What are your top three legislative priorities in 2025?
Vehicle Emissions Reform
The federal Vehicle Emissions Inspection and Maintenance (I/M) program requires motorists in 25 Pennsylvania counties to undergo annual emissions testing. However, a Joint State Government Commission study has demonstrated that removing seven of these counties from the program would have minimal to no impact on meeting federal air-quality standards.
The current testing system is ineffective, overly burdensome, and unnecessary. It must come to an end. I have introduced legislation to address this issue in every session since I joined the Pennsylvania Senate.
Drone Interstate Compact
This initiative authorizes the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, with the Governor’s approval, to enter into agreements with other states to support the research, development, and use of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), commonly known as drones.
This legislation positions Pennsylvania to be a national leader in a rapidly advancing industry and promotes interstate cooperation that will unlock significant economic potential. It strengthens opportunities for research, workforce development, and education, leading to new jobs, increased investment, and broad prosperity across the Commonwealth.
Modernizing the Motivational Boot Camp Statute
The Motivational Boot Camp program has helped many individuals get back on the right track, but the statute that governs it needs updating. I am committed to modernizing the law to reflect current best practices, strengthen accountability, and expand pathways for participants to reenter the workforce and contribute productively to their communities.
What are the important issues
facing your district?
Affordability remains the top concern for people across the district. Families and small businesses are being squeezed by rising costs for housing, energy, transportation, and everyday necessities. Constituents are clear, they want practical solutions that address increasing costs and protect household income.
We are also grappling with the impact of closures, including the shutdowns of the Quehanna Boot Camp, SCI Rockview, Penn State DuBois, and Lock Haven Clearfield. These decisions have significant ripple effects on local employment, small businesses, and long-term community stability. Securing strategic, sustainable economic opportunities is critical to maintaining our rural communities.
What is your favorite vacation destination?
Alaska stands out as a remarkable place to visit.
How can state government better support local retailers in overcoming today’s challenges and thrive?
State government needs to focus on getting unnecessary obstacles out of the way and giving local retailers room to succeed. High energy prices, regulatory uncertainty, and tax burdens remain major challenges. Ending the failed Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) is an important step toward lowering energy costs for families and businesses alike. From there, we must continue simplifying regulations and making sure our policies support, not hinder, the small businesses that keep our communities strong.
What are your biggest challenges and successes as a legislator?
One of the biggest challenges today is achieving meaningful compromise in a polarized environment. Productive legislating requires patience, honest dialogue, and a willingness to work through disagreements to find common ground.
Even so, I have been able to deliver significant results, with 27 pieces of legislation enacted during my time in the Senate, by staying focused on practical solutions, building coalitions where they exist, and keeping the interests of my constituents at the center of every decision.
What is your favorite food or meal to cook?
I enjoy cooking a wide variety of dishes, but my go to meal to prepare would probably be Salmon, Risotto and Asparagus.
What do you like to do for fun?
I like to run, golf, box, train jiu-jitsu, travel with my lovely wife and spend time with our three daughters.
What is your greatest success as a
legislator over the past few years?
One of my most significant accomplishments was stopping Governor Wolf’s P3 Bridge Tolling Scheme. The proposal would have created new, recurring costs for commuters, businesses, and transportation operators without sufficient transparency or public input. Preventing the tolling plan protected working families from unnecessary financial burdens and preserved the economic competitiveness of communities that rely on affordable and accessible transportation infrastructure. ■