State Senator Lindsey M. Williams, Your District 38 Update

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Connected!*

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time?*

*Make sure you stay up-to-date on all things for the 38th
District and throughout the Commonwealth by clicking below! **


Click Here [link 1]

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*

*Upcoming Events**

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We are holding Community Office Hours next Wednesday, March 8th at the
Kingsley Association [link 2]! Kingsley will be celebrating
International Women's Day with impromptu giveaways for women. We will
have our Constituent Relations Specialist there to help with state
services. Stop by to pick up information on programs and benefits,
apply for a senior bus pass, check on unclaimed property, or to share
your concerns. We look forward to seeing you!



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*Clean
Slate and Expungement Clinic *

*Tuesday, March 14 2023, from
6:00-7:45pm*

Get a fresh start by learning about how to clear your
record! Join Senator Lindsey Williams and Barbara Griffin, Director of
the Allegheny County Bar Foundation Pro Bono Center, for a Clean Slate
and Expungement Clinic at the Kingsley Association in Larimer. The
clinic begins with a brief presentation on options for clearing
criminal records including Clean Slate, expungements, and pardons.
Afterward, participants have the option of meeting one-on-one with
professionals to see what help is available to them. Advance
registration is strongly encouraged, but walk-ins are
welcome.

Register at www.senatorlindseywilliams.com/events [link 3],
412-364-0469, or [email protected].

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*Good
News**

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*Joanna
McClinton - New PA House Speaker!*

Congratulations to the newly
elected Speaker of the House, Representative Joanna McClinton! As we
begin the celebration of Women's History Month, we're excited to
celebrate both Speaker McClinton and President Pro Tempore of the
Senate, Senator Kim Ward. Both women are the first to serve as the
elected leaders of their respective chambers!



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*Lunch and Learn- PA Hunger Coalition*

Thank you to the members of
the PA Hunger Action Coalition for hosting a Lunch and Learn to
discuss the work being done to combat hunger across Pennsylvania with
legislators. I'm fortunate to work with organizations like School
Nutrition Association of Pennsylvania -SNAPA [link 4]
and the Greater
Pittsburgh Community Food Bank [link 5] on projects like my Universal
School Meals legislation [link 6], which ensures that all PA students
have access to breakfast and lunch every day.

You can learn more
about that legislation and show your support at
[link removed] [link 7]



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*NASW
Award*

I was honored to meet with Johanna Byrd of the Pennsylvania
Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers [link 8] in
Harrisburg this week. Johanna presented me with an award for being
named the NASW 2022 Legislator of the Year. To be recognized by such a
wonderful organization of dedicated individuals is an absolute
privilege, and I hope to continue to be able to support their
incredible work. Thank you Johanna and all of the members of the PA
Chapter of NASW!



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*Northland
Public Library Grant*

Congratulations to Northland Public Library
[link 9] on receiving a Keystone grant from the Pennsylvania
Department of Education [link 10] Office of Commonwealth Libraries!
Award recipients were selected through a competitive grant process.
The Keystone grants help public library facilities improve their
operations, install equipment, and upgrade security systems.

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*Legislative
News**

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*East
Palestine Derailment*

Last week, the Veterans Affairs & Emergency
Preparedness Committee held a hearing on the impact that the East
Palestine, Ohio train derailment is having on Pennsylvanians. We heard
incredibly moving testimony from several residents on what they've
experienced over the last three weeks- the fears they've had for
themselves, their families, and their animals; their worries over
their farmland and crops; and their anxieties over their air, soil,
and water quality.

If you live near the East Palestine derailment
site, the Pennsylvania DEP is now performing independent,
free-of-charge water quality testing. If you have concerns about your
water, please contact the DEP to request testing by calling
412-442-4000.

The PA Department of Health is opening a Health
Resource Center at the Darlington Township Building that will be
staffed by employees from the Pennsylvania DEP and Department of
Agriculture to help residents sign up for free, independent water
testing and provide guidance on food and animal safety. The Center
will be open weekdays from 10:00 AM - 8:00 PM.

For all PA Emergency
Management updates, visit their derailment website at
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If
you would like to view the VAEP Hearing, you can watch it at Senate
VAEP Committee Hearing on Norfolk Southern Train Derailment - Senator
Lindsey Williams [link 12].



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*Standing
with Childhood Sexual Assault Victims*

This week, I stood with my
Pennsylvania Senate Democratic Caucus [link 13] colleagues to urge the
Senate to pass HB1 [link 14] and HB2 [link 15], legislation that will
open a statutory window to justice for victims of childhood sexual
assault and that will put a clean constitutional amendment question on
November's ballot. These victims have waited far too long for justice.
We can get this done-- justice delayed is justice denied.



