February 26, 2015
READING, Feb. 26, 2015 – Frustrated by inadequate proposals to address Pennsylvania’s multi-billion dollar public and municipal pension problems, Sen. Judy Schwank today said she has formally introduced her bill to create an expert panel that would devise the best solution to the crisis.
Senate Bill 564 would create the Public Pensions Review Commission and the 25-member panel would have six months to propose Pennsylvania’s path to pension solvency.
“Make no mistake,” Sen. Schwank said during a press conference here, “every senator in my caucus – and most public officials I have talked with – believe the gaping unfunded pension gap is a very serious problem. To say or think otherwise is disingenuous.
“What has been the problem with the ideas that have been floated is they, at best, would do very little to help the situation and, at worst, would exacerbate it.
“The PPRC would be given the time and the resources to light a path that ends the burden for Pennsylvania taxpayers and frees the commonwealth to use those dollars to properly invest in education, in businesses, and our communities,” Schwank said.
The Public Pensions Review Commission would include the governor; the revenue secretary; state budget director; director of the Office of Administration; the leaders of the four legislative caucuses; the director of the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts; the chancellors of the PA State System of Higher Education; the presidents of Penn State, Pitt, Temple and Lincoln universities; executive directors of the Pennsylvania League of Municipalities, County Commissioners Association of PA, Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors, Pennsylvania State Association of Boroughs, and Pennsylvania School Boards Association; representatives of the three public employee unions; and three public members possessing special expertise in issues relating to public pensions appointed each by the governor, president pro tempore and speaker of the House of Representatives.
The PPRC would be authorized to conduct hearings and receive appropriate information and analysis and be supported by the Joint State Government Commission. Its budget would be $1 million.
The commission would also be subject to right-to-know, sunshine and state ethics laws.
“At the end of six months, the PPRC would be required to do as the law would suggest and ‘recommend statutory and or regulatory changes needed or desirable to achieve … long-term, sound, stable, public pension structure for state and local governments’,” Sen. Schwank said.
While the combined unfunded pension liability for the Public School Employees’ Retirement System and the State Employees’ Retirement System is about $50 billion, Auditor General Eugene DePasquale said in January the municipal pension shortfall is $7.7 billion.
In 2013, PSERS paid $5.5 billion in retirement payments statewide, and SERS paid $2.9 billion.
Nearly half of Pennsylvania’s 1,223 municipalities (562) are distressed and underfunded.
“Much is at stake, and it’s important we get this right the first time,” Sen. Schwank said. “It’s why we need the PPRC, and it’s why we must start this process now.”
Joining Sen. Schwank at today’s press conference where:
- Reading City Councilwoman Marcia Goodman-Hinnershitz
- Craig Hafer, principal, Walsky Investment Management Inc., Wyomissing, and
- Dr. Solomon Lausch, executive director, Berks Business Education Coalition and retired superintendent for the Schuylkill Valley School District.
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More information on Sen. Schwank is available on her website, Facebook and Twitter.
February 25, 2015
HARRISBURG, Feb. 25, 2015 – State Sen. Judy Schwank and advocates will hold a press conference at 3 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 26, in the senator’s district office, to announce the introduction of her bill to best address Pennsylvania’s pension crisis.
The combined unfunded pension liability for the Public School Employees’ Retirement System and the State Employees’ Retirement System is about $50 billion, and the municipal pension shortfall has reached $7.7 billion.
Nearly half of Pennsylvania’s 1,223 municipalities are distressed and underfunded.
“Much is at stake, and it’s important we get this right the first time,” Sen. Schwank said.
Media coverage is invited.
WHAT: Sen. Judy Schwank to formally introduce pension review bill
WHEN: 3 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 26
WHERE: Commissioner’s Boardroom, 1st floor, 210 George St., Reading
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More information on Sen. Schwank is available on her website, Facebook and Twitter.
February 12, 2015
READING, Feb. 12, 2015 – Pennsylvania farmers would be able to grow a new cash crop and participate in a wide range of manufacturing opportunities if a bill that Sens. Judy Schwank (D-Berks) and Mike Folmer (R-Lebanon) formally introduced today.
Senate Bill 50 would re-establish the industrial hemp industry in Pennsylvania.
“From paper to fuel, clothing to biodegradable plastics, the return of industrial hemp would give Pennsylvania’s farmers the opportunity to grow an in-demand crop that benefits tens of millions of people all over the world,” Schwank, the Democratic chair of the Senate Agriculture & Rural Affairs Committee, said.
“Sen. Folmer and I are planning to fervently work to return industrial hemp to Pennsylvania’s menu of growing options,” she said.
The federal 1937 Marijuana Tax Act restricted industrial hemp production. In 1970, the Controlled Substances Act declared hemp to be illegal.
The 2014 Farm Bill loosened restrictions on the production of industrial hemp.
