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In this Update:

• Upcoming Fayette County Senior Expo
• Celebrating 90 Years of Fallingwater
• Small Town, Big Win: Bullskin 10U Claims Major Title
• Shapiro’s Overreach on New State Health Regulations
• Historic Settlement with Meta Includes Social Media Protections
• Help Available Finding a New Job
• Medicare Questions Answered by PA MEDI
• Happy Labor Day

Upcoming Fayette County Senior Expo

I would like to invite you to attend our FREE Senior Expo on Friday, September 25, from 10 a.m. to noon at Penn State Fayette, the Eberly Campus, located at 2201 University Drive in Lemont Furnace.

This event is designed to help connect residents of all ages with programs that can improve quality of life, answer important questions and provide support for a wide range of needs. Attendees will have the opportunity to speak directly with representatives from participating organizations and learn more about services available throughout Fayette County. No RSVP needed – hope to see you there!

Celebrating 90 Years of Fallingwater

I was honored to join Fallingwater’s 90th Anniversary Gala and present a Senate citation recognizing nine decades of this iconic Pennsylvania treasure. For 90 years, Fallingwater has inspired visitors from around the world through Frank Lloyd Wright’s visionary design and its remarkable connection to our majestic Laurel Highlands. I’m proud to celebrate this milestone and proud of the lasting legacy that Fallingwater continues to bring to Fayette County and our commonwealth. 

Small Town, Big Win: Bullskin 10U Claims Major Title

Congratulations to the Bullskin 10U Little League Softball All-Stars on their amazing summer season on the national stage! The team proudly represented Fayette County. Kudos to the players, coaches, families and community supporters on this remarkable achievement.

Shapiro’s Overreach on New State Health Regulations

Gov. Josh Shapiro and the Pennsylvania Department of Health recently proposed broad new health regulations, which it appears would – among other things – give the state far more power to enter our homes, businesses, schools and doctor’s offices without a warrant. These latest proposed regulations are being pursued unilaterally by the governor outside of the legislative process – without input being sought from me or my colleagues.

While we’re currently reviewing all the details, there are tremendous concerns – and we are not about to let 502 pages of regulations run people’s lives. You can read the immense regulatory proposal here. We cannot allow any actions like we saw taken by the executive branch during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic to be put in place. The draconian shutdowns and overly restrictive mandates that impeded the lives of every Pennsylvanian during COVID have no place in our state.

The public comment period is open through Sept. 21, and I encourage you to join me and submit your comments to the Independent Regulatory Review Commission. Our health and safety can be protected without sacrificing our privacy and freedoms.

Historic Settlement with Meta Includes Social Media Protections

Attorney General Dave Sunday announced Pennsylvania and a multistate coalition have reached a settlement with Meta, owner of Instagram and Facebook, assuring the social media giant will implement sweeping changes to age verification, limit children’s time on their platforms and cut kids’ access to harmful content.

The settlement, which involves up to $17.1 billion in national remediation payments, is contingent on other major social media companies agreeing to the same changes. Pennsylvania is expected to receive more than $500 million. The attorney general also filed a lawsuit against the owners of Snapchat regarding its failures to warn users of platform addictiveness and protect children from compulsive use. Read more about the settlement with Meta here.

In recent years, I’ve worked with my colleagues to strengthen Pennsylvania laws against malicious deepfakes and AI child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and created the Task Force on Child Protection in the Digital Age. The Senate passed bills to enhance mandatory reporting requirements for AI CSAM and protect children from dangerous AI chatbot interaction. Technology opens doors for children, and we must ensure it’s used safely.

Help Available Finding a New Job

Pennsylvanians looking for work and employers can access the comprehensive career website PA CareerLink® for assistance.

PA CareerLink® offers job search assistance, resume and interview workshops, access to more than 7,000 online training courses, classroom and on-the-job training, and many other programs and resources. All services are provided at no cost to participants. No appointment is necessary.

It provides a wide range of resources for individual job seekers tailored for specific situations, such as mature workers, those re-entering the workforce, veterans, individuals with disabilities, young workers and more. Employers can use it to search for job candidates, learn about apprenticeships and other needs. Visit PA CareerLink® here.

Medicare Questions Answered by PA MEDI

If you’re eligible for Medicare and have questions, PA MEDI has local, certified counselors to provide free and confidential assistance to help you navigate the system.

PA MEDI (Pennsylvania Medicare Education and Decision Insight) is part of a nationwide network of state health insurance assistance programs. It provides unbiased help and information for those on Medicare, their families and caregivers. PA MEDI does not sell or recommend Medicare insurance products, insurance agents or brokers.

The assistance covers the various Medicare plans, enrollment, rules, billing, appeals and more. Call 1-800-783-7067 or visit the PA MEDI webpage.

Happy Labor Day

More than a day off, Labor Day is an opportunity to celebrate the contributions of workers who provide for their families and allow communities to thrive. I’m committed to helping these workers keep more of what they earn.

I hope you have a great holiday weekend.