166-0502

JUNE 2002
STATE REPRESENTATIVE — 166TH DISTRICT
DISTRICT OFFICE:
CAPITOL OFFICE:
Prescription assistance program for Medicare recipients
Several pharmaceutical companies have created a individuals and $38,000 for couples, and not be eligible prescription drug assistance program for Medicare for any other prescription assistance, including recipients who earn too much to qualify for Medicaid, Medigap, private insurance, employer Pennsylvania’s prescription assistance program and insurance, or state programs like PACE or PACENET.
too little to afford their medications. The free program The Together Rx card offers savings of approximately 20 percent to 40 percent off the amount you usually After applying and being accepted into the program, individuals only have to show their card at a The discount card may be used to fill prescriptions participating pharmacy to get their prescription filled for such drugs as Flonase, Amoxil, Tagamet, Ditropan XL, Prilosec, Zantac, Advair and Zyban.
To be eligible, seniors must be a Medicare recipient, For more information and an enrollment application, have an annual income of less than $28,000 for call 1-800-865-7211 or visit www.together-rx.com.
STATE REPRESENTATIVE — 166TH DISTRICT
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
HARRISBURG, PA 17120-2020
Printed on Recycled PaperLIO-CD 05.02 Telemarketer do-not-call list to debut in Pennsylvania
A new state law that took effect May 31 requires blocking their names and telephone numbers from telemarketing companies to adhere to a do-not-call list caller identification and other screening devices.
maintained by the Office of Attorney General.
Registration for the do-not-call list is free. Once the Pennsylvania residents will be able to register for the attorney general contracts with a nonprofit company list and have their names removed from all to maintain the do-not-call list, I will provide more information to you about how to register.
That means telemarketing companies will not be To check the status of the do-not-call list and when allowed to call your home if you are on the list. The you can start registering for it, check online at attorney general will investigate and penalize www.attorneygeneral.com for updates or call the Office telemarketing companies that call people registered of Attorney General’s Bureau of Consumer Protection toll-free Hotline at 1-800-441-2555.
The law also will prohibit companies from purposely Household hazardous waste collection dates
Two dates remain this year for the Delaware County You can dispose of these items in an environmentally responsible manner by dropping them off at the Household hazardous waste is any household product following locations from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the following that is labeled poisonous, toxic, flammable, caustic, Examples of items that can be dropped off include American Ref-Fuel at Highland Avenue and the
toilet bowl cleaner, tub and tile cleaner, nail polish and Delaware River in Chester
nail polish remover, drain cleaner, hair coloring products, mercury thermometers, oven cleaner, bleach, Trash Transfer Station at Sussex Boulevard and
ammonia, floor cleaner, furniture polish, kerosene, Marple Road in Marple Township.
pool chemicals, varnish, oil-based paint, glue, paint For more information, contact the Pa. Resource thinner, weed killers, fungicides and pesticides.
State adopts pesticide notification rules for schools
A school pesticide notification law the governor school students. Records will have to be kept by schools signed in April will ensure parents, students and for three years. Should an emergency pesticide school employees are informed about pesticide application be necessary, notice could be made to Under the law, schools must post signs about The new law takes effect Jan 1, 2003. More upcoming pesticide applications inside a school or on information is available from the state Department of school grounds at least 72 hours in advance, and must Agriculture; call 717-787-4737, or visit the department leave information about the pesticide application posted for at least 48 hours after the application. Copies ofpesticide information sheets also must be provided to Free notary service
school employees and parents or guardians of students You can get your documents notarized FREE at
at least 72 hours before the treatment is planned.
my district office. Just bring the documents to the Pesticides cannot be applied within seven hours of office, along with proof of identity (such as your when students are scheduled to be present, or longer driver’s license or photo ID). The person whose if the pesticide label requires an extended re-entry signature is to be notarized must sign the document in person in the presence of our notary.
Notices of upcoming pesticide applications will be Please call ahead to make sure our notary is
mailed to parents and guardians or sent home with all in the office.
Haverford State Hospital update
The Haverford Township Board of Commissioners undeveloped land to active recreation, like sports fields has decided to purchase outright from the state the and other facilities. I feel these 135 acres should be left former Haverford State Hospital site, and Paul undeveloped. There is plenty of space for creating Winterhalter, the township solicitor is currently in active recreation facilities on the portions of the site negotiations with the state Department of General Services to finalize the terms of the purchase.
