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In this Update:
Bill to Rename I-81 Exit 119 the PSP Trooper Michael E. Pahira Memorial Interchange Passes Senate
Legislation to designate the interchange of Interstate 81 with State Route 4007, known as Exit 119 in Cass Township, Schuylkill County, as the PSP Trooper Michael E. Pahira, Jr., Memorial Interchange, has passed the PA Senate. Trooper Pahira tragically passed away on July 1 after being struck by a tractor-trailer while conducting a commercial vehicle safety inspection along Interstate 81. He joined the PA State Police in 2007 and most recently served as a motor carrier enforcement inspector with Troop L, Frackville. Trooper Pahira represented the very best of our Commonwealth, dedicating nearly 20 years of his life to serving his community and the people of Pennsylvania. The bill now heads to the House of Representatives for concurrence. Standing Up for Volunteer Firefighters and Local Nonprofits
On Monday, I joined Sen. Devlin Robinson (R-Allegheny), Rep. Tim Twardzik (R-Schuylkill), Rep. Russ Diamond (R-Lebanon), and local volunteers for a bipartisan press conference at the State Capitol highlighting the need to modernize fundraising laws for volunteer fire companies and nonprofits. Volunteers have been asking for something simple: the ability to use the payment methods people rely on every day. Pennsylvanians can pay bills, make purchases, and charitable contributions from their phones in seconds. Senate Bill 416, which passed the PA Senate unanimously over a year ago, would allow licensed organizations to accept electronic payments for raffle tickets. We should make sure our volunteer firefighters and nonprofit organizations have the tools they need to accept the support their communities want to give them—not put unnecessary barriers in their way. I am pleased to share that this legislation unanimously passed out of the House Gaming Oversight Committee on Tuesday. This is an important step forward, and I will continue working with my colleagues to see SB416 reach the Governor’s desk. Senate Majority Policy Committee Examines Rise in Antisemitism
On Wednesday, I chaired a Senate Majority Policy Committee public hearing on the growing challenge of antisemitism in Pennsylvania. Antisemitic incidents across the Commonwealth remain at unprecedented levels. Pennsylvania recorded 281 antisemitic incidents in 2025 — the fifth-highest total in the nation, according to the Anti-Defamation League. Educators, parents, and Jewish advocacy organizations shared firsthand experiences and discussed ways to better protect Jewish students and communities across PA. As one panelist shared, silence cannot defeat hate. All of us—Republicans, Democrats, and Independents— must speak out, support those who are targeted, and ensure every student, regardless of their religion, can learn free from fear and intimidation. The Fight Against Blight Continues!
I was recently invited to speak at the Reclaiming Vacant Properties Conference in Pittsburgh. During the event, with hundreds of people attending from across the nation, I shared how we are now breathing some much-needed new life into many of our towns in Carbon, Luzerne, and Schuylkill Counties. I highlighted the bipartisan actions of the Statewide Blight Task Force, which I chair, including Act 90 of 2010, which gave local municipalities more tools for code enforcement, Act 153 of 2012, which created the modern-day land bank, and Act 152 of 2016, which grants counties funding for demolition. Thanks to Act 152, 32 of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties have completed over $31 million in successful county demolition efforts. While this progress is important, we still have MUCH work to do!
At the conference, I enjoyed this spectacular view overlooking the Allegheny River, the iconic Pittsburgh bridges, and PNC Park in Downtown Pittsburgh with the Senate’s Minority Leader, Sen. Jay Costa (D-Allegheny). We both noted that, while he represents a Democrat-majority urban district in Pittsburgh and I represent a Republican-majority, rural district with many small towns, the issue of fighting blight and revitalizing our communities, large and small, unites our Senate members, rather than divides us. Around the Capitol
Between meetings and voting session at the Capitol, I was invited to meet with Abri Kurtz, the 2026 Schuylkill County Fair Queen, and Jovi Ramsey, the 2026 Gratz Fair Queen.
During our meetings, we discussed the importance of agriculture and local fairs to our communities. As the husband of a third-generation turkey farmer, I understand firsthand the importance of agriculture and its economic impact on Carbon, Luzerne, and Schuylkill counties. Congratulations to Abri and Jovi and thank you for representing our local agricultural community!
I was invited to speak about my bipartisan Senate Bill 115 during a meeting of the House Human Services Committee. The bill, which passed the Senate 47-3 last year, would allow individuals without a high school diploma or GED to take a skills competency examination to receive their long-term care employee certification. Too many of our families, including mine, have faced the difficult decision of moving a parent or grandparent into a long-term care center. The professionals who make sure they are cared for are facing increasing challenges because of workforce shortages. The bill was passed out of committee unanimously and now awaits a full vote of the House of Representatives. Special thanks to Rep. Doyle Heffley of the Human Services Committee for his work in getting this bill passed out of committee.
I met with representatives of PA Breweries and their impact on our local economy, especially America’s oldest, Yuengling Brewery in Pottsville and Port Carbon!
I welcomed my latest job shadow, Bradley Barlett, to the State Capitol. Bradley, a native of Coaldale, is the Senior Class President at Panther Valley High School. He plans to study history and political science in college. Throughout the day, Bradley had the opportunity to attend several meetings with me, tour the beautiful State Capitol, and be introduced on the Senate Floor. I wish him all the best in his future!
Members of the PA Outdoor Recreation Association joined me to discuss the impact of outdoor recreation in our region, including local resorts like Blue Mountain, Jack Frost, and Big Boulder. We also discussed the PA Outdoor Adventure Pass, a $69 year-round pass that allows 4th and 5th graders to enjoy activities across Pennsylvania, including skiing, cave tours, climbing, water sports, and much more. You can learn more about the pass here.
