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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
Last Saturday evening, I attended the Marine Corp. Ball’s 250th anniversary. Many constituents from the district were in attendance celebrating this momentous occasion.
The beginning of the week was spent preparing for a REACH Cyber roundtable, which happened on Wednesday in Enola. The event was streamed live on Facebook, and there are multiple social media clips and more on the event below. Click here to view the discussion.
I also met with Tri-County Housing on Wednesday to discuss future development in Carlisle at the old Tyco site.
On Thursday, I had several constituent meetings and calls and also interviewed for a new position in the district office. This evening, I will be attending the retirement ceremony for the chief of police in Middlesex Township.
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Cyber Funding Roundtable
After four panels and hours of testimony, it was clear any additional cuts after last year’s $100 million cut to special education would be detrimental to cyber charter schools in the state. Approximately 65,000 students are served by 14 public cyber charter schools in Pennsylvania. Gov. Josh Shapiro is pushing for an even deeper cut as part of his 2025-26 spending proposal of an additional $180 million, all while claiming to be a supporter of school choice. Small- and medium-size cybers claim the $180 million the administration is touting is actually more like $300 million, and nearly 50% of the students the smaller cybers serve are special needs (30% on average of the 14, compared to 20% in brick-and-mortar public schools). Four out of the 14 cyber charters are on the chopping block, and these are the small to midsized ones without large budgets. Not only are cybers being cut, but they are being capped on enrollment at a time when they are seeing a 68% increase in enrollment since 2019. “Cyber charters are not a luxury to these students; they are a lifeline,” one testifier stated.
Many myths and misinformation being sent out through mail and social media by the teachers’ union lobbyists negatively portraying cybers were debunked during the hearing. A total of 52% of Reach Cyber school students qualify for free and reduced lunches. They send them food cards so they can buy food that is legally provided under the law, yet many would have the public believe these cards are for games and toys.
Unlike school districts, public cyber charter schools have no control over the amount of revenue they receive, and they have no power to levy taxes to increase their revenue if needed.
Approximately 70% of the cost per student of the school district follows the student to the cyber school and is used as its funding for teachers’ salaries and overhead expenses, tech, group help, curriculum and the like. In addition, school districts receive a reimbursement of approximately 50% of the funds they spend on teachers’ pensions and Social Security taxes from the Commonwealth. Cyber charters do not receive this reimbursement funding.
As stated multiple times in hearings and education committee meetings, the current funding formula for education in Pennsylvania is not working across the board and needs to be revisited in a meaningful manner. We need all choices available to parents, depending on their child’s needs. If a child is not thriving in a traditional school setting, cybers are a good alternative for some, and these cuts go too far. You can view my comments on the hearing here.
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Honoring Our Veterans
This Tuesday, Nov. 11, we recognize Veterans Day by remembering the sacrifices these men and women made on behalf of our citizens and people around the world.
Veterans Day, originally known as Armistice Day, first marked the one-year anniversary of the end of World War I, on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, and sought to honor the veterans of the World War – the only world war to have occurred at that time. Armistice Day was declared a national holiday in 1938 to acknowledge world peace, and then was renamed Veterans Day in 1954 to celebrate the contributions of veterans of all wars.
For more about the history of Veterans Day, click here.
For more information about programs and benefits to support our veterans in Pennsylvania, visit the state Department of Military and Veterans Affairs website here.
The Veterans program at the Army Heritage Education Center has been cancelled this year due to the government shutdown. I will be attending the ceremony in Newville next Tuesday. Carlisle’s Veterans program is at it’s usual time slot of 10:00 at the Old Court House upstairs. I hope you consider honoring a veteran on this important day.
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Protecting Custody Rights of Deployed Military Parents
Parents who serve their country should never lose custody or visitation simply because they answered the call to duty. That’s why I was honored to vote in favor of a new law protecting a parent’s rights during military deployment.