“Industrial hemp does not have a psychoactive effect; the THC level is less than 0.03 percent,” Sen. Folmer said. “Misconceptions are withholding Pennsylvania from an opportunity for our agricultural and business industries to thrive.
“Twelve other states are already ahead of Pennsylvania in this industry. We are long overdue on utilizing the prospects that the Farm Bill of 2014 has offered to us as a state.”
Folmer is planning to hold a town hall meeting March 11 in Annville to discuss this industrial hemp proposal as well as legislation (Senate Bill 3) that would allow the use of medical cannabis.
Under Senate Bill 50, the cultivation and processing of industrial hemp would be allowed in Pennsylvania as part of a research program at a college or university – in accordance with federal law – under the regulation of a five-member Industrial Hemp Licensing Board that would be established within the Department of Agriculture.
Industrial hemp would also be recognized in Pennsylvania as an oilseed.
Should the U.S. government act to once again regulate industrial hemp, Pennsylvania’s Industrial Hemp Act would 60 days after the enactment of that federal statute.
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More information on Sen. Schwank is available on her website, Facebook and Twitter.
February 12, 2015
HARRISBURG, Feb. 12, 2015 – Add another 250 acres of Berks County land to Pennsylvania’s farmland preservation program.
The three tracts, valued at nearly $625,000, were approved for inclusion in the record-setting operation today by the Pennsylvania Agricultural Land Preservation Board, Sen. Judy Schwank said.
The 250 acres added by the panel now mean 687 Berks County farms and 68,622 acres are now protected from future development.
“As food costs continue to increase, it’s extremely important that we make sure Pennsylvania’s farms – especially those in Berks County – are able to grow and harvest produce, meat and cheese for local residents,” Schwank, a member of the preservation board, said. “Buying locally is one of the surest ways to ensure the affordability of a good, nutritious food source.”
The conservation easements approved today by the board total $373,750 and were paid to the following Berks County land owners:
- Louise Rick, Lower Heidelberg Township, 44 acres
- Earl & Ann Martin, Maxatawny Township, 85.3 acres
- Mae Baver, Greenwich Township, 120.6 acres
Since its inception in 1988, the commonwealth has protected 4,750 farms totaling 504,252 acres with nearly $1.4 billion in easements.
Local, county or state government – or any combination of the three – may buy easements. Counties that decide to have an easement purchase program must create an agricultural land preservation board.
The long-term goal of the state’s program is to permanently preserve farmland. The holders of the easements have the right to prevent development or improvements of the land for purposes other than agricultural production.
For more information on PA’s farmland preservation program, visit the Bureau of Farmland Preservation’s website.
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Follow Sen. Schwank on her website, Facebook and Twitter.
February 12, 2015
READING, Feb. 12, 2015 – Berks Countians looking for help in paying college tuition can get free guidance and tips this Saturday, Feb. 14, during a FAFSA Preparation Seminar in Sen. Judy Schwank’s district office.
“While improvements have been made to the online Free Application for Federal Student Aid, it can still be overwhelming and confusing, so I am encouraging anyone who plans to attend college or is planning to help someone cover their tuition to attend my free seminar Saturday morning,” Sen. Schwank said.
Financial aid experts from the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency, or PHEAA, and Kutztown University will be on hand to guide participants.
Computers will be available for attendees so they can complete and submit their FAFSA applications.
Seating is limited, so interested residents should call Sen. Schwank’s office to reserve a spot at 610-929-2151.
Media coverage is welcomed.
WHAT: Sen. Judy Schwank to hold FAFSA Preparation Seminar
WHEN: 11 a.m., Saturday, Feb. 14
WHERE: Sen. Schwank’s district office, 210 George St., Reading, Suite 201
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Follow Sen. Judy Schwank on her website, Facebook, and Twitter.
January 30, 2015
Improved accessibility, expanding lifelong learning opportunities goals of service
HARRISBURG, Jan. 30, 2015 – Named as one of the newest members of the organization that governs Pennsylvania’s 14 state-owned universities, Sen. Judy Schwank today said she intends to focus on making college more affordable and expanding opportunities for lifelong learning.
“The Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education was created to deliver affordable, high-quality instruction and it is a mission that must be refocused,” Schwank said after being appointed to the PASSHE board by Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa. “Our 14 universities suffered financially during the past four years because their mission wasn’t supported.
“As we are looking to modernize and improve the way the state is funding basic education, so must we re-examine how we are valuing higher education,” she said. “I believe the emphasis on post-secondary schooling has been missing for too long.”
The State System of Higher Education’s 20-member board of governors is responsible for the planning and coordination of the development and operation of the 14-university network. While 11 of the governors require appointment by the governor and confirmation by the senate, three of the board members are students and four are from the Pennsylvania legislature.
One of the system’s universities, Kutztown, is located in Schwank’s 11th Senatorial District.
“Auditor General Eugene DePasquale has raised some troubling financial flags about our state-owned and state-related universities but the problems are not the direct result of how these great schools have managed their resources. To the contrary, their work has kept each institution running,” Schwank said.
