PENNSYLVANIA ROUNDUP: Sen. Laughlin reintroduces legislation to repeal Sunday hunting ban
Mar. 3—WILKES-BARRE — Sen. Dan Laughlin, R-Erie, this week introduced Senate Bill 67 to fully repeal Pennsylvania's prohibition on Sunday hunting, transferring full authority over wildlife management decisions to the Pennsylvania Game Commission.
The Pennsylvania Farm Bureau (PFB) has now joined in supporting the effort, provided agricultural concerns are addressed in the bill.
"For eight years, I have fought to remove this outdated prohibition and expand opportunities for hunters," Laughlin said. "Through open dialogue and collaboration, we've built a consensus. I am pleased that the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau now fully supports this effort and is calling for its passage."
Chris Hoffman, president of the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau, said the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau proudly supports Laughlin's bill — calling it a key piece of legislation developed in collaboration between wildlife groups and the agricultural community to improve wildlife management and address deer overpopulation.
"These measures will help farmers better control deer populations, protect their crops, and support the long-term sustainability of agriculture in our state," Hoffman said.
Laughlin's bill would have Pennsylvania join the 39 states that have no limits on Sunday hunting. While Act 107 of 2019 permitted hunting on three Sundays, a full repeal is necessary to provide greater access for sportsmen and women, align Pennsylvania with neighboring states, and support conservation efforts.
"The Sunday hunting prohibition is one of the last remnants of our commonwealth's antiquated 'Blue Laws,'" Laughlin said. "Hunting is a longstanding tradition, a vital conservation tool, and an economic driver for rural communities. It's time we fully eliminate this restriction."
Laughlin emphasized that the bill's support is tied directly to measures addressing agricultural concerns, including solutions to mitigate wildlife-related crop damage. The Pennsylvania Farm Bureau's endorsement of this legislation marks a significant milestone in the effort to modernize Pennsylvania's hunting laws.
"The Pennsylvania Farm Bureau has been a key partner in ensuring that this legislation addresses the concerns of our agricultural community," Laughlin said. "Their willingness to collaborate and seek balanced solutions has helped shape this bill into a policy that benefits both farmers and hunters."
Andy Bater, PFB state board director and chairman of PFB's Wildlife and Fisheries Committee, said delegates representing Pennsylvania Farm Bureau members voted to remove their opposition to Sunday hunting, contingent upon the implementation of significant statutory and regulatory changes addressing crop damage from wildlife and hunting management on farmland.
Additionally, expanding Sunday hunting opportunities would provide greater access for individuals with disabilities who rely on companions to assist them in the field. For many, Sunday is the only available day to participate in the sport.
Commonwealth Financing Authority seeks feedback on new program
Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) Secretary Rick Siger this week announced that the Commonwealth Financing Authority (CFA) is seeking public input for the new Mixed-Use Revitalization Program, which will provide grants and loans to boost mixed-use development across Pennsylvania.
The CFA is seeking feedback on the program's draft guidelines from commercial or mixed-use developers.
The public comment form and draft guidelines are available now through March 5.
"Strong communities mean a strong economy, and we welcome feedback for the Mixed-Use Revitalization Program," said Secretary Siger. "Economic development is a team sport, and input from the public will ensure this program has meaningful impact across our Commonwealth."
Feedback submitted by community members will help DCED focus and finalize the development of the Mixed-Used Revitalization Program, which was established under Act No. 54 of 2024 and is administered through the CFA.
The program provides grants and loans to assist with increasing mixed-use development across the Commonwealth, leveraging private and public resources, and fostering sustainable partnerships committed to addressing community needs.
When the program is finalized, developers will be able to apply for either a grant or a loan for eligible projects.
Mixed-Use Redevelopment Projects are community revitalization projects that promote economic growth and include commercial assets. Projects may also include residential development opportunities. Examples include but are not limited to existing and former malls and similar commercial properties.
Eligible projects must:
—Be situated on at least 15 acres of land.
—Contain at least 200,000 square feet of proposed development that has not received a certificate of occupancy as of July 11, 2024.
—Be zoned for the planned end use.
AG Sunday celebrates National Consumer Protection Week
During National Consumer Protection Week, March 3-7, the Office of Attorney General will highlight and share information about their year-round efforts to protect consumer rights, and help people learn to detect, report, and avoid scams.
The AG will also share consumer protection tips on social media throughout the week, including overviews of the Bureau of Consumer Protection's work this past year, information about the office's Civil Rights Enforcement Section and Health Care Section, and tips on purchasing a used car, how to identify and prevent scams.
"One of the core functions of the Office of Attorney General is to protect consumers," Ag Sunday said. "During National Consumer Protection Week, I want all Pennsylvanians to understand the resources available to them if they believe they may be a victim of fraud. Last year, our office directly helped consumers save and recover more than $16 million, and we will continue to fight for Pennsylvanians."
In 2024, the Office of Attorney General's Bureau of Consumer Protection saved consumers more than $11.8 million through mediation efforts and secured $4.8 million in restitution through legal actions.
Attorney General Sunday highlighted a few of the consumer protection actions taken in the past year:
—Distributed more than $800,000 to victims of Vision Property Management after consumers were unlawfully evicted from their homes or vacated them after unlawful "rent-to-own" contracts were not upheld.
—Returned nearly $3 million to consumers through settlements with Community Loans of America and Progressive Leasing following earlier settlement agreements.
—Data breaches continue to become more common so the Office of Attorney General launched an online portal for companies to report data breaches that impact Pennsylvanians.
—$35,000 was returned to victims of the alleged unlawful billing, leasing, and debt collection practices of A.R. Building Company, Inc. The lawsuit alleged that A.R. Building arbitrarily inflated repair costs that the company billed to tenants for alleged damage to apartments.
—A settlement with SoLo Funds, Inc., a California based-lending platform that solicited tips and donations from potential borrowers, resulted in $158,000 in restitution to be distributed to consumers. Other consumers also received a write off of their total debt to SoLo funds.
—A settlement with Equifax over a coding error that lowered many consumers' credit score netted Pennsylvania $470,000 after impacting more than 51,000 Pennsylvania borrowers.
If you believe you were harmed by a business, you can file a complaint with the Bureau of Consumer Protection in a variety of ways, go to: https://www.attorneygeneral.gov/submit-a-complaint/consumer-complaint/.
Or call the hotline: 1-800-441-2555
Or email: scams@attorneygeneral.gov
Reach Bill O'Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.
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