Senator Tracy Pennycuick and I also welcomed Pastor Nick Pence as Guest Chaplain in the Senate on Tuesday. Pastor Pence serves at Palm Schwenkfelder Church in Montgomery County. As a direct descendant of Schwenkfelder immigrants from the German/Polish borderlands in the 1730s on my mother’s side, I enjoyed the opportunity to welcome Pastor Pence to the Capitol.
As part of the Association of Independent Colleges & Universities of Pennsylvania (AICUP)’s Mascot Day, I met with representatives from my alma mater, Lycoming College, and of course, Lycos the Warrior. Around the District
Thank you to the hundreds of residents who attended the Senior Expo hosted by Rep. JoAnne Stehr last Friday! More than 40 vendors attended to showcase their services and resources, including Brenda Swank and Melanie Weikel from my office.
I was recently invited to join campus leaders at Alvernia University Pottsville CollegeTowne for their President’s Advisory Council meeting. We had a wide-ranging discussion about enrollment, workforce needs, and the opportunities Alvernia is providing for students right here in our region. We discussed the extremely popular RN to BSN Completion Program, which gives registered nurses the flexibility to advance their education and credentials, as well as the EmpowerED program, which provides high school students with a hands-on opportunity to explore their interests, discover potential career paths and build skills for the future. With degree programs ranging from nursing and healthcare to criminal justice, education, management, and human resources, Alvernia offers students a wide variety of opportunities without having to leave our community.
I was recently invited to attend the Luzerne County Human Services Legislative Roundtable. We discussed several important issues facing our communities, including expanded housing for seniors, alcohol and substance abuse, dental care for children, expanded mental health services, and more. We also discussed the re-use of the vacant White Haven State Hospital Property and opportunities to put this site back to productive use. Controversial Department of Health Regulations Have Been Stopped
Regulations which would have vastly expanded the power of Harrisburg bureaucrats were stopped after 10,000+ public comments were received from Pennsylvanians. The proposed regulations would have given the state more power to enter homes and businesses without a warrant, speak to students without parents present, access private health records, unilaterally impose mask mandates and more. The Department of Health introduced the massive, 502-page regulatory overhaul without input from the public or the General Assembly. After reviewing the proposal, I signed a letter to the Independent Regulatory Review Commission with many of my Senate colleagues warning that the changes would infringe on constitutional rights. You can read the letter here. Extending the Skill Games Deadline
I have co-sponsored legislation by Sen. Michele Brooks (R-Mercer), to extend the October 13 deadline on skill games regulation by six months to April 13, 2027. As Sen. Brooks noted, it is proving incredibly difficult for a bipartisan agreement to move on legislation to meet the deadline set by the PA Supreme Court. Establishing a tax rate and regulations and determining the recipients of the resulting revenue are important tasks that should not be rushed. Volunteer fire departments, veterans’ organizations, and other community groups depend on skill games revenue to provide important services to the community. If the October 13, 2026 deadline arrives with no new law in place, the impact will be devastating. Allowing skill games to remain legal until a permanent legislative solution can be reached is a much-needed option for many of our local civic groups. October 8: License Plate Event in Hegins
Is your license plate worn out? You can get it replaced for free at an event I’m hosting with Rep. Joanne Stehr on Thursday, October 8 from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. at the Hegins Township Building (413 Gap Street, Valley View). A local police officer will be on hand to inspect your plate to determine if it qualifies for a free replacement. For more information or to RSVP, call 570-773-0891. Focusing on Our Local Communities: Meet Lehighton’s David Arndt
Welcome to the latest edition of “Focusing on Our Local Communities,” where we interview, on a bipartisan basis, a key local leader in one of the 102 municipalities that I represent in Carbon, Schuylkill, and southern Luzerne counties. This week, we’re focusing on Lehighton Borough Councilman Dave Arndt. A Republican, Arndt was born and raised in Lehighton and graduated from CCTI in 2000 with a concentration in automotive technology. After high school, he entered the heavy towing and recovery field and now works as a truck driver for Estes Express Lines in Lehighton. Arndt was appointed to council in 2025 and later won the election to complete the term, which concludes in 2027. His decision to run stemmed largely from his desire to make his hometown a better place for his three daughters. “I have three teenage girls who are in high school, and honestly, I just wanted to get involved to help make Lehighton a better place for them and for its residents who live here,” said Arndt. “It’s much different now from when I grew up and I kind of wanted to try and bring back some of those really good things that I remember. And then of course, the main things you always want to see improve in a borough like upgrading infrastructure and making sure we have good roads all throughout the borough.” Arndt is also an active member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Lehighton, where he volunteers extensively. On council, Arndt serves as chairman of the public works and streets committee and is currently engaged in several major projects benefiting the borough. “The two main things I’m working on right now are the FOP negotiations with our police department and our trash collection fees that we pay. We pay the most money for trash collection in the area and I was able to get to the bottom of that and now I’m working to fix that,” said Arndt. “Also, as chairman of the public works and streets committee, I’m always working to try and get more projects done with our roads. It’s a really good group of guys in that department and I enjoy working with them. I also think we have a solid seven people on council who work together. There are a lot of positive things being done right now in the borough.” Quote of the Week
“Our duty is not to score points in an endless debate, but to find practical answers that allow our communities to thrive.” – U.S. Senator Hugh Scott |
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