“I intend to work with the board of governors to ensure that good changes and new ideas help to propel forward our 14 universities,” she said.
Schwank said another idea of hers is to work to bring more adult-level learning opportunities to Pennsylvanians, no matter how long it’s been since they graduated from college.
“While we are all happy ‘to be done’ with school when we graduate from college, many people want to keep learning new things throughout their lives. The State System of Higher Education can focus on delivering these opportunities,” Sen. Schwank said.
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More information on Sen. Schwank is available on her website, Facebook and Twitter.
January 27, 2015
HARRISBURG, Jan. 27, 2015 – To better help desperate moms and dads who are seeking relief for children who suffer from countless seizures and to help many other Pennsylvanians who need relief from chronic illnesses, Sen. Judy Schwank today urged fellow lawmakers to finally adopt a bill that would legalize medical cannabis.
“One thing that I’ve learned after discussing this legislation over the past year is to never underestimate the power of a mother or father who wants to see a sick child get cured,” Schwank said to applause. “You really have been the reason why this legislation has moved as quickly as it has and is before us now.”
Sen. Schwank joined fellow Sens. Daylin Leach (D-Delaware) and Mike Folmer (R-Lebanon) as the lawmakers reintroduced their proposal to allow plants containing cannabidiol, Tetrahydrocannabinol or delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol acid to be used for medical purposes.
The new legislative vehicle to legalize the use of what has been called “Charlotte’s Web” is Senate Bill 3.
“This treatment is legitimate, its time has come, and our medical professionals ought to have the opportunity to prescribe it as they see fit for patients with many different kinds of illness,” Schwank said.
After visiting a medical marijuana dispensary in New Jersey last week, the Berks County Democrat said her understanding deepened on how Tetrahydrocannabinol works and how it can be supervised and managed.
“What I learned is the use of medical cannabis can be done legally similar to any other pharmaceutical,” Schwank said. “The chemical can be tracked from the growth stage all the way to dispensing. There can be state oversight, as required, to make sure that people are able to use this and … they get a safe dosage.
“I urge my fellow legislators, particularly in the House, to get this going as soon as possible,” Sen. Schwank concluded.
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More information on Sen. Schwank is available on her website, Facebook and Twitter.
January 15, 2015
READING, Jan. 15, 2015 – Berks County’s agriculture industry will continue to have a front-row seat in Harrisburg as state Sen. Judy Schwank will carry on as the Democratic chair of the Senate Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee.
“We are protecting a record number of acres of prime Berks County farmland and we are now working to allow new crops to be produced in Pennsylvania,” Schwank said. “This is an important time for agriculture and I am proud and privileged to continue my work to ensure that farmers everywhere have an ally in Harrisburg.”
Schwank will also continue serving on the Aging and Youth, Appropriations, and Public Health and Welfare committees. Her new assignment is as a member of the Senate State Government Committee.
Schwank was elected to her first term as the leader of the 11th Senatorial District in April 2011.
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More information on Sen. Schwank is available on her website, Facebook and Twitter.
January 13, 2015
Panel would finally employ PA’s arsenal of experts
READING, Jan. 13, 2015 – Faced with a growing multi-billion dollar pension deficit and no good proposal to solve the problem, state Sen. Judy Schwank today said she will introduce a bill that would direct a new commission to properly examine the issue and propose a bipartisan solution.
The proposal would require a Public Pensions Review Commission to submit its solution to the commonwealth’s pension problem no later than six months after the bill is signed into law.
“We have known for years that Pennsylvania’s pension systems have been suffering because of the decisions of the past,” Schwank said. “But those decisions, like the proposals that have since been offered and rejected, were made without the full benefit of their implications.
“We continue to face a very serious problem in funding our state pension systems yet legislators persist in proposing solutions that fail to cure the actual problem,” she said.
If Schwank’s bill is approved, the Public Pensions Review Commission would be comprised of representatives from each branch of state government plus state system universities, state-related universities, the separate state organizations of county governments, municipal governments and school districts, major public employee unions, and the general public.
The PPRC would be authorized to conduct hearings and receive appropriate information and analysis and be supported by the Joint State Government Commission.
The commission would also be subject to right-to-know, sunshine and state ethics laws.
Sen. Schwank said she and other lawmakers understand that pension reform will be a top issue during the 2015-2016 legislative session. While well intentioned, she said she believes Senate Bill 1 will not be much better than past proposals that looked to cure Pennsylvania’s pension crisis.
“Most of those ‘solutions’ have failed miserably because they didn’t address the current unfunded liability and they didn’t look at how the current plans could be managed differently,” Schwank said. “Those proposals might have resolved the problem in the future but they did nothing to resolve the problem we are facing now.”
Pennsylvania’s pension plans – the State Employees’ Retirement System, or SERS, and the Public School Employees’ Retirement System, or PSERS – have a combined shortfall of $48 billion, Schwank said.
