Senator Baker E-Newsletter

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In this issue:

  • Lower Woods Pond Rehabilitation Project
  • Real ID – New Deadline is May 3, 2023
  • Senators Make Bipartisan Call for Employers to Open Fully Memorial Day Weekend
  • Give Your Opinion of Automated Vehicles in PA
  • Senate Gives Final Approval of Living Donor Protection Act
  • National Nurses Appreciation Week

Lower Woods Pond Rehabilitation Project

The Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission anticipates outdoor enthusiasts will once again be able to enjoy the 91-acre Lower Woods Pond in Wayne County by the end of 2023.  There was great disappointment and concern back in 2012 when the water was drained, and people questioned whether they would ever be able to utilize Lower Woods Pond again.

This has been a long process, but I am very pleased that PFBC has recognized the significance of this project and what it means for local recreation, economic development, and tourism. Wayne County has the highest number of impaired, high-hazard dams in the state of Pennsylvania, and this is a positive step forward to reduce this problem. Here are my video remarks from the exciting announcement event. 

REAL ID – New Deadline is May 3, 2023

 

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has pushed back the deadline to obtain a REAL ID card from October 2021 to May 3, 2023, due to pandemic-related delays.

Pennsylvanians now have additional time before needing a REAL ID-compliant driver’s license, photo ID card, or another form of federally acceptable identification to board a domestic commercial flight or enter a federal building or military installation that requires ID. For more information, visit PennDOT’s Website. 

Senators Make Bipartisan Call for Employers to Open Fully Memorial Day Weekend

 

In a letter sent to Governor Wolf on May 7, I joined a bipartisan group of 21 state Senators, to appeal for the removal of COVID-related restrictions on employers before the start of the Memorial Day weekend.

Currently, restrictions are scheduled to be lifted on Monday, May 31. The letter urged the governor to allow the employers to open fully on Friday, May 28, in order to have a full holiday weekend to begin to recoup the losses they suffered during COVID-19.

As we look forward toward a brighter future, we must also acknowledge how much damage these restrictions have caused, as well as the pressing need to give these employers a boost to ensure their long-term survival. 

Give Your Opinion of Automated Vehicles in PA

Pennsylvanians can take a survey seeking their understanding and opinions of Highly Automated Vehicles and their comfort sharing the road with them.

The survey comes from the Highly Automated Vehicles Advisory Committee. The panel was established by the General Assembly in 2018 to advise and consult PennDOT on developing technical guidance, evaluating best practices, and reviewing laws, regulations and policies related to these vehicles.

The survey doesn’t ask your name and takes less than 10 minutes to complete. 

Senate Gives Final Approval of Living Donor Protection Act

Legislation to establish protections for living organ donors recently received final approval by the Senate and was enacted into law.

Living donors include those who donate kidneys, livers and other organs to save the lives of family members and others facing life-threatening illnesses.

Act 11 of 2021, the Living Donor Protection Act, prohibits insurers from declining or limiting coverage based solely on a person’s status as a living donor. It also requires the state Department of Health to provide public information on the benefits and impacts of live organ and tissue donation and protections granted to living donors. 

National Nurses Appreciation Week

Even before the pandemic hit, nurses played a vital role in the delivery of health care. Over the last year, their contributions have reached heroic proportions. Their service and sacrifices for others, help to make our communities stronger.

National Nurses Week takes place through May 12, which was the birthday of Florence Nightingale, considered the founder of modern nursing. I hope you join me in recognizing and thanking nurses for the lifesaving, comforting roles that they take on in our healthcare system.

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