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| The Barb Wire |
| #Listrak\DateStampLong# |
The latest news from the State Capitol |
Please do not reply directly to this email, as it returns to an unmanned account.
You are welcome to contact me through this link.
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Barb’s Weekly Update
Monday
At the House Aging and Older Adult Services Committee meeting, we voted to increase the personal needs allowance deduction for Medical Assistance-eligible individuals living in nursing facilities to $85 a month. We also voted to require licensees who accept applications for reverse mortgage loans to provide in-person or face-to-face housing counseling to an applicant from an agency that is approved by the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
House Bill 350 was considered in the House. According to the PA Family Institute and many other similar groups, the legislation (also known as the Uniform Parentage Act), is one of the most harmful bills for children. It would redefine parenthood based on “intent” and remove necessary judicial oversight. According to retired Judge Cheryl Allen from the Independence Law Center, the bill would allow individuals with no biological, gestational, adoptive or equitable connection to a child to gain legal parenthood simply by demonstrating an intention to parent.
There would be no adoption process and those who could afford to have a child can now obtain one. In essence, it’s the commercialization of genotypes and surrogates to produce a child, who then, at the will of the intended parents, could never know their true medical biological history until reaching 18 years of age. The legislation passed out of the House and sits with the Senate.
Here are my floor remarks on House Bill 350.
The government efficiency policy hearing with Secretary Stacy Garrity was also held on Monday.
Tuesday
A House Education Committee voting meeting on school violence and weapons policy in schools was posted for an off-the-floor vote and had no time for Republican amendments. I voted yes; however, I will have amendments on the bill.
I also met with the Pennsylvania Association of Realtors who laid out their 2025 legislative agenda. Some of the bills will be part of the current budget proposal. As we know, inventory and sales of homes have declined in our region, though listings have increased by 6% since last month.
Wednesday
I met with the North American Values Institute regarding higher education issues; Students for Life from Duquesne University and the University of Pitt; and New Voices PA, which was lobbying for free speech.
We went into session voting on 20 budget bills and three resolutions. I voted no on the Italian American Month bill because there was also a resolution honoring a World War II airman that only designated a day. There are so many budget bills going back and forth between the House and Senate that it would be impossible to summarize them all. Some obvious yes votes turned to no votes once amendments were added. Please call our office if you are curious about a budget vote. We will be returning to session on Monday, June 30, so there is much more to do.
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Making Pennsylvania Competitive Again
The 2025-26 fiscal year gets underway on Tuesday, July 1, and it appears unlikely the Commonwealth will have a budget in place in time to meet our June 30 deadline. Why?
Pennsylvania is barreling toward a fiscal cliff, and Gov. Josh Shapiro is at the wheel. Revenues are not keeping pace with spending, and our budgetary reserves are being rapidly depleted. There are only a few options to avoid financial catastrophe – raising taxes, cutting services or stimulating economic growth. We don’t run our household budgets this way, and this administration needs to reign in spending and halt program expansions until the revenues match the expenses. The governor’s current budget is not sustainable.
Republicans want to do the following in order to balance the budget and grow our economy:
• Unleash Pennsylvania’s energy industry: House Republicans believe our best solution to avoiding the fiscal cliff is to grow our economy, particularly in the energy industry.
• Support efficient government: Government works best when it is efficient. We need to focus on stopping government waste, fraud and abuse.
• Support student-centered education: Education is a vital tool in increasing economic power. By focusing on the individual needs of students and training students for the jobs of today and tomorrow, we can build a world-class, home-grown workforce.
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In Pursuit of Government Efficiency
With the state budget deadline looming, the House Republican Policy Committee held a public hearing this week highlighting real-world examples of how state government agencies can operate more effectively without expanding bureaucracy.
The hearing featured testimony from Pennsylvania State Treasurer Stacy Garrity and Pennsylvania State Treasury Policy Director Thomas Armstrong, showcasing Treasury’s measurable successes in modernizing operations, cutting waste and delivering better service to Pennsylvanians – all while keeping spending under control.
Garrity’s results-driven leadership stands in stark contrast to Gov. Josh Shapiro’s proposed budget, which grows government without delivering measurable reform. Instead of bloated bureaucracy, Treasury’s approach reflects what Pennsylvanians expect from their government: smart management, responsible spending and tangible results.
Watch the hearing here.
