NEWLY LISTED PROGRAMS Commonwealth Financing Authority: Business in Our Sites Who May Apply: Municipalities, redevelopment authorities, municipal authorities, industrial development authorities, private developers (construction loans only) Use: The acquisition and development of key sites for future use by businesses, private developers, and others Application Deadline: June 30, 2026 More information: CFA Website Department of Community and Economic Development: Neighborhood Assistance Program (NAP) Please note, the NAP is broken down into 5 programs (The Neighborhood Assistance Program, the Special Program Priorities, the Charitable Food Program, the Neighborhood Partnership Program, and the Enterprise Zone Program.) Please visit the DCED website for specifics on each program. Who May Apply: Nonprofit organizations Use: The goals of the Programs are to promote community participation and collaborations among the residents, nonprofits and businesses while producing outcomes by assisting a distressed area or the low-income population in a neighborhood. Eligible neighborhood nonprofits apply for tax credits based on pending contributions from for-profit companies. Funds: The total available NAP tax credit amount is $72 million. Application Deadline: May 29, 2026 More information: DCED Website Commission on Crime and Delinquency: Juvenile Read more

HARRISBURG, March 26 – Legislation to create a campaign to educate Pennsylvanians about the potential benefits and risks of artificial intelligence was introduced as H.B. 2314 this week by the House Communications & Technology Committee chairs, state Reps. Joe Ciresi, D-Montgomery, and Jason Ortitay, R- Washington/Allegheny. “AI is a double-edged technology offering opportunities for greater productivity while requiring the knowledge to know when it’s misused,” Ciresi said. “Pennsylvania residents, from the very young to our seniors, need to be educated about this constantly evolving technology so that they can leverage its capabilities and protect themselves from being misled or manipulated by it.” According to the chairs, the legislation would create a campaign that would aim at educating the general public and vulnerable populations such as seniors and children about the uses and misuses of AI. The campaign would address various topics, including how to identify AI-generated content, avoiding scams that use AI, understanding responsible behavior when engaging with AI chatbots, protecting personal data when using AI, being aware of bias and misinformation ingrained in AI programs, and protecting children from AI misuses. “Many people do not fully understand AI,” Ortitay said. “This legislation will increase knowledge as it is becoming part of everyday life. While AI has many benefits, it can also be used Read more

HARRISBURG, March 25 – Patient advocates, disease experts, and water management officials joined state Reps. Ismail Smith-Wade-El, D-Lancaster, and Ed Neilson, D-Phila., at a news conference Monday at the Capitol in support of the legislators’ H.B. 2085, which is aimed at stopping the spread of a severe type of pneumonia, Legionnaires’ disease, that is on the rise in Pennsylvania. The disease is caused by Legionella bacteria, which are found in freshwater, including water that supplies public water systems. Disease symptoms include high fever, chills, cough, muscle aches, headaches, and diarrhea. Smokers, the elderly, those with asthma, and those with chronic lung disease or suppressed immune systems are particularly vulnerable to the disease. “Pennsylvania has one of the highest rates of Legionnaires’ infection and illness in the country, with case rates increasing over 65% over a five-year period and claiming 10% of the lives of those infected, according to the CDC,” Smith-Wade-El said. “It’s time for Pennsylvania to step up to protect its residents’ water sources, so we’ve introduced legislation that would require government agencies, public water systems and some building owners to maintain new minimum standards to better prevent, detect, and control cases of Legionnaires’ disease.” At the press conference, Neilson spoke about his personal experience contracting the disease and Gwen Read more

HARRISBURG, March 23 – State Rep. Scott Conklin today introduced a resolution calling on Pennsylvania’s Legislative Budget and Finance Committee to research the feasibility of providing a property tax exemption for seniors. Conklin said he introduced H.R. 457 to address a growing problem facing older Pennsylvanians. “Aging in place—in the homes and communities they love—should be a realistic expectation for Pennsylvania’s more than 2.5 million residents who are 65 or older,” Conklin said. “Yet that future is far from certain for the growing number of seniors on fixed incomes, who face the risk of losing their cherished homes as property taxes increase. “A number of other states currently offer some form of property tax exemption for qualifying seniors. Pennsylvania should investigate whether it would be feasible to do the same, which is why I am calling on the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee to research the feasibility of providing such an exemption. “Our seniors have built our businesses, shaped our communities, and helped lay the groundwork for younger generations. They shouldn’t have to fear losing their homes because of the burden of property taxes if there is a way we can prevent that from happening.” Read more

LANCASTER, March 23 – The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission will hold an in-person public hearing about UGI-Utilities, Inc.-Gas Division’s proposed rate increase at 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. March 30 in the Manheim Township Public Library Morgan Center, 595 Granite Run Drive. Rivera will offer comments at the 6 p.m. hearing. Rivera said the hearings are being held in response to UGI’s planned substantial rate increase in operating revenues by 8.5%, or approximately $99.368 million. Under the proposal, the average monthly bill for a residential customer using 68.7 hundred cubic feet of natural gas would increase 8.7%, from $113.64 to $123.55 per month. In September 2025 , the PUC approved a 8.9%, or $69.5 million UGI rate increase--$40.9 million less than the 14.1%, or $110.4 million that the company originally requested. The monthly customer charge rose by 6.7%, or to $110.51 from $103.57. The rate hike took effect Oct. 28, 2025. According to UGI, the requested increase would allow the company to receive a fair return on proposed investments, including PUC-approved infrastructure replacement programs; enhanced information technology systems; recovery of operating expenses associated with providing gas distribution service; extension of its Weather Normalization Adjustment pilot; and incorporation of weather calculation into its rate design. On Feb. 19, the PUC formally suspended the proposed rate Read more