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In this Update:

• Presenting $580,000 to St. Huberts!
• Visit to the Community College of Philadelphia
• Legislative Roundtable at SPIN
• Press Conference on COLAs
• Celebrating Labor Day with Our Union Members
• $3.5 Million Available Through VICTIM Act
• Our Upcoming Events
• Food Drive for Food of Justice
• Internship Opportunities
• Veteran Office Hours
• Mobile Office Hours
• Protecting Children and Families from AI Deception
• New Law Cracks Down on Robocalls, Scam Texts and Caller ID Spoofing
• Phishing Scam Targets “MyChart” Patient Portal Users
• Fire and EMS Companies Can Apply Now for State Assistance
• Remembering 9/11 25 Years Later

Presenting $580,000 to St. Huberts!

Earlier this week, I had the opportunity to visit St. Hubert Catholic High School and present two checks totaling $580,000 to support important investments at a school that has been a part of our Northeast community for generations.

Representative Pat Gallagher and I worked together to secure $500,000 in RACP funding, and I was also glad to secure an additional $80,000 for new fencing at the school. These funds will help make important improvements and support a safe, welcoming environment for St. Hubert’s students.

Thank you to Representative Gallagher for working with me to get this done and wishing everyone at St. Hubert’s a great school year!

Visit to the Community College of Philadelphia

Last week, I had the opportunity to tour Community College of Philadelphia’s Northeast Regional Center alongside Representative Martina White and learn more about the work CCP is doing for students here in the Northeast.

We toured the campus, heard more about the programs and opportunities available for students, and talked about how CCP is helping prepare individuals for the workforce and creating pathways to continued education and successful careers.

Thank you to Lisa Sanders, Interim Provost and Vice President for Academic and Student Success; Jenna Perlman, Executive Director of the Northeast5 Regional Center; and Dr. Alycia Marshall, President of the Community College of Philadelphia, for showing us around and sharing more about what’s ahead for CPP.

Legislative Roundtable at SPIN

I had the opportunity to join SPIN, PAR, my legislative colleagues, employees and families for an important conversation about intellectual disability and autism services in Pennsylvania.

SPIN provides critical services and support to children and adults with intellectual disabilities and autism right here in Northeast Philadelphia and throughout the southeast. Hearing directly from the people providing these services and the families who rely on them helps us understand where we can make the system work better.

Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences and perspectives with us.

Press Conference on COLAs

This week, I joined Senator Tracy Pennycuick at the Lower Salford Police Department to recognize the long-overdue cost-of-living adjustments (COLA) enacted in this year’s state budget for retired first responders, teachers and state employees.

For 24 years, these retirees went without an adjustment while the cost of living continued to rise. They dedicated their careers to serving our communities and our Commonwealth, and they deserve a retirement that reflects that service. I was proud to co-sponsor the legislation that helped make this adjustment a reality.

I’m proud we finally got this done, but this is just the beginning. It shouldn’t take another 24 years for our first responders and public servants to receive the next COLA – and I’ll keep working to make sure it doesn’t.

Celebrating Labor Day with Our Union Members

I was proud to join union members and organized laborers for the annual labor Day parade to celebrate the hardworking men and women who keep our city and Commonwealth moving.

From the trades and health care to our schools and so many other industries, these workers show up every day for our communities. It was great spending Labor Day with them and recognizing the work they do for Philadelphia and Pennsylvania.

$3.5 Million Available Through VICTIM Act

I am thrilled to see that the Shapiro-Davis Administration announced $3.5 million in funding for local police departments through the VICTIM Program, created through my Senate Bill 911.

The program provides law enforcement with resources to modernize reporting systems, upgrade investigative technology and improve clearance rates for violent crimes. Funding will also help more departments transition to the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS), giving law enforcement better data to identify crime trends and deploy resources where they are needed most.

This is exactly why we created the VICTIM Program – to give our police the tools they need to solve more crimes and bring justice to victims and their families.

More information on the VICTIM Program can be found here: victim act funding announcement 2026.pdf

Our Upcoming Events

We have an exciting community event coming up on September 18^th, and we hope that you’ll join us. Check out the details in the flyers above, mark your calendars, and we hope to see you there!