The township likely will hire a law firm to act as A formal approval of the purchase was expected at special counsel on this and other legal matters related the commissioner’s May 13 meeting, but was delayed.
to the township’s purchase and development of the As of this writing, that approval had been postponed property. Also, the 12-member Haverford Township Authority created by the township in 1997 to preside over this project will likely be reconstituted. I hope the After the agreement of sale is signed, the new authority board members will be chosen for the Pennsylvania General Assembly must pass legislation expertise – legal, financial, land development planning, transferring the property to the township.
etc. – they can bring to putting this land to the best use One of the biggest issues involved with the township’s for township residents, and not just based on political purchase and use of the property is the 135 acres of land that currently are undeveloped. The Master Plan If you would like to be placed on my Haverford State for the site approved by the commissioners last June Hospital e-mail update list, please e-mail me or contact calls for that 135 acres to remain undeveloped, and to be used for passive recreation, such as hiking trails.
Lately, there has been talk of devoting some of this Nursing Loan Forgiveness Program
Pennsylvania’s Nursing Loan Forgiveness Program within six months of licensure, and must agree to repays up to 50 percent of a borrower’s outstanding practice nursing in Pennsylvania for at least three PHEAA-administered, federally insured student loan debt over three years, up to a maximum of $50,000.
Applications for the Nursing Loan Forgiveness To be eligible for loan forgiveness, nurses must have Program are available in my district office, online at graduated from an approved nursing program at an www.pheaa.org, or by writing or calling PHEAA at approved nursing school after July 1, 2001 and be a The Pennsylvania Nursing Loan Forgiveness Program, Pennsylvania resident. Unlicensed borrowers must P.O. Box 8114, Harrisburg, PA 17105-8114. Phone: agree to apply for an RN license to practice in Pennsylvania as soon as possible after completing The deadline to apply is June 30.
school, must start practicing nursing in the state Internet wine purchases now legal
A new law passed by the General Assembly this year many wines that are not currently available in the allows Pennsylvania residents for the first time to state stores while preserving state tax revenues on those sales. It also keeps the state store system intact State residents may purchase up to one case of wine and ensures alcohol cannot be shipped directly to per month online from direct shippers licensed by the state, as long as the state stores do not carry the brand.
You can find a list of wines available in Wine purchased online must be shipped to a local state Pennsylvania’s state stores and an updated list of store and picked up there by the resident, who is licensed direct shippers, as well as more details about responsible for paying state taxes and service fees.
purchasing wine online, at the state Liquor Control The law gives Pennsylvania residents access to Board’s Web site: www.lcb.state.pa.us.
PHEAA offers online loan consolidation
The Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance can lower your monthly payment by extending the Agency recently began accepting student loan consolidation applications. The application for loan Once a completed application is submitted, PHEAA consolidation is available online, and is accessible 24 will print the form and mail it to the borrower the next hours a day, seven days a week on the PHEAA Web at day. The form must be signed and dated, and sent back If you are having trouble making the minimum For more information on consolidating your student monthly payment on your student loans, consolidation loans, visit PHEAA’s Web site at www.pheaa.org or may be the answer for you. Consolidating your loans call Network Loan Consolidation at 1-800-338-5000.
Grants available to artists, arts organizations
The Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance, which The 5-County Arts Fund allows the Pennsylvania is the partner of the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts Council on the Arts to increase access to funds for for Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, and organizations and artists in our region, many of which Philadelphia counties, offers grants of up to $5,000 provide services and programs in schools, hospitals, senior centers and elsewhere in the community.
Awards are given to nonprofit organizations and individual artists sponsoring arts-related projects or applications for its 2002 grant year. Applications are
programs in the five-county region. Funds for these due July 1.
grants are provided by the Pennsylvania Council on For More information about the 5-County Arts Fund, the Arts, which is a state agency, with matching funds please call toll free 1-866-5-COUNTY.
contributed by the Delaware River Port Authority.
Unemployment benefits available for
some part-time workers
If your employer reduced your hours from full for partial unemployment benefits, or for any time to part time because of the recent economic question about unemployment compensation in downturn, or if you were laid off completely and Pennsylvania, call the Department of Labor and have been able to find only part time work since, you Industry toll-free at 1-866-403-6163.
may be able to receive partial unemployment.
Pennsylvania law allows you to work part time Receive e-mail updates
and earn up to 40 percent of your weekly benefit rate from Rep. Vitali
without losing your unemployment benefits. If you About every three months, I send out a newsletter earn more than 40 percent of your benefit rate, you to update you about state and local news, events can still receive partial unemployment – your earnings are simply deducted from your weekly I am currently developing a list of constituents benefit rate to determine those partial benefits.
who would like to receive more frequent e-mail updates about legislation, local meetings and Remember, it is important to report all wages you events, and new programs that are announced earn while you are receiving full or partial between the publication of these newsletters.
unemployment. If you don’t, you may be disqualified from receiving any benefits and you may be subject If you would like to be added to this e-mail For more information about whether you qualify

Source: http://www.pahouse.com/pr/166060102G.pdf