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In this Update:
Student Opportunities for Success Examined by Senate Committee
My colleagues on the Senate Education Committee and I heard this week from parents and advocates who said they need expanded learning opportunities during a public hearing. The version of the 2023-24 state budget, approved by a bipartisan majority in the Senate, contains $100 million to fund the PASS (Pennsylvania Award for Student Success) Program, which would provide low-income students in low-performing schools with scholarships to attend the school of their choice. I support this effort to provide children trapped in underperforming schools with more educational opportunities. Gov. Josh Shapiro has threatened to line-item veto this funding after previously voicing support for the program. Funding the PASS Program would empower parents and families in the education of their children and would not take a single dollar away from public schools. The state budget passed by the Senate also includes a $567 million increase in basic education funding. Reading to Students at Lehigh Valley Children’s Center
This week, I visited and read to students at the Lehigh Valley Children’s Center in Allentown. Thank you to all the students for the awesome welcome poster! PA State Universities Hold the Line on Tuition
The Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) board of governors voted to freeze tuition for the fifth consecutive year, a decision made possible by the financial support provided in state budgets passed by the General Assembly. The budget passed by the House and Senate would provide an increase of $33 million, or 6%, to PASSHE universities. Offering Pennsylvanians education empowerment and access has been and will continue to be a Senate Republican priority. The cost for students, had it kept pace with inflation since 2018, would be 21% higher today. In addition to keeping in-state undergraduate tuition at $7,716 for the sixth year, PASSHE students will receive $125 million in university-funded financial aid to help them afford their education. REAL ID Extension Allows Access Through May 2025
Pennsylvania residents will be able to use their current driver license to access federal facilities through May 7, 2025, under an extension granted by the federal government last week. REAL ID is a federal law that affects how states issue driver’s licenses and ID cards if they are going to be acceptable for federal purposes, such as boarding a domestic commercial flight, or entering a military installation or federal facility that requires ID. REAL ID-compliant driver licenses and identification cards are available now to consumers who wish to obtain them. Learn more, including whether you need a REAL ID and what information you must provide if you do, here. Free Help Available to PA Small Businesses
There are 15 Small Business Development Centers in Pennsylvania that provide free, confidential consulting and low-cost training to small businesses across the state. Trainings cover a range of business issues including testing a new business proposition, shaping a business plan, investing funding opportunities and more. Whether you have an idea for a new business, want to improve your existing business or would like to buy or sell a business in Pennsylvania, experienced business consultants are available to help you. Read more here. Observing World Day Against Trafficking in Persons
Sunday, July 30, is World Day Against Trafficking in Persons. By observing this solemn day, we hope to raise awareness of this disturbing exploitation and how to spot trafficking in action. If you suspect human trafficking, please call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888 or the ChildLine at 1-800-932-0313. The Senate unanimously voted to help child human trafficking victims by granting them full access to appropriate services and support. Tragically, under current Pennsylvania law, any minor who is exploited for commercial sex must identify their third-party perpetrator to be considered a victim of human trafficking, unless their purchaser is charged as a trafficker. Senate Bill 44 would ensure that third-party control is never a consideration for access to services, and Senate Bill 45 would eliminate the third-party control requirement to access victim services under the National Human Trafficking Resource Center Hotline Notification Act. Connecting PA Veterans with the Benefits They Earned
Ensuring Pennsylvania’s 700,000 veterans get all of the benefits they have earned is an important mission of the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (DMVA) and state lawmakers. Veterans are encouraged to sign up for the DMVA’s Veterans Registry to get timely information about state benefits, programs and services. DMVA also offers two Mobile Veterans Outreach Vans that travel the state to give veterans one-on-one assistance so they can learn about and apply for the benefits they have earned. Each van is staffed with accredited veterans service officers and is wheelchair accessible. Learn more about the vans and schedule one for a community event here.
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