“We have wasted too much time rehashing the same proposals and political posturing while the pension issue festers. We need to get the right people to the table and find the right solutions to the pension problem,” Schwank said. “We need solutions that are equitable to state and public school employees as well as Pennsylvania taxpayers.”
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More information on Sen. Schwank is available on her website, Facebook and Twitter.
January 8, 2015
HARRISBURG, Jan. 8, 2015 – To help Pennsylvania farmers tap into the multi-million dollar hemp industry, state Sens. Judy Schwank (D-11) and Mike Folmer (R-48) will hold a media briefing at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 10, at the Pennsylvania Farm Show to talk about legislation that would finally give them that opportunity.
Schwank and Folmer will introduce Senate Bill 50 which, if adopted into law, would create the “Industrial Hemp Act.”
“The 2014 federal Farm Bill authorizes pilot programs for industrial hemp, and SB 50 provides oversight for growing, harvesting and marketing a traditional commonwealth crop while providing new opportunities for Pennsylvania farmers,” Schwank said.
Industrial hemp has been used for thousands of years in numerous applications and, until the last century, was commonly grown in Pennsylvania. Today, an estimated 50,000 potential applications exist for hemp’s use across a wide spectrum of industries, including textiles, building materials, industrial products, paper and energy and environmental products.
“The use of industrial hemp provides a multitude of benefits,” Folmer said. “The best farmland preservation is allowing farmers to farm their land profitably. Hemp is also a crop that helps the environment. Consumers will benefit from the many uses of hemp.”
In 2012, the Hemp Industries Association valued the U.S. hemp industry at an estimated $500 million. Sustainable hemp seed, fiber and oil are used in raw materials today by major companies, including Ford Motor Company and Mercedes Benz. Industrial hemp is imported into the United States from Canada, Europe and China.
Media coverage is invited.
WHAT: Sens. Judy Schwank and Mike Folmer media briefing on SB 50, the “Industrial Hemp Act”
WHEN: 4:30 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 10
WHERE: Delaware Room, Keystone Conference Center, Pennsylvania Farm Show, Harrisburg
December 18, 2014
BLANDON, Dec. 18, 2014 – Heeding the growing concerns about the safety of Route 222, state Sens. Judy Schwank (D-11) and David Argall (R-29) met here last night with local leaders to work towards solutions that would make the highway less deadly.
The gathering included representatives from Berks County law enforcement, including District Attorney John Adams; PennDOT; local chambers of commerce; Berks County officials; township officials; and business leaders.
“Twelve people have died driving on Route 222 in the past six years and there’s growing concern the highway will grow more dangerous as roundabout construction begins,” Sen. Schwank said during the meeting. “We cannot just hope that 222’s Nov. 19 fatal accident was the last one. We need to act now.”
“We must find solutions to curb the trend claiming innocent lives,” said Sen. Argall. “I’m grateful for the input and expertise shared during the meeting that can put us in the right direction and save lives in the future.”
After Sen. Schwank urged increased police enforcement and reduced speed limits, the group of leaders agreed that additional enforcement should begin to be explored.
PennDOT said it would examine lower speed limits, flashing signs and other enhancements to try to improve the safety of the corridor.
Leaders agreed it would take many additional years to build a limited-access highway to relieve the stress and problems of Route 222 but they said that a new road would still be pursued as a long-term solution.
“The common theme is that we must do more and we must do it now,” Argall said.
“People are justified in their concern about the impact of the new roundabouts,” Schwank said. “Still, we need to move forward with a plan that addresses these issues now, not in 25 years.”
The dangerous five-mile stretch of Route 222 under review is between the intersections of Route 73 in Blandon to Route 662 in Fleetwood.
In addition to the previously mentioned community leaders, representatives from the Pennsylvania State Police, Northern Berks Regional and Fleetwood police departments, North Central Highway Safety; Greater Reading and Northeast Berks chambers of commerce; Fleetwood School District; Berks County Commissioner Kevin Barnhardt; Maidencreek and Richmond townships; Fleetwood Borough; U.S. Rep. Charles Dent; state Rep.-elect Barry Jozwiak; and Redner’s, Quality Carriers and Venezia Bulk Transport attended the meeting.
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December 11, 2014
HARRISBURG, Dec. 11, 2014 – Another 150 acres of prime Berks County agricultural land were added today to Pennsylvania’s record-setting farmland preservation program, Sen. Judy Schwank said today.
The 150 acres added by the Pennsylvania Farmland Preservation Board now mean 684 Berks County farms and 68,372 acres are now protected from future development.
“The Berks Countians who own the tracts that were entered into Pennsylvania’s farmland preservation program today have made good and worthwhile decisions,” Schwank, a member of the preservation board, said. “Because of their actions, Berks County deepens its commitment to making sure agriculture has a bright future here and across the commonwealth.”
