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Senator Scott Hutchinson

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March 2016

Dear Friend,

I am pleased to present my electronic newsletter. These e-newsletters enable me to provide information about issues, events and activities in Harrisburg and around the 21st Senatorial District to you in a timely manner while saving postage costs.  

If you find this e-newsletter useful, I invite you to visit my website www.senatorscotthutchinson.com for more information about your state government. If you do not wish to receive these e-newsletters, please click the “unsubscribe” button at the bottom of the page.

Sincerely,

Scott


Volunteers Needed for Great American Cleanup of Pennsylvania

As Chairman of the Joint Legislative Air and Water Pollution Control and Conservation Committee, I strongly support and encourage everyone to participate in this year’s Great American Cleanup of Pennsylvania, which runs from now through May 31.

The cleanup is sponsored each year by PENNDOT, the Department of Environmental Protection, Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful and other partners. More than 6 million pounds of litter was collected from Pennsylvania’s roads, trails and shorelines by more than 128,000 volunteers during last year’s Great American Cleanup.

A listing of cleanup events, resources for organizing a cleanup, and other information about the effort are available online at www.gacofpa.org. Groups interested in adopting a section of highway are encouraged to contact their local PENNDOT County Maintenance office and or visit www.penndot.gov under “About us.” Groups interested in adopting a locally maintained road, contact Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful, www.keeppabeautiful.org under “Keep It.”

Applications Available Now for Alternative Fuels Incentive Grants

Businesses, school districts, municipalities and non-profits can apply now for grants to support the purchase and use of alternative fuel vehicles and technology.

The Alternative Fuels Incentive Grant (AFIG) program helps offset the cost of implementing alternative fuel transportation projects, including covering a portion of the cost to purchase alternative fuel vehicles, retrofit existing vehicles to operate on alternative fuels, assist in the purchase of refueling equipment, and support research, training and development of alternative fuel vehicles and technology.

The AFIG program is administered by the state Department of Environmental Protection. Applications and additional details on the program are available online at www.dep.pa.gov.

The application period for the grant program will remain open throughout the year. A total of $7 million in grants will be available during the 2016 calendar year.

Hearing Will Review Rising Long-Term Care Insurance Rates

The Pennsylvania Department of Insurance will hold a public hearing on long-term care insurance and issues that surround the market on March 10 in Harrisburg. The hearing will focus on several rate increase requests and the Insurance Department’s review process.

The hearing will take place from 9 - 11:30 a.m. in the Rachel Carson State Office Building, 400 Market Street, Harrisburg.

The hearing will be livestreamed at http://pacast.com/players/live_insurance.asp. Video of the hearing will be posted on the Department’s website: www.insurance.pa.gov.

The Department is currently reviewing rate increase proposals from:

  • Genworth Life Insurance Company, requesting rate increases from 33 to 130 percent, depending on the policy;
  • Unum Life Insurance Company of America, requesting rate increases from 63 to 94 percent;
  • John Hancock Life Insurance Company, requesting rate increases from 14 to 88 percent;
  • Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, requesting rate increases from 43 to 60 percent.

The Department is planning to hold additional hearings at locations around the state. A list of the sites, which are still being finalized, is on the Insurance Department website, www.insurance.pa.gov. Anyone wanting to testify at any of these sites or in Harrisburg should register at ra-in-comment@pa.gov.

Federal Regulation Changes Affect Commercial Driver Licenses

As a result of new federal regulations, Pennsylvania enacted a state law last year that sets new requirements for holders of Commercial Driver Licenses (CDL). Act 49 of 2015 made several changes to the Pennsylvania Vehicle Code regarding CDLs that were required for the Commonwealth to comply with Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) rules.

Most notably all new CDL applicants and current license holders who are renewing or making any changes to their CDL must do so in person one time to meet citizenship and residency requirements set by the federal regulations.

License holders are now required to show citizenship by presenting a birth certificate, passport, naturalization documents or current immigration documents. Residency can be established through: tax records, lease agreements, mortgage documents, a W-2 Form, current weapons permit, current utility bills, a letter from the Department of Transportation, or current Pennsylvania driver’s license.

After meeting the proof of residency and citizenship requirements one time in person, subsequent CDL applications may be submitted through the mail.

More information on the changes to CDL requirements is available by clicking on Driver Licensing at www.dmv.pa.gov, then clicking on the Commercial Driver tab, then the Act 49 CDL Changes/New CDL Skills Testing tab.


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Offices of Senator Scott E. Hutchinson

HARRISBURG

Senate Box 203021
170 Main Capitol
Harrisburg, PA 17120
(717) 787-9684
FAX: (717) 787-6088
TTY: (877) 659-4483
WARREN

22045 Route 6
Warren, PA 16365-7952
(814) 728-2100
FAX: (814) 728-2102

BUTLER

110 East Diamond Street
Butler, PA 16001
(724) 282-1234
FAX: (724) 282-6852
OIL CITY

302 Seneca Street
Oil City, PA 16301
(814) 677-6345
FAX: (814) 677-6331