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*Charter
School Funding Reform*

The General Assembly has failed to do its job
in funding public education. We didn't need the Commonwealth Court to
tell us that-- students, parents, teachers, educators, and
administrators have been begging us for help for years. Last year,
instead of throwing them a life preserver, we threw them an anchor in
the form of the largest increase in privatizing school dollars
ever.

More than 90% of our districts have passed resolutions telling
the General Assembly that if we don't pass charter reform, they'll
have to cut programs, staffing, and services for their students. It's
time to get this done for our kids and their futures.

I'm sponsoring
charter school funding reform legislation again this Session because
Pennsylvania's privately-run, publicly funded charter schools are
placing an enormous burden on our taxpayers while leaving behind a
track record of failing academic performance, fraud and waste.

Since
2019, more than 90% of school districts across Pennsylvania have
adopted resolutions demanding the General Assembly step up to address
these long-standing problems, but we have consistently failed to act.
With the recent landmark court decision confirming what students and
educators have long known - that Pennsylvania is unconstitutionally
failing to fully and fairly fund our public schools - it is beyond
time to enact common sense charter reforms and fix this key piece of
the puzzle.

Charter school reform has become like 'Groundhog Day' in
Pa., advocates say - pennlive.com [link 16]

You can watch my remarks
on charter reform at Sen. Williams Remarks: Charter Reform Press
Conference - Senator Lindsey Williams [link 17]

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*March
2023 SNAP Eligibility Changes!*

The Pennsylvania Department of Human
Services (DHS) [link 19] is alerting Supplemental Nutrition Assistance
Program (SNAP) recipients of two upcoming eligibility changes prompted
by the federal government. The impact of these changes begins March 1,
2023.

The federal government's 2023 cost of living adjustment (COLA)
for Social Security Income (SSI) was set at 8.7%, but the federal
government's thresholds for SNAP did not rise proportionally. This
means many SSI recipients will become ineligible for SNAP or see their
SNAP benefit decrease by an average of $40 per household.

The other
SNAP change is the result of the Federal Consolidated Appropriations
Act of 2023. The Act ends state authority to issue an extra SNAP
payment that recipients have been receiving since the pandemic started
in 2020. This "Emergency Allotment" (SNAP EA) brought households to
the maximum monthly SNAP payment, or if they were already receiving
the maximum, households received an additional $95 EA. Starting this
month, eligible households will only receive one SNAP payment per
month.

We have heard from many seniors and families in our district
who are worried about these changes and the impact on their monthly
food budgets. The best course of action now is to make sure your case
information is up-to-date and report any changes to your income,
expenses, and/or household size to DHS. Increased housing costs, child
or disabled adult care costs, or any change in medical costs over
$35/month if you are over 60 or disabled are examples of changes that
could impact your SNAP benefit.

To ensure your household receives the
full SNAP benefit you are eligible for, you should report any changes
to the number of people in your household, income or expenses at:

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www.dhs.pa.gov/COMPASS [link 20];

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The myCOMPASS PA mobile app;
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DHS's Customer Service Center: 1- 877-395-8930; or

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Allegheny
County Assistance Office: 412-565-2146

For a comprehensive list of
programs and organizations that assist with food insecurity go to Food
Resources for Pennsylvanians (pa.gov) [link 21].

To learn more about
the changes to SNAP and additional resources for assistance go to
SNAP-CARES Act (pa.gov) [link 22].



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*Free
Admission to Historic Sites on Pennsylvania's 342nd
Birthday!*

Sunday, March 12th is "Charter Day" and the Commonwealth
of Pennsylvania's 342nd birthday! The Pennsylvania Historical & Museum
Commission (PHMC) [link 23] is celebrating with free admission to many
of its historic sites and museums.
You can go to the State Museum of
Pennsylvania in Harrisburg to see a rare display of William Penn's
original charter [link 24] or visit a stop on the Pennsylvania Trails
of History [link 25]. The Fort Pitt Museum [link 26] here in
Pittsburgh is included! All participating historic sites and museums
can be found here [link 27].

To read about the Pennsylvania Trails
of History go to Historic Sites and Museums (pa.gov) [link 28].


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*Undefeated
Girls Basketball Team!*

Congratulations to the North Hills School
District [link 29] 7th Grade Girls Basketball Team on their UNDEFEATED
season! 22-0.

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

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Senator
Lindsey Williams


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

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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