|
Bill Aiding Volunteer
Emergency Responders Passes Senate
Senate Bill 299 would give municipalities with an Earned Income Tax the
authority to reduce or waive it for volunteer firefighters and nonprofit emergency
medical service agencies. This is a valuable tool in our ongoing
efforts to recruit and retain our volunteers. It also provides a commonsense approach for
municipalities that rely so much on these men and women who are on call 24/7
to save lives and property. Learn more
here.
“Scenes From the 20th
Senatorial District” Calendar Contest
Heating Up as Summer Begins
The second annual “Scenes From the 20th
Senatorial District” calendar contest is in full swing as we have passed the
half-way point in the submission portion of the contest.
 Contestants can
submit their favorite shots by going to
http://www.senatorbaker.com/photo-contest until August 31, 2015. Photos will
be organized by the season they best represent – Spring, Summer, Fall or Winter.
Voting will take place from September 1, 2015 to September 30, 2015.
The top three vote-getters in each category
will serve as a featured month in the 2016 “Scenes from the 20th Senatorial
District” Calendar.
Out and About in the
District
On June 13, I
attended the annual Pride and Patriotism event in Waymart.
June is a busy month in Harrisburg with
budget negotiations, busy session days, and visits from students, constituents
and advocacy groups. I am always glad to spend time in the community talking to
citizens, learning about their views and priorities. To see some of the places I
have been and the people I have met,
click
here.
 Property Tax/Rent Rebate
Deadline Extended
The Property
Tax/Rent Rebate program deadline for older adults and residents with
disabilities to apply for rebates of rent and property taxes paid in 2014 has
been extended from June 30 to Dec. 31, 2015. To
learn more,
click here or stop into one of my district offices in Dallas or Hawley for
the rebate form.
Senate Passes Bill Requiring PEMA
Director To Obtain Senate Confirmation
On June 2, the Senate unanimously approved my
bill,
SB 490, and sent it to the House for its consideration. The legislation
would provide for the Senate to have greater
legislative oversight of an essential public safety role the position of
director of the Pennsylvania Emergency Management (PEMA) has.
Supporting #IWANTTOWORK
Legislation
As
chair of the Senate’s Labor and Industry Committee, I had the pleasure of voting
in favor of
House Bill 400. The bill is the mirror version of my
Senate Bill 200, which calls for
the Pennsylvania Department of
Labor and Industry's
Office of Vocational Rehabilitation to make connections between schools and
employers to increase the number of jobs available to students with
disabilities. It’s a key part of the #IWANTTOWORK initiative I so proudly
support. To hear my comments on this bill,
click here.
|
