Brian's Briefing for January 30: There's a new tax credit this year, and the Semiquin Scholarship closes tomorrow

Rep. Brian Munroe January 30, 2026 | 4:02 PM

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Dear Neighbor,

I hope you’ve managed to stay safe and warm as our region weathers the extreme cold. As a reminder, Bucks County offers warming centers for people in need of shelter during extreme winter weather. You can find a list of warming centers on the Bucks County Housing Link website.

As always, stay safe, and please don’t hesitate to reach out to my office if you need assistance. We are available Monday through Friday, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., at (215) 323-6997.

For updates on office hours during winter weather, please check my Facebook page.

In Service,

Brian

New bill introduced

This afternoon I introduced a new bill that would help Pennsylvanians avoid surprise energy price hikes by making sure they know when a fixed-rate contract ends.

A fixed-rate energy bill eases a lot of stress for working families by making monthly energy costs predictable. With energy prices continuing to rise nationwide, it is essential for families to know what to expect at the end of each month.

I hope that my colleagues on both sides of the aisle will join me in pushing for this common-sense legislation.

Thanks for attending our SEPTA Senior Pass event!

Last week we hosted a SEPTA Senior Pass event at the Ben Wilson Senior Center, and so many of you stopped by to sign up for your senior pass!

If you didn’t already know, SEPTA offers PA residents age 65+ free fare on all their transit lines – you just need a SEPTA Senior Key Card.

If you didn’t make the event, don’t worry! Our office can help get you signed up anytime. Give us a call at (215) 323-6997 to set up a time or stop by when you have a chance.

Semiquin Scholarship applications are due tomorrow! Don’t miss out!

To honor Pennsylvania’s longstanding commitment to education, the America250PA Commission will award $250,000 in scholarships to deserving Pennsylvania students attending in-state colleges next school year.

Eligibility: Any Pennsylvania high school senior planning to attend a PA college for 2026–27.

Awards: Twenty-five scholarships of $10,000 each will be granted by the America250PA Commission.

Applications are due Jan. 31. More details can be found here.

Tax season reminder: new tax credit for workers who need it most

With tax season officially underway, I encourage eligible workers to take advantage of new state tax credits, championed by Gov. Shapiro and House Democrats, that provide meaningful relief to those who need it most.

Eligible taxpayers can now claim the Working Pennsylvanians Tax Credit (WPTC), created in the 2025-26 budget which I supported last year. Modeled after the federal Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), the WPTC can provide up to $805 in tax relief.

The credit is expected to deliver $193 million in tax savings to approximately 940,000 Pennsylvanians this year. Anyone who qualifies for the federal EITC automatically qualifies for the state credit, helping to put more money back into the pockets of working Pennsylvanians. Visit pa.gov/wptc for more information and to check eligibility using an online calculator.

EVENTS BY REP. MUNROE

Free Shred Event

Saturday, February 7 from 10 a.m. to noon

William Tennent High School

RSVP here.

Remote Office Hours

To make my office’s constituent services as accessible as possible, I have established remote office hours at local township buildings throughout our legislative district.

We will be at the following locations from 10 a.m. to noon on the days indicated:

Warminster Township Building: First Tuesday of every month; next is February 3.
Warminster Heights: First Friday of every month; next is February 6.
Ivyland Borough: Second Tuesday of every month; next is February 10.
New Britain Township Building: Second Wednesday of every month; next is February 11.
Warrington Township Building: Third Tuesday every month; next is February 17.
Warminster Library: Third Wednesday of every month; next is February 18.

Specialty Office Hours

To help focus on specific needs, my staff and I have established specialty hours when outside experts come in to guide our residents. An appointment is required for these hours. Please call 215-323-6997 to schedule.

Advance Care Planning: First Wednesday of every month; next is February 4.
Veterans Services: 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. second Monday of every month; next session is February 9.