PennDOT Extends Expiration Dates on Vehicle Registrations, Vehicle Inspections and Other Products

Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) announced today that expiration dates for vehicle registrations and safety and emission inspections will be extended for Pennsylvania residents in response to statewide COVID-19 mitigation efforts.

Deadlines on the following products will be extended effective May 12, 2020:

• Vehicle registrations of all classes which includes, but not limited to, mass transit vehicle registrations, apportioned vehicle registrations, fleet vehicle registrations, dealer plate registrations, temporary registrations and biennial farm exemption certificates scheduled to expire from March 16 through May 31, 2020, the expiration date is now extended through June 30, 2020.
• Safety inspections and emissions inspections scheduled to expire from March 16 through May 31, 2020, the expiration date is now extended through June 30, 2020.
• Persons with Disabilities parking placards scheduled to expire from March 16 through May 31, 2020, the expiration date is now extended through June 30, 2020.

These extensions are in addition to those announced on May 1 related to driver’s licenses, photo ID cards, and learner’s permits scheduled to expire from March 16, 2020 through May 31, 2020 – these products are also extended through June 30, 2020. A camera card is considered a driver’s license, so it is covered by the same terms and conditions extending other driver’s license products.

Additionally, limited services are available at some Driver License and Photo License Centers. For a list of open driver license and photo license centers and the services provided, as well as their hours of operation, please visit www.dmv.pa.gov.

Customers may continue to complete various transactions and access multiple resources online at www.dmv.pa.gov. Driver and vehicle online services are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week and include driver’s license, photo ID and vehicle registration renewals; driver-history services; changes of address; driver license and vehicle registration restoration letters; ability to pay driver license or vehicle insurance restoration fee; and driver license and photo ID duplicates. There are no additional fees for using online services.

PennDOT will continue to evaluate these processes and will communicate any changes with the public.

More COVID-19 information is available at www.health.pa.gov. For more information, visit www.dmv.pa.gov or www.PennDOT.gov.

AMBRIDGE, May 12 – State Rep. Rob Matzie, D-Beaver/Allegheny, issued the following statement today in response to news that the Pennsylvania Department of Health will institute universal COVID-19 testing in nursing homes and personal care facilities statewide.

 “As a result of my bill, the PA DOH announced a universal testing plan for all nursing homes and personal care facilities. In addition, data will be collected and publicly released in accordance to CMS standards.

 “Residents, families, staff and the public have lost faith in many facilities regarding their safety and transparency. Although long overdue, this is a positive first step – but just a first step. The task will not be completed until COVID-19 numbers in nursing homes and personal care facilities are brought to zero.”

 

Department of Health Distributes Drug to Help Treat COVID-19 Patients in Hospitals 

Harrisburg, PA – The Department of Health today distributed the investigational antiviral medication, remdesivir, to treat patients in the hospital with COVID-19. The federal government distributed the first shipment of 1,200 doses to the department on Tuesday, May 12, and this entire allotment has been shipped to Pennsylvania hospitals.

“The department is working to give our hospitals every opportunity to treat patients with COVID-19,” Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine said. “It is important to note that there is limited information on the safety and effectiveness of using remdesivir to treat people in the hospital with COVID-19. However, it was shown in a clinical trial to shorten the recovery time in some people, which is why the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has authorized the emergency use of the medication for treatment.”

Fifty-one hospitals across Pennsylvania will be receiving the first shipment over the next few days. The hospitals that will receive the first shipments were determined based on the number of COVID-19 patients at the hospital over a recent seven-day period, and the severity of the illness of those patients, based on whether they are on a ventilator. The department will continue to work with our federal partners to acquire more doses of this medication to serve more patients across Pennsylvania.

Remdesivir is given to a patient through an IV once per day for up to 10 days, depending on how critically ill the patient is. According to the FDA, remdesivir may help decrease the amount of coronavirus in your body, which may help you get better faster.

Symptoms of COVID-19 can include:

• Fever
• Cough
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Diarrhea
• Chills
• Repeating shaking with chills
• Muscle pain
• Headache
• Sore throat
• New loss of taste or smell

Symptoms may appear in as few as two days or as long as 14 days after exposure. Reported illnesses have ranged from people with little to no symptoms to people being severely ill and dying.

