HARRISBURG – In an effort to revitalize the Bureau of Dog Law Enforcement (BDLE), Sen. Elder Vogel, Jr.’s (R-47) Dog Law Modernization Bill (Senate Bill 746) advanced from the Senate with bipartisan support by a vote of 43-7.

Senate Bill 746 would provide critical updates to Pennsylvania’s Dog Law including increases to licensing and kennel fees.

“The Bureau has been struggling over the last several years to cover basic operations and fill critical vacancies to ensure they can perform their duties efficiently,” said Vogel. “With their primary operating funds coming from the licensing and kennel fees administered through the Dog Law, my legislation seeks to adjust those fees to create an improved flow of funding to better address the Bureau’s current needs. I appreciate my colleagues’ continued support of this vital legislation.”

For the last several years the BDLE has relied on state appropriations to maintain its operations as they have been working in a deficit which has caused a staff shortage within the BDLE and has made it impossible from hiring a new warden when a position is vacated.

To remedy this issue, among others, and with the support of the Department of Agriculture, Senate Bill 746 would first revise annual and lifetime dog licenses. For individual dog licenses, the annual fees would gradually increase by $2 for an annual license in the first year to $7, and a subsequent increase of $2 the following year to $9, with a final increase of $1 in 2027 taking the maximum fee increase to $10, and $49 for a lifetime license (no additional increases) regardless of spay/neuter status.

Seniors and persons disabled are eligible for a $2 discount on annual licenses and a $16 discount on lifetime licenses.

Additionally, since kennel inspections are a significant portion of the work done by the BDLE, this legislation includes a 25% percent increase for each classification.

It is important to note that these fees have not seen an increase for several decades – 25 years for annual and lifetime dog licenses and 57 years for kennel license fees to be exact.

With only approximately 50% of dogs in Pennsylvania licensed, more also needs to be done to improve licensing compliance, so the bill would require a dog be licensed at three months of age or older (current law) or the point of transfer to a new owner, whichever occurs first.  It will also establish an online licensing website for counties that do not currently offer one, thus increasing convenience for their residents.  A statewide licensing database will also be created to modernize the information and provide accessibility to law enforcement statewide.

The legislation also seeks to clarify “dangerous dog” determinations, require that kennels notify the Department of Agriculture of updates to their type or classification, update rescue network kennel licensing and related documentation of foreign dogs, revoke kennel licenses when the kennel is charged with animal cruelty, require transparency of both the source of a dog and the identifying seller’s license information in advertisements, ensure proof of licensure is provided when requested by the appropriate authorities and increase criminal penalties for law violators.

Senate Bill 746 now moves to the House for consideration.

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Pennsylvania’s Democratic-controlled House of Representatives approved a measure by a close vote Tuesday that would raise the minimum wage to $15 by 2026, fulfilling a long-held party campaign plank that has run up against Republican legislative majorities for years.

The bill passed 103-100 with all but one Democrat voting for it and two Republicans joining them. But it has an uncertain future in the Republican-controlled Senate as lawmakers and Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro increasingly focus on budget legislation ahead of the July 1 start of the new fiscal year.

Pennsylvania’s minimum wage is set at the federal minimum of $7.25, and last increased in 2009.

The measure would gradually increase the minimum wage to $15 by changing from $7.25 to $11 in its first year, then to $13 in 2025 and finally to $15 in 2026. The bill ties future increases to inflation, which sponsors say mirrors action taken by 15 other states.

The legislation would also increase the tipped wage to 60% of the minimum wage from the current $2.83 an hour. The movement comes after Democrats won a House majority for the first time in a dozen years, albeit by one seat.

It’s been a yearslong effort for Democrats, who have campaigned on increasing the minimum wage nationally.

Rep. Justin Fleming, a Dauphin County Democrat, said it was one of his priorities as a candidate. He recalled working for a former Democratic governor when the Legislature last increased the minimum wage.

“If you had told me that it would be 14 years before this body would take another stab to raise the minimum wage, I simply wouldn’t have believed it,” he said. “Passing this bill will keep workers who live close to our borders here in the state and patronizing Pennsylvania businesses.”

Republicans emphasized concerns for small businesses and rising costs associated with raising the wage.

“I cannot support a bill that would put a local family restaurant out of business and, along with it, the many employees who make a living at their three locations,” said Rep. Katie Klunk, a York County Republican.

For some Democrats, the effort didn’t extend far enough.

“An African proverb says, ‘When elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers,’” said Dauphin County Democratic Rep. Patty Kim. “Even if we raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour, the grass still suffers. I support this bill because this is a piece to a larger puzzle that will help working families.”