Act 40 of 2025 fixes Pennsylvania child-custody law by preventing any permanent modification of custody or visitation orders while a parent is deployed. The law stops litigants from using the fact of deployment as a reason to alter existing custody arrangements. It also allows parents to delegate visitation rights during deployment and encourages continued communication between parents and children through modern means, such as video calls, when in-person contact is not possible.
The law will take effect in late November.
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New Law to Help Veterans, Students
Pennsylvania schools need teachers, and Pennsylvania veterans will soon be able to put their education and experience to work in the classroom under a new state law.
Act 41 of 2025 makes it easier for veterans to obtain a teaching certificate related to their direct experience in various career and technical education (CTE) fields. Specifically, the law requires the Department of Education to issue a CTE Intern or CTE Instructional I Certificate to a veteran who has served in the United States Armed Forces for a minimum of 8,000 hours in the occupational area to be taught.
This will open new pathways for veterans to become educators and share their valuable hands-on skills and expertise with our students. It’s a win for all involved!
The law will take effect in late December.
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A Boost to Education Savings in November for Youngest Pennsylvanians!
State Treasurer Stacy Garrity announced a statewide incentive for Keystone Scholars in November which will give children an even bigger head start on education savings!
Families who claim their child’s $100 scholarship from Keystone Scholars in November and open and link their own companion PA 529 College and Career Savings Program account will get an additional $50. Taking this action in November results in initial education savings deposits of $150.
Keystone Scholars provides a $100 scholarship for every child born in Pennsylvania since 2019. This money grows alongside the child and will be available to use after their 18th birthday for costs associated with four-year degrees, community college, technical training, apprenticeships and credential programs.
To learn more, visit PA529.com/keystone.
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PennDOT Service Centers Close for Veterans Day
All PennDOT driver license and photo centers will be closed on Tuesday, Nov. 11, in observance of Veterans Day.
During the closures, customers may still obtain a variety of driver and vehicle products and services, including all forms, publications and driver training manuals, through PennDOT's online Driver and Vehicle Services website.
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Pennsylvania’s Annual Cold Weather Life Jacket Requirement Began Nov. 1
The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) reminds boaters, anglers and hunters that the annual cold weather life jacket requirement is in effect.
From Nov. 1 through April 30, boaters are required to wear a U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket while underway or at anchor on boats less than 16 feet in length or on any kayak, canoe or paddleboard. The requirement applies to all Pennsylvania waters.
Even on warm, sunny days, from late fall through early spring, water temperatures can remain frigid on rivers, lakes and streams across the Commonwealth. Sudden cold-water immersion, or cold-water shock, occurs when a person is unexpectedly plunged into cold water resulting in an involuntary gasp where water is often inhaled. This uncontrollable reaction causes panic, hyperventilation, inhalation of water and inhibits the ability of a person to swim. By wearing a life jacket, victims can dramatically increase their chances of keeping their heads above water until they can get out of danger or be rescued.
According to Pennsylvania boating accident reports, nearly 80% of all boating fatalities occurred because boaters were not wearing life jackets. Since the mandatory life jacket law was enacted in 2012, the PFBC has seen a significant drop (approximately 50%) in the percentage of boating incidents resulting in fatalities during the cold weather months.
The PFBC also recommends that anglers participating in ice fishing this winter always wear a life jacket to provide lifesaving protection in the event of a fall through the ice.
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PA Senate Advances Bill Cracking Down on Telemarketing Practices
The Senate just passed Senate Bill 992, which aims to protect Pennsylvanians from unwanted telemarketers and scams by modernizing our current laws. Senate Bill 992 will ban telemarketing calls on Sundays and outside the hours of 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on other days; expand protections to include text messages, voicemails and “ringless” voicemails; and prohibit the use of AI or fake caller IDs to trick consumers. This is a huge win for all Pennsylvanians.
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First U.S.-Made Magnet in 25 Years Marks Manufacturing Milestone
A South Carolina-based company recently made the first magnet in the United States in 25 years – aiming to end China’s chokehold on the industry. More American jobs are on the way!
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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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