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In this Update:
Dedicated Funding to Combat Human Trafficking Incorporated into Final State Budget
By no means limited to faraway foreign nations or remote private islands, child sex trafficking rings are actively operating within our local communities, many times as close as next door. Being aware of the statistics and horrors of human trafficking is useless without taking serious action. After several years of consistently shepherding this high-priority initiative to abolish modern day slavery, last December, my unanimously advanced, bipartisan legislation to ensure sexually exploited child human trafficking victims always have full and immediate access to appropriate services and support was signed into law as Act 39 of 2023. Budget Update: Precisely aligning available fiscal resources with policy implementation, as part of the finalized 2024-25 state budget, the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office is set to receive approximately $1 million to fund its recently created Human Trafficking Section. In addition to facilitating assistance for victims, the Human Trafficking Section is specifically responsible for working closely with local, state, and federal agencies to effectively investigate and prosecute human trafficking cases. No matter how a district attorney chooses to prosecute, sexually exploited children should never be subject to the emotional and physical trauma of identifying their human trafficking perpetrator to obtain services that they desperately need for healing and recovery. Thanks to final enactment of my top-priority anti-human trafficking legislation and proactively working behind the scenes with Senate Republican leadership to provide dedicated funding for the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General’s Human Trafficking Section, the responsibility for identifying, apprehending, and prosecuting criminal traffickers now exclusively resides within the jurisdiction of law enforcement. Moving forward, I am also grateful for the opportunity to partner with Sen. Dan Laughlin in introducing legislation which would fortify existing “safe harbor laws” as another line of defense to protect sexually exploited human trafficking victims across the commonwealth. More information regarding Senate Bill 1299 is available here. SAVE THE DATE Popular Firearms Rights and Concealed Carry Seminar Returning to Elk County
My next Firearms Rights and Concealed Carry Seminar is scheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 27. Beginning at 6 p.m., this no-cost informational event will be held at the Saint Marys Area High School Auditorium, 977 South St. Mary’s Street, St. Mary’s. Elk County District Attorney Beau Grove, Elk County Sheriff Todd Caltagarone, Pennsylvania Game Warden Peyton Edwards, St. Marys Chief of Police Thomas Nicklas, and certified National Rifle Association instructors Joe Kalynchuk and Jim Lellock will present the facts and answer questions about Pennsylvania’s concealed carry process, the Castle Doctrine and other valuable information regarding state and federal gun laws, including:
Article 1, Section 21 of the Pennsylvania Constitution unquestionably states: “The right of the citizen to bear arms in defense of themselves and the state Shall Not Be Questioned.” Whether you are considering applying for a concealed carry permit or already have one, this no-cost seminar is an excellent opportunity to become fully informed about freely, responsibly, and legally exercising your God-given right to keep and bear arms. Due to limited seating, interested individuals must pre-register for this FREE seminar as soon as possible by visiting www.SenatorDush.com or contacting my Brookville district office at 814-646-7272. New Law to Increase School Security
To protect students, the Senate voted in favor of legislation that would require every school district in Pennsylvania to have an armed officer. Senate Bill 907 was amended into Senate Bill 700, an omnibus School Code bill that was passed as part of the budget and is now law. Each school district is required to have at least one school security personnel, who has completed training to be armed, and may be either a school police officer, school resource officer or school security guard. School safety personnel would undergo background investigations, be required to maintain certification and be annually certified in position-specific training. The legislation furthers the Senate Republican priority of fostering healthy and safe communities. PASSHE Freezes Tuition for In-State Undergraduates
For the seventh year, the Board of Governors for Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) froze tuition for in-state undergraduates for the 2024-25 academic year. The tuition rate will stay the same at all 10 state-owned public universities. PASSHE schools serve the most in-state students of any four-year college or university in Pennsylvania, at the lowest price. Nearly 90% of PASSHE’s 82,000 students are Pennsylvania residents, many from middle-income families. To make higher education more affordable, Senate Republicans passed Grow PA – a package of bills that creates new programs to recruit the best talent to Pennsylvania schools in industries that will grow the state’s economy while also expanding existing financial assistance programs that are already working. Read more about the scholarship and tuition waiver programs. Program Increasing Digital Connectivity to Provide Laptops
The Pennsylvania Broadband Development Authority (PBDA) is accepting applications for its Digital Connectivity Technology Program. Through the new program, the PBDA will purchase and distribute $20 million in laptops for eligible public-facing institutions such as libraries, municipalities, workforce training organizations, not-for-profit organizations and other institutions that can offer internet access to individuals who lack the technology. PBDA strongly encourages interested applicants to review the program frequently asked questions (FAQ), before applying. The FAQ, pre-recorded webinar providing an overview of the program, guidelines and online application are available here. Applications must be submitted by Monday, Aug. 19.
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