Shapiro campaigned last year for a $15 minimum wage and, in his first budget address, he asked for the increase. Republican opposition stymied efforts by former Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf through his eight years in office to raise the minimum wage.

Wolf imposed higher wage requirements on companies getting loans, grants or tax breaks from the state government through an executive order in 2021. He did the same to state contractors in 2016.

All told, 30 other states and Washington, D.C., have raised the minimum wage above the federal minimum, including some Republican-controlled states, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Every neighbor of Pennsylvania also has raised the minimum wage, although Ohio’s law exempts lower-earning businesses and employees under 16.

June is budget month in Pennsylvania’s Legislature and often a time for deal-making on pet policy priorities between governors and top lawmakers.

Senate Majority Leader Joe Pittman, R-Indiana, said last week that his caucus would wait for the House to pass a minimum wage bill to consider it. However, he said, “$15 an hour is not a practical number” for Republicans in that chamber to consider.

In a deal with Wolf in 2019, the Senate agreed to raise Pennsylvania’s minimum wage in four steps to $9.50 in 2022, but the House’s Republican majority blocked it.

Story by Beaver County Radio News Staff. Published June 20, 2023 1:32 P.M.

Heather Keener has been promoted to Office Manager of the St. Barnabas Dental department in Beaver. Heather started with the company five years ago and will fill a key role following Dr. Henry Windle, DMD, and Terri Windle’s retirement on June 15th.   

FILE – Hunter Biden, the son of President Joe Biden, speaks to guests during the White House Easter Egg Roll on the South Lawn of the White House, April 18, 2022, in Washington. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File)

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden’s son Hunter will plead guilty to federal tax offenses and avoid prosecution on a separate gun charge in a deal with the Justice Department that likely spares him time behind bars. Hunter Biden will plead guilty to the misdemeanor tax offenses as part of the agreement made public Tuesday. The agreement will spare him prosecution on a charge of illegally possessing a firearm as a drug user if he adheres to certain conditions. The White House says the president and the first lady “love their son and support him as he continues to rebuild his life.” Ex-President Donald Trump likens the Hunter Biden deal to a “mere traffic ticket.”

For over four decades, the brightest stars on the high school gridirons of Pennsylvania and Ohio take the field to kick off summer, and the tradition continues Thursday night on Beaver County Radio!

Beaver County Radio’s sports crew will have the call for the 2023 Penn-Ohio Football Classic on June 22, beginning with coverage at 6:30 PM for pregame, and kickoff from Sebo Stadium in Salem at 7:00 PM on 95.7 FM, 99.3 FM, 1230 WBVP and 1460 WMBA.

Former New Brighton head coach (and current athletic director) Joe Greco will be the head coach of PA’s all-star team on Thursday night, as Pennsylvania looks to avenge their 35-28 loss last year to their western rivals. The Keystone State leads the all-time series 28-14.

The game can also be heard anywhere in the world at beavercountyradio.com.

HARRISBURG – Sen. Elder Vogel, Jr. (R-47), majority chair of the Senate Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee, will be hosting a press conference in celebration of National Dairy Month and in honor of Pennsylvania’s Dairy Industry on Thursday, June 22, from 9:30-10:30 a.m. at Soldier’s Grove, 531-559 Commonwealth Ave, Harrisburg, PA 17120.

This event will feature key agriculture and dairy leaders who will provide an overview and share the successes of Pennsylvania’s dairy industry.

Additionally, Vogel will also have some of Pennsylvania’s Dairy Princesses present to share industry specific information, baby calves for some photo opportunities, and the Pennsylvania Dairymen’s Association’s milkshake truck at Soldiers Grove from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Press conference speakers will include:

• Russell Redding, secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture.
• Sen. Elder Vogel, majority chair of the Senate Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee.
• Sen. Judy Schwank, minority chair of the Senate Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee.
• Rep. Eddie Day Pashinski, majority chair of the House Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee.
• Rep. Dan Moul, minority chair of the House Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee.
• Jayne Sebright, executive director of the Center for Dairy Excellence.

Watch live at Facebook.com/Senator.Elder.Vogel.

(Sandy Giordano/Beaver County Radio)

Consolidation of the four Center Township fire departments into one and dissolving the remaining three, along with providing coverage to all the firefighters, was briefly discussed at Monday night’s Center Township supervisors meeting. Fire Chief Bill Brucker will meet with township Solicitor Mike DeLorenzio to ensure the new policy will cover all the firefighters throughout the township.

Fire Station #1 is located on Brodhead Road, the other 3 stations are located in other areas of the township.

The supervisors’ next meeting is Monday, July 17, 2023 at 7 p.m.