State Senator Lindsey M. Williams, Your District 38 Update

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*Protecting
Vaccine Access in PA*

I recently received this email from a
constituent, concerned about access to Covid vaccines:

*"My wife and
I are constituents. We are both over 65 and thus at greater risk of
severe health complications from COVID. I am appalled at the current
situation surrounding the availability of vaccines in Pennsylvania, we
are urging you and your senate colleagues to pursue any avenue to make
these life-saving vaccines available to both vulnerable and otherwise
concerned citizens of Pennsylvania.. Support of Representative
Venkat's bill or direct action by our Governor to address this
unconscionable restriction is absolutely required of the legislators
of this great state."*

And they aren't alone. People across Senate
District 38 and Pennsylvania are concerned about the firing of vaccine
experts at the CDC and HHS under the disastrous "leadership" of Health
and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, and whether this will
put access to safe and life-saving vaccines at risk.

That's why I'm
co-sponsoring nurse and Senator Maria Collett and doctor and Rep.
Arvind Venkat's "Protecting Vaccine Access in PA" legislation [link 1]
that would require insurance coverage for vaccines in
Pennsylvania.

I'm grateful that Governor Shapiro and the PA State
Board of Pharmacy have taken action to protect Pennsylvanians' access
to vaccines in the meantime. The Board's recent action will allow PA
pharmacists to follow the recommendations of other trusted authorities
(like the FDA and the American Academy of Pediatrics), and administer
vaccines under those guidelines.

But with federal actions ever
changing, today's access isn't a guarantee for the future [link 2].
That's why I'm joining the 1000+ current and former HHS staff who call
on Secretary Robert F. Kennedy to resign. Between his attacks on
people with disabilities, cuts to programs that keep infants and
toddlers fed, and now his attacks on vaccines, enough is
enough.

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*Upcoming
Events**

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[link 3]

*Scare Up a Few Costumes*

*September 1 - 30, 2025*

We are
now accepting donations for our annual Halloween Costume Drive with
North Hills Community Outreach! You can help make a little ghost,
goblin, or princess's holiday a little spookier or sweeter by donating
your gently used or new Halloween costumes.

Costumes will be
distributed at North Hills Community Outreach's coat annual coat
distributions in October.

Donations are accepted at our McKnight Road
and Natrona Heights offices throughout the month of September!

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*FREE Shredding Event*

*Saturday, September 20th, 9am-11pm,
Hampton Community Center, 2010 McCully Rd., Allison Park*

Join me at
our FREE paper shredding event on September 20th! You can get rid of
clutter and protect your personal information at the same time!

Each
car will be limited to two file-size boxes. Drivers are asked to
remain in their cars and open their trunk. Our office staff will
unload your boxes from your car and your documents will be immediately
shredded on-site. Bags and boxes will be returned to your car after
they are emptied. All you have to do is drive through and we will
handle the rest!

To avoid traffic issues, participants are requested
to arrive NO EARLIER than 30 minutes prior to the start of the
event.

*We will also be collecting Halloween costumes for our costume
drive at this event!*

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*6th Annual Family Resource Fair! (Formerly our Community
Baby Shower*

Thursday, September 25, 2025, 4-6pm, **Paulson
Playground & Spray Park, 1300 Paulson Ave, Pittsburgh, PA
15206*

*Rain Location: Paulson Recreation Center, 1201 Paulson Ave,
Pittsburgh, PA 15206*

Our Community Baby Shower is now the Family
Resource Fair, but it is still the same heart-warming event! Please
join Senator Lindsey Williams for the 6th annual Family Resource Fair
on September 25th from 4pm-6pm at Paulson Playground and Spray Park,
1300 Paulson Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15206.

The Family Resource Fair is
for parents, grandparents, foster/kinship families, guardians, or
anyone looking to start a family. Some of the organizations attending
this year include Women for a Healthy Environment, Larimer Consensus
Group, UPMC for You Dental, Pittsburgh Scholar House, Pittsburgh Fire
Fighters' Coats for Kids, Head Start, and many more. Hope to see you
there!

Questions? Call us at 412-364-0469 (Ross) or 724-224-2131
(Harrison) or email us at [email protected] [link
6].

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*Good
News**

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*Small
Pharmacies At Risk*

*Pharmacy Benefit Managers Fail to Reimburse
Adequately for Medications*

Last week I had the chance to spend time
with Kaitlyn from Russellton Palmer Pharmacy, who has been an amazing
partner to our office by being a resource at our events and by helping
me better understand the needs of our independent pharmacies.

We
spent time talking about how Medicaid and Medicare patients are still
struggling to get their medications at reasonable prices here in
Pennsylvania, and how Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) are hurting
neighborhood pharmacies. These small businesses are often a highly
trusted healthcare provider-- organizing medications, watching for
drug interactions, and providing routine vaccinations.