LAMB, GIBBS LEAD BIPARTISAN CALL TO FUND TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE

Letter to House Leadership Requests Immediate Infusion in Federal Funding for State Departments of Transportation in Next COVID-19 Relief Package

 (PITTSBURGH, PA) – Representatives Conor Lamb (PA-17) and Bob Gibbs (OH-7), both members of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, led a coalition of bipartisan Members in a letter to House leadership encouraging support for state Departments of Transportation (DOTs) in the next package of COVID-19 relief legislation.  This aid will help critical infrastructure projects move forward, while also keeping other critical state DOT functions operational.

“We are writing in support of the calls for a $49.95 billion infusion of federal funding to state departments of Transportation (DOTs) in the next COVID-19 response legislation,” the lawmakers wrote to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy.  “Our transportation system is essential to America’s economic recovery, but it is facing an immediate need as the COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacts states’ transportation revenues. With negotiations for the next COVID-19 relief package underway, we write to convey our strong support that future legislation includes a provision to address the needs of highway and bridge projects.”

“The coronavirus is having a devastating economic impact on states,” said Lamb.  “We need to take bold action to invest in infrastructure projects to spur our economy and ensure that we are protecting good paying jobs.  This is a strategic investment that will help our state and local communities recover faster while improving our roads and transportation systems.”

“As the coronavirus severely reduces the revenue streams for state transportation agencies, it is clear that transportation infrastructure will need support to fill in the funding gaps for what is truly essential infrastructure,” said Gibbs.  “Because states fund their transportation agencies through fuel taxes and tolls, the funding shortage will disproportionately impact those agencies. When the nation begins returning to normal, and surface transportation traffic returns to pre-coronavirus levels, the reduction in revenue may leave important projects incomplete or unfunded without a boost in any future coronavirus legislation.”

This letter is supported by various groups and coalitions, including, but not limited to: American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials – National Conference of State Legislatures – Transportation Construction Coalition – American Road & Transportation Builders Association – Associated General Contractors of America – National Stone, Sand and Gravel Association – International Union of Operating Engineers – Laborers’ International Union of North America – Highway Materials Group – American Highway Users Alliance – American Council of Engineering Companies – American Society of Civil Engineers – Association for the Improvement of American Infrastructure – National Asphalt Pavement Association – Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO – Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM).

In addition to Lamb and Gibbs, the bipartisan letter was signed by 135 Members.

Police: Driver shot in parking lot confrontation dies
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Authorities in western Pennsylvania say a driver shot during a confrontation with another driver in a Pittsburgh parking lot has died. Police spokesman Chris Togneri says the victim was leaving a parking lot in the city’s Knoxville neighborhood Monday night when he got into a verbal confrontation with another driver entering the lot. Police say a person in the second vehicle fired several shots at the victim before the second car drove away. The man was taken to a hospital with gunshot wounds to his torso and legs and died during the night. The Allegheny County coroner’s office is investigating.

Pennsylvania plans widespread virus tests in nursing homes
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Gov. Tom Wolf says his administration plans to begin testing every resident and employee for the coronavirus in nursing homes and other facilities caring for older adults. Wolf said Tuesday his administration will undertake the surveillance testing with a goal of testing every resident and employee once a week. Wolf’s health secretary had previously said there wasn’t enough available testing to test everyone in a nursing home. The virus is reported by Wolf’s administration to have killed more than 2,600 residents of nursing homes or personal care homes. That constitutes about two-thirds of the state’s overall death toll.

Department of Health Provides Update on COVID-19, 837 Positives Bring Statewide Total to 57,991

Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Health today confirmed as of 12:00 a.m., May 12, that there are 837 additional positive cases of COVID-19, bringing the statewide total to 57,991. All 67 counties in Pennsylvania have cases of COVID-19.

The state is reporting an increase of 75 new deaths today, bringing the statewide total to 3,806 deaths in Pennsylvania. County-specific information and a statewide map are available here.

Locally in Beaver County we are still at 493 positive cases there is no increase from yesterday. 2513 people have tested negative in the county Zero additional deaths are being reported as the County is still at to 78.

In the 3 nursing homes that are reporting positive cases in the county the numbers are holding at 324 positive cases. Employee cases are still at 23 and the death toll has is at 71.