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Natural Gas Impact Fees Help Local Communities
In addition to supporting the state’s growing energy needs and providing good-paying careers, Pennsylvania’s natural gas industry contributed nearly $165 million in impact fees in 2024.
Under Act 13 of 2012, impact fees are collected from natural gas drilling companies with 60% returned to counties and municipalities affected by drilling. The rest of the money goes into a Marcellus Shale Legacy Fund, a portion of which is provided to counties like Cumberland, which received more than $177,000. The remaining funds are used by the state for emergency response planning, training and other activities; water, storm water, and sewer system construction and repair; infrastructure maintenance and repair; as well as statewide environmental initiatives.
Click here to view detailed reports of the funding distribution.
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Oil & Gas Day on the Hill
It was great to see so many displays for PA Oil and Gas Day on the Hill this year.
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No AI in Political Ads
In keeping with our commitment to election integrity, I recently joined my fellow House lawmakers in the unanimous passage of legislation that would outlaw the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to misrepresent a candidate in political campaign advertisements.
House Bill 811 would ban AI impersonation in any form of media, including text, image, video and sound “that appears to establish, resemble or represent an individual in a way that did not occur in reality” for campaign advertisements without their consent. It also would establish fines for those who violate the law.
If the measure is enacted, Pennsylvania would join at least 14 other states that have taken action related to AI use in campaigns.
The bill now heads to the Senate for consideration.
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State Higher Education Grant Application Now Open
In case you missed it, the 2025-26 PA State Grant application is now available to students pursuing higher education. Remember, you must also file your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) in order to qualify for a state grant, as well as financial aid offered through the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA).
Visit pheaa.org/signin to submit your state grant application and take care of any additional action items.
For more details and answers to frequently asked questions, go to pheaa.org/grant.
Don’t miss out. Get a head start on your financial aid today!
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Inheritance Scam Alert!
State officials are urging you to stay vigilant after a scam was reported involving someone posing as a Commonwealth employee.
The reported scam uses a fake email to target older Pennsylvanians and request money through licensed financial institutions to receive a fake inheritance. In the recently reported incident, the victim was asked to pay upfront fees in order for the inheritance to be released – the fees would total hundreds of thousands of dollars over nearly a one-year period.
To protect yourself:
• Don’t respond to suspicious emails or texts.
• Don’t trust messages about winning money or getting an inheritance from someone you do not know.
• Do not feel pressured to act quickly or in secret.
• Check email addresses. Scammers can spoof emails, sending an email that looks like it is from a trusted source. Official emails from Pennsylvania state agencies always end in @pa.gov.
• Watch out for fake websites. Official state websites end in pa.gov and will always display the Commonwealth logo with the text “Official website of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania” on the top left corner of a web page.
• Know that Pennsylvania agencies will not threaten immediate legal action or license suspension without proper notice.
Read more about this incident here.
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Celebrating PA Dairy
June is Dairy Month in Pennsylvania, the perfect time to enjoy an extra dish of ice cream or yogurt, another piece of cheese, or a tall glass of milk! Don’t forget your raw milk farmers selling locally as well.
The dairy industry is a major part of our state’s agriculture economy, providing economic value to the tune of $14.7 billion annually and over 52,000 jobs.
If you’d like to support Pennsylvania dairy, be sure to check the milk you purchase at the grocery store and look for the PA Preferred logo or milk with a plant code beginning with “42.” Plant codes are usually printed near the top of the container or on the lid, or sometimes they’re printed right on the label. The first, and most important, part of the code will always be two numbers (between 01 and 56). This identifies the state where the milk was processed. Pennsylvania’s magic number is 42!
Learn more about the state’s dairy industry here.
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Fish for Free on Independence Day!
On Friday, July 4, the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) will host a Fish for Free day to allow anyone (resident or non-resident) to legally fish on all Pennsylvania waterways. No license is required, but all other fishing regulations still apply. This is a great way to expose the next generation of anglers to the outdoors! More information about fishing in Pennsylvania is available here.
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Office Closings
Our offices will be closed Thursday, July 3, and Friday, July 4 for Independence Day.
Due to office closures for holidays, events as well as scheduled vacations during the summer, please call the office at (717) 249-1990 before stopping in.
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| Office Locations |
| District Office: 437 E North Street | Carlisle, PA 17013 | Phone: 717-249-1990 |
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| 427 Irvis Office Building | House Box 202199 Harrisburg, PA 17120-2199 | 717-772-2280 |
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