Legislation to help make Pennsylvania milk more competitive in the marketplace, and thereby helping Pennsylvania’s dairy producers has been drafted. State regulations require dairy processors to label milk for sale within 17 days of pasteurization. Only one other state (Montana) has a fixed "sell by" date. Senate Bill 434 would level the playing field for PA milk processors by enabling them to move from an arbitrary fixed "sell-by" date to a science-based format for labeling with "sell-by" and "best by" dates. The change would require consistent and regular bacteriological testing and adherence to quality standards, and Pennsylvania consumers would have the same assurance that the milk they buy is fresh. The bill was voted out of committee unanimously and now goes to the full House for consideration.

Fighting for Victims of the Opioid Epidemic

The Commonwealth’s ongoing opioid epidemic has had a devastating impact on children born to parents with substance abuse disorders. This week, the House passed legislation that would identify strategies to support both the affected children and their families. House Bill 253 would establish a task force to focus on the impact of the opioid abuse epidemic, focusing on ways to improve the safety, well-being and permanency of substance-exposed infants and other young children adversely affected by their parents’ substance abuse disorders. The task force would be directed to identify strategies and make short-and long-term recommendations to prioritize the prevention of substance-exposed infants; to improve outcomes for pregnant and parenting women striving to recover from addiction; and to promote the health, safety and permanency of substance-exposed infants and other young children at risk of abuse and neglect, or placement in foster care due to parental alcohol and drug abuse. The bill now goes to the Senate for consideration.

Bill Would Require Insurers to Cover Lyme Disease Treatment

Pennsylvania has one of the highest rates of Lyme disease in the country. The House approved legislation to help aid in the treatment of this potentially debilitating disease. House Bill 1033, now on its way to the state Senate, would require health insurers to provide coverage for long-term antibiotic and antimicrobial therapy for a patient with Lyme disease or related tick-borne illnesses when ordered by a health care practitioner. The health care practitioner could order the treatment after making a thorough evaluation of the patient’s symptoms, diagnostic test results or response to treatment, and would be required to disclose to the patient all risks and benefits associated with the recommended treatment options. Lyme disease can be easily treated with antibiotics when caught and treated early. If untreated, the disease can cause joint swelling, cardiac or neurologic complications. The most severe cases can be debilitating. To learn more about Lyme disease, click here.

Hunting Licenses Available

Pennsylvania’s 2021-22 hunting licenses went on sale June 14. Licenses may be purchased in person from authorized license issuing agents or online at huntfish.pa.gov. According to the Pennsylvania Game Commission, hunters will have three Sunday hunting opportunities this year, which now include more species:

• Sunday, Nov. 14, is open for: Pennsylvania’s statewide deer archery season; black bear archery season in WMUs 2b, 5b, 5c and 5d; statewide squirrel, pheasant, rabbit, grouse, bobwhite quail, crow and woodchuck season; AND to hunt coyotes, raccoons, foxes, opossums, striped skunks, weasels and porcupines.
• Sunday, Nov. 21, is open for: Pennsylvania’s statewide black bear regular firearms season; black bear archery season in WMUs 2b, 5c and 5d; deer archery season in WMUs 2b, 5c and 5d; statewide squirrel, pheasant, rabbit, grouse, bobwhite quail, crow and woodchuck season; AND to hunt coyotes, raccoons, foxes, opossums, striped skunks, weasels and porcupines.
• Sunday, Nov. 28, is open for: Pennsylvania’s statewide regular deer firearms season; extended bear season in specific WMUs AND to hunt coyotes, raccoons and foxes.

Please note, Sunday hunting opportunities were expanded to include small game and furbearer opportunities but does not include turkey or migratory bird species.

Protecting and Honoring Those Who Served

In this country, we lose an average of 20 military veterans every day to suicide. By a unanimous vote this week, the House passed House Resolution 103, to urge Congress to pass legislation now before it that would establish the "Treatment and Relief Through Emerging and Accessible Therapy for PTSD Act." The resolution would provide for therapy for veterans and first responders suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). The resolution was part of a larger package of bills in support of Pennsylvania veterans. They include:

• House Bill 164, which would ensure the families of deceased U.S. military service members are notified of VA burial benefits to which their loved one may be entitled.
• House Bill 1421, which would increase the daily pay from $150 to $250 for the Veteran Service Organization Honor Guard Burial Details at our three national cemeteries.
• House Bill 941, which would authorize veterans and their family members to be charged the in-state tuition rate for colleges and universities on the date of their deposit, rather than the current "first day of the semester" requirement. This locks-in tuition rates should a military parent be reassigned.
• House Bill 995, which would establish the Veterans Outreach and Support Network Program.
• House Bill 1057, which I co-sponsored, to add the Navy Club of the United States of America as a voting member of the PA State Veterans Commission, and
• House Bill 1091, which I co-sponsored, to designate the 45-mile portion in Pennsylvania of US Route 20 as the Pennsylvania Medal of Honor Highway.

The bills now go to the Senate for consideration.