But when they
can't keep their doors open because they lose money on every
prescription they dispense because of a rigged system, it's their
customers and their patients who get hurt.

This week, I joined the
Pharmacy Caucus for a hearing on these issues. I was especially
interested to hear about how our State Insurance Commissioner is
working to enforce the new provisions of Act 77, which was passed into
law last year. You can watch that full hearing on my website [link 7].
*
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*Habitat
Conservation at Deer Creek Park*

I had the chance to join the Fish
and Boat Commission and the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy to see a
habitat conservation project that they are working on in Deer Creek.
This work will help reverse erosion in the creek caused by external
forces, such as farming, forestry practices, transportation
infrastructure, development and resource extraction.

These habitat
enhancements create overhead cover, hydraulic complexity, additional
woody debris and scour holes for fish and other aquatic life, thus
improving the overall habitat for aquatic life in the stream.

NOTE:
All work is done under appropriate permits from the PA Department of
Environmental Protection.

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*Magee
Nurses Vote to Unionize!*

Congratulations to the nurses and advanced
practitioners at Magee-Womens Hospital on their historic votes to
unionize through SEIU Healthcare!

Nurses are driven to care for their
patients, and that often finds them at odds with our profit-driven
healthcare industry. This vote to unionize is a step in the direction
of putting patients over profits. It means that the nurses at
Magee-Womens Hospital can take their seat at the table to demand
better pay and safer conditions for themselves and for their
patients.

We've paid our nurses and advanced practitioners lip
service by calling them "healthcare heroes" with no other
acknowledgement of the work they do for far too long. It is long-past
time that UPMC stop wasting resources on aggressive union busting
efforts aimed at fighting and dividing employees. Patients, not
profits, should be the number one priority of the region's largest
healthcare provider.

These victories are a reminder that, when we
fight, we win. We are stronger together. Congratulations to the new
Magee-Womens Hospital union, and onward to the next steps!

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*Pittsburgh
Labor Day Parade!*

Last Monday, we celebrated Labor Day with our
union brothers and sisters from across the region. Pittsburgh is a
union town!

Congratulations to our newest union members, the nurses
and advanced practitioners from UPMC Magee Women's Hospital, who led
off the parade!

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*Glenmore
Park Ribbon Cutting*

Last week, we celebrated the grand reopening of
Glenmore Park in West View! I've been a resident of West View for more
than 10 years now, and I love living here. I especially love our
incredible park system, with opportunities for kids of all ages to
play, explore, and grow outside.

I was more than happy to support
their DCED grant application to help fund these upgrades that give our
kiddos somewhere new and safe to play.

I know the kiddos in my family
are especially excited about the new gaga ball pit, but there is
something for everyone, with new swings, climbing structures, and
shaded areas!

We also took a moment to celebrate the retirement of
West View Police Chief Bruce Fromlak. After 40 years of service, he is
retiring from the department, but we're fortunate to have him
continuing on as our Borough Manager. Thank you, Chief, for all you do
to keep West View safe, healthy, and a wonderful place to
live!

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*

*Legislative
Update**

*Delayed PA Budget is Hurting Real People*

Like all of my
colleagues, I am hearing from individuals, families, and organizations
from across my Senate District and across the state who are reaching
out to share how the legislature's failure to do our job and pass a
budget is hurting them. Sharing their stories, in their own words, is
a powerful reminder that this budget is more than just numbers on a
spreadsheet: it is parents and children, schools and libraries,
life-saving services for our friends and neighbors.

That's why I was
proud to share just a few of these stories on the Senate floor this
week. From human service providers, Pre-K Counts families and
providers, domestic violence and rape crisis centers and more,
Pennsylvanians need us to pass a budget now.

You can read some of
these individual stories here [link 8], or watch video of my floor
remarks below.

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*News
You Can Use**

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*Review Your School Bus Safety!*

School is back in session
and bright yellow school buses with their flashing red stop signs are
on our roadways again. This is the perfect time for a refresher on
PA's School Bus Stopping Law:

-
Yellow flashing lights on the bus
indicate the bus is coming to a stop. Motorists must slow down and get
ready to stop.

-
Motorists must stop at least 10 feet away from
school buses that have their red lights flashing and a red stop sign
extended.

-
Motorists must stop when they are behind a bus, meeting
the bus, or approaching an intersection where a bus is stopped.

-
Motorists following or traveling alongside a school bus must also stop
until the red lights have stopped flashing, the stop sign is
withdrawn, and all children have reached safety.

-
If physical
barriers such as grassy medians, guide rails, or concrete median
barriers separate oncoming traffic from the bus, motorists in the
opposing lanes may proceed without stopping.

-
Do not proceed until
all the children have reached a place of safety.

The penalties for
Pennsylvania School Bus Stopping Law violations are severe and can
include as much as five points on your driving record, a 60-day
license suspension, and a $250 fine.

