Budget Address Preview

Every year, the Governor gives a budget address in February to outline what he wants to see in the Commonwealth budget that we are tasked with passing by June 30th. After the address, we begin weeks of hearings with every state agency that is funded by the budget and then we work on the legislation that has to accompany the budget.

Governor Tom Wolf will give his address tomorrow morning at 11:30am and you can watch it live at www.senatorcosta.com/live.

Tomorrow evening I am hosting a telephone town hall to answer your questions about the speech or the process or any other legislative initiatives.

To listen live on your phone, computer or tablet: https://vekeo.com/senatorcosta/

To sign up from your phone, text SENCOSTA to 833-898-5483.

Consumer Advocate Event

The Office of Attorney General’s Bureau of Consumer Protection promotes consumer education and publicizes matters relating to consumer fraud, deception and misrepresentation.

I’ll be partnering with them for National Consumer Protection Week 2020, with an event in my Forest Hills office (1501 Ardmore Blvd, Suite 403) on March 4 from 2 to 5pm.

Representatives from the Office of Attorney General’s Bureau of Consumer Protection will be available to:

1. accept consumer complaints
2. assist consumers in signing up for text scam alerts to obtain real-time information on protecting themselves from scams and other consumer harm
3. answer consumer-related questions 

The Attorney General’s Office receives on average 25,000 consumer complaints a year and since 2017 the Bureau of Consumer Protection alone has contributed over $5.1m to Pennsylvanians through mediation savings, restitution and remittance.

Real ID event

Real ID is coming this year, and the process can be confusing. Beginning October 1, 2020, Pennsylvanians will need a REAL ID-compliant driver’s license, photo ID card, or another form of federally-acceptable identification (such as a valid passport or military ID) to board a domestic commercial flight or enter a federal building or military installation that requires ID.

To help answer your questions, Representative Sara Innamorato and I are hosting a townhall with PennDOT and the Department of Vital Records on March 19.

7th Annual Disability Summit

Every year, Representative Dan Miller (D-Allegheny) hosts the Disability & Mental Health Summit. It’s free to attend and grows tremendously every year. This year, it will be held on March 3rd at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in Pittsburgh.

In 2020, we will celebrate the 30th anniversary of the passage of the landmark Americans with Disabilities Act with dozens of speakers, panels and a keynote address.

Watch Rep. Miller’s announcement video of the summit here.

As part of this year’s event, each of the four caucuses of the General Assembly will jointly host a policy committee hearing that focuses on employing people with disabilities, mental health, and suicide.

You don’t have to register early, but to save your spot – you should! There’s more information on the continuing education credits, offerings and registration available at disabilitysummit.com.

2020 Census

The 2020 U.S. Census is coming up. Complete the Census to get federal government money for our communities. The Census website provides more information on why completing the Census matters.

The U.S. Census Bureau is recruiting thousands of people nationwide to work on the 2020 Census count. Call 1-855-562-2020 for more information.

In The 43rd

Are you keeping up with our biweekly episodes of In The 43rd? I hope that you’re enjoying them and learning a little bit more about our great region.

If you have suggestions for where we should go next, let me know on my website or social media!

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