I’m proud to report that my bipartisan bill to restrict cell phone use in Pennsylvania schools cleared a key legislative hearing this week.

House Bill 1814 advanced out of the House Education Committee and now heads to the full House.

The bill would prohibit students in public schools from using or possessing cell phones during the school day. Students would be required to secure their phones in a way that prevents access until the end of the day, with exceptions for certain emergency and medical needs approved by school authorities.

Research clearly shows that children are being harmed by unfettered access to smartphones, and many other states have enacted statewide restrictions on cell phone use in schools. Gov. Josh Shapiro has also expressed support for banning cell phones in schools and has urged legislators to send a bill to his desk.

Read news coverage here.

I’ve been pushing another important education bill in Harrisburg, and I’m proud to report that it passed the House this week and heads to the Senate. House Bill 2218, the School Counseling Services Act, would strengthen school counseling services by ensuring that counselors aren’t pulled away from their needed counseling duties. It would require schools to have a written plan giving counselors enough time to provide students needed support without being diverted to cover other school duties.

You can read more here and watch my floor remarks here.

Hundreds of cars came through my shred event last weekend at my district office. I’m happy to provide this free service so residents can safely dispose of sensitive documents. Thanks to my team for all of their hard work and volunteers Ron, Skylar, and Cheswick Councilman Brad Yaksich for coming to help!

If you didn’t make it last weekend, don’t worry. I’ll hold another shred event in the fall, so keep an eye on my newsletters and Facebook page for information about it.

Some items are difficult to dispose of—such as computer equipment, televisions, and tires—so I want you to know about an event for these hard-to-recycle materials. Presented by the Pennsylvania Resources Council, it will take place from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, May 9, at the Pittsburgh Shrine Center, 1877 Shriners Way in Cheswick. See the graphic above for fee structures and additional details about the items they will accept.

Pennsylvania will hold its primary election on May 19, so it’s time to consider how to make your voice heard. First, make sure you’re registered—you have until May 4.

If voting in person doesn’t fit your schedule, Pennsylvania offers reliable vote-by-mail options. The deadline to apply for a mail-in or absentee ballot is May 12. Allegheny County has also approved ballot return sites where voters can return mail-in ballots without relying on the mail, and you can read more about them here.

Get more info on voting by mail at www.pa.gov.

I’m offering a new service this year at my Cheswick office! Once a month through September, I will host a representative from Allegheny County Treasurer Erica Rocchi Brusselars’ office from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Residents can use these special days and hours at my office, located at 1296 Pittsburgh St., to pay county property taxes; apply for the Homestead/Farmstead Exclusion or Senior Citizen Tax Relief programs; or obtain hunting, fishing, or dog licenses.

Mark your calendars with the dates and times on the graphic above!  

Twice a month, a Veterans Service Officer (VSO) will be at my Cheswick office, 1296 Pittsburgh St., to assist veterans with a variety of services. The VSO will be available on the third Wednesday and Thursday of each month.

Call to schedule an appointment at (724) 826-5151.

District Office

1296 Pittsburgh Street

Cheswick, PA 15024

(724) 826-5151

Pennsylvania State Capitol

111 B East Wing
Harrisburg, PA 17120

(717) 705-7141