State Senator Lindsey M. Williams, Your District 38
Update

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*Upcoming Events**

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*40th
Anniversary Community Health Fair in East Liberty*

Join us this
Saturday, July 23rd from 11 am - 3 pm for East Liberty Family Health
Care Center's [link 1] 40th Anniversary Community Health Fair [link
2]! The event will be held in the Center's parking lot at 6023 Harvard
Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15206. Come out for a free health screening and
enjoy the entertainment, food, and games. Stop by our table to get
resources, ask questions, and meet our staff and Senator
Williams!

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[link 3]

*Demystifying Harrisburg Series - The
Budget*

*Wednesday, July 27, 6 - 7 pm, Zoom*

Pennsylvania's
budget was finally completed on July 8th and we've rescheduled our
annual Demystifying Harrisburg Budget event! Please join us on
Wednesday, July 27 at 6:00 p.m. for a discussion about the
Pennsylvania budget. We'll be talking about the process, the final
breakdown of where the money is going, and how the budget even works.
Bring your questions- this is a complicated process!

You can
register for this event or catch up on our prior Demystifying
Harrisburg events at SenatorLindseyWilliams.com/DemystifyingHbg [link
4].

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*Small Business Resource Fair*

*Wednesday, August 10 @
The Union Project, 10 am - 1 PM*

Attention small business owners!
We are hosting a Small Business Fair on Wednesday, August 10th from
10am-1pm. This event is for both new and established small business
owners who are looking for more opportunities to help them grow and
succeed!

Featuring:

-
Department of Community and Economic
Development

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University of Pittsburgh SBDC

-
Bridgeway
Capital, Inc.

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URA of Pittsburgh/Invest PGH

-
Innovation
Works, Inc.

-
Honeycomb Credit

-
Keva Loans

-
The
Institute for Entrepreneurial Excellence

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And more!

Register
at SmallBusinessFair2022 - Senator Lindsey Williams [link 6]. For
information on attending as a vendor, please email
[email protected] [link 7].



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*Legislative
Update**

*The Overturning of *Roe v. Wade* and Threat to Abortion
in PA*

In the last few weeks since the Supreme Court ruling in
Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, which overturned the
federal right to a safe, legal abortion, I, along with many of you,
have been experiencing a range of emotions - anger, fear, and sadness
- just to name a few. But it's time to fight back. I will always stand
for a woman's right to healthcare, and that includes abortion.
Deciding if, when, and with whom to start or grow a family is a human
right. I trust people to make the best decisions about their lives,
their families and their healthcare. This fight is about our right to
privacy and our right to bodily autonomy.

Several of my Senate
colleagues and I have joined together to co-sponsor legislation [link
8] that would codify the protections of *Roe v. Wade* here in
Pennsylvania to ensure that reproductive healthcare remains safe and
accessible for future generations. I spoke on the Senate Floor about
my fears that, here in Pennsylvania, we're looking at the edge of the
cliff of losing our rights and going back to the times when people had
to rely on back alley abortions.

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[link 9]

But while my colleagues and I have been working to codify
your privacy rights in Pennsylvania law, the Majority Leadership ran a
bill that will take us over that cliff. On the anniversary of the
infamous "Midnight Pay Raise [link 10]," they moved to suspend the
rules of the Senate that prohibit voting past 11:00 pm.
In the dead
of night, they voted in committee to advance SB 106 [link 11], which
would amend the PA Constitution to state that there is no
constitutional right to an abortion. The following morning, the full
Senate passed the measure 28-22. Later that night, after 7:00 p.m.,
the House did the same.

You can view my floor remarks against SB
106 here [link 12].

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[link 13]

If you'd like to read the article by Jessica Semler that
I'm referencing in my remarks for yourself, you can find it here [link
14].

SB 106 is a proposed constitutional amendment, which means
that it cannot be vetoed by the governor. But constitutional
amendments must be passed in identical form in two consecutive
Sessions before they are placed on the ballot for voters to decide on
them.

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By passing the Senate and House, it has gotten through
step 1- passage in its first Session.

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In November, voters will
have the opportunity to elect the entire House of Representatives and
half of the Senate.

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Once the 2023-24 General Assembly is sworn
in in January 2023 for the new Session, they will have 2 years to pass
an identical version of SB 106.

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If an identical version of SB
106 is passed, it will appear on the ballot for voters, potentially as
early as May 2023.

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For
now, abortion remains safe and legal in Pennsylvania. But it will take
the efforts of all of us to keep it that way.

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*

*Good
News**

*Independence Day Weekend!*

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*Ross
Township July 3rd Parade*

We started the weekend at the Ross
Township [link 15] Perrysville Parade on July 3rd with Representative
Emily Kinkead [link 16]. We had a great time tossing candy to the kids
and seeing everyone turn out to celebrate our country's birthday!
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*Hampton
Community Day*

The Independence Day weekend celebrations continued
at Hampton Township's [link 17] Community Day on Sunday. It was fun to
talk with constituents and see everyone enjoying the attractions,
bands, food, community groups, fireworks, and the pool!

