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In this Update:

• Join Us for a Free Senior Expo on Aug. 19
• Celebrating Two Outstanding Eagle Scouts in Somerset County
• Seeing Innovation in Action at Rifton Equipment
• Pennsylvania Has New Tools to Solve Violent Crimes
• State Budget Boosts College Tuition Assistance
• PA College Savings Fees Waived for Fifth Straight Year
• Red Tape Slashed for PA Cosmetology Workers
• Booking a Tour of Your State Capitol

Join Us for a Free Senior Expo on Aug. 19

State Rep. Jesse Topper and I would like to invite you to attend our FREE Senior Expo on Wednesday, August 19, from 10 a.m. to noon at the Alum Bank Volunteer Fire Department, located at 6738 King St. Clair Road, Alum Bank.

This event is designed to help connect residents 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 Bedford County. No RSVP needed – hope to see you there!

Celebrating Two Outstanding Eagle Scouts in Somerset County

Congratulations to Gabriel Barlow and Stanton Smith of Confluence Boy Scout Troop 150 on earning the rank of Eagle Scout.

Gabriel’s project restored and cleaned historic tombstones at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Fort Hill, while Stanton partnered with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to install signage throughout the Youghiogheny River Lake public areas. Great work!

Seeing Innovation in Action at Rifton Equipment

Manufacturing makes our local economies stronger, and it was great to see it in action with the team at Rifton Equipment. It was impressive to see how their innovative adaptive equipment is improving lives. Thank you to Mike Maendel and the Spring Valley Bruderhof Community for the warm welcome and for the work they do to make a difference every day.

Pennsylvania Has New Tools to Solve Violent Crimes

Law enforcement agencies will be able to access new tools to boost clearance rates for homicide and other violent crime cases through a new state law. 

The Violent Incident Clearance and Technological Investigative Methods (VICTIM) Act was enacted with the new state budget. The law establishes a grant program administered by the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency to help police hire and retain detectives and investigators, and upgrade technology used to analyze evidence.

Solving more violent crimes will help make communities safer by getting offenders off the streets while also serving as a deterrent to would-be criminals who know their crimes will not go unanswered.

State Budget Boosts College Tuition Assistance

Under the new state budget we recently passed, the maximum PA State Grant award has increased to the highest amount in program history, helping students across the commonwealth and their families pay for higher education.

For the 2026-27 fiscal year, the maximum award is $6,000, up from $5,750, the amount it’s been for four years. The funding is administered by the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA).

Each year, PHEAA’s board reevaluates the awarding formula by analyzing several factors, including tuition costs, the effect of inflation on family incomes, the number of expected applicants and recommended funding for the program as part of the annual budget process. Read more about the PA State Grant program here.

PA College Savings Fees Waived for Fifth Straight Year  

Pennsylvania Treasurer Stacy Garrity announced asset-based fees for the PA 529 College and Career Savings Program’s Guaranteed Savings Plan (GSP) will be waived for the fifth year in a row.

PA 529 GSP account owners will not see any asset-based fees on their quarterly statements for July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027, resulting in $5.9 million in savings. This fee waiver is funded through surplus earnings of the GSP fund.

The PA 529 GSP allows families to save at today’s tuition rates to meet tomorrow’s tuition costs. Families can choose from a variety of tuition levels to save from community college to Ivy League. PA 529 GSP account earnings are based on tuition inflation rates.

Red Tape Slashed for PA Cosmetology Workers

Legislation to streamline licensing for the cosmetology workforce has been signed into law, a major step in addressing Pennsylvania’s ongoing workforce shortages.

Act 43 of 2026 authorizes Pennsylvania to join the Cosmetology Licensure Compact, an interstate agreement that makes it easier for licensed cosmetologists — who provide treatments for hair, skin and nails — to obtain a multistate license and work in participating states without unnecessary red tape. It also ensures cosmetology professionals in active-duty military families face no burdensome licensure requirements in compact states.

Pennsylvania is the 13th state to enter the compact, joining neighboring states Ohio, West Virginia, Maryland and Delaware. Read more about this new law here.

Booking a Tour of Your State Capitol

Summer is a great time to tour your state Capitol, a National Historic Landmark featuring Renaissance designs, paintings, stained glass and furnishings by some of the best artisans in the world.

Scheduling in advance is recommended, but walk-ins are welcome according to availability. Tours take approximately 30-45 minutes and are limited to 40 guests total per tour. Self-guided tours do not take place on weekends and holidays.

More than the seat of Pennsylvania’s government, the Capitol is a magnificent symbol of the hopes and vision of the commonwealth that gave birth to a nation. Find details and book a tour here.