The Senate Majority Policy Committee, chaired by State Sen. Dave Argall, R-29, Rush Twp., will visit Canonsburg this week at the invitation of Sen. Camera Bartolotta to discuss technological innovations to expand access to quality healthcare in both rural and urban areas of Pennsylvania.
The public hearing will take place 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. March 19 at Waynesburg University’s Southpointe Center.
Panelists will include lawmakers, healthcare professionals, and industry experts. The hearing will be livestreamed on the Senate Majority Policy Committee’s website.
Senate Majority Policy Committee to examine veterans workforce programs
The Senate Majority Policy Committee, chaired by Argall, will visit Glenfield this week at the invitation of Sen. Devlin Robinson to discuss strategies to connect Pennsylvania veterans with workforce initiatives and other services.
The public hearing will take place 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday at the Glenfield Valley Veterans Association.
The public hearing will feature local nonprofits, union representatives, government officials, and other groups dedicated to helping our veterans assimilate back into civilian life and will be livestreamed on the Senate Majority Policy Committee’s website.
Stream maintenance key to preventing devastating floods, says Senate Majority Policy Committee
Local officials and conservation experts shared their perspectives on how maintaining and repairing streams prevents flooding from wreaking havoc on homes and employers during a public hearing of the Senate Majority Policy Committee hosted by Sen. Gene Yaw (R-23) and chaired by Argall last week.
Much of the discussion focused on proven strategies to prevent flooding including developing and protecting wetlands, providing access to floodplains, and stabilizing streambanks, as well as strategies like dredging gravel which can do more harm than good. Funding sources like the Growing Greener program were also reviewed in detail.
The need for more flexibility for local and county governments to address emergency situations quickly in flood-prone areas was also discussed. Permitting delays were cited as a significant roadblock to removing obstructions and other flood-related hazards, with Yaw calling the process “lengthy, tedious, and inefficient.”
Yaw will soon reintroduce a package of bills to empower counties, local governments, and conservation districts to promptly act to ensure damaged waterways do not harm nearby communities. Last session, these bills were introduced as Senate Bill 689 and Senate Bill 690. Both bills were approved with bipartisan support in the Senate but were not considered by the House of Representatives.
Culver wants to establish elder-abuse registry
State Sen. Lynda Schlegel Culver, R-27, Sunbury, is planning to re-introduce legislation to establish a statewide registry of persons found to be substantiated perpetrators of abuse, neglect, abandonment, or exploitation of older adults.
This legislative measure is in memory of Alice Longenberger, a constituent of Culver’s who endured unthinkable abuse at the hands of two individuals.
The legislation would require the Department of Aging to establish a statewide elder abuse registry that would include the name, address and photograph of the abuser and a description of the abuse, including dates and locations. Additionally, individuals on the registry will be prohibited from working as a caregiver of care dependent individuals.
CAPITOL DIGEST runs periodically in the Standard-Speaker and features news about local lawmakers in Harrisburg and Washington, D.C.
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