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In this Update:

• Senate Approves RGGI Electricity Tax Repeal
• Bill to Establish Safe Exchange Zones Passes Senate
• Senate Passes Juvenile Justice Reform Bills
• PA Senate Urges Congress to Pass the TREAT PTSD Act
• September is College Savings Month

Senate Approves RGGI Electricity Tax Repeal

The Pennsylvania Senate approved legislation to repeal the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) electricity tax enacted through an executive order by the Wolf administration in 2019. The bill now moves to the House of Representatives for consideration.

RGGI, a multi-state compact, would increase electricity rates for consumers, cut energy and manufacturing jobs and lead to the closure of Pennsylvania power plants. No new investments in baseload generation have come to Pennsylvania in the five years since the Wolf administration attempted to enter the state into RGGI. Govs. Tom Wolf and Josh Shapiro have faced sharp criticism for pushing Pennsylvania to participate in RGGI despite bipartisan objections from the General Assembly.

Last year, the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court ruled Pennsylvania’s entrance into RGGI may only be achieved through legislation duly enacted by the General Assembly, not merely through rulemaking by the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and the Environmental Quality Board (EQB). This ruling has been appealed to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court by Shapiro, and that appeal remains pending.

Senate Bill 1058 will repeal the CO2 Budget Trading Program regulation that was put into effect by DEP and EQB.

Bill to Establish Safe Exchange Zones Passes Senate

The Senate passed the Denise Williams Act, which would create a grant program to be used to establish Safe Exchange Zones throughout Pennsylvania. The bill advances to the House of Representatives for consideration.

Senate Bill 173 is named in memory of Denise Williams of Cambria County, who went to purchase an item found on Facebook Marketplace and was brutally murdered during the exchange.

This legislation would help establish safe areas for individuals to exchange goods purchased through an online marketplace, carry out child custody exchanges and conduct similar interactions. These zones will be equipped with video surveillance and be located either within 100 feet of a law enforcement office or near a public area with an active public presence. The establishment of Safe Exchange Zones will be voluntary and contingent upon approval of the participating law enforcement agencies.

Senate Passes Juvenile Justice Reform Bills

The Senate passed bills to reform the state’s juvenile justice system by implementing Juvenile Justice Task Force Report recommendations to help streamline the expungement process, provide fair and impartial legal representation for juveniles and improve accountability and oversight in juvenile court proceedings. The two bills now head to the House of Representatives for consideration.

Senate Bill 169 would update the juvenile court system by requiring disposition review hearings every three months instead of nine. The hearings are designed to ensure juveniles receive necessary services and treatment, assess their threat to the community and decide if they should remain in placement or be released under supervision. The court would also set the date for the next review hearing.

Senate Bill 170 would modify the expungement of juvenile records by reducing the waiting period for expungement from five years to two years for most misdemeanors, while maintaining the five-year period for felonies, misdemeanor firearm offenses and indecent assault. The bill would also standardize the expungement process by requiring the chief juvenile probation officer to initiate expungements for eligible individuals, with the district attorney having the opportunity to object. Exceptions to expungement, such as for sex offenses and cases with subsequent convictions or pending proceedings, would remain unchanged.

PA Senate Urges Congress to Pass the TREAT PTSD Act

The state Senate adopted a measure urging Congress to provide lifesaving therapy to Americans with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Senate Resolution 311 calls on Congress to pass the Treatment and Relief through Emerging and Accessible Therapy for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Act, also known as the TREAT PTSD Act.

The TREAT PTSD Act would require the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and U.S. Department of Defense to provide veterans suffering from PTSD with access to a lifesaving therapy known as stellate ganglion block (SGB). SGB works by applying an injection into the bundle of nerves that send signals of fight or flight to the body. The treatment relieves feelings of stress quickly for those with PTSD and provides them with a renewed chance to heal. This procedure has been used for nearly 100 years for pain conditions, including shingles and phantom limb pain.

The federal legislation, House Resolution 3023, is now before the U.S. House Subcommittee on Health.

September is College Savings Month

Saving for your child’s higher education can be daunting, but starting early – even if you are only able to set aside a little – can make a big difference.

You can prepare for your child’s future and enjoy tax advantages using the PA 529 College and Career Savings Program. The two plans, the PA 529 Guaranteed Savings Plan and the PA 529 Investment Plan, do not impact Pennsylvania state financial aid eligibility.

Both plans can be used to pay for education costs like tuition and fees, books, supplies, and room and board at technical schools, community colleges, four-year institutions and apprenticeship programs.

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