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In this Update:
Senate Majority Policy Committee Reviews PA’s First Rural Dental School in Tamaqua
I chaired a public hearing of the Senate Majority Policy Committee in Tamaqua to review the severe dental care shortages in rural Pennsylvania and the devastating effect they have on our friends and neighbors. Sen. Lisa Baker, four local state representatives and I listened to testimony connecting the lack of regular dental care to increasing rates of opioid abuse, heart disease, people missing work, and a whole host of other nasty issues. 37 of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties are considered dental care shortage areas. Jessica Brennan, a public health dental hygiene practitioner at St. Luke’s Primary Care and Dental in Tamaqua, shared her day-to-day experiences, noting that “we’ve had children with abscesses miss school because no one could see them. We’ve had elderly patients with broken teeth or dentures forced to give up meals they love or go on soft diets. These are not rare cases; they’re weekly occurrences. This is the reality of rural dentistry in Pennsylvania.” I was shocked to hear that basic healthcare in too many Pennsylvania communities sounds more like 1825 than 2025. The future looks bleak unless we do something now. During the hearing, the Temple University School of Dentistry announced its plans to bring Pennsylvania’s first rural dental school to Tamaqua. Dr. Amid Ismail, the dean of the Kornberg School of Dentistry at Temple University, discussed the model for the school, which is planned to open in September of 2026. Twenty students each year would complete their final two years of dental school at the Tamaqua clinic and would provide much-needed dental care to local patients. I look forward to working with our partners to bring this idea to life – the sooner, the better. New Law Leads to Real Progress Fighting Organized Retail Theft
The Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General has charged 40 people and recovered more than $2 million in stolen goods since my legislation created the Organized Retail Crime Unit last year. During a press conference, Attorney General Dave Sunday described how this new unit has effectively targeted criminal organizations and made our communities safer. Their biggest bust identified an organization with more than 50 members that stole more than $850,000 in goods. The leaders were charged and sentenced with new, stronger penalties created by my legislation, effectively crippling the organization. Attorney General Sunday testified that these new penalties are deterring criminals from committing these crimes. These changes have made a serious impact, demonstrating why my bill received strong bipartisan support in both the Senate and the House. In Philadelphia, retail theft is down by 13% and arrest rates are up by 40% in the past year. Thank you to Attorney General Sunday and the 15 professionals who make up this unit for your tireless work to protect our communities. Updating Governor, Lt. Governor Disability Procedures
My bill to update the disability procedures for our governor and lieutenant governor was approved with unanimous, bipartisan support by the Senate State Government Committee this week. I led a review of these procedures after former Lt. Gov. John Fetterman suffered a stroke in 2022. I hope these procedures will never be necessary; however, we must be prepared if tragedy strikes. This 50-year-old, outdated law is our guide through the worst emergencies our state government could face and should be modernized. Funding Blight Demolition Across Pennsylvania
My bill to provide funding to demolish blighted buildings was recently approved with bipartisan support by the Senate Urban Affairs and Housing Committee. While everyone can agree that we should tear down vacant, rat-infested, and decaying buildings in our communities, finding the dollars necessary can be difficult. To solve this problem, I introduced legislation in 2016 to create county demolition funding programs.
Since 2016, 28 counties have created these funds, raising millions of dollars to fight blight. Lifesaving Bill to Eliminate Cost Barriers to Breast Cancer Diagnosis Approved by Senate
Patients who receive abnormal results from supplemental breast cancer screenings will be able to access the necessary follow-up diagnostic imaging at no cost under bipartisan legislation passed by the Senate. This ensures critical continuum of care. Senate Bill 88 builds on the success of Act 1 of 2023, which provided no-cost preventive screenings for individuals at high risk. Senate Bill 88 takes the next step with no-cost follow-up diagnostic imaging and expands eligibility to include individuals at average risk. While 26 other states have followed Pennsylvania’s lead in offering no-cost supplemental breast screening since the passage of Act 1, Pennsylvania remains the only state without guaranteed coverage for diagnostic imaging. The bill is now under consideration by the full House of Representatives. Senate Votes to Combat Overregulation
To address overregulation that stifles business growth and drives jobs to other states, the Senate passed two regulatory reform bills. The Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny (REINS) Act, Senate Bill 333, would establish an enhanced legislative review process for costly new regulations. It is designed to address concerns about unchecked regulatory burdens on businesses, communities and taxpayers. Senate Bill 444 would establish a one-time automatic review process for regulations that impose a fiscal impact exceeding $1 million annually on taxpayers or employers. The review would ensure regulations remain effective, efficient and in the public interest. Both bills now move to the House of Representatives for consideration. Bill Targeting Rise of Deepfake Scams Approved by Senate
The Senate unanimously voted to stem the rise of “deepfakes” and other forms of digital impersonation by treating them as forgeries punishable by law. Technology enables individuals to create convincing images, audio and video of others – often without consent – that are nearly indistinguishable from reality. These digital forgeries have been used to commit financial scams and injure personal reputations. Senate Bill 649 would enact penalties for anyone who creates a digital representation of a real person without their consent and distributes it as genuine to defraud or injure. The measure would protect First Amendment rights and preserve valid expressions of parody, satire and other forms of free speech. It is now awaiting the signature of Gov. Josh Shapiro. |
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