WILKES-BARRE — The Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD) and CeaseFirePA this week teamed up to host the fourth stakeholder listening session for PCCD’s Office of Gun Violence Prevention.
This meeting brought together local and regional experts and organizations to discuss strategies and policies to prevent suicides by firearm.
“While many people think of mass shootings and community violence when they hear the term ‘gun violence,’ the fact is that most firearm deaths in Pennsylvania are from suicides,” said Samantha Koch, Interim Director of PCCD’s Office of Gun Violence Prevention. “We know firearm suicides are preventable, and by having open and honest conversations and listening to those on the front lines, we can develop strategies to bolster support for individuals in crisis, reduce access to lethal means, and save lives.”
In 2022, there were 1,941 firearm-related deaths across Pennsylvania, and more than half (55%) were firearm-related suicides, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Additionally, guns are used in the majority of suicides (54%) and homicides (78%) across the Commonwealth.
Pennsylvania has made significant investments in public safety and public health initiatives in recent years to address this issue and has seen some positive developments. The number of homicides statewide decreased by 16 percent overall in 2023 — compared to 12% nationally. Philadelphia was one of 29 Pennsylvania counties that saw declines in homicides in 2023, with that trend continuing so far in 2024 with homicides down 40% year-to-date.
While progress has been made, too many Pennsylvanians are still impacted by gun violence. Firearm-related injuries remain the leading cause of death for children and adolescents, exceeding motor vehicle crashes.
Rep. Meuser supports legislation to protect small businesses from excessive federal overreach
U.S. Rep. Dan Meuser, R-Dallas, this week voted in favor of H.R.7198 — the Prove It Act of 2024 — to modernize the Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA) and protect small businesses from excessive regulatory challenges.
Small businesses now spend seven times more per employee on compliance than medium-sized businesses — up from five times in 2014. Meuser said the Biden administration has imposed $1.7 trillion in regulatory costs and 326-million hours of paperwork on small businesses.
Meuser said while the RFA was designed to require federal agencies to assess the economic impact of regulations on small businesses, consider less burdensome alternatives, and justify proposed rules, it hasn’t been updated since 2010. As a result, small businesses are increasingly vulnerable to rising regulatory costs.
Meuser said H.R. 7198 addresses this by requiring agencies to evaluate the full economic impact of their regulations on small businesses, consider alternatives, and involve the Small Business Administration’s Chief Counsel for Advocacy early in the process. It also empowers small businesses to petition the SBA for review of proposed regulations, ensuring transparency and fairness.
“Burdensome regulations and red tape make it harder and more costly to start a business and achieve the American dream,” Meuser said. “The harder it is to comply with federal regulations to start a new business, the fewer people will take on the task of seeing their ideas through. We must ensure that bureaucracy does not interfere with American innovation, entrepreneurship, and competition. House Republicans will always stand with small businesses against federal overreach. The Prove It Act guarantees small businesses have a voice in shaping the rules and regulations that affect them.”
H.R.7198 passed the House by a vote of 208-196 and was referred to the Senate for further consideration.
PA Department of Education highlights importance of career/technical education
Secretary of Education Dr. Khalid N. Mumin and Deputy Secretary of Education Dr. Carrie Rowe from the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) this week traveled to Wallenpaupack Area School District to highlight how the district is preparing students for good-paying, high-demand careers through its career and technical education programs.
During the visit, PDE officials also visited the proposed site of a future regional career and technology center (CTC).
“Career and technical education is essential for providing students with the skills and opportunities to succeed in today’s dynamic economy,” said Deputy Secretary Rowe. “As Pennsylvania continues to grow, it’s vital that every student, regardless of where they live, has access to high-quality career training that leads to good-paying, in-demand jobs. The creation of the Wayne/Pike Career and Technical Center is an exciting step toward closing the gap in educational access and ensuring that all students in these counties can explore, develop, and excel in careers that will drive their futures forward.”
In addition to a $61 million boost to put more career and technical education in our classrooms, the Shapiro Administration has increased funding for K-12 public education by more than $1.5 billion — driving resources to the public schools that need them most.
While the Wallenpaupack Area School District offers its own career and technical education classes to students, Wayne and Pike counties are the only two Pennsylvania counties that are not served by a regional CTC. Identifying a community-wide need to provide those services, Wallenpaupack Area School District is partnering with Wayne Highlands, Western Wayne, and Delaware Valley school districts to create the first-ever Wayne/Pike Career and Technical Center to fill a regional gap in access to career and technical education.
A feasibility study is underway to determine the size and scope of the new CTC, which will be located on the Wallenpaupack Area School District’s campus behind the North Primary School.