Senator Aument E-Newsletter

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Senate Education Committee Examines School Safety Issues

The tragic school shooting that took place in Florida several weeks ago has drawn greater attention to the need to ensure our students are protected against senseless acts of violence. The Senate Education Committee held a hearing last week to explore the problem from a variety of angles and examine potential solutions that could improve student and school safety.

The hearing featured testimony from school officials, members of the law enforcement community and other parties that have a role to play in protecting students. I appreciated all of the perspectives that were shared and I look forward to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to find bipartisan agreement on steps we can take to reduce future risks to students.

Pennsylvania has already taken a number of steps to prevent similar tragedies from occurring here, but much work remains to ensure our schools are protected and prepared. Video and written testimony from the hearing are available here.

Town Hall Meetings Scheduled

I hope you can join me for a conversation at one of my upcoming town hall meetings on March 21 in New Holland and my recently rescheduled event on April 10 in Ephrata. For more details, check out my events page at www.senatoraument.com.

Wednesday, March 21 at 6:30 pm
Garden Spot Village
433 South Kinzer Avenue
New Holland, PA 17557

Tuesday, April 10 at 6:30 pm
Ephrata Borough Office
124 South State Street
Ephrata, PA 17522

Real ID Pre-Verification Available Now

Next year, PennDOT will have new driver’s licenses available for motorists who wish to have photo ID that meets federal REAL ID standards. Pennsylvanians who are interested in receiving a new driver’s license or ID card that meets federal requirements for air travel and accessing federal buildings can complete a pre-verification application now.

Additional information on REAL ID and how to comply with the new federal ID standards is available here. Applicants can pre-verify here.

My thanks goes out to all of the local students who participated in my Senator for a Day program in Harrisburg. The student government seminar helped young people learn more about the legislative process. I appreciated hearing their perspectives on some of the most important issues facing Pennsylvania!

 

Op-ed Highlights Workforce Development Initiative

One of the key components of Governor Wolf’s budget address this year was a proposal to invest additional funding in workforce development. The PA Smart Initiative would promote STEM and computer science education, as well as apprenticeships and industry partnerships to help prepare young people for the careers of today and tomorrow.

I recently wrote and recorded an op-ed in support of this approach because it emphasizes a broader range of options for students. Lancaster County schools are already leading the way in terms of career and technical education, and I am hopeful that we can continue to support similar programs locally and throughout the state.

The op-ed and video is available here.

Great American Cleanup of PA Scheduled Through May 31

The Great American Cleanup of PA program encourages state residents to help support a more vibrant environment by participating in beautification projects throughout the state from March 1 through May 31.

In Lancaster County alone, last year’s event resulted in the disposal of more than 77,000 pounds of trash, as well as 550 miles of roads, shoreline and trails cleaned. Details on this year’s event is available online at http://gacofpa.org/.

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