Have a nice weekend everyone.
State officials from several agencies are working together to strengthen Pennsylvania’s outdoor recreation economy.
State authorities, including, among others: Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and Department of Community and Economic Developmentjoin forces to develop Office of Outdoor Recreationwhich “would be responsible for coordination and synergy among entities within and related to state government to help align and support strategic initiatives, partnerships, policies and resources,” according to DCNR.
Outdoor recreation adds almost $14 billion by Pennsylvania’s economy DCNR, making it the sixth largest outdoor recreation economy in the country.
Nationally, outdoor recreation generates $862 billion in the economic result, settlement about 3% all jobs in America.
It supports the outdoor recreation sector, which includes retail, manufacturing and tourism 152,000 jobs in Pennsylvania, according to 2021 data U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.
The Shapiro administration has previously stated that workforce development across all sectors and industries is a top priority. In a statement released last week, DCNR said workforce development will also be a focus of DCNR Office of Outdoor Recreation.
“A skilled and competitive workforce is the backbone of Pennsylvania $14 billion outdoor industry, Pennsylvania Outdoor Recreation Director Nathan Reigner said in a statement.
As always, below are our top five stories from this week.
1. State lawmakers propose legislative reforms to dog laws in Pa
Two state lawmakers are proposing a package of legislative reforms they say will better protect animals across the commonwealth by increasing oversight of kennels, breeders and research facilities.
Reforms that form part of a three-pronged plan company’s proposal by State Sen. Carolyn Comitta, D-Chester, and Rep. Ryan Bizzararo, D-Erie, mirror a similar legislative package passed in Virginia last year.
2. Bye. pols reacts to the historic arrest of Donald Trump and his appearance in court
President Donald Trump was scheduled to appear in a lower Manhattan courtroom on Tuesday, making him the first American president – current or former – to face criminal charges. Here’s how Pennsylvania politicians reacted to the news of his indictment and trial.
3. Florida, Pennsylvania leaders speak out against DeSantis’ policies ahead of visit to Harrisburg
Supporters and lawmakers warned about the spread of far-right ideology embraced by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and his supporters ahead of DeSantis’ appearance near Harrisburg on Saturday.
DeSantis, who has said he is considering running for president in 2024, is scheduled to speak at the Pennsylvania Conservative Leadership Conference at the Penn Harris Hotel in Camp Hill in Cumberland County.
4. Bipartisan bill would allow community solar projects | Monday morning coffee
AND bipartisan proposal General Assembly celebrations would allow Pennsylvania to join the ranks of 22 other states that allow “solar community” projects that supporters say will “make solar energy accessible to all Pennsylvanians,” whether they can install solar panels on their roofs or not.
“Rising costs and energy bills are very real here in Pennsylvania and we need to help find creative solutions to keep utility costs reasonable.” Sen. Rosemary Brown, R-Monroethe main sponsor of the Senate version of the proposal, said in a statement.
5. Bye. Senate Democrats are proposing a series of bills to raise housing affordability
The Pennsylvania senator announced plans for a series of proposals aimed at increasing housing availability and making it easier to find affordable housing by removing certain barriers for low-income renters and homeowners in Pennsylvania.
Three bills sponsored by Sen. Nikil Saval, D-Philadelphia, would remove inexact eviction data from inspection reports, create a database to lend a hand find affordable housing, and prohibit housing discrimination based on arrest or conviction history.
And that’s a week. We’ll meet here again next week.
