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| Monthly Roundup |
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The latest news from the State Capitol |
Honored to Continue Serving as Your Representative
On New Year’s Day, I had the honor of being sworn into office to serve my third term in the House of Representatives. With great pride and gratitude, I look forward to once again representing you, the people in Fayette and Westmoreland counties.
As a reminder I have two district offices that are located in Lemont Furnace at 1040 Eberly Way, Suite 250, FayPenn Building, Lemont Furnace, which you can reach at 724-437-1105, and Perryopolis, 312 E. Independence St. at the Perryopolis Borough Building, which you can reach at 724-736-2290. I also have a satellite office at the Scottdale Library, 106 Spring St., open Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. We will do our best to help you with any state-related issues or concerns.
Keep up with the latest news at repwarner.com and Facebook.com/repwarner where you can follow information regarding session at the Capitol or district-related information.
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PA Farm Show Starts on Saturday
Just a reminder, the 103rd Pennsylvania Farm Show will kick off Saturday, Jan. 5, and run through Saturday, Jan. 12. This year’s theme is “Inspiring Pennsylvania’s Story.”
In addition to all the delicious food offerings, the Farm Show features 6,000 animals, 10,000 competitive exhibits and 300 commercial exhibitors.
Admission to the show is free, but parking is $15 per vehicle. Shuttle service is provided.
If you’re participating in or attending the Farm Show, take your camera or phone along and snap some photos. You can share your memories and photos on my Facebook page at facebook.com/repwarner . And when you’re posting the photos, don’t forget to insert the hashtag #PAFS19.
More information is available at farmshow.pa.gov.
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New Law Cracks Down on Repeat DUI Offenders
A new law cracking down on habitual DUI offenders is now in effect. Statistics show repeat offenders cause 40 percent of all DUI-related crashes.
Pennsylvania was previously one of four states that did not punish repeat DUIs as felonies.
Act 153 of 2018 fixes that by increasing penalties for repeated DUI crimes.
Under the new law, any individual convicted of his or her third DUI with a BAC of 0.16 or higher could be found guilty of a felony offense.
The same penalty would apply to all individuals convicted of four or more DUI offenses.
Repeat offenders who are convicted of homicide while DUI now face a minimum prison sentence of five or seven years, up from the previous three-year minimum.
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Increased Funding to Aid Ambulance Services
Ambulance companies across Pennsylvania will see a much-needed increase in Medicaid reimbursement rates this year.
Approved as part of the 2018-19 budget, reimbursement rates have increased from $200 to not less than $300 for Advanced Life Support (ALS) services and from $120 to $180 for Basic Life Support (BLS) services, effective Jan. 1.
The increases, to be funded by $4 million in state funds and approximately $8 million in federal matching funds, are necessary to help meet growing costs faced by the Commonwealth’s emergency medical service providers. It is the first increase since 2004.
To further support these life-saving services, another new law, Act 103 of 2018, requires both private insurers and Medicaid to reimburse for treatment provided regardless of whether transport takes place. This is a common occurrence with patients suffering with diabetes as well as for drug overdose calls.
Additional initiatives to shore up the state’s fire and emergency response organizations were outlined in a recent report released under Senate Resolution 6 of 2017. The report includes 92 concepts incorporated into 27 recommendations to address challenges in the fire and EMS communities, with most of them focused on staffing, funding and training needs.
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| Office Locations |
| Capitol Office: Room B-11, Main Capitol Building, PO Box 202052, Harrisburg PA 17120-2052 | (717) 787-1540 |
| District Office: 1040 Eberly Way, Suite 250, Lemont Furnace, PA 15456 I Phone: (724) 437-1105 |
| Email: rwarner@pahousegop.com |
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