Food Drive for Food of Justice

Internship Opportunities

My district office is now accepting applications for our Fall Internship Program! This is a great opportunity for students interested in public service to support the residents of the 5^th Senate District and gain hands-on experience in a legislative office. Please email applications to jpicozzi@pasen.gov.

Veteran Office Hours

We will be hosting Veteran Office Hours at my district office on October 13^th! A Veteran Service Officer will be on hand to assist veterans and their families with benefits, claims, and available resources. Please bring your DD-214 paperwork to the office hours.

Mobile Office Hours

My team and I are bringing constituents services directly into the community! We look forward to seeing you and helping you with any state-related issues

Photo of the Month

We are excited to continue highlighting the people, places, and moments that make Northeast Philadelphia special. Residents can submit photos that capture the spirit of our neighborhoods. We look forward to showing the pride, character, and community that makes Northeast Philadelphia such a great place to live.

You can submit your photos here.

Protecting Children and Families from AI Deception

It’s critical for state laws to keep up with fast-evolving Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology, especially as it relates to protecting our children online. I’m proud of our work to address the alarming rise in AI-generated sexual images of children, as well as non-consenting adults, through  Act 125 of 2024 which gives prosecutors the ability to go after criminals who create “deepfake” AI images of minors and child sexual abuse materials.

Previously, Pennsylvania law made it illegal to share intimate images without consent, and Act 125 took it a step further to combat the use of AI technology for this purpose and prohibits AI from being utilized to generate child sexual abuse material. As technology continues to advance, we must be vigilant in making sure proper safeguards are put in place.

New Law Cracks Down on Robocalls, Scam Texts and Caller ID Spoofing

Legislation we unanimously passed enacting stronger protections from deceptive telemarketing practices will take effect next month.

Under Act 47 of 2026, Pennsylvania’s telemarketing law will now cover modern forms of solicitation, including text messages, voicemails, ringless voicemails and robocalls. It also establishes stronger rules for when and how telemarketers can contact Pennsylvanians, including:

• Prohibiting telemarketing calls before 9 a.m. and after 7 p.m. and on Sundays.
• Requiring prior express written consent for most robocalls and telemarketing text messages.
• Prohibiting telemarketers from falsely identifying themselves or using deceptive caller ID information, including spoofed numbers.
• Requiring telemarketers to stop a solicitation when a consumer asks them to do so.

The legislation also prohibits the use of AI-generated messages to deceive consumers. The new law takes effect Oct. 19.

Phishing Scam Targets “MyChart” Patient Portal Users

If you use MyChart — a popular online patient portal used by many hospitals and healthcare providers — please be aware of a phishing scam targeting patients.

State Attorney General Dave Sunday reports scammers are impersonating MyChart by sending emails or text messages that offer patients a chance to claim a reward in the form of a “MyChart Medicare Kit.” No such program or reward exists.

These emails and text messages are attempts to trick recipients into clicking on malicious links, and obtain passwords and personal information from patients, which allows hackers to gain access to the patients’ MyChart portals. Read about how to avoid this and other phishing scams here.

Fire and EMS Companies Can Apply Now for State Assistance

Attention local fire companies, emergency medical services and volunteer rescue squads: Applications are being accepted for the latest round of the state Fire Company and Emergency Medical Services Grant program.

The funds can be used to help pay for facility construction/renovation, equipment, training, debt reduction and more. The application period closes Oct. 22.

Providing communities with fire, medical and rescue services comes with a considerable price tag, especially for volunteer organizations. The General Assembly funds these grants to ensure these life-saving services are available. Find more information and applications here. 

Remembering 9/11 25 Years Later

On Sept. 11, 2001, terrorists highjacked four airliners on America’s east coast and turned them into deadly missiles, ultimately taking the lives of nearly 3,000 citizens in the name of Islamic fundamentalism.

Filled with passengers, two of the planes were flown into the World Trade Center towers in New York City and another into the Pentagon in Washington, D.C.  The fourth, perhaps destined to strike the White House or U.S. Capitol, was brought down in Somerset County by brave passengers who fought back.

Twenty-five years later, we recall the shock and anger over the attack, the grief over lives taken and the resolve to prevent another act of that scale. I hope we also remember the nation coming together in response, and the power of a unified people facing adversity. As the number of people who experienced this event declines, it becomes more important to dedicate ourselves to never letting that day slip from our nation’s memory.