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In this Update:

• Joining Forces to Protect Property Owners from Eminent Domain Abuse
• Dec. 7: Remembering a Day of Infamy
• Look Out for Scams, Fraud and Theft During the Holiday Season
• Fishing Gift Vouchers, Licenses on Sale
• Tips for Safe Winter Driving
• Increased Funding for Libraries
• College Application Period is Open

Joining Forces to Protect Property Owners from Eminent Domain Abuse

Once again, I want to thank my good friend and colleague Senator Kristin Phillips-Hill (R-York) for inviting me on her latest Kristin’s Corner podcast to discuss our legislation that would protect preserved family farms and other private businesses from eminent domain abuse.

My legislation, which passed the Pennsylvania Senate unanimously last June, would require seizing agencies to take “goodwill” into account when they pay for land taken from a family farm or private business through eminent domain (Senate Bill 225).

Senator Phillips-Hill’s legislation would specifically require that when preserved farmland is condemned for non-agricultural use, compensation must reflect both the fair market value of the land and the taxpayer dollars invested to permanently preserve it (Senate Bill 1098).

A farm that sits on top of soil that has been meticulously cared for, cultivated, and enriched over generations and a restaurant thriving inside of a community that it has served for decades both have a great deal of goodwill amassed into their locations.

Forcing those operations to pick up and move destroys that goodwill. Whether it’s a multi-generational family farm or a downtown pizza shop, these free-market enterprises deserve to be fairly and substantially compensated.

Ultimately, the purpose of our legislation is to make it much harder and more expensive for the government to confiscate private land.

Visit SenatorDush.com any time for exclusive access to every complete episode of the Mission Report Podcast, including my featured conversation with PA Treasurer Stacy Garrity.

You can also subscribe and watch on my YouTube channel or listen any time on Spotify.

Increased Funding for Libraries

The recently enacted state budget includes a $5 million boost to support Pennsylvania’s 474 public libraries (630 counting satellites like branches and bookmobiles), helping them serve adults, children and families across the commonwealth. The budget also increases funding for library services for the visually impaired and disabled, a program known as the Library of Accessible Media for Pennsylvanians (LAMP).

Since the first Pennsylvania library opened in 1731 (the Library Company of Philadelphia, founded by Benjamin Franklin), libraries have served as vital community resources. Today, they’re evolving to meet the needs of modern users, including the growth of digital lending options like the POWER Library.

Anyone interested in getting a library card can visit their local library or learn about the Statewide Library Card Program.

Tips for Safe Winter Driving

Last winter, there were more than 8,320 vehicle crashes statewide, with 2,959 injuries on snowy, slushy or ice-covered roadways and 29 fatalities – 17 of those fatalities were attributed to crashes where a driver was going too fast for conditions and drove out of their lane.

For safe travels this winter, check out the Winter Driving Guide and other suggestions from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, such as keeping an emergency kit handy.

Motorists can check conditions on more than 40,000 roadway miles, including color-coded winter conditions on 2,900 miles, by visiting www.511PA.com. Free and available 24 hours a day, 511PA provides traffic delay warnings, weather forecasts, traffic speed information and access to more than 1,200 traffic cameras.

Look Out for Scams, Fraud and Theft During the Holiday Season

The holiday shopping season is prime opportunity for scams, fraud and theft. Some of the most common scams to be on the lookout for include bait-and-switch scams, skimming devices and fraudulent “cybersquatting” websites.

Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday offered several tips to prevent scammers from taking advantage when shopping online:

• Watch out for bait-and-switch scams, where a retailer lures customers with a low price — but then substitutes a product that either costs more or is less desirable. Also be alert for scammers, known as cybersquatters, who use fraudulent internet domains that look and sound like legitimate brands or stores to trick unsuspecting customers.
• Be especially careful when paying for services or items with wire transfers, cryptocurrency or money orders. Scammers may also ask for payment for things like bills, parking tickets, etc. via a gift card, which is a big red flag — a gift card is not a normal payment method for these items.
• Do not provide your Social Security number or bank account information and be wary of emails and texts you didn’t request.
• Read the fine print. “Buy Now, Pay Later” services could have hidden fees or penalties in their agreements.

The Attorney General’s Office has set up a Scams Complaint Form residents can fill out should they encounter any scams. The FBI also provides tips on how to avoid holiday scams and identify skimming devices, which are estimated to cost consumers and financial institutions more than $1 billion per year.

Fishing Gift Vouchers, Licenses on Sale

Gift vouchers for your favorite angler, along with Pennsylvania fishing licenses and launch permits, are now available from the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission.

Items for the upcoming 2026 season can be purchased at HuntFish.pa.gov or by visiting one of nearly 700 retail license issuing agents. Licenses, permits and vouchers purchased now are valid immediately for up to 13 months, from Dec. 1, 2025, through Dec. 31, 2026.

While in-person retail purchases remain popular, online purchases can save time and help you avoid long lines, especially right before the spring trout season, which begins statewide on Sat., April 4, 2026. Customers can choose an auto-renew option at the time of purchase.

College Application Period is Open

The application period for most colleges is now open. If the process is new to you, you can find plenty of resources for the college planning and application process here.

Find out which colleges have your major, as well as information for students with disabilities, veterans and adult students.

The Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency can help you access student financial aid services, including grants, loans and other funding opportunities, including the new Grow PA Scholarship Grant Program.

Dec. 7: Remembering a Day of Infamy

Each year on Dec. 7, we remember the 2,403 service members and civilians killed during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii in 1941. A further 1,178 people were injured in the attack, which permanently sank two U.S. Navy battleships and destroyed 188 aircraft.

We remember not just the surprise attack, but the steely resolve of Americans to do whatever it took to defeat the Axis forces of World War II.

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