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The Weekly Roundup
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The latest news from the State Capitol
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Looking Forward to the New Session
On Tuesday, Gov. Tom Wolf was sworn into office for a second term during a ceremony at the state Capitol. I am hopeful the spirit of cooperation he spoke about continues as we move forward in the new session. I invite you to watch the short video below for my thoughts on the governor’s inaugural address.
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Slow Down to Get Around Law Now in Effect
An expansion of the state law designed to protect roadside workers is now in effect. Act 83 of 2018 adds trash haulers to the list of vehicles, including stationary tow trucks, mail delivery vans and other vehicles involved in performing a roadside service, to those for which a driver must slow down when passing.
Drivers are required to move at least one lane away when possible or slow down and be ready to stop if they cannot.
This new law is in addition to the “Steer Clear” law requiring drivers to move over when approaching an emergency response scene.
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Increasing Access to Life-Saving Medication
Pennsylvania college students with known or unknown food allergies now have an extra layer of protection in the event of an allergic reaction.
Act 93 of 2018 authorizes colleges and universities to have non-patient specific epinephrine auto-injectors on hand in case of an emergency. The new law also allows law enforcement agencies, summer camps, restaurants, amusement parks, sports facilities and other facilities to carry the EpiPens.
Experts estimate 1 in 13 children in the United States have food allergies and allergic reactions result in 90,000 emergency room visits and approximately 1,500 deaths annually.
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Scam Alert
It seems that scammers have been busy in our area. My district office has been getting a lot of calls recently about several phone scams targeting senior citizens. In one of them, the caller claims to be with the Social Security Administration and asks for personal information in order for the victim to receive his or her benefit check. In the second scam, the caller needs personal information for the victim to receive prize money. And in the third, the caller pretends to be a young relative of the victim who needs bail money to be released from jail following an accident.
Never give out personal information over the phone, and if you get one of these calls, please contact our office or your local police.
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Free Tax Help Available
Certified AARP TaxAide volunteers are available again this year to provide free tax form assistance to middle- and low-income taxpayers, with special attention to those over age 60.
To receive help filing 2018 federal, state and local tax returns or PA property tax and rent rebate applications, taxpayers must bring copies of their 2017 tax returns plus all income information, real estate tax receipts, any deduction information and health care enrollment information pertaining to 2018. Taxpayers must also bring photo ID, Social Security cards, and if they want refunds direct deposited, then bring a bank check to ensure the volunteers have the correct account numbers.
Tax help will be available during the times and days listed at the following locations in Carbon County from February through April.
- Palmerton Senior Center, 501 Delaware Ave., 12:30-3:30 p.m., Mondays starting Feb. 4.
- Lehighton Rec Center, 243 S. 8th St., 9 a.m. to noon, Tuesdays starting Feb. 5.
- Beaver Meadows Borough Hall, 100 E. Broad St., Route 93, 9 a.m. to noon, Wednesdays starting Feb. 6.
- Penn Forest Township Hall, 2010 Route 903, 9 a.m. to noon, Wednesdays starting Feb. 6.
- Gilbert Salem United Church of Christ, Corner of Long Mountain Road and Rt. 209, 9 a.m. to noon, Thursdays starting Feb. 7.
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January is Radon Action Month
An estimated 40 percent of Pennsylvania homes have higher levels of radon than national safety standards, due to the state’s geology. However, residents can perform a simple test to detect this gas, which can cause lung cancer.
Winter is a good time to test for radon, because doors and windows are generally closed, providing more accurate results. Simple radon test kits are inexpensive and available at home improvement and hardware stores. Learn more here.
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| Office Locations |
| 110 North Third Street, 2nd Floor, Lehighton, PA 18235 | (610) 377-6363 |
| 2681 State Route 903, Unit 3, Albrightsville, PA 18210 | (570) 722-8700 |
| Room 420 Irvis Office Building, PO Box 202122, Harrisburg, PA 17120-2122 | (717) 260-6139 |
| Email: dheffley@pahousegop.com |
| TTY: 855-282-0614 |
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