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The latest news from the State Capitol |
In this Edition:
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Crane Clean Energy Center Opening Ahead of Schedule |
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No AI in Political Ads |
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State Higher Education Grant Application Now Open |
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Inheritance Scam Alert! |
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PennDOT Seeking Workers for Winter Maintenance Program |
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Crane Clean Energy Center Opening Ahead of Schedule
Constellation Energy gathered its 400 new employees at the Crane Clean Energy Center (formerly Three Mile Island) this week to announce the plant will reopen ahead of schedule. The company is looking for CCEC to be operational in 2027 rather than 2028.
On April 1, Constellation started the 18-month training process on simulators for its first 30 operators. Two new generators will be arriving in Londonderry Township from South Korea next summer.
I joined Gov. Josh Shapiro, Sen. Patty Kim, labor and nuclear industry leaders, Microsoft Corp. and Constellation executives, and nonprofit organization board members to share our enthusiasm for the project, which features a 20-year power-purchase agreement for Microsoft’s data centers.
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No AI in Political Ads
In keeping with our commitment to election integrity, I recently joined my fellow House lawmakers in the unanimous passage of legislation that would outlaw the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to misrepresent a candidate in political campaign advertisements.
House Bill 811 would ban AI impersonation in any form of media, including text, image, video and sound “that appears to establish, resemble or represent an individual in a way that did not occur in reality” for campaign advertisements without their consent. It also would establish fines for those who violate the law.
If the measure is enacted, Pennsylvania would join at least 14 other states that have taken action related to AI use in campaigns.
The bill now heads to the Senate for consideration.
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State Higher Education Grant Application Now Open
In case you missed it, the 2025-26 PA State Grant application is now available to students pursuing higher education. Remember, you must also file your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) in order to qualify for a state grant, as well as financial aid offered through the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA).
Visit www.pheaa.org/signin to submit your state grant application and take care of any additional action items.
For more details and answers to frequently asked questions, go to www.pheaa.org/grant.
Don’t miss out. Get a head start on your financial aid today!
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Inheritance Scam Alert!
State officials are urging you to stay vigilant after a scam was reported involving someone posing as a Commonwealth employee.
The reported scam uses a fake email to target older Pennsylvanians and request money through licensed financial institutions to receive a fake inheritance. In the recently reported incident, the victim was asked to pay upfront fees in order for the inheritance to be released – the fees would total hundreds of thousands of dollars over nearly a one-year period.
To protect yourself:
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Don’t respond to suspicious emails or texts. |
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Don’t trust messages about winning money or getting an inheritance from someone you do not know. |
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Do not feel pressured to act quickly or in secret. |
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Check email addresses. Scammers can spoof emails, sending an email that looks like it is from a trusted source. Official emails from Pennsylvania state agencies always end in @pa.gov. |
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Watch out for fake websites. Official state websites end in pa.gov and will always display the Commonwealth logo with the text “Official website of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania” on the top left corner of a web page. |
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Know that Pennsylvania agencies will not threaten immediate legal action or license suspension without proper notice. |
Read more about this incident here.
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PennDOT Seeking Workers for Winter Maintenance Program
While we are still feeling the summer heat, PennDOT is preparing for cooler temperatures by gearing up for its winter maintenance program.
Positions available may include CDL equipment operators, mechanics, dispatchers, tradesman helpers and semi-skilled laborers. The positions pay between $17.38 per hour to $28.37 per hour. The winter maintenance program runs from September through April.
Anyone wishing to apply should visit www.employment.pa.gov and go to the PennDOT Winter Maintenance Program posting.
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