The long-term goal of the state’s program is to permanently preserve farmland. The holders of the easements have the right to prevent development or improvements of the land for purposes other than agricultural production.
The conservation easements approved today by the board total $373,750 and were paid to the following Berks County land owners:
- James & Donna Lee Dietrich, Upper Bern Township, 24 acres
- Michael & Rosita Miller, Heidelberg Township, 79.7 acres
- J. Freymoyer, Upper Bern/Tilden townships, 45.7 acres
Since its inception in 1988, the commonwealth has protected 4,732 farms totaling 502,757 acres with $1.3 billion in easements.
Local, county or state government – or any combination of the three – may buy easements. Counties that decide to have an easement purchase program must create an agricultural land preservation board.
For more information on PA’s farmland preservation program, visit the Bureau of Farmland Preservation’s website.
Follow Sen. Schwank on her website, Facebook and Twitter.
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December 5, 2014
READING, Dec. 5, 2014 – Reading city food market owners and representatives from local, state and federal governments will meet with state Sen. Judy Schwank at 6:00 p.m., Monday, Dec. 8, at Reading Area Community College.
The informational meeting will detail changes to the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program, or SNAP, and other local business issues.
Representatives from the City of Reading, state Office of Inspector General, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Sen. Robert P. Casey’s office are scheduled to be in attendance.
Media coverage is welcomed.
WHAT: Sen. Judy Schwank to talk business, issues with local company owners, government officials
WHEN: 6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m., Monday, Dec. 8
WHERE: Room 118, Schmidt Technology Center, Reading Area Community College, 10 S. 2nd St., Reading
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Follow Sen. Judy Schwank on her website, Facebook, and Twitter.
December 2, 2014
READING, Dec. 2, 2014 – Sen. Judy Schwank will hold her second annual “Elected Municipal Officials’ Meeting” at 7:30 a.m., Thursday, Dec. 4, at Wyomissing Family Restaurant.
This event gives local leaders with the opportunity to obtain information that impacts their municipality and to interact with state officials whose agencies directly affect their work. It also gives Sen. Schwank the opportunity to hear the concerns of local government officials.
“This event gives our local elected officials the opportunity to not only meet and network with other officials but it also gives us the opportunity to coordinate our efforts to better serve our community,” Schwank said.
Schwank has invited Brian Eckert from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development and Jay McGee from the PennDOT to talk about available state resources and programs.
For more information, call 610-929-2151.
Media coverage is welcomed.
WHAT: Sen. Judy Schwank’s “Elected Municipal Officials’ Meeting”
WHEN: 7:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m., Thursday, Dec. 4
WHERE: Wyomissing Family Restaurant
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Follow Sen. Judy Schwank on her website, Facebook, and Twitter.
October 28, 2014
HARRISBURG, Oct. 28 – State Rep. Dan Frankel, D-Allegheny, and state Sen. Judy Schwank, D-Berks, co-chairs of the Pennsylvania Women’s Health Caucus, today called for the Corbett administration to take action to extend the federal 1115 Family Planning Waiver, SelectPlan for Women. The waiver is set to expire Dec. 31.
The caucus and other legislative supporters sent a letter to state Human Services Secretary Beverly Mackereth earlier this month, seeking an extension of the waiver through at least 2015. The letter stated that potentially thousands of women will go without access to family planning services currently provided by the SelectPlan waiver as coverage under Healthy PA begins Jan. 1.
“Basically all the administration has to do to protect coverage for thousands, and perhaps tens of thousands of women, is write a letter. But even with the clock ticking, it hasn’t done that or bothered to explain why,” Schwank said. “These are important health issues that need to be resolved for women before they lose coverage, not afterward.”
Currently, the SelectPlan for Women waiver provides crucial family planning health services to nearly 90,000 predominantly low-income women across Pennsylvania annually. Services provided by the waiver include gynecological exams, emergency contraception, screening and treatment for various sexually transmitted infections, and breast and cervical cancer screenings. It does not cover abortion services, since no public dollars are allowed to be used for them in Pennsylvania.
“I have serious concerns about this situation. The thought of ending coverage for tens of thousands of women and forcing them to reapply manually for Healthy PA is mind-blowing,” Frankel said. “This administration cannot continue to erect barriers to health care for low-income women. It should automatically give lower-income women HealthyPA coverage that includes comprehensive family planning services. For higher-income women, it should extend SelectPlan so they do not lose access to their current medical providers as they transition to another plan.”
The letter also stated that the SelectPlan waiver has been effective in reducing the annual federal and state Medicaid expenditures for prenatal, newborn and infant care since its implementation in February 2008.
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A copy of the letter is HERE.
October 27, 2014
READING, Oct. 27, 2014 – With almanacs and woolly bear caterpillars predicting a tough winter and others predicting a mild season, state Sen. Judy Schwank today said the one sure thing about the approaching season is LIHEAP will be there to help those who need it.
