State Senator Lindsey M. Williams, Your District 38 Update

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*Constituent Stories**

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*Another
Great AARP Tax-Aide Season for Our Constituents!*

My office
schedules tax prep appointments for the AARP Tax-Aide's Ross and
Shaler locations every year. Giving seniors the peace of mind that
their taxes have been filed by a trained preparer- for free- is
incredibly rewarding for me and my entire staff. And by having my
office handle scheduling, the AARP volunteers have more time to focus
preparing taxes for our community's low to moderate-income seniors.
Tax season is always my office's busiest time of the year. On top of
their regular casework, meetings, and projects, my Constituent
Relations Specialists team fields hundreds of calls each week from
January-April to book AARP Tax-Aide appointments, make reminder calls,
help constituents get their tax documents, and make referrals.
This year's totals for constituent help with AARP Tax-Aide included:
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3,150 Calls with Constituents

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1,341 Tax Cases Opened

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1,850 Appointments Requested

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1,128 Appointments Scheduled

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1,300 Appointment Reminder Calls

Every year, we have more demand
for appointments than there are volunteer tax preparers to help. If
you are looking for a way to give back to your community, consider
volunteering with the AARP. You receive free training, the hours are
part-time over four months, and you get to spend time with people who
really need and appreciate your skills!

For volunteer information
go to: [link removed] [link 2].
Thank you to my staff for all of their hard work this tax season. I'm
constantly hearing how kind, compassionate and helpful you are to our
constituents!

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*Upcoming
Events**

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*Cheswick
Strawberry Festival*

*Rachel Carson Park, 298 Duquesne Ave, Sunday,
June 1, 2025, 3-7pm*

Come on out to Rachel Carson Park on Sunday,
June 1st for a "sweet" time at Cheswick's annual Strawberry Festival.
Senator Williams and her staff will be there to hear what is important
to you, answer your questions, and provide state resources. We look
forward to seeing everyone and enjoying some strawberry shortcake!
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*Get
the Support You've Earned: VFW Service Officer Appointments
Available!*

Whether you have questions about the benefits you've
earned from your service, or just want a fresh review, take advantage
of the Veterans Service Officer (VSO) appointments available at my
Ross and Harrison Township district offices. We now have VSO
appointments in both offices every month!

*Ross Township
Office*

5000 McKnight Road, Suite 405

Pittsburgh, PA
15237

1st Monday of each month from 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM

*Upcoming
Dates:*

-
Monday, June 2nd

-
Monday, July 7th

*Harrison
Township Office*

1826 Union Ave.

Natrona Heights, PA
15065

1st Thursday of each month from 1:00 PM - 4:45
PM

*Upcoming Dates:*

-
Thursday, June 5th

Contact us at
412-364-0469 (Ross), 724-224-2131 (Harrison), or email us at
[email protected] [link 3] to book your one-on-one
session - appointments fill up quickly, so don't delay!

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*New
Office Hours at the Kingsley Association!*

*Next Date: Friday, June
6, 2025: 9:00 AM -1:00 PM*

My office hosts monthly office hours on
the first Friday of every month at the Kingsley Association. Stop by
and say hello to our staff during our new time slot from 9:00 AM -1:00
PM to get all of the services our District Offices provide.

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Property Tax or Rent Rebates

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Senior Photo Connect Cards

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PennDOT Forms

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Connection to Resources

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Unclaimed Property
Searches

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Voter Registration

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And much more!

Free
notary service is also available. Please contact our office to
schedule with a notary at our Community Office Hours, or in one of our
District Offices:

-
412-364-0469 (Ross)

-
724-224-2131
(Harrison)

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*Good
News**

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*Student
Government Seminar - Valuable Experience for Students*

Thank you
Sen. Nick Pisciottano for inviting me to join your Student Government
Seminar as a panelist!

Over 150 students from 10 Allegheny County
schools spent the morning learning from panelists. The students then
split into teams to debate and vote on a bill about social media
protections during a mock Senate Session.

As always, I was very
impressed with the incredible participation of the students-- they
asked amazing questions and offered impressive insight into the issues
facing us all. Thank you all for participating!