Getting on and off the bus can
be the most dangerous part of a child's day. You can help keep our
kids safe by obeying the speed limit and following school bus stopping
rules.

For complete information on Pennsylvania's School Bus Stopping
Law including violations as well as parent and bus driver tips go
to:

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[link 13].

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[link 14]

*Alert: New Work Requirements for SNAP!*

Requirements for
SNAP recipients in Pennsylvania changed on September 1, 2025 and will
expand to more people on November 1, 2025 thanks to President Trump's
Big Beautiful Bill that was signed into law in July.

Under the new
federal rules, to keep or become eligible for SNAP benefits, certain
people will have to meet *SNAP work requirements that include*:

-
working, volunteering, or participating in an education or training
program for at least 20 hours a week (or 80 hours each month)

-
reporting that you are meeting the work requirements.* *

*Starting
September 1, 2025*, these rules apply to SNAP recipients that:* *

-
Are between 18-54 years old;

-
Do not have a dependent child under
18; and,

-
Are considered physically and mentally able to
work

*Starting November 1, 2025*, the work requirements will apply to
SNAP recipients that:

-
Are between 18-64 years old;

-
Do not have
a dependent child under 14 years old; and

-
Are considered
physically and mentally able to work

Pennsylvania no longer qualifies
for waivers of these rules because of a change in the federal law, but
certain people may be exempt from these requirements.

*What to
do:*

-
Fill out the PA DHS Screening Form Checklist. Those impacted
should have received this in the mail; it can also be accessed here:
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15]

-
If health limits your ability to work, get a signed Medical
Exemption Form from your doctor or therapist
([link removed]... [link 16]).

-
Return the completed forms to your County Assistance Office
([link removed] [link
17]).

Make sure to act fast and stay informed! Check the PA DHS
website for full details
at:

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[link 18].

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[link 19]

*Share Your Thoughts on the Plan for Penn Ave Art and
Commercial District!*

If you live or own a business on or nearby Penn
Avenue, don't miss this opportunity to share your thoughts about the
Bloomfield Garfield Corporation's (BGC) five-year strategic plan for
the Penn Avenue Art and Commercial District. Your feedback will help
shape the future of the district and only takes 10 minutes!

Residents
and businesses can take BGC survey here:
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[link 21]

*October Civics Cypher Event in East Liberty - Submit your
questions by 9/12/25!*

The Kelly Strayhorn Theater (KST) in East
Liberty needs your feedback! KST will be hosting a *Civic Cypher*
event on October 21st - an evening of civics education and live
performances - and is asking the public for civics topics they want to
learn more about. Submit your suggestions *by Friday, September 12th*
at [link removed] [link 22].

After you submit your
suggestion, you can learn more about the event and register at:
[link removed] [link 23].

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[link 24]

*Job Fair at Ross Park Mall!*

*Saturday, September 13 10am
- 3pm*

Looking for work or ready to make a change? Find your next
great job at the Pittsburgh Job Fair on Saturday, September 13th at
the Main Concourses & Center Court at Ross Park Mall! Bring your
resume and speak directly with company representatives from across our
region.

Visit [link removed] [link 25] for more
information.

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*Pittsburgh Latin American Art Festival*

*1020 N. Canal
St., Sharpsburg, September 20, 2025, 4-9pm*

Don't miss the Pittsburgh
Latin American Art Festival coming to Sharpsburg on September 20. Feel
the beat, taste the flavor, and see the art!

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*Addiction Recovery Ministry Resource Fair*

*September 20,
2025, 9am - 3pm, 201 9th St, Sharpsburg*

Join the Addiction Recovery
Ministry of Sharpsburg for their upcoming Resource Fair! This day of
help and hope features speakers from recovery organizations about the
help available and personal stories of recovery. Food is included and
all are welcome!

For more information go to:
[link removed] [link
28].

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As
always, please feel free to reach out with any questions you may have
by phone at 412-364-0469 [link 29] (Ross Office), 724-224-2131 [link
30] (Harrison Office) or by email at
[email protected] [link 31]. My staff will return
your call/email within 24 hours (Monday-Friday).

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Senator
Lindsey Williams


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tel:412-364-0469
[link 30] tel:724-224-2131
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mailto:[email protected]

Contact
Information:

Website: [link removed]

Office
Location:
District Office
5000 McKnight Road
Suite 405
Pittsburgh, PA
15237
Phone: 412-364-0469
Fax: 412-364-0928
Monday ? Friday
9-5

Harrison Office
1826 Union Avenue
Natrona Heights, PA
15065
Phone: 724-224-2131
Fax: 724-224-2145
Monday ? Thursday
9-5

Harrisburg Office
366 Capitol Building
Senate Box
203038
Harrisburg, PA 17120-3038
Phone: 717-787-6538
Fax:
717-787-8625
By appointment only


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