“We’ve heard mixed predictions about winter’s menu but the best way for Berks Countians to prepare is to apply with the commonwealth for grants under its Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program,” Schwank said today. “It’s good to heed predictions and prepare for winter. People who are worried about their budgets must include LIHEAP as a way to keep out the chill.”
LIHEAP is a grant program that helps qualified residents pay their heating bills. This year’s program opens Monday, Nov. 3, and is expected to run through the beginning of next April.
LIHEAP customers who received benefits this past winter received their applications about a month ago, Schwank said. New applications may be obtained through the senator’s district office.
Annual household income limits apply. A one-person household must not earn more than $17,505 while an eight-person household can earn a maximum annual stipend of $60,135. Add $6,090 for each additional person.
“LIHEAP delivers crisis benefits of between $25 and $500 and the money will help make the threat of lost warmth go away,” Schwank said.
Schwank said a crisis can include an empty fuel tank, the threatened termination of gas or electric service, broken windows, the sudden need to replace a heating system or frozen pipes.
Residents who need a LIHEAP application should contact Sen. Schwank’s district office, 210 George St., Suite 210, Reading, or 610-929-2151.
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October 21, 2014
Grants also approved for Reading, Union Township
READING, Oct. 21, 2014 – New playground equipment, stepping stones and plaza space will be the new features of Kutztown’s only playground thanks to the award today of a $150,000 state grant, Sen. Judy Schwank said today.
The Commonwealth Financing Authority approved the investment for the project in Kutztown Park. It also approved a $150,000 grant for French Creek State Park and nearly $70,000 to further the planning of the Fritz Island Wastewater Treatment Plant in Reading.
“Kutztown Park is the place children go when they want to be outside, but the equipment has become old and dangerous,” Sen. Schwank said following today’s CFA meeting. “The new investment will transform the playground into a place that kids truly love and parents will feel better about because they will know their children are safe.
The new playground equipment will be ADA compliant and meet the safety standards of the U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission.
The $150,000 grant is through the commonwealth’s Greenways, Trails and Recreation program
Complete details of the grant program are available on the Department of Community and Economic Development’s website.
The $150,000 grant for the French Creek State Park project will help the Natural Lands Trust buy an adjacent 54-acre tract and then expand the park after it transfers the property. The Horseshoe Trail will then be re-routed off land now owned by a rod and gun club onto the larger French Creek State Park.
The $68,685 Sewage Facilities Program grant to the City of Reading will help to pay for planning costs associated with the Act 537 special study for the Fritz Island Wastewater Treatment Plant. Improvements will help the plant satisfy a consent decree with the state Department of Environmental Resources and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
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More information on Sen. Schwank is available on her website, Facebook and Twitter.
October 20, 2014
READING, Oct. 20, 2014 – Two parks in Berks County and a swimming pool in Fleetwood have been awarded nearly $730,000 in state grants, state Sen. Judy Schwank said today.
The money, from the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, will help to expand French Creek State Park, upgrade Pendora Park and rehabilitate the Fleetwood Community Swimming Pool.
“Berks County presents many wonderful options for outdoor enjoyment and these new state investments will ensure that these destinations exist for many new generations of residents and visitors,” Schwank said. “Getting back to nature will be better and easier for many more thanks to the commonwealth’s support.”
The 11th Senatorial District’s grants are part of $33 million in new grants awarded through DCNR’s Community Conservation Partnership Program. Statewide, 219 grants have been awarded to communities and non-profit organizations for recreation and conservation projects.
The grant awards follow Pennsylvania’s outdoor recreation plan, which keeps the commonwealth eligible for federal land and water conservation investments.
The following Berks County projects received grants:
- Natural Lands Trust Inc., $316,000 for the purchase of 53 acres along French Creek State Park and Geigerstown Road in Union Township.
- Reading City, $250,000 for the rehabilitation and continued development of Pendora Park, including an upgrade of the spray park, new playground equipment, ADA access, landscaping and related improvements.
- Fleetwood Borough, $164,000 to renovate the Fleetwood Community Swimming Pool’s large pool and its bathhouse and concession stand, install a portable pool lift and improve ADA access.
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October 16, 2014
HELLAM, Oct. 16, 2014 – Pennsylvania became the first state in the country today to preserve 500,000 acres of valuable farmland and three Berks County farms helped accomplish the milestone, Sen. Judy Schwank said today.
“Berks County is a big reason the commonwealth has protected half a million acres of farmland,” Schwank said today following the Pennsylvania Farmland Preservation Board’s meeting at Flinchbaugh’s Orchard and Farm Market. “Our county has preserved more acres of farmland than any other county in the program.
“The 300 acres of prime agricultural space that were removed from the specter of development today by the board means 678 farms and 68,000 local acres of Berks County farms will be producing nutritious food for generations to come.”
