|
|
Dear Neighbor,
For many families with school-age children, the final weeks of August are crunch-time for squeezing in back-to-school shopping, haircuts, and dentist and doctor visits before school starts again for the fall. This year, with measles cases on the rise across Pennsylvania, including in Chester County and especially neighboring Lancaster County, now is the perfect time to make sure your children are up to date on their childhood vaccines.
This week, Pennsylvania Secretary of Health Dr. Debra Bogen affirmed that the state will continue to follow standard evidence-based immunization guidelines for infants, children, teens, and adults, maintaining its established vaccine schedules and combination shots such as the standard measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine, despite recent federal changes.
The state departments of Health and Education have created a School Immunization Rates Interactive Data Tool providing vaccination rates for individual schools across Pennsylvania. For information and resources to protect against the spread of measles, visit:
The PA DOH recommends that Pennsylvanians follow the most recent immunization recommendations issued by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), and American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). Please check with your healthcare provider and your children’s pediatrician to determine what vaccines are needed for you and your family. |
|
|
Voting Information for College Students
It’s only August, but it’s never too early to start making your plans for Election Day, especially if you’re a college student.
In Pennsylvania, college students can register to vote at your college address, whether that’s on-campus or off-campus, or at your home address, if that’s still where your family lives.
Visit vote.pa.gov to register, update your information, request a mail ballot, or learn more about voting as a college student.
Click here to see a breakdown of voting for college students. |
|
|
Funding to bring menstrual hygiene products to Pennsylvania schools
In 2019, I introduced Lilly’s Bill, championed by Lilly Minor, who was then a junior at Owen J. Roberts High School. The bill would have required all public schools serving students in grades 6-12 to provide menstrual hygiene products free of charge in school bathrooms, readily accessible to anyone who needed them.
In 2024, I was excited to see Governor Shapiro sign funding for period products into law alongside that year’s state budget. And now, the 2026-2027 budget marks the third consecutive year of funding for these essential products.
Yesterday, the Pennsylvania Department of Health and the Pennsylvania Department of Education jointly announced allocations for school districts across the state, including here in Chester County. Funding will be provided to public school districts, area career and technical schools, charter schools, and intermediate units based on their 2025-26 enrollments. The Coatesville Area School District will receive $9,407.90 for this school year, while the Downingtown Area School District is slated to receive $23,660.77.
According to the Department of Health, one in four students struggles to afford period products, and 23% have missed class because they don't have the hygiene products they need. For the past 100 years, Pennsylvania has required public bathroom facilities to provide basic health and hygiene supplies like toilet paper, soap, and trash receptacles, but no such requirement exists for menstrual hygiene products, which are every bit as essential for those who need them. I am happy to see this step toward ensuring that students have access to these basic supplies and will not need to miss school or be subjected to stigma or embarrassment over something this fundamental and this easily provided. |
|
.png)
|
East Brandywine Township Update on Data Center Ordinance and Validity Challenges
Earlier this summer, my team and I heard from several constituents who were concerned about the prospect of data center development in a residential area of East Brandywine Township.
This week, the township posted an update and clarification on two separate legal processes that have sometimes been confused or misrepresented on social media: the Township's legislative process to amend its zoning ordinance, and the pending legal proceedings initiated by the owner of 500 E. Reeceville Road.
The township adopted a protective ordinance on July 16, while the landowner’s validity challenge is still pending.
Please see the township’s statement for a clear and informative explanation of where things stand.
PUBLIC COMMENT OPPORTUNITIES: PA DEP Public Comment on PFAS
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection is accepting public comments on revised draft permits for biosolids producers to prevent PFOS and PFOA from ending up on farm fields.
The proposed new safeguards are designed to prevent PFAS “forever chemicals” from polluting farm fields and groundwater. The changes would require wastewater treatment facilities to monitor PFOS and PFOA in biosolids for the first time and take steps to reduce contamination when levels exceed certain thresholds.
PFAS chemicals have been linked to numerous health issues, and these changes are intended to give farmers confidence that the biosolids they use are safe and to protect soil and water resources across Pennsylvania.
You can submit a comment through the DEP eComment platform or email: ecomment@pa.gov (Be sure to include your name and address). The permits open for comment are PAG-07 (General Permit for Beneficial Use of Exceptional Quality Biosolids) and PAG-08 (General Permit for Beneficial Use of Biosolids).
For more information, see the public comment announcement on the DEP website.
The Uwchlan Township Board of Supervisors will continue its hearing on Lionville Station Road on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. at the Township Building.
The deadline for written public comment has again been extended to 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday, September 8, 2026. Comments should be submitted to: LSR@uwchlan.com.
For more information, please visit the township’s Lionville Station Road landing page. |
|
|
|
|
Please contact my district office at repotten@pahouse.net if you have questions or would like to share your thoughts on any legislative or state-related issue. |
|
|
|
Property Tax/Rent Rebate Application Period Extended
The 2026 Property Tax/Rent Rebate Application Period has been extended through December 31, 2026. The Department of Revenue began sending rebates on July 1, so submit your application now to get your rebate as soon as possible!
The Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program benefits eligible Pennsylvanians ages 65 and older, widows and widowers ages 50 and older, and people with disabilities age 18 and older.
Please call or stop by my office to find out if you’re eligible and get assistance applying for your rebate. We’d be glad to answer any questions and set up an appointment to help you complete your application online!
For those who prefer to file by mail, paper applications are available in my office. |
|
|
|
|
SEPTA Senior Key Cards and Card Renewals
If you have a SEPTA Senior Key Card that has expired or will expire within the next month, we can renew it in our district office. To renew your card before it expires, please stop by my district office, or call us to make an appointment.
My office can also process applications and take photos for new SEPTA Senior Key ID Cards, which allow seniors 65 and older to travel for free on all SEPTA Regional Rail and transit routes within Pennsylvania. Just stop by my district office and bring a form of ID with your date of birth on it, such as a PA driver’s license or non-driver ID, U.S. passport, or birth certificate. We’ll enter your information into SEPTA’s online system, take a quick photo, and then SEPTA will mail your new card to you directly. |
|
|
|
|
2-1-1 Southeastern Pennsylvania: Health and Human Services
211 SEPA is part of the national 211 Call Centers initiative that seeks to provide health and human services for everyday needs and those in crisis situations.
2-1-1 works with county governments and provider agencies to ensure important local program information is easily accessible.
Visit 211sepa.org for more information. |
|
|
|
|
Mental Health Resources: Call 9-8-8
Chester County residents experiencing mental-health-related crisis or distress can dial 9-8-8 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. This system is designed to be a memorable and quick number that connects people in crisis to a trained mental health professional.
Chester County offers additional resources for those in crisis, including Chester County’s warm line, 1-866-846-2722, operated by Certified Peer Specialists, who are individuals in recovery with a lived experience of mental health challenges.
Chester County’s Teen Talk Line ensures seamless referral to Mobile Crisis for youth in need of immediate or higher-level support. The call line is 855-852-TEEN (8336), and the text line is 484-362-9515.
Visit the Department of Human Services website for more information about the 988 system and other state and local mental health resources.
If you or someone you love is in crisis, please don’t give up hope, and please know that you do not need to walk this path alone. We are here and we will do whatever we can to help. |
|
|
|
|
My staff and I are here to help make state government work better for you! For assistance with the above programs or any other state-related services, please email repotten@pahouse.net, call 484-200-8259, contact us through my website, or visit my district office in Exton and let us know how we can help! |
|
|
|
District Office 631 North Pottstown Pike |
|
Pennsylvania State Capitol 34 East Wing PO Box 202155 (717) 783-5009 |
|
|
