MY OFFICER BODY CAM BILL SIGNED INTO LAW

On Thursday, Gov. Josh Shapiro signed my bill into law, permitting county probation officers to wear body cameras. It's officially known as Act 81 of 2026.

I want to thank Gov. Shapiro for acting quickly and signing it into law just one day after it passed the Senate. The quicker this bill goes into effect, the better it will be for communities and law enforcement across Pennsylvania. I’d also like to thank the strong advocates and leaders in Erie who helped bring this issue to the forefront so we could fix it quickly.

Supporting our law enforcement professionals and promoting greater transparency go hand in hand. This legislation helps advance both priorities by providing an objective record of interactions, promoting safety for officers and the public, and strengthening the trust between law enforcement and communities. Read more here.

MY OFFICE IS HOSTING A COLLECTION DRIVE

Here is a chance to give back to our community before the holiday season. I’m always inspired by the generosity of our community, and yet again, my office is collecting personal care products to help our neighbors in need.

All donations will be delivered to the West Millcreek Food Pantry before the holiday season.

🙏🏼 If you’re able to donate, every contribution makes a difference. Thank you for helping us make the holidays a little brighter for families in our community!

📍 Donations can be dropped off at our Millcreek office, Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

BEAGLE BILL PASSES HOUSE

I’ve spent nearly five years fighting for this legislation, ever since the horrific discovery at a research breeding facility in Virginia. Thankfully, every animal in that case was saved. But we can’t rely on good Samaritans to step forward every time — we need protections here in Pennsylvania.

After years of hard work and advocacy, this legislation will give cats and dogs used in animal testing a second chance at life by helping them find loving forever homes — and hold bad actors accountable.

Every animal deserves a chance to live beyond the laboratory. Read more here.

HOW WE VOTED

The House returned to vote on bills this week. Besides passing the Beagle Bill and my body cam bill, the House passed dozens of measures. We regulated the use of Automated License Plate Readers, like Flock cameras (HB 2771). We improved access to healthcare by requiring private insurance and Medicaid coverage for preventative measures (HB 1827). We required health insurance coverage for colorectal cancer screenings beginning at age 45 (HB 1123) and established a firefighter cancer screening program (HB 2826).

We required that childcare providers keep a supply of and train their staff to properly use EpiPens (HB 928). We put more money back in families’ pockets by updating the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit program to align with recent federal updates (HB 2706). We held Big Tech accountable by prohibiting data centers from obtaining public utilities status (HB 2674).

The House has passed more than 500 bills and we will return to Harrisburg in November. You can see how we voted on all bills here.

BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH

This month is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and we continue to highlight the fact 1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer. Early detection remains one of the best tools to fight breast cancer, so we keep talking, keep supporting and keep wearing pink to honor those who have fought this terrible disease and those who continue to fight it.

DEADLINE TO APPLY IS TUESDAY

Please remember, you can find your local polling place here and learn more about Pennsylvania voting deadlines here.

A quick heads-up for voters in Millcreek and Fairview Townships: two polling locations have changed for the upcoming election.

📍 MILLCREEK District 24

✅ NEW: Saint Paul’s Lutheran Church, 3108 Sterrettania Road

❌ Former: Asbury Woods Nature Center, 4105 Asbury Road

📍 FAIRVIEW District 1

✅ NEW: Saint Stephen’s Episcopal Church, 1070 Dutch Road

❌ Former: Fairview Presbyterian Church, 4264 Avonia Road

CRISSCROSSING PENNSYLVANIA

As chairman of the House Majority Policy Committee, I serve on the House Majority Leadership team. We crisscross the state listening to members of our local communities and working on solutions that make life easier for working families.

Last week, a PA House Democratic Policy Committee roundtable examined the economic impact of the arts in Allegheny County. Led by Rep. Lindsay Powell, the roundtable highlighted the importance of supporting the arts during visits to the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre and Pittsburgh Opera.

The committee has held 87 hearings across 55 neighborhoods so far this legislative session, with 56 different leaders hosting events.

UP NEXT: The committee will travel to Luzerne and Lackawanna counties next week.

PRESQUE ISLE PLANNING MEETING

The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources is holding a second public meeting to solicit feedback to update the Master Plan for the Presque Isle State Park Complex, which includes Presque Isle State Park, the Tom Ridge Environmental Center, and Erie Bluffs State Park.

The meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 28 at the Tom Ridge Center. Read more here.

KEEPING EVERYONE SAFE

Please review the bus safety road laws we received from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. Help make sure everyone gets home safe. When in doubt, STOP. Learn more here.

WE ARE READY TO HELP YOU

So far this year my dedicated team has closed 24,200+ cases. We have closed 1,200+ PennDOT cases. We have completed 810+ Property Tax/Rent Rebate applications, with $520,000 expected to be returned to the region in rebates.

If you need help filing your Property Tax/Rent Rebate or other state matters, trust the professionals — we’re here to make it easy.

Stop by our Millcreek office or contact us if you have questions. A member of my team can also be reached at the Fairview Township Building on Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

MY OFFICE CAN HELP YOU

If you need assistance with state programs, my office can help!

Last year, we:

helped 1,200+ people apply for the Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program,
resolved 4,500+ issues with PennDOT, and
completed 38,000+ items of casework.

Trust the professionals! Bring your issues to my team, we can help.