The total conservation easements for the following three farms totals $748,000:
- Larry & Patricia Bauscher, Greenwich Township, 8 acres
- Benjamin & Karah Davies, Washington Township, 1 acres
- Larry & Carol Mertz, Maxatawny Township, 5 acres
Since its inception in 1988, the commonwealth has protected 4,704 farms totaling 500,079 acres with $1.3 billion in easements. In Berks County, 678 farms consisting of 67,991 acres have been preserved.
The long-term goal of the state’s program is to permanently preserve farmland. The holders of the easements have the right to prevent development or improvements of the land for purposes other than agricultural production.
Local, county or state government – or any combination of the three – may buy easements. Counties that decide to have an easement purchase program must create an agricultural land preservation board.
For more information on PA’s farmland preservation program, visit the Bureau of Farmland Preservation’s website.
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Follow Sen. Schwank on her website, Facebook and Twitter.
October 15, 2014
HARRISBURG, Oct.15, 2014 – Berks County residents and Pennsylvanians should expect improvements in the quality and cost-effectiveness of the Medicaid system with the approval today of a bill to create the Patient-Centered Medical Home Advisory Council, state Sen. Judy Schwank said.
The Senate voted 48-0 to create the new panel and send House Bill 1655 to the governor for final consideration.
“In Pennsylvania, 2.25 million residents currently receive Medicaid benefits,” Sen. Schwank said during floor debate today. “The spending on this program consumes 25 percent of the state General Fund.
“If we can do something that not only improves care for people but saves Pennsylvania taxpayers money, we’re doing a good thing.”
Should HB 1655 be signed into law by the governor, the advisory council would be charged with advising the Department of Human Services on how Pennsylvania’s Medicaid program can increase the quality of care while containing costs.
Specifically, the panel would, among other requirements:
- Coordinate and provide access to evidence-based health care services, emphasizing primary care and including preventive and well-child health services.
- Provide access to appropriate specialty care, mental health services, inpatient services and any evidence-based alternative therapies.
- Provide access to medication and medication therapy management services according to the federal Affordable Care Act.
- Promote the planning of treatment strategies, monitor health outcomes and use of resources, and share information and organize care to avoid duplication of services.
- Provide comprehensive care management to patients to assist treatment strategies and health outcomes.
- Emphasize patient and provider accountability. And,
- Prioritize access to the continuum of health care services in the most appropriate setting and in the most cost-effective manner.
Twenty-six states have already adopted patient-centered medical home initiatives.
The House voted 197-0 to approve SB 1655 in January.
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More information on Sen. Schwank is available on her website, Facebook and Twitter.
October 7, 2014
HARRISBURG, Oct. 7, 2014 – Sen. Judy Schwank will host her annual “College Financial Aid Awareness Night” from 7 p.m. until 8:30 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 9, at Muhlenberg High School.
The free event will include presentations by Schwank and financial aid experts from the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency, or PHEAA, and Reading Area Community College.
“With the cost of postsecondary education continuing to rise, it is vitally important for students and parents to understand the financial aid resources that are available to them,” said Sen. Schwank. “Our expert presenters will provide families with information on planning for college, the types of assistance that are available, and how to apply for student aid.”
Additional information is available by contacting Schwank’s Reading District office, 610-929-2151.
Media coverage is invited.
WHO: Sen. Judy Schwank, PHEAA, Reading Area Community College
WHAT: “College Financial Aid Awareness Night”
WHEN: 7 p.m. – 8:30 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 9
WHERE: Muhlenberg High School, 400 Sharp Ave., Reading
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More information on Sen. Schwank is available on her website, Facebook and Twitter.
September 29, 2014
HARRISBURG, Sept. 29, 2014 – Standing with the dozen eggs, loaf of bread and box of cereal she attempted to buy with the $7.25 Pennsylvania’s minimum-wage workers receive for 60 minutes of labor, state Sen. Judy Schwank today joined a statewide action campaign to urge an increase in the state’s base hourly rate.
Schwank said the $7.25 was not enough money to buy the three food staples.
“You know that you and I couldn’t make ends meet on $7.25 an hour, and our friends, relatives and neighbors cannot do it either,” Schwank told press conference attendees in the Capitol Rotunda today.
“A business whose plan works only on the exploitation of the labor of people who couldn’t find higher paying jobs is not a model that’s sustainable for our country nor is it sustainable for our commonwealth,” she said.
Schwank said she supports legislation, Senate Bill 1300, that would incrementally increase Pennsylvania’s minimum wage to $10.10 by 2016 and tie future increases to inflation.
“As our neighbors go, we go as well. It’s important we make the effort to get the minimum wage bill passed in Pennsylvania, tie it to the Consumer Price Index so that we don’t have to wait for legislators to take action … and we can help solve this problem, once and for all,” Schwank said.
Schwank’s participation in today’s state Capitol press conference was part of Raise the Wage PA’s statewide action day, which included similar events in nine other Pennsylvania communities: Reading, Allentown, Altoona, Erie, Media, Morrisville, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and York.