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*PAAR's
Teal Ball*

My team and I joined guests in support of survivors of
sexual assault at the Pittsburgh Action Against Rape (PAAR) Teal Ball.
Teal is the signature color of sexual assault awareness. We all wore
it proudly to show survivors in our community that we believe and
support them. All Teal Ball proceeds go directly to help survivors on
their journey to healing and a brighter future.

Sexual Assault
impacts the lives of thousands of people across the United States
every day. If you or a loved one need resources, please contact
Pittsburgh Action Against Rape (PAAR) at [link removed] [link 4] or
call/text their 24-hour confidential hotline at
1-866-363-7273.

*Welcoming Guests to the Senate*

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*Neighborhood
Academy Basketball - PIAA Champs*

Earlier this month, I welcomed
The Neighborhood Academy Bulldogs Boys Basketball Team, your 2025 PIAA
Class 1A Champions! Despite being the sixth-smallest school in the
WPIAL conference, this mighty team had the fourth-highest scoring
offense this season, averaging 71.3 points per game.

Even more
impressive, during the season, the team maintained an impressive 3.6
GPA, with 9 of the 12 players earning Honor Roll status, which is
incredible.

Congratulations to The Neighborhood Academy
Bulldogs!

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[link 5]

Astronaut Warren Hoburg*

I also had the pleasure of
welcoming Mr. Warren "Woody" Hoburg to the Senate in honor of
Pennsylvania Aerospace Day on May 6. As a NASA astronaut, Mr. Hoburg
has logged 186 days in space and conducted two extravehicular
activities in his career for a total of 11 hours and 38
minutes.

While Mr. Hoburg has visited space, his storied career
began back right here in Senate District 38, in the North Allegheny
School District. Just a reminder for all of our students that if you
reach for the stars, you just might get there!

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*Senate
District 38 Intern Danny Gallagher*

My final guest in May was our
Spring Intern, Danny Gallagher. Danny joined us at the beginning of
this year, and immediately hit the ground running. She was incredibly
hard working, especially during what is inarguably our busiest season
of the year, tax season. The office fielded over 4000 calls during the
first quarter, and without Danny's help, I'm not sure we would have
survived!

She also did an incredible job of helping us break down
data on constituent interactions, which allowed us to see just how
many calls that we were taking compared to prior years.

We all want
to wish Danny well on her next steps and her bright
future!

*Constituent Meetings in Harrisburg*

This month, I had
the chance to meet with lots of constituents in Harrisburg to talk
about legislation that is meaningful to them and to families all
across Senate District 38.

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*American
Cancer Society*

I met with the American Cancer Society Cancer
Action Network to discuss House Bill 200, Paid Family and Medical
Leave, and increased access to cancer screenings, early detection
programs, and more. Providing increased access to quality care will
allow more people to catch potential cancers quickly and receive
treatment in early stages.

We need to expand family medical leave,
and not just for families with newborns. We need to expand coverage
for people caring for their siblings, grandparents, or grandchildren
too. So many people in Pennsylvania are taking care of not just kids
but elderly parents and siblings with disabilities. Paid leave means
not having to choose between your job and family. It means not having
to choose between taking care of your loved ones and making rent this
month. It just makes sense for everyone.

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*Emergency
Medical Services*

I also met with Greg Porter, Executive Director
of Ross/West View EMSA and Eric Schmidt, Executive Director and Chief
of Shaler Hampton EMS. Our local EMS Chiefs were in Harrisburg with
the Ambulance Association of Pennsylvania to rally for improved access
to EMS and patient billing protections.

Pennsylvania EMS agencies
are facing a funding crisis, especially in rural communities. I am
committed to finding sustainable streams of funding for this
life-saving care. As the Shaler Hampton EMS motto says, they are at
their best on our worst days!

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*Trying
Together*

I also met with Trying Together and childcare providers
from Senate District 38 to discuss childcare funding and learn more
about their new "A Day in the Life" map. This interactive map tells
the stories of childcare providers and teachers across PA and the
challenges that they face in providing affordable, high-quality care.
You can read their stories and find out what A Day in the Life of a
childcare provider is like here [link 6].

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*Senior Social 2025*

We had so much fun at this month's Senior
Social! Thank you to our vendors for bringing great information, to
Chef and I Catering for a delicious lunch, and to Lorren with Venture
Outdoors and the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission for bringing
Blue the Iguana to meet everyone.

