During the 2019-20 Legislative Session, my colleagues and I worked diligently in the best interests of all Pennsylvanians. Here is a short list of laws we passed, all of which were passed unanimously by both the House and the Senate:

Act 87 of 2020, which I sponsored, amends the Real Estate Appraisers Certification Act to add certified Pennsylvania evaluators to the State Board of Certified Real Estate Appraisers.

Act 111 of 2020 establishes veterans’ courts and commerce court programs to decide business-related cases. Veterans’ courts provide veterans with mentorship from other veterans and treatment from the Veterans Administration to address problems often caused by post-traumatic stress disorder. Commerce courts decide cases on actions related to the internal affairs, governance, dissolution, liquidation, rights of obligations between business enterprises, as well as disputes between or among business enterprises related to a transaction, business relationship or contract.

Act 32 of 2019 expands the Pennsylvania National Guard Military Education Program to offer a free college education that can be shared with the Pennsylvania National Guard member’s spouse and/or child in exchange for a member’s six-year reenlistment.

Act 65 of 2019 establishes the Beginning Farmer Management Tax Credit to allow an owner of agricultural assets to take a credit against state income tax liabilities for the sale or rental of agricultural assets to a beginning farmer. The intention of the law is to encourage existing farmers and landowners to work with beginning farmers to help them get their start in agriculture.

Act 43 of 2019 requires the principal for new issuances of state debt to be repaid in equal amounts during the (generally) 20-year term of the bond. Previously, the state used a repayment schedule with lower principal payments in the first few years, with much higher principal payments as the loan matures. This resulted in an additional burden to taxpayers, in the form of higher interest overall.

Act 19 of 2020 authorizes Pennsylvania to enter into the Psychological Interjurisdictional Licensure Compact to regulate the practice of telepsychology. Given the COVID-19 pandemic, many people are seeking mental health care from their own homes, and this law helps to address the increased demand for services so patients can receive the care they need sooner.

This article was published in the Venango Chamber’s December 2020 VenangoWorks! Newsletter.