, Heart and Medal of Ultimate Sacrifice – would
coordinate with the respective program: blue for law enforcement, red
for firefighters, and white for EMS personnel.
Senate Passes Bill to Boost Farmland Preservation
Pennsylvania’s farmland
preservation efforts could take a critical step forward under
legislation approved by the Senate on Tuesday. The bill would help generate new funding for the program without placing additional burdens on taxpayers.
The legislation dedicates a
portion of existing farmland preservation funding to private land
trusts – groups that take stewardship over a property with the
permission of the landowner. Land trusts would be required to provide
matching funds, which would make more resources available to preserve
farms.
Mixed Earners Unemployment Compensation Claimants Must File by March 12
The Mixed Earners
Unemployment Compensation program provides an additional $100 in weekly
benefits for claimants who earned at least $5,000 in net income from
self-employment. Claimants must submit acceptable documentation by March
12 to receive the extra benefits. The additional benefit applies from
January 2 through March 13.
Pandemic Unemployment
Assistance claimants are not eligible for the program. Details on the
program, applicable tax years and documentation are available here.
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