Author: Brigitte S.

HARRISBURG – A “Making $ense of Finance” veterans’ benefits event will be held on Thursday, Oct. 13 in Port Allegheny, McKean County, announced Sen. Cris Dush (R-25).

Sponsored by members of the PA Military Finance Alliance, the free event for veterans and their families (including lunch and parking) seeks to help veterans and their families strengthen their financial readiness through a series of noncommercial financial education workshops. The event will feature sessions about what veterans need to know about the benefits and services available to them, how to make the most of veteran income and benefits, preventing and avoiding veteran-focused scams and “Fraud Bingo.”

“The many systems of veterans benefits and services can be overwhelming, so engaging and communicating with veterans and their families about what’s available to them can help them navigate what can be daunting processes,” said Sen. Dush. “Additionally, our veterans have always been targets of scammers, and with the enactment of the PACT Act, there’s been an increase in scams focusing on veterans; anything we can do to educate and prepare veterans and their families will help reduce the risk to the benefits earned in service to our nation.”

The event will be held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 13, at the Port Allegheny Veterans Memorial, Inc., located at 4743 Route 155, Port Allegheny, PA 16743.

You can register online for the event or call 717-783-4247.

CONTACT:    Zack Ankeny

HARRISBURG – Election Integrity Grant Program (EIGP) awards, created as part of Act 88 of 2022, were recently announced, according to Sen. Cris Dush (R-25).

During the 2020 election cycle, a nonprofit, funded largely by Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg, injected more than $22 million in grants into Pennsylvania county election offices.

Correspondence between the nonprofit’s officials, the Wolf Administration and county officials showed that Democrat-leaning counties were selectively invited to apply for the grants before Republican-leaning counties were even made aware of the funding.

One county saw their elections budget double after this nonprofit provided a last-minute cash infusion and there were notable funding discrepancies between counties. For example, Philadelphia received $8.83 per voter in funding while Venango County, with a Republican voter registration advantage, received only 64 cents per voter.

Act 88 responds to those issues by banning state and county elections offices from applying for or accepting outside funding for election administration.

However, to ensure our counties have the resources they need to run our elections, the act creates the Election Integrity Grant Program to provide every county with the opportunity to apply for a combined $45 million during the next two upcoming elections.

Counties will be able to use the funding to help count election ballots, print ballots and other election-related costs incurred to properly carry out elections. In return, the counties must clean up their voter rolls, report the total number of voters registered prior to an election, disclose the number of mail-in votes received within 4 hours of polls closing, ensure safekeeping of all ballots and count ballots on Election Day without interruption.

“At the County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania convention, I informed all the commonwealth’s commissioners that I was willing to make the election days the two most expensive days in the commonwealth if it meant that we could have Election Day be Election Day again,” said Dush. “With that funding I wanted to ensure we had clawback provisions for those who took the money but did not comply with the measures necessary to ensure secure elections. This legislation is meant to ensure both. It may be that we will need to increase that funding, but it should be done with public dollars, not money from outside interests in a ‘get out the vote’ effort aimed at benefitting one party.”

For the 25th Senatorial District – both counties in the prior district and the counties in the new district following the latest statewide redistricting – the awards are as follow:

• Cameron – $15,397.50
• Centre – $540,987.73
• Clearfield – $247,652.53
• Clinton – $112,442.93
• Elk – $103,425.87
• Jefferson – $143,866.18
• McKean – $128,283.30
• Potter – $56,522.72
• Tioga – $133,752.24

Funding amounts were based on the number of registered voters within the county in the previous primary election.

CONTACT:    Zack Ankeny

HARRISBURG – The Senate approved legislation that protects the integrity of women’s sports, Sen. Cris Dush (R-25) announced today.

The Fairness in Women’s Sports Act states that school athletic teams designated for women should not be open to those of the male sex. The bill defines “sex” as the biological distinction between male and female, based on reproductive biology and genetic make-up.

The bill was introduced earlier this year after concerns grew about preserving the increased athletic opportunities female students have gained over the past half century in this country.

Earlier Tuesday, advocates for women’s sports rallied in the Capitol with lawmakers and others to encourage passage of Senate Bill 1191 and companion legislation, House Bill 972. June 23 will mark the 50th anniversary of enactment of Title IX, which guaranteed girls and women equal access to scholastic sports. 

“Just as we don’t allow 17 year old students to compete in peewee football there are physical and biological reasons we have not allowed men and boys to compete in women and girls sports.” Said Senator Dush. “The girls and women I’ve practiced with or coached in swimming worked hard to achieve their goals within an environment while allowing them to compete separately. Allowing a man or boy to make a declaration that someone arbitrarily decided would allow that male to dominate these women and girls is appalling.”

The bill will now advance to the House of Representatives for consideration.

HARRISBURG – The state Senate approved the Poll Watcher Empowerment Act to ensure election laws are strictly adhered to and improve confidence in Pennsylvania’s elections, Sen. Dush (R-25) said.

Senate Bill 573 makes the following changes to the Election Code:

• Allows candidates from all political parties to increase the number of eligible poll watchers at a precinct from two watchers to three watchers.

• Permits poll watchers to be inside the enclosed space where ballots are being counted or voting machines canvassed after polls close. They may observe but not interfere with the counting of ballots.

• Permits poll watchers registered to vote in Pennsylvania to work at a polling place anywhere in the Commonwealth, regardless of which county they are registered to vote in. Allowing “out of county” poll watchers ensures that minority parties will have equal poll watcher representation at all polling places throughout the commonwealth.

• Subjects any election official who blocks, impedes or otherwise intimidates a valid poll watcher to a second-degree misdemeanor penalty and increased fines and requires forfeiture of any pay received for election services. There were numerous instances in the 2020 election where poll watchers were denied access despite having valid certificates.

• Guarantees that any poll watcher allowed to watch the pre-canvassing of mail and absentee ballots shall be permitted to have a clear line of sight to observe the process within six feet or less. This mirrors language of a Commonwealth court ruling in November 2020.

The bill does not change what a poll watcher can do while voting is taking place. It would double penalties for anyone who intimidates voters or interferes with the election process.

“I am very pleased with the poll workers and elections officials in the eight counties I represent.” said Senator Dush. “The actions in locations which have shut out elections observers and caused local qualified electors as well as candidates to call into question the why that necessitates this legislation.  The People have a right to demand an open and transparent election process and this helps The People to ensure that happens.”

Senate Bill 573 was sent to the House of Representatives for consideration.

CONTACT: Zack Ankeny

HARRISBURG – The Pennsylvania Senate this week voted to expand the law against institutional sexual assault to include assaults by caregivers on care-dependent individuals, closing a loophole that allows perpetrators to escape punishment, Sen Cris Dush (R-25) said.

Current law against sexual assault applies to institutions such as prisons, schools and law enforcement. It is premised on the fact that truly consensual sexual acts are not possible where someone is in a position of power over another. 

Passage of Senate Bill 704 recognizes the same power disparity exists between caretakers and those in their care. Such individuals face additional challenges to reporting sexual abuse due to the circumstances that make them dependent upon others, including physical or cognitive disabilities, and mental and physical health struggles.

Expanding the law against institutional sexual assault eliminates the loophole that permits perpetrators to falsely claim that the victim consented.

“Sadly, individuals with cognitive and/or physical disabilities are at a higher risk for abuse, including sexual assault,” said Sen. Dush. “Closing this loophole improves protections for our seniors and other care-dependent adults.”

Senate Bill 704 will be sent to the House of Representatives for consideration.

CONTACT:    Zack Ankeny