Ten states and Washington D.C. have raised their minimum wage rates this year to something higher than Pennsylvania’s $7.25 an hour commitment. To date, 23 states and D.C. pay their front-line workers more than the federal minimum.
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More information on Sen. Schwank is available on her website, Facebook and Twitter.
September 25, 2014
READING, Sept. 24, 2014 – Representing one of Pennsylvania’s 20 communities that are financially distressed, state Sen. Judy Schwank has voted to change the law that governs the commonwealth’s municipal recovery program.
Schwank’s vote Wednesday helped to send the Act 47 proposal, House Bill 1773, to the governor for his consideration.
“I voted to make comprehensive changes to Act 47 because I don’t want Reading to be stuck in an otherwise positive program for decades, as have some other communities,” Schwank (D-Ruscombmanor Township) said today.
“Reading has a recovery plan, thanks to Act 47. If it continues to follow the prescription, it should be well on its way to a brighter economic future. While I am confident it will enjoy better times, we must make sure the city – or any local municipality – has the tools it needs to get back to self-sufficiency in a reasonable period of time,” she said.
Reading’s Act 47 recovery plan, approved Nov. 12, 2009, is designed to improve the city’s management and accountability, advance its oversight of housing codes and funding sources, and rethink how it pays for and delivers city services.
HB 1773, if signed into law, would limit municipalities’ participation in the program to five years and give the Department of Community and Economic Development more authority in enforcing a recovery plan.
Municipalities in the program when the law goes into effect are allowed one three-year extension after their first five-year program expires.
Also, HB1773 delivers fairer taxing options that local governments can consider to quickentheir exit from Act 47 financial distress.
Of the 20 municipalities under Act 47, the commonwealth has watched Farrell (1987), Mercer County; Aliquippa (1987), Beaver County; Braddock (1988), Clairton (1988) and Rankin (1989), Allegheny County; and Franklin (1988), Cambria County, the longest.
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More information on Sen. Schwank is available on her website, Facebook and Twitter.
September 23, 2014
HARRISBURG, Sept. 23, 2014 – Urged by state Sen. Judy Schwank to examine the growing problem of heroin and prescription drug abuse, the Center for Rural Pennsylvania canvassed the state and issued its report today.
Sen. Schwank said she worked with Sen. Gene Yaw, the center’s chairman of the board, to study the problem following a spate of heroin and prescription drug-related overdoses and deaths in Topton, Berks County.
As the center released its report today at the Capitol, Schwank said she is “encouraged” by their work and how Pennsylvanians will benefit.
“There is recognition now that this very serious problem is something that can be dealt with in the commonwealth. And I look forward to being a part of it,” Schwank said during the Center for Rural Pennsylvania’s press conference. “I look forward to seeing what we will accomplish as a legislature and as a commonwealth to help target this problem.
“This is our blueprint. This is where we go from here, not only to make sure we pass the legislation that’s sitting before us right now, but to think about what we have to do in the future and focus on that.
“Legislation isn’t going to be the silver bullet. We need to ensure that our community members are educated; our youth, certainly, are educated; and our medical community understands the problem. It takes all of us, including law enforcement and our judiciary, to work together to resolve this.”
Schwank said she went to work on the heroin epidemic after 5 Topton residents died this past spring.
After first organizing a town hall meeting that attracted more than 10 times the people she expected to attend, Schwank said she looked across the commonwealth and approached Sen. Yaw.
Parents, families and communities were hurting, and continue to hurt, she said.
“You have to look into the face of an anguished parent to understand what they’re dealing with. And, there are so many of them out there,” Schwank said. “I don’t use the words epidemic or crisis lightly. But in the case of heroin abuse and opioid drug abuse, I believe those words are the words we should be using. That’s how serious this problem is.
“We applaud the Center for Rural Pennsylvania for focusing specifically on the issue in rural Pennsylvania. We know that this is an issue in our urban and suburban areas as well.”
Schwank recognized Reading Hospital’s chief of emergency medicine, Dr. Charles Barbera, for his role in helping to guide the response to the epidemic.
“He has been a wonderful advocate for us on this issue and has helped to guide us in some of our efforts in Berks County,” Schwank said.
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More information on Sen. Schwank is available on her website, Facebook and Twitter.
September 16, 2014
HARRISBURG, Sept. 16, 2014 – Sen. Judy Schwank issued the following statement following the Senate Finance Committee’s 6-5 approval of Senate Bill 76, which would reform the way schools generate revenue from property owners:
“Although it was a narrow vote, it was a positive vote and the full Senate will now get the chance to consider SB 76,” Schwank, who is one of the bill’s prime sponsors, said.
“There will be more discussion, debate and consideration given to this issue, which is as it should be. There is no doubt that too many families in Berks County and throughout the commonwealth are being crushed by steep property levies. They need relief, and they need it quickly.
“Today’s vote was in property owners’ favor.”
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More information on Sen. Schwank is available on her website, Facebook and Twitter.