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*Legislative
Update**

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*Supporting
our Childcare Workforce*

Childcare educators are the backbone of
our economy--they are the workforce that allows the rest of us to get
to work, and they are the first educators of our future workforce.
Without safe, affordable, and accessible healthcare, parents can't
work and our economy can't recover.

But the childcare industry is
facing a teacher shortage crisis, driven in large part by low wages
that make it difficult for providers to recruit and retain staff.
Across the state, we have over 3,000 open childcare positions. If
these jobs were filled, an estimated 25,000 more children and families
could have access to quality childcare.

To help get more qualified
teachers into our childcare centers, my colleagues Sen. Judy Schwank,
Rep. Jeanne McNeill, and I are introducing legislation [link 7] that
will invest funding proposed by Governor Shapiro in his 2025-26 budget
[link 8] in recruitment and retention bonuses for licensed childcare
providers participating in the Child Care Works program. This
investment would not only help stabilize our childcare workforce and
provide quality care and education to our youngest learners, but it
will also support the broader workforce and strengthen Pennsylvania's
economy by keeping parents from leaving their jobs due to high costs
or lack of childcare.

This investment will help open up more
opportunities for childcare, while addressing the high costs of
childcare. I am proud to work with Governor Shapiro, my colleagues and
childcare providers from across the state to fight for quality
child-care and to support our working families!

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*News
You Can Use**

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*New Security Feature Allows SNAP Users to Digitally Lock
EBT Cards and Prevent Theft!*

If you are a Supplemental Nutrition
Assistance Program (SNAP) beneficiary and received the text above, it
is legitimate! *SNAP recipients can now lock their EBT cards* when not
in use to protect their cards from theft and skimming *with Card
Lock*, a new feature on the ConnectEBT app or website.

*How to
Lock and Unlock Your EBT Card with ConnectEBT:*

SNAP and Temporary
Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) recipients can lock and unlock
their EBT cards using the free and secure* ConnectEBT app*, available
on Apple [link 10] and GooglePlay [link 11] app stores, or via the
Connect EBT website [link 12].

After creating or logging into your
*ConnectEBT* app or website user account, simply tap the *Lock/Unlock
Card* button.

There are two options for card lock:

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*"Lock My
Card Everywhere"* prevents all types of purchases, including in store
and online purchases.

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*"Lock My Card Outside PA" *prevents all
purchases at stores outside Pennsylvania but will still allow
purchases in Pennsylvania and will also allow all internet purchases
at these stores [link 13].

Simply re-lock your card after use or
use the auto re-lock feature to automatically relock the card 30, 60,
or 90 minutes after unlocking.

How-to video:
[link removed] [link 14].

Additional
information available at:
[link removed] [link 15].
*Change Your EBT Card PIN Regularly!*

Even with the new card
lock/unlock feature, DHS still encourages SNAP recipients to change
their EBT PIN at least *monthly and right before their payment date*
to prevent theft. SNAP benefits are issued onto EBT cards
monthly.

Change your EBT card PIN:

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*By Phone*:
1-888-EBT-PENN (1-888-328-7366), open 24 hours, 7 days a week.

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*Online*:
[link removed] [link 16].
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*Via Mobile App: *

-
Free ConnectEBT apps on Apple [link 17]
or GooglePlay [link 18].

-
myCOMPASS PA mobile apps:* *

-
Apple:
myCOMPASS PA on the App Store [link 19]

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GooglePlay:
myCOMPASS PA - Apps on Google Play [link 20]

You can also monitor
your SNAP benefits and transactions with the myCOMPASS PA mobile
app.

*Prevent Card Skimming*

Be sure to carefully inspect
machines for skimming devices before you swipe your EBT card or any
debit or credit card. Use these tips to help you identify skimming
devices:

-
*Observe the size.* Skimming devices are often placed
over the legitimate card reader, making them larger than normal card
readers.

-
*Pull at the edges of the point-of-sale device before
use.* Skimming devices are often attached with only glue or tape.
Pulling on the sides may dislodge them.

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*Look for security
stickers.* Some legitimate devices may have a security label or
holographic decal on the front or top of the card reader.

If you
find a skimming device, alert the store and call law enforcement and
the OSIG Public Benefits Fraud hotline: 800-932-0582!

