PENNSYLVANIA

Pennsylvania Act 95 of 2018, signed into law by Gov. Tom Wolf, is now in effect to eliminate driver’s license suspensions for non-driving infractions in Pennsylvania moving forward.

The law amends Title 75 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes to reflect a driving privilege suspension will no longer be imposed for certain non-highway safety violations, including substance use violations.

“The General Assembly stepped up and enacted this commonsense legislation that promotes smart sentencing reform but there is more work to do,” Wolf said. “We need to break down even more unnecessary and especially difficult roadblocks to success and stability.

Having a valid driver’s license often is the key to finding and keeping a job, especially in parts of Pennsylvania where public transportation isn’t readily accessible.

“We must ensure penalties promote rehabilitation, instead of the opposite. We need to make this our goal when it comes to probation and parole, and bail policies. If our policies make a second chance harder, especially in a way that is disproportional by economic status, they need to change.”

The law Act 95 amended was one of many Congress enacted to punish drug crimes in the early 1990s when the War on Drugs sought to significantly reduce drug crimes. Congress had threatened states with reduced federal highway funding if they didn’t enact the automatic driver’s licenses suspensions for drug crimes.

Over the next two decades states began using a provision of the federal law that allowed them to opt out of these suspensions. Pennsylvania’s Act 95 allows the state will no longer automatically suspend upwards of 20,000 driver’s licenses each year for reasons that do not include driving offenses.

134th DISTRICT

State Rep. Ryan Mackenzie, R-134th, state Sen. Pat Browne, R-16th and Lower Macungie Township will co-host a public paper shredder event 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. May 4 at the Lower Macungie Township administration building, 3402 Brookside Road, Lower Macungie Township.

Township residents are invited to bring up to four boxes, 10 inches by 12.5 inches by 16 inches, of items to shred per vehicle. Because this event is meant for documents containing sensitive identifying information, it is requested attendees not bring items which do not fit this description as these items can be thrown out or recycled at home.

Lately, identity thieves have taken a new approach: stealing the identity information of minors, according to a media release from Mackenzie’s office.

After stealing the information, identity thieves can open accounts in the child’s name and vanish without a trace, leaving the child in debt before he or she reaches adulthood.

The event is for Lower Macungie Township residents only – businesses are asked to dispose of their sensitive documents elsewhere.

Due to the popularity of these events, no boxes will be accepted prior to the start time of the event.

For additional information, call Mackenzie’s office at 610-965-9933.