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Unemployment Compensation ID.me Requirements
Due to the increase in unemployment compensation (UC) fraud on UC claims, anyone filing a claim after March 1st will have to comply with ID.me requirements. ID.me is a method of secure, digital identity verification.
This information can be found here.
As a reminder to UC recipients, if you are currently receiving UC benefits through a federal program, those benefits will be ending on Sept. 4, 2021. The link for this information can be found here.
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Committee Hearing on Improper Payments
In light of recent news of taxpayer money mismanagement by the governor’s administration, some of which have been happening for years and will cost taxpayers an exorbitant amount of money, the House State Government Committee held a hearing on wasteful government spending and improper payments.
Recently, the House took steps to address the issues when it passed three bills, all of which are now in the Senate for consideration.
House Bill 104 would require state agencies to review their programs and expenditures, assess how susceptible they may be to improper payment, and address any risks to ultimately prevent such payments. The Office of the Budget would then be required to maintain this information on a publicly accessible website.
House Bill 108 would create a “do-not-pay” initiative to monitor improper payments across Commonwealth agencies. Specifically, any agency that makes payments by expending federal funds would be required to enter into a memorandum of understanding with the United States Treasury Department to join the federal do-not-pay program.
When improper payments do occur, House Bill 39 would help ensure we get that money back. It would require the Secretary of the Budget to establish a review schedule of a Commonwealth agency that has $50 million or more in payments to individuals, vendors or entities for improper payments and payment recovery by contracting with an auditor to perform a recovery audit.
To watch the full hearing, click here.
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Law Would Ensure Caregivers Access to their Loved Ones
In response to the forced isolation of long-term care residents from their loved ones during the COVID-19 pandemic, we have adopted a new state law to ensure this tragedy does not happen again.
Act 67 of 2021 will safely allow family members to visit long-term care facilities as essential caregivers for our most vulnerable citizens. Mirroring regulations already successfully implemented in Minnesota and Indiana, the law amends the Pennsylvania Health Care Facilities Act to allow a designated essential family caregiver to be named for each resident of a licensed long-term care facility during a declaration of disaster emergency.
Too many long-term care residents died alone or experienced a significant decline in their physical and mental well-being as a result of the pandemic isolation. This law recognizes the importance of a holistic approach to caring for these residents in emergency situations.
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Be Careful to Safeguard Military Paperwork
Safeguarding military paperwork, especially the DD-214, which is used to verify military service, is an important first step for securing benefits.
“We field thousands of requests for information from veterans each year, and the majority of those requests are for help to find their DD-214,” said Brig. Gen. (PA) Maureen Weigl, deputy adjutant general for Veterans Affairs.
Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs has advice on how to store your military documents and review and update benefits you have earned as a veteran.
Find more information here.
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It is always nice to participate in the Lower Swatara Lions Club Community Day and not just because I’m a Lions Club member. Everyone enjoyed the free popcorn, snow cones and, of course, Angelina’s ice cream. Residents who attended were able to enjoy great food while they visited with the local police and fire departments among other vendors. There was even a mobile COVID-19 vaccine facility on site.
The Lions Club does such great things for those in need, and that’s why I am proud to be a member. What a great day participating in this community event and answering state-related questions.
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| I enjoyed touring Hidden Still Spirits, which is located at 505 W. Chocolate Ave., Hershey. It is good seeing new businesses in the district and learning about how things are done. |
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| Swatara Township’s July Coffee With A Cop was well attended. This monthly event is wildly successful, and it provides an opportunity for community members and police officers to discuss topics in an open format. I know residents and business owners appreciate the chance that they are given to engage in discussions with the police who are serving their community. |
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| Congratulations to the PENN FC Lightning u17 girls’ soccer team who won the US Youth Soccer National Championship on Sunday, July 25th. What an exciting win! This is the first time a southcentral team won nationals, and it was nice to be a part of the celebration. The Lightning are comprised of high school players from across the mid-state. |
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