*Report
Stolen Benefits*

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Immediately report to local law enforcement
and to OSIG: 1-800-932-0582.

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Request a replacement EBT card by
calling 888-328-7366, or by contacting their local County Assistance
Office [link 21]. Card replacement fees are waived for reported
electronic theft.
You must unlock your card before a replacement card
can be made.

*Note*: Due to the end of Congressional authorization
of funds to replace stolen benefits, benefits stolen after December
20, 2024, cannot be reissued by Pennsylvania DHS.

*Need Food
Assistance?*

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Apply online for SNAP and other programs at any
time at www.dhs.pa.gov/COMPASS [link 22].

-
Go to your local
County Assistance Office [link 23]

-
Call DHS Customer Service
Centers at 1-877-395-8930

-
call 211 or visit www.pa211.org
[link 24] to connect with various local food resources and can also
visit www.feedingpa.org [link 25] to find local food banks and other
food assistance programs.

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*PA's New Distracted Driving Law is Effective Next
Week!*

*Handheld Devices Banned While Driving*

Distracted
driving is dangerous and illegal. To help make roads safer, last year
the PA legislature passed, and Governor Shapiro signed Senate Bill 37,
known as Paul Miller's Law. *Effective June 5, 2025, it is illegal to
hold a mobile device while driving.* This includes dialing and
answering a mobile device -* even at red lights and stop
signs!*

Data from PennDOT shows there were 11,262 crashes involving
a distracted driver in 2023, resulting in 6,700 injuries and 65
fatalities. Keep in mind, distracted driving data is historically
underreported by drivers reluctant to admit they were using a device,
so these figures are likely higher.

For the first year, written
warnings will be issued to drivers stopped by police if they have a
mobile device in their hand while driving. Beginning June 5, 2026,
drivers caught violating the law will be fined $50, plus court
costs.

Keep your eyes on the road and your hands on the wheel!
Nothing is more important than your safety and the safety of those
around you!

You can read more on the new hand-held ban
at:
[link removed]
[link 27].

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[link 28]

*Young Ambassadors Program Accepting Applications through
June 10!*

Calling all 10th- 12th grade students who are passionate
about keeping Pennsylvania clean and beautiful: Apply today for
PennDOT's Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful Young Ambassadors
program!

The Young Ambassadors program is accepting applications
through June 10. The program runs from September 2025 through May 2026
and prepares students to become difference-makers in their communities
and builds their leadership and problem-solving skills.

You can
learn more about the Young Ambassadors Program and apply at:
[link removed]
[link 29].

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*Register
for a Pennsylvania Resources Council Recycling Event!*

Tired of
storing that big television you don't use anymore or old household
chemicals you don't know how to dispose of? The Pennsylvania Resources
Council (PRC) holds recycling events all over Allegheny County
throughout the spring, summer, and early fall that can take care of
all your recycling needs.

Recycling events include:

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Glass
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Hard to Recycle - tires, televisions, air conditioners, etc.

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Household Chemicals - paint thinner, motor oil, cleaners, etc.

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E-Waste - computers, hard drives, cell phones, etc.

-
Reuse Fest
- one-day drop off of gently used items for distribution by local
nonprofits.

These events are very popular, so look at your calendar
and register early!

Read about all PRC events and register for one
near you at [link removed] [link 30].

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As
always, please feel free to reach out with any questions you may have
by phone at 412-364-0469 [link 31] (Ross Office), 724-224-2131 [link
32] (Harrison Office) or by email at
[email protected] [link 33]. My staff will return
your call/email within 24 hours (Monday-Friday).

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Senator
Lindsey Williams


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[link 31] tel:412-364-0469
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Contact
Information:

Website:
[link removed]

Office Location:
District
Office
5000 McKnight Road
Suite 405
Pittsburgh, PA 15237
Phone:
412-364-0469
Fax: 412-364-0928
Monday ? Friday 9-5

Harrison
Office
1826 Union Avenue
Natrona Heights, PA 15065
Phone:
724-224-2131
Fax: 724-224-2145
Monday ? Thursday 9-5

Harrisburg
Office
366 Capitol Building
Senate Box 203038
Harrisburg, PA
17120-3038
Phone: 717-787-6538
Fax: 717-787-8625
By appointment
only


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