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In this Update:

• Protecting Your Nest Egg
• Area Students Invited to Our Career Expo on Oct. 1
• Shapiro’s Troubling Health Regulations: Thousands of Pennsylvanians Weigh In
• Senate Bill Protecting Children from Harmful AI Chats Needs House Action
• March for Life Brings Record Crowd to Capitol
• Suicide Prevention Month Raises Awareness and Spreads Hope
• Garrity Announces $1,000 Bonus for Families’ Education Savings
• Certified Veteran-Owned Businesses Gain New Opportunities

Protecting Your Nest Egg

Helping hardworking families and business owners protect their financial assets will always be one of my top priorities, which is why I’m introducing legislation to repeal what’s known as the “Intangible Personal Property Tax” law, but commonly referred to as a “wealth tax.”.

This provision in state law, enacted in 1913 (more than 100 years ago), allows counties to tax stocks, bonds and mutual funds held by Pennsylvanians – it could even apply to college savings plans and heath savings accounts – and require burdensome and invasive reporting to county officials.

The good news is that we’re not aware of any county that is currently collecting this tax. The bad news is that the law still authorizes them to do so, and Lehigh County’s Controller proposed enacting this type of tax earlier this year. Keeping this law on the books creates a temptation that shouldn’t exist, which is why I’m introducing this bill to entirely repeal the law.

Pennsylvanians should not have to worry about paying new or higher taxes. This repeal would directly prohibit local governments from taxing personal property, including financial assets, further protecting residents and small business owners.

Area Students Invited to Our Career Expo on Oct. 1

Middle and high school students, college students, and their families are invited to sign up for our Career and Technical Education Expo on Thursday, Oct. 1, from 5:30-7:30 p.m., at Lehigh Carbon Community College’s Community Service Center, 4525 Education Park Drive in Schnecksville. A sensory hour for this event will take place from 4:30-5:30 p.m.

Our informational expo serves as a starting point for area students to speak directly with career and trade-job exhibitors in various fields – giving them the opportunity to see which career path they ultimately want to follow.

If you are interested in attending the expo, you can register here.

This event is coordinated in partnership with Lehigh Carbon Community College, Lehigh Career and Technical Institute, Workforce Board Lehigh Valley and Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce.

Shapiro’s Troubling Health Regulations: Thousands of Pennsylvanians Weigh In

Thousands of Pennsylvanians – ordinary citizens, school officials and many others – have voiced their opposition to Gov. Josh Shapiro’s proposed health regulations which would vastly expand state government’s power over their lives. Thank you to each and every person who took the time to let your voice be heard!

I’ve added my voice to the effort in this letter to the Independent Regulatory Review Commission, which spells out the reasons these regulations must be stopped. Comments were submitted asking the commission to reject the proposal, which would give the state more power to enter homes and businesses without a warrant, speak to students without parents present, access private health records, unilaterally impose mask mandates – and more.

Gov. Shapiro and the state Department of Health should listen to the people and withdraw this 502-page executive branch overreach. Pennsylvanians endured the previous governor’s mandates during COVID lockdowns, and we cannot afford to go back.

Learn more about what’s at stake at this State Health Regulations information webpage.

Senate Bill Protecting Children from Harmful AI Chats Needs House Action

It’s critical that our commonwealth establish commonsense safeguards for children increasingly interacting with AI chatbots. The Senate overwhelmingly passed bipartisan legislation to do just that back in March, but the House of Representatives has yet to consider it.

Senate Bill 1090 would require robust, age-appropriate safeguards to prevent content generation that encourages self-harm, suicide or violence against others, and directs users to appropriate crisis resources whenever high-risk language is detected.

In recent years, vulnerable individuals, including minors, have used AI chatbots to cope with trauma, depression and anxiety, only to have chatbot responses allegedly contribute to deaths by suicide. I urge the House to pass this bill so it can be enacted before the year is out. Read more about this important measure.

March for Life Brings Record Crowd to Capitol

The recent March for Life outside the state Capitol was the largest ever, with more than 6,000 people traveling from across the state to pledge their support for protecting the unborn.

With the 2022 U.S. Supreme Court ruling overturning the unconstitutional Roe v. Wade, the battle to promote life over abortion is playing out in the states. It was especially heartening that so many of the enthusiastic participants in the march were young citizens who clearly understood the stakes.

I will always be a voice for the voiceless and an advocate for the sanctity of life.

Suicide Prevention Month Raises Awareness and Spreads Hope

Suicide Prevention Month is a time to raise awareness, spread hope and encourage discussion of a difficult topic.

Warning signs of suicide include:

• Comments about suicide
• Increased alcohol and drug use
• Aggressive behavior
• Withdrawal from friends and family
• Dramatic mood swings
• Impulsive or reckless behavior

The National Alliance on Mental Illness has more information about risk factors.

The 988 Lifeline provides free and confidential support over call, text or chat for people in distress 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Empathetic, trained professionals provide prevention and crisis resources for you or someone you know.

Garrity Announces $1,000 Bonus for Families’ Education Savings

Pennsylvania Treasurer Stacy Garrity is giving families with qualified PA 529 College and Career Saving Program Guaranteed Savings Plan (GSP) accounts a $1,000 bonus contribution, enhancing education savings for about 107,000 Pennsylvania families.

The bonus is being paid for through surplus dollars in the GSP Fund. PA 529 GSP savers with at least a $1,000 account balance, or those with at least a $100 balance with contributions made since 2022, as of July 31, 2026, are eligible for this bonus deposit. Account owners will see this deposit reflected in their third quarter statement.

The PA 529 GSP allows families to save at today’s tuition rates to cover tomorrow’s tuition costs with account growth dependent on tuition inflation. For more information, visit the PA 529 website.

Certified Veteran-Owned Businesses Gain New Opportunities

Pennsylvania veteran-owned small businesses that get certified can be listed on a state database, opening doors to state contracting opportunities.

To qualify for certification, businesses must be at least 51% veteran-owned, meet “small business” revenue and size standards, and hold a valid third-party certification.

The state does not certify a business as veteran owned; it only verifies it. Find out how to obtain certification and third-party verification at the Department of General Services.