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In this Update:
Addressing Data Center and Cost of Living ConcernsI want to thank the 4,000 residents who listened in during my recent data center telephone town hall! Many gave important feedback regarding their views on data centers and concerns about the current cost of living. This feedback was beneficial and I am pleased to share I have introduced two pieces of legislation aimed at addressing these concerns. The first bill would repeal the state Computer Data Center Equipment Exemption program, with the resulting revenue directed to the Motor License Fund for the sole purpose of reducing the Oil Company Franchise Tax, which adds about 58 cents to every gallon of gas and 74 cents to every gallon of diesel fuel purchased in Pennsylvania. The second bill would give municipalities the option of placing a moratorium on data center applications so that, if they choose, they can revise their ordinances and establish conditional use policies addressing issues like power supply, water consumption, noise and setbacks which they determine protect the community’s interest. Requiring School Districts to Obtain AppraisalsCurrently, school districts are not required to obtain a property appraisal before making a purchase, which is always concerning especially when taxpayer dollars are involved. This week, the Senate Education Committee advanced legislation I sponsored that would hold public school entities accountable for the taxpayer dollars they spend and strengthen public transparency. When a school district purchases real estate, the price tag can be in the millions of dollars, which is why my commonsense legislation focuses on establishing the appraisal requirement. We should be confident we’re getting our money’s worth while being transparent with the public. Senate Bill 698 would require public-school entities, including school districts, charter schools and cyber charter schools, to determine the value of any property they intend to acquire. Under the bill, a school entity must consult with a certified real estate appraiser authorized under Pennsylvania law to establish a property’s value and requires the appraisal to be made available to the public under Pennsylvania’s Right‑to‑Know Law. The bill now moves to the full Senate for consideration. Senate Acts to Protect Fairness in Women’s Sports
The Senate again approved legislation to protect the safety and opportunities of female athletes by requiring scholastic sports teams to be designated based on biological sex. Senate Bill 1293 would require public schools and colleges to label sports teams as male, female or coed. The legislation states only biological females can join teams designated for women. The bill would also allow students to take legal action if they are harmed by violations of this rule. Since 2020 in Pennsylvania, men have stolen first place from female athletes 87 times and unjustly took second or third place 64 times. Recently, the International Olympic Committee enacted new policy guidelines ensuring all sporting events under their jurisdiction for any female category are limited to biological females only. The legislation is similar to Senate Bill 9, which was passed by the Senate in May 2025 with bipartisan support. Since then, it has been delayed by procedural maneuvers by Democrat leaders in the House of Representatives, leaving young female athletes at risk. I urge the House to act on this legislation and restore fairness to athletic competition in our commonwealth. You can hear more about why I support this legislation here. Strengthening Electricity Affordability and Reliability
Pennsylvanians need electricity that’s affordable and reliable. That’s why I joined legislative colleagues in February urging action to preserve critical baseload power generation by preventing the premature shutdown of two commonwealth power plants. I’m pleased to report the Trump administration has reached agreement with the state Department of Environmental Protection and the operator of the Keystone and Conemaugh Generating Stations in Indiana and Armstrong counties to allow continued operation of both plants. The agreement ensures continued, environmentally compliant generation of 3,400 megawatts of electricity for the regional grid and preserves the livelihood of more than 1,000 workers. I applaud the parties for working to find common ground, and will continue working to expand Pennsylvania energy production to provide our residents with a true “all of the above” energy strategy to ensure affordable, reliable electricity. Committee Approves Measure Eliminating Emissions Test Mandate for Newer Vehicles
Legislation exempting state emissions testing for newer vehicles and removing it entirely for counties where it’s no longer needed was approved by the Senate Transportation Committee. Senate Bill 1298 exempts vehicles five years old or less from the requirement and removes Blair, Cambria, Lackawanna, Luzerne, Lycoming, Mercer and Westmoreland counties from the emissions program. The Vehicle Emissions Inspection and Maintenance program mandates motorists in 25 Pennsylvania counties undergo annual emissions testing. However, a Joint State Government Commission study has shown that removing seven of these counties from the program would have minimal impact on maintaining federal air quality standards. Less than 1% of the five most recent model year vehicles fail annual emissions inspections. The measure now goes to the full Senate for consideration. You can read more about our efforts to reform emissions testing here. Take the PA Family Health Needs Assessment Survey
You can provide feedback to help improve maternal, child and family health in Pennsylvania by completing the Family Health Needs Assessment Survey by April 30. You can find the survey here. It’s part of the federal Title V Maternal and Child Health Services Block Grant, managed in Pennsylvania by the Department of Health. It requires a comprehensive needs assessment every five years to identify key health priorities. The survey takes about 20 minutes to complete. If you have any questions, please email RA-DHPATITLEV@pa.gov. Booklet Helps You Prepare Your Child for Kindergarten
If your child is entering kindergarten this fall, you can help prepare them for the experience with the Kindergarten Here I Come booklet filled with resources and activities that follow Pennsylvania’s Early Learning Standards. Topics in the booklet include:
You can review and download the booklet here.
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