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In this Update:

• Empowering Parents with Federal Scholarship Tax Credit
• Understanding Digital Threats to Children
• Reporting Suspected Benefits Fraud
• Getting Potholes Filled

Empowering Parents with Federal Scholarship Tax Credit

Last year, Congress established a new Federal Scholarship Tax Credit to create new learning opportunities for students. I joined a bipartisan group of colleagues this week to announce legislation that would ensure Pennsylvania families can benefit from this new program.

The program would allow taxpayers to earn up to $1,700 in tax credits for contributions to non-profit Scholarship Granting Organizations. These organizations could use the funds to provide scholarships for education-related services at private or public schools, including tuition, fees, academic tutoring, special education services, technology services and classroom supplies.

For students and families to be eligible for scholarships, a state must opt in with either an order signed by its governor or a law passed by the state legislature by Jan. 1, 2027. If a state does not opt in, taxpayers in that state will still be eligible for the tax credit, but the money will fund scholarships in other states.

Our legislation would ensure Pennsylvania students in both public and private schools would have access to these new resources. Learn more about this opportunity for Pennsylvania students and families here.

Understanding Digital Threats to Children

Aug. 17 – Aug. 23 is “Social Media Safety and Parental Awareness Week” in Pennsylvania. This first-of-its-kind designation is designed to help parents, guardians and students better understand potential threats in the digital world, including cyberbullying, sextortion, AI-generated child sexual abuse material, grooming and other dangerous forms of abuse.

Find a Back-to-School Checklist and more tips on social media safety at the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

My legislative colleagues and I have worked to keep kids safe from dangers online. This includes laws criminalizing deepfakes, giving law enforcement tools to combat online abuse, creating the Task Force on Child Protection in the Digital Age and more. The Senate has also passed legislation (pending in the House of Representatives) providing safeguards for AI chatbots, prohibiting “nudification” apps and protecting young people against AI-generated child abuse materials.

Reporting Suspected Benefits Fraud

You can help eliminate fraud in benefits programs such as cash assistance, food stamps, childcare, home energy assistance and medical assistance.

Suspected fraud can be reported to the Office of the State Inspector General. A complaint should be completed only if an individual has been issued benefits that you believe the individual was not entitled to receive.

Report suspected fraud to the State Inspector General here.

Getting Potholes Filled

If you spot a pothole on a Pennsylvania road, you can report it through the PennDOT Customer Care Center.

If you notice an urgent issue, please check the list of district engineering offices and contact the one for the county in which the issue is found. 

For immediate safety concerns, call 1‑800‑FIX‑ROAD (1-800-349-7623), and always call 9‑1‑1 for emergencies.