View this email in a browser

In this Update:

• Abolishing Taxpayer-Funded Child Gender Mutilation
• Official PA Fossil Legislation Locked Down in Conklin’s Committee
• Field Trips Always in Season at PA Capitol
• Eagle Scout Honored for Restoring Reynoldsville Cemetery
• Cutting Costs for PA Families by Ending Outdated Emissions Testing
• Remove Invasive Plants, Get a Free Native Replacement
• Honoring Those Who Gave All

Abolishing Taxpayer-Funded Child Gender Mutilation

Legislation I primed-sponsored with Senator Chris Gebhard (R-48) to end state funding for gender transition of minors (Senate Bill 1321) was advanced with bipartisan support by the Senate Banking and Insurance Committee.

It is NOT lifesaving care, but child abuse in every sense of the word to attempt to physically mutilate and irreversibly change a child’s gender.

Backed by the full blessing of Gov. Josh Shapiro through yet another federal lawsuit, commonwealth taxpayers are reprehensively being forced to spend millions on sex-rejecting puberty blockers and sex-reassignment procedures for minors that have lifelong physical and psychological impacts.

Senate Bill 1321 would align state and federal policies regarding reimbursements for “gender-affirming” care for minors, requiring the state to withhold Medicaid and CHIP funding for any procedure that conflicts with federal standards.

Now heading to the full Senate for consideration, the measure follows recent guidance from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services stating gender-related medical interventions for minors do not meet professionally recognized standards of care.

Between 2017 and 2021, the rate of gender dysphoria diagnoses in the U.S. nearly tripled with over 5,000 minors given sex-rejecting interventions in Pennsylvania. The U.K. banned the use of puberty blockers and sex-reassignment surgeries for minors in 2024.

By enacting Senate Bill 1321, Pennsylvania can join the no less than 25 states that have already passed laws protecting minors by eliminating funding for these harmful and unconscionable experimental procedures.

Official PA Fossil Legislation Locked Down in Conklin’s Committee

By a landslide vote of 49-0 on Nov. 18, the Pennsylvania Senate unanimously advanced legislation—brought to my attention by a very ambitious group of Bucktail High School students—which I proudly introduced to officially change Pennsylvania’s state fossil to the Hynerpeton Bassetti (Senate Bill 829).

For those who may not know, the Hynerpeton Bassetti was a powerful four-legged, pre-historic creature that most closely resembled today’s modern-day hellbender salamander.  

Exclusively found in Pennsylvania, it was first discovered in 1993 at the Red Hill fossil site in Hyner (Clinton County) which is about a five-minute drive down Route 120 from Bucktail Middle and High School.

Created and named by Bucktail High School students, Harry the Hynerpeton is the official mascot for their ongoing mission to replace PA’s outdated, generic state fossil “Phacops Rana” or “Frog Eyes”—which was not even discovered in Pennsylvania and can be found all over North America.

Unfortunately, since our last update, Senate Bill 829 was not advanced by the House State Government Committee—which has primary jurisdiction over this type of legislation—but was unusually re-referred to the House Commerce Committee, which is chaired by Rep. Scott Conklin (D-Centre).

According to Bucktail students, repeated attempts have been made via email, phone, fax, physical letters, social media outreach, and even in-person visits to Conklin’s offices with no response as to why Harry the Hynerpeton has not been released from his committee.

With both senior graduations and the America250PA deadline for the “Hynerpeton: PA’s Very Own Fossil” project rapidly approaching, Bucktail High School students have created a petition for the public to sign in order to free Harry and Senate Bill 829 from partisan committee gridlock.

Citizens can also show their support, share posts, learn more about the Hynerpeton fossil, and current legislative status by visiting Facebook.com/HarrytheHynerpeton and Instagram.

Field Trips Always in Season at PA Capitol 

I hope the 150 elementary school students from Johnsonburg Area School District and Penns Valley Area School District enjoyed their recent visits to the Pennsylvania Capitol, as much as I enjoyed hosting them.

Your Pennsylvania Capitol is not only the seat of state government, it’s also an architectural and artistic treasure to be experienced by citizens from across the commonwealth.

Visitors are welcome to explore the building at their leisure on regular weekdays. You can also schedule a tour with a guide. Tours take about 30 to 45 minutes.

You can plan a visit and book a tour of this 120-year-old National Historic Landmark here.          

Eagle Scout Honored for Restoring Reynoldsville Cemetery 

On April 25, I had the privilege of attending the Eagle Scout Court of Honor ceremony for Samuel Frost (Boy Scout Troop 35 of Falls Creek).

As I have said many times, earning/attaining the rank of Eagle Scout is a monumental achievement. Very few achieve the highest rank in scouting because of the tremendous commitment that is required.

To fulfill his Eagle Scout community service project requirement, Samuel, a senior in the diesel mechanic and heavy equipment technology program at Jeff Tech, took on the extraordinary task of rescuing and restoring Prescott Cemetery, owned by First Baptist Church of Reynoldsville.

From July 5 through Sept. 6, 2025, Samuel along with family members, his girlfriend, friends and fellow scout members completely cleared more than 25 large loads of debris, redid the landscaping and built a road leading to the cemetery.

Samuel and his team of volunteers also installed a new sign, the metal part built and donated by the welding and metal fabrication shop at Jeff Tech, with materials donated by Lowe’s in DuBois.

The main reason Samuel chose Prescott Cemetery for his Eagle Scout project was to honor the multiple Civil War veterans and one World War I veteran buried there:  

“We completed this project so they would not be forgotten and always remembered. Scouting teaches us to respect our country and honor our veterans. I have that engrained in me. I really wanted to help.”

Cutting Costs for PA Families by Ending Outdated Emissions Testing

Taking legislative action to do away with an outdated and unnecessary mandate, the Senate voted to eliminate the vehicle emissions testing requirement across the commonwealth. The measure will save Pennsylvanians an estimated $160 million annually.

Senate Bill 1298 would remove all 25 counties currently subjected to annual emissions testing. It also clarifies that no additional counties can be added into the program, protecting Pennsylvania vehicle owners.

The bill was sent to the House of Representatives for consideration. Read more about Senate Bill 1298 here.

Remove Invasive Plants, Get a Free Native Replacement

Registration is open for the opportunity to receive free native trees and shrubs by removing invasive plants from your property.

You can participate in the Pennsylvania Invasive Replace-ive Program by removing an invasive tree or shrub from your property or with permission from a property owner (such as a park, library or school), taking a photo of the removed plants and attending an event to receive a replacement plant.

It’s available on a first-come, first-served basis while supplies last. Learn more and register here.

Honoring Those Who Gave All

Memorial Day is a time to pause as a nation and honor the memory of Americans who left their hometowns and laid down their lives in service to our country.

Their sacrifice is a debt we can never fully repay. We owe it to them to tell their stories and do our part as citizens of this great nation to ensure they did not die in vain.

Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can update your preferences or unsubscribe

2026 © Senate of Pennsylvania | https://senatordush.com | Privacy Policy