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LOCK HAVEN -- Brandy Reiter, Outreach Director for Senator Cris Dush, provided a legislative update during the Clinton County Board of Commissioners voting session this week.
Reiter noted its budget season in Harrisburg which is the main focus at the moment.
"That's at the forefront of what's going on. The budget is due by the end of June (and) fingers crossed that happens. There's a lot of people who count on that getting done on time," she said.
In other news, Reiter said two pieces of legislation were passed at the tail end of 2023 regarding assistance for victims of sex trafficking in Pennsylvania.
"Senator Dush is a big proponent of anti-human trafficking. It's one of his priorities," Reiter said.
In December 2023, Reiter said Senate Bill 44 -- sponsored by Dush -- was passed and implemented.
"It guarantees that sexually exploited children that are human trafficked and victims always have full access to appropriate services," she explained. "Prior to the passage of this legislation, any minor that was exploited for commercial sex (had to) identify their third party perpetrator to be considered a victim of human trafficking."
Reiter said the bill was passed unanimously and became Act 39 of 2023.
Another bill Dush supported was Senate Bill 45, sponsored by Senator Maria Collett, was also passed.
"(Senator Collett's) bill has to do with a technical change to provide victims of human trafficking with victim services including housing and medical services," she said.
Other bills that passed the Senate and are now in the House of Representatives included:
-- Senate Bill 269. Reiter said this bill would amend the personal tax income rate from 3.07 to 2.8. "It eliminates the gross receipts tax on electricity -- so it will lower people's bills -- plus income tax reduction," Reiter said. "With those things combined (it) equals $3 billion in tax cuts." Reiter said the bill passed in a 49-14 vote and is in the House Financing Committee.
-- Senate Bill 739. Reiter said the bill essentially makes the telemedicine rules put in place during the COVID-19 pandemic permanent. The bill passed in a 47-1 vote and is now in the House Health Committee, Reiter said.
The final topic Reiter touched on regarded the MOA Fly Over cancellation in the PA Wilds.
"That's huge for this area and for a lot of counties. Senator Dush is really proud of the citizens that came and spoke up against that," Reiter said.
Reiter noted that, as an Air Force veteran, Dush fully supports the military but felt this was a unique situation. She read a direct statement from Dush regarding this: "Although I'm first to support our military, this is a situation where I do not believe the 175th Wing had done it's due diligence in looking at the regional impact for low level flight training. The cancellation is proof positive that necessary vigilance and due diligence was done by people."