You’re Invited to a Town Hall Meeting
I’m looking forward to a couple of town hall meetings I am hosting in our community next week and hope you will be able to attend. These events give me a chance to listen to what folks here at home have to say about the issues impacting their communities and legislation we are working on in Harrisburg.
The town hall meetings will take place on:
•Thursday, April 10, 6 p.m., at the Lower Milford Township Building, 7607 Chestnut Hill Road, Coopersburg.
Find out what's happening in Upper Sauconwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
•Friday, April 11, 6 p.m., at Seidersville Hall, 3700 Old Philadelphia Pike, Bethlehem (Lower Saucon Township).
Find out what's happening in Upper Sauconwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Keeping Sex Offenders Out of Our Schools
Preventing the hiring of teachers who have been accused of abuse against students is the goal of House Bill 2063, which was unanimously passed by the House this week. This measure would require thorough employment history reviews prior to offering a job to any applicant for a position involving direct contact with children. This will help prevent the practice of “passing the trash,” which occurs when a school employee accused of abuse quietly resigns and then is hired by another district. The bill now heads to the Senate for consideration.
Treating Abused Children
Legislation creating a dedicated funding stream to open more Child Advocacy Centers (CACs) around the state is headed to the governor's desk after its passage in the House this week. CACs provide treatment for abused children by bringing together doctors, nurses, prosecutors, police and social workers under one roof. Currently, there are fewer than two dozen CACs statewide.
The CAC funding, estimated at nearly $3 million annually, will come from a $10 increase in the cost of a duplicate birth certificate. The governor is expected to sign House Bill 316 into law.
April Economic Brief
The Commonwealth’s General Fund revenue collections for March were approximately $4.22 billion, which is $21 million less than expected. Year-to-date General Fund collections of $20.5 billion are below the official estimate by $96 million. Learn more here in our latest Economic Brief.