Last week, the House of Representatives passed Alicia’s Law, which would create a dedicated state grant program to help law enforcement find, investigate and prosecute internet predators who target children.
The bill is named for Alicia Kozak, a Pittsburgh-area girl who was abducted in 2002 at the age of 13 by a man she met online. It was one of the first documented cases of its kind in the country. Alicia survived and has spent years advocating for stronger protections so other children don’t go through what she did.
House Bill 1098 would establish the Investigation and Prosecution of Internet Crimes Against Children Program within the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD). The program creates a state-level funding structure to:
• Fund law enforcement task forces made up of state and local prosecutors dedicated to investigating and prosecuting online crimes against minors.
• Supplement federal funding for task forces combating child sexual exploitation online.
• Train task force members on the latest techniques for detecting, investigating and prosecuting these crimes.
These state task forces would work alongside the existing federal Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force Program, which funds 61 task forces nationally. Currently, Pennsylvania has just one federally funded ICAC task force. Alicia’s Law creates the infrastructure to expand that capacity using state resources.
Alicia’s Law is already on the books in 12 other states. Pennsylvania joining the group through this bill reflects a growing national movement to treat online predation as the serious and organized threat that it is.
The bill now moves to the Senate for consideration.
Happy Mother's Day to all the amazing mothers out there!
A special shout out to my wonderful wife, Lauren, who makes the lives of these five guys blessed beyond measure!
My mom is no longer here, but she loved me unconditionally and I'll cherish that forever.
Thankful to again be part of the Annual Pennsylvania State Capitol Bible Reading Marathon. I participated by reading Proverbs 27-29.
The Marathon is a five-day, 90-hour event in which the Bible is read non-stop from Genesis to Revelation at the stairs of our capitol building.
Did you know there are 39 different scriptures etched into the walls throughout our capitol building?
"The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe." -Proverbs 29:25
Yesterday, I spoke at the PA Families for Education Choice "Rockin’ the Capitol" rally. We were joined by over 1,000 students along with family members, teachers, and administrators who were at the capitol to advocate for choice in education.
Who knows what’s best for your education? You Do. NOT Government, NOT Bureaucrats, NOT pontificating academics in their ivory towers, and definitely NOT politicians in Harrisburg.
My wife and I recently attended the annual @aliquippaimpact benefit dinner at St. Titus’ Catholic Church.
It was an incredibly encouraging and faith-filled evening. Thank you to all those involved with the organization for working to help transform the lives of so many young people!
Thank you to Sara Scott, owner of @mynewlifewellnesscoaching in Chippewa, for inviting me to visit and discuss her growing business in our community!
New Life Wellness has big things planned for expansion and is helping many individuals in our community that are struggling with their health and feel they have nowhere else to turn.
It was an honor to be asked to speak at @cornerstonebeaver 's 10th Anniversary Celebration of Hope.
Their mission is to end homelessness in Beaver County, and I’m deeply grateful for the work they do to support our neighbors facing the most difficult circumstances—those who have nowhere else to turn.
My latest "Capitol Report" is now live. For more on the upcoming voter registration deadline, details about spring gobbler season and more, click here: /q/pZtpn-o0yA98nQI16Xjsfzu8h5kAdj3t5ENk-dYLQA266eVQ8lQ-2qRlZ
To have the "Capitol Report" delivered straight to your inbox, click here: /Email-Signup
It takes a community to shape what’s next.
On April 27, students from across the county will come together at Blackhawk High School for the inaugural Beaver County Launch, a high-impact financial literacy event designed to prepare them for real-life decisions after graduation.
We're also incredibly grateful for @remakelearningdays and Beaver Valley Intermediate Unit, and all of our partners who are helping make it happen!
It was a privilege to deliver official citations from myself, @repjoshkail , and the PA House of Representatives to the @blackhawkhs Clay Target Team for all of their amazing accomplishments this past year.
Led by Head Coach Ron Neff and Assistant Coaches Josh Krut, Lee
Heeter, Chuck Myers, Jason Granato, Rick Heagerty, Allan Myers, Drew Wright and Bruce Dye, the team finished 2nd Place at the Clay Target National Championship and became the first team ever in the state of Pennsylvania to have a team squad that finished in the Top 5!
Congratulations to Celeste Krut, Landon Young, Lucas Myers, Wesley Scott, and Alana Geibel on their second place performance at Nationals!
The team has youth from 12 different school districts. If you are in the Beaver County region and have children who are interested in participating in this growing organization, make sure you reach out to the Blackhawk Clay Target Team !
This week, April 20-24, is National Work Zone Awareness Week, a time to remind drivers to be cautious, alert and respectful while traveling through areas of roadway and bridge construction. The latest data shows that 898 people were killed in work zone crashes and over 40,000 people were injured in a year.
When you encounter work zones, drive the posted work zone speed limit; stay alert and pay attention to signs and flaggers; maintain a safe distance around vehicles; use flashers if traveling slowly; avoid distractions; and be patient.
State law requires motorists to travel with their headlights on in all posted work zones, not just active work zones. Daytime running lights are not sufficient; drivers must have their headlights on to also activate their taillights.
Drivers also should be aware that interstate work zones with a project cost exceeding $300,000 will have a speed-monitoring device to alert motorists of their speed prior to entering the work zone.