“As counties move from red to yellow, we need all Pennsylvanians to continue to follow the social distancing and mitigation efforts in place,” Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine said. “We must continue to protect our most vulnerable Pennsylvanians, which includes our seniors, those with underlying health issues, our healthcare workers and our first responders. I am proud of the work that Pennsylvanians have done so far, but we cannot stop now, we must continue to take the necessary steps to protect ourselves from COVID-19.”

There are 237,989 patients who have tested negative to date. Of the patients who have tested positive to date the age breakdown is as follows:

• Nearly 1% are aged 0-4;
• Nearly 1% are aged 5-12;
• 1% are aged 13-18;
• Nearly 6% are aged 19-24;
• Nearly 37% are aged 25-49;
• 26% are aged 50-64; and
• 28% are aged 65 or older.

Most of the patients hospitalized are aged 65 or older, and most of the deaths have occurred in patients 65 or older. More data is available here.

In nursing and personal care homes, there are 12,130 resident cases of COVID-19, and 1,724 cases among employees, for a total of 13,854 at 540 distinct facilities in 44 counties. Out of our total deaths, 2,611 have occurred in residents from nursing or personal care facilities. A county breakdown can be found here.

Approximately 3,923 of our total cases are in health care workers.

For the latest information for individuals, families, businesses and schools, visit “Responding to COVID-19” on pa.gov.

Non-life-sustaining businesses in the red phase are ordered to be closed and schools are closed statewide through the remainder of the academic year. Currently, 24 counties are in the yellow phase of reopening; 13 more will move to the yellow phase on May 15.

PennDOT To Use Existing Photos for Driver License and Identification Card Renewals

Customers with camera cards must still obtain new photos

Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) announced today that PennDOT will use existing photos on file for customers who renew their driver’s license and identification card.

“Using a customer’s existing photo will help limit the number of people in our driver and photo license centers, and by extension, help reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19,” said Acting PennDOT Secretary Yassmin Gramian. “This new process is not only a convenience, but it will help to keep our customers and staff safe.”

All customers who renew their driver’s license or photo ID card online or through the mail will receive a new product using the most recent photo of that individual that exists in PennDOT’s system. No camera cards will be issued to these customers, and they will receive their new product by mail within 15 days. The renewal process is complete when the final product is received.

Non-commercial driver’s license and photo ID card holders may renew their product online, providing there are no corrections or changes other than a change of address, by visiting www.dmv.pa.gov. Both non-commercial and commercial drivers may renew their products through the mail.

Individuals who renewed their product on or before May 10, 2020 will receive a camera card in the mail and will need to visit a PennDOT Photo License Center to obtain an updated photo. Additionally, non-U.S. citizens must also visit a driver’s license center in person to complete a transaction. For a list of reopened locations, visit www.dmv.pa.gov.

Expiration dates on driver’s licenses, photo ID cards, learner’s permits and camera cards scheduled to expire from March 16, 2020 through May 31, 2020, have been extended until June 30, 2020.

A Pennsylvania driver’s license is valid for four years, expiring on the day after the driver’s birthday. PennDOT will continue to send an Invitation to Renew to each driver three months prior to license expiration. Individuals age 65 or older have the option of renewing their license every two years, instead of the standard four years.

If a customer’s license is nearing expiration and they were planning to get a REAL ID at their time of renewal, they can renew their license or ID and get a standard, “NOT FOR REAL ID PURPOSES” product. The issuance of REAL ID is currently suspended as a mitigation effort in preventing the spread of COVID-19. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has extended the REAL ID enforcement deadline until October 1, 2021.

Once REAL ID issuance has resumed, customers with a non-REAL ID product can upgrade to a REAL ID and their new product will include any time remaining on their current product, plus an additional four years – customers won’t “lose” time that they’ve already paid for, and after the initial REAL ID product expires, there is no additional fee (beyond regular renewal fees) to renew a REAL ID product.

Driver and vehicle online services at www.dmv.pa.gov are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week and include driver’s license, photo ID and vehicle registration renewals; driver-history services; changes of address; driver license and vehicle registration restoration letters; ability to pay driver license or vehicle insurance restoration fee; and driver license and photo ID duplicates. There are no additional fees for using online services.

PennDOT will continue to evaluate these processes and will communicate any changes with the public.

More COVID-19 information is available at www.health.pa.gov. For more information, visit www.dmv.pa.gov or www.PennDOT.gov.