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*Shaler
Community Day*

The weekend's finale was Shaler Township's [link 18]
Community Day in Kiwanis Park [link 19]. Everyone enjoyed music, food,
swimming at the pool, the military recognition ceremony, and more
spectacular fireworks. We had a wonderful weekend honoring our country
and celebrating our communities. Thank you to all the hard-working
municipal employees and volunteers that make these 4th of July
celebrations possible!

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*Shaler
Township Shredding Event*

Our shredding event with Rep. Sara
Innamorato [link 20] at Kiwanis Park [link 21] last Saturday was a
huge success! Over 400 cars drove through to shred their documents. A
giant thank you to Shaler Township Police Department [link 22] and
Shaler Fire Police [link 23] for helping to direct traffic, and Ryan
and Khalil from Shred-It [link 24]. Teamwork makes the dream
work!

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*Pine
Township Community Day*

Pine Township's [link 25] Community Day
last Saturday was drizzly and cool - a nice change from the heat last
week. It was great to see everyone and judge the annual pie-eating
contest again!

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*PropertyTax/Rent
Rebate Extra Payments Coming!*

If you applied for or plan to apply
for a 2021 PA Property Tax or Rent Rebate (PTRR) [link 26] this year,
you will be getting an extra payment! Pennsylvania's lottery-funded
PTRR program provides property tax and rent relief to income-eligible
senior citizens and permanently disabled individuals 18 years or
older. Thanks to a provision in the 2022-23 Pennsylvania budget that
passed earlier this month, PTRR applicants will receive a one-time
*70% bonus rebate.* The extra payment comes from unspent American
Rescue Plan dollars targeted at home repairs and affordable
housing.

*When do I get the extra payment?*

The PA Department of
Revenue does not have a timeline yet, but is working as quickly as
possible to get payments out.

*How much is the extra
payment?*

The size of the bonuses vary based on income levels (only
half of household Social Security income is included).

For
Homeowners

*Income *

*Payment *

Under $8,000

Extra $455
$8,001 - 15,000

Extra $350

$15,001 - $18,000

Extra $210
$18,001 - $35,000

Extra $175





For Renters




*Income *

*Payment *

Under $8,000

Extra $455

$8,001 -
15,000

Extra $350

*How do I get the extra payment?*

If you
already applied for your 2021 PTRR, you don't have to do anything! You
will receive the extra payment automatically in the same form as your
regular rebate (check or direct deposit).

If you haven't applied
yet, you have time to complete your application before the extended
December 31, 2022 deadline. If you need help with the application or
want to find out if you are eligible, call or email our offices at
412-364-0469 (Ross), 724-224-2131 (Harrison),
[email protected] [link 27].

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*Community
Meeting Tour*

Our staff is back on the road and attending community
meetings in all of the municipalities and Pittsburgh neighborhoods in
Senate District 38 [link 28]. While we can't be at every meeting every
month, we do make an effort to see every municipality regularly.

We
know it's important to attend these meetings because they provide
opportunities for our office to support local governments and the
constituents we both serve. At municipal/neighborhood meetings we hear
about community projects the state could help with, local events our
office can publicize or plan to attend, the challenges communities are
facing, and the creative solutions communities find. It is also an
opportunity to remind localities of the constituent services and
events our offices provide.

Local government has the most direct
impact on people's lives and it functions best with input from
residents. Whether you are interested in stormwater management,
traffic calming, parks and recreation, taxes and fees, garbage and
recycling collection, police and fire protection, or the budget for
fireworks on the 4th of July, we encourage you to sit in on your local
council, supervisor, or neighborhood meeting. While you are there,
look for a member of Senator Williams' staff - you may run into one of
us!

For help finding your locality's next meeting, call or email
our offices at 412-364-0469 (Ross), 724-224-2131 (Harrison),
[email protected] [link 29].

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*Beware
of Energy Marketing Scams!*

The PA Public Utility Commission (PUC)
[link 30] is urging consumers to be alert for energy marketing scams,
especially unsolicited telemarketing calls requesting immediate action
and promising far-reaching savings on energy bills. Watch out for
robocalls that follow the basic script below:

*"This is an apology
call from your electric (or natural gas) utility.
You got overcharged
by your third-party supplier.
You will be receiving a rebate check
along with a 30% discount on your electric and gas bill. Please press
1 to get your rebate check."*

The PUC stresses that telemarketers
on legitimate energy sales calls are required to immediately identify
themselves upon contacting a potential customer; identify the supplier
they are representing; and the reason for the telephone call. If the
agent doesn't identify themself and the reason for the call
immediately, you should end the call. *Report **suspected scams with
the PUC's Bureau of Consumer Services at 1-800-692-7380. *

To avoid
telemarketers altogether, compare and choose your energy supplier
at
PAPowerSwitch [link 31], the PUC's energy shopping
website.

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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 32] (Ross Office), 724-224-2131 [link
33] (Harrison Office) or by email at
[email protected] [link 34]. My staff will return
your call/email within 24 hours (Monday-Friday).

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Senator
Lindsey Williams


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Contact
Information:

Website:
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Office Location:
District
Office
5000 McKnight Road
Suite 405
Pittsburgh, PA 15237
Phone:
412-364-0469
Fax: 412-364-0928

Harrison Office
1826 Union
Avenue
Natrona Heights, PA 15065
Phone: 724-224-2131
Fax:
724-224-2145

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

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