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In this Update:
Key Points from This Week’s Senate Budget Hearings
Efforts to trim the governor’s $53.3 billion proposed state budget – which would spend $2.7 billion (5.4%) more than the current budget – got underway this week with Senate budget hearings. Members of the Senate Appropriations Committee focused on containing the growing cost of Medicaid and other entitlement programs and how to identify and eliminate fraud during the hearing with the Department of Human Services, the highest-spending agency in the state budget. The department requests a 6.6% increase for 2026-27. The committee also questioned officials from the Department of General Services (DGS) and the Pennsylvania State Police about missing revenue, funding projections, cracking down on new, more sophisticated fake IDs and more. DGS seeks an 11.8% spending increase for 2026-27 and the State Police’s proposed budget is more than 9% higher than the current fiscal year. You can go here to find recaps of every budget hearing, plus video and a schedule of remaining hearings, which run through March 5. Register for FREE Courses with the Fish and Boat Commission
Spring is on the way and the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission has some great programs that will help you enjoy our waterways, stay safe, and improve your fishing skills. Some of the virtual courses begin this week! Learn Fly Typing, Fly Basics, and other topics online. Plan ahead for Kayak Fishing and more at Little Buffalo State Park and Pine Grove Furnace State Park. Check out the full schedule of course offerings here. Registration is free but space is limited and fills up quickly, so reserve your spot soon! Share Your Thoughts with the Highway Safety Survey
Pennsylvania motorists have until Saturday to provide input on traffic safety through an anonymous online survey. The aim is to understand attitudes on state Department of Transportation safety measures and ultimately reduce crashes and fatalities. The survey takes about five minutes to complete. The number of people who lost their lives on Pennsylvania highways decreased to 1,127 in 2024, the second lowest since record keeping began in 1928. While 2025 fatality data is not yet complete, preliminary numbers indicate crash fatalities have again decreased. Record-Breaking Unclaimed Property Returns to PA Residents
Pennsylvania Treasurer Stacy Garrity announced that the Pennsylvania Treasury Department returned more unclaimed property in 2025 than ever before: $334.1 million. Unclaimed property can include dormant bank accounts, abandoned stocks, uncashed checks, and more. Property is always available for the rightful owner to claim. Tangible property – often the contents of forgotten safe deposit boxes – may be auctioned after three years, but proceeds remain available to claim perpetuity. Among the reasons for the record property returns was the General Assembly’s passage of a law that allows Treasury to automatically return unclaimed property valued up to $500. In the program’s first year, nearly $50 million was returned this way. To see if any unclaimed property is available for you, visit patreasury.gov/unclaimed-property. My office would be glad to help you search and claim property through the Treasury Department as well! Just stop in or call any one of our offices. Fundraising Resources for Non-Profits
This week, I was glad to participate in an educational seminar for non-profit organizations hosted by Cumberland County Treasurer, Kaytee Isley. The event focused on the application process for small games of chance and rules for fundraising through such methods as well as raffles, 50/50 drawings and multi-county events. View information on small games of chance from the Department of Revenue here. Non-profits may also be interested to learn that they can sign up to receive my monthly funding and resource newsletter. This newsletter features a wide variety of grant/funding opportunities available through both public and private grant programs. Sign up to receive it here. Saturday is School Bus Driver Appreciation Day
School bus drivers play a critical role in the safety and well-being of students, but shortages of these vital workers can disrupt schedules and learning. Thank you to all the men and women performing this critical task in our area. Individuals interested in becoming a school bus driver can visit the commonwealth’s Become a School Bus Driver webpage or the School Bus Hero website to learn more.
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