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| Legislative Report |
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The latest news from the State Capitol |
| This Week’s Mon Valley Moment |
This week’s Mon Valley Moment is all about the Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program. Forms are now available for eligible Pennsylvanians to begin claiming rebates on property taxes or rent paid in 2019.
The rebate program benefits eligible Pennsylvanians age 65 and older; widows and widowers age 50 and older; and people with disabilities age 18 and older. The income limit is $35,000 a year for homeowners and $15,000 annually for renters, and half of Social Security income is excluded.
The deadline to apply for a rebate is June 30. Rebates will be distributed beginning July 1, as required by law.
For more information, watch this week’s episode of the Mon Valley Moment here:
Additional information, as well as claim forms, are available here.
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| Mark Your Calendars for My Upcoming Events! |
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House Game and Fisheries Committee Public Hearing
On the issue of the new Saturday opening day of the rifle deer season.
Thursday, Feb. 20
5-7 p.m.
Mon Valley Career and Technical Center
5 Guttman Ave., Charleroi
This event is open to the public and we will be hearing from both sides of the issue.
Concealed Carry Seminar at the Monongahela Fire Department
Thursday, March 12
6-9 p.m.
451 W. Main St., Monongahela
Featuring speaker Kim Stolfer, president of Firearms Owners Against Crime
Concealed Carry Seminar at the Smock Fire Hall
Thursday, April 2
6-9 p.m.
124 Shaffer Ave., Smock
Featuring Reps. Ryan Warner and Matt Dowling and president of Firearms Owners Against Crime Kim Stolfer! After-hours registration/renewal will be available.
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| Hearings to Review 2020-21 PA Budget Proposal Start Tuesday |
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Presented with a costly $36 billion budget proposal from Gov. Tom Wolf – one that would increase state spending more than $2 billion over the current year’s enacted budget – members of the House Appropriations Committee will get to work next week investigating the governor’s funding requests and the actual needs of state agencies.
The annual budget hearings kick off at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 18, with the Department of Revenue, which includes the state lottery, and continue that afternoon with the non-partisan Independent Fiscal Office and the Department of Aging.
On Wednesday, the committee will hear from leaders of the departments of State, Military and Veterans Affairs, and Labor and Industry. Thursday’s hearings will focus on criminal justice with the Pennsylvania State Police, Department of Homeland Security, Department of Corrections and the boards of Pardons, and Probation and Parole.
For more information about the 2020-21 state budget proposal, click here. For a hearing schedule, or to watch live streams or archived video of the budget hearings, click here.
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| Election Reforms in Effect for April 28 Primary Election |
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Comprehensive reforms designed to encourage greater participation in our elections will be in place for the upcoming April 28 Primary Election.
Anyone not already registered to vote now has more time to do so. You may register online or in person at your county courthouse up to 15 days prior to an election, which is April 13.
For the first time, voters may choose to cast their ballots by mail for no reason other than convenience. The ballots will work similarly to absentee ballots, but voters need not be out of town or otherwise unavailable to vote in person to qualify for a mail-in ballot.
You may apply for the mail-in or absentee ballots here.
The last day to apply for a mail-in or civilian absentee ballot is 5 p.m. the Tuesday before the election, which is April 21. The completed ballot must be received via mail, or dropped off in person at your county elections office, by 8 p.m. on Election Day, April 28.
The last day for county election boards to receive voted military and overseas absentee ballots (submitted for delivery no later than 11:59 p.m. April 27) is a week after the election, May 5.
Also under the new law, voters who have a permanent disability may ask to be placed on a permanent absentee voter list. Voters on this list will have an absentee ballot application mailed to them by the first Monday in February each year. If you complete and return the application, the county will send you ballots in the mail for all the elections that take place that year, as well as for any special election held through the third Monday in February of the next year.
For more information about the upcoming election, click here.
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| My Office and PennDOT Offices Closed for Presidents Day |
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In observance of Presidents Day, my district offices will be closed on Monday, Feb. 17. Additionally, all PennDOT driver license and photo centers, including the full-service center in Harrisburg, will be closed Saturday, Feb. 15, through Monday, Feb. 17. Customers may still obtain a variety of driver and vehicle products and services online through PennDOT’s Driver and Vehicle Services website, www.dmv.pa.gov.
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| Office Locations |
| Belle Vernon, 10 Main St. Belle Vernon, Pa 15012 (724) 929-2660 / California, 130 Woodland Court, Brownsville, Pa 15417 (724) 938-5355 |
| B-15 Main Capitol, PO Box 202049, Harrisburg PA 17120-2049 | (717) 783-8655 / 3-8655 |
| Email Address: BCook@pahousegop.com |
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