Legislative Update, PA Fishing Licenses on Sale + Tax Tool & Education Savings

Rep. Tina Davis December 12, 2025 | 10:06 AM

Find out if you qualify for the new Working Pennsylvanians Tax Credit

As mentioned in previous emails, the Working Pennsylvanians Tax Credit — the new state-level Earned Income Tax Credit — provides Pennsylvanians with 10% of their federal credit. There’s now a tool to help you see if you qualify and estimate how much you could receive.

The Shapiro Administration has released an online calculator that lets users quickly plug in filing status, income, and number of dependents to estimate their WPTC. The maximum credit is $805.

Beginning next tax season, the credit is expected to deliver $193 million to nearly 1 million working Pennsylvanians, including an estimated 28,652 Bucks County residents — many in the Bristol–Levittown area — who are projected to receive about $5,100,000 in total relief.

Access the calculator here.

A reel deal

The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission is now selling 2026 Pennsylvania fishing licenses, launch permits, and gift vouchers. Licenses and permits can be purchased online at HuntFish.pa.gov or at nearly 700 retail locations statewide.

Valid: Today – December 31, 2026 (up to 13 months)
Options: Annual or multi-year (three, five, 10 years)
Convenience: Print immediately or save digitally to your device

Available options include:

Trout Permit, Lake Erie Permit, or the Trout/Lake Erie Combo
Collectible 2026 fishing license button featuring the Brook Trout (limited to 10,000)
Gift vouchers for friends and family

Voluntary permits are available to support Bass, Musky, Wild Trout/Enhanced Waters, and Habitat/Waterways Conservation programs. Since 2019, over $815,000 has been invested in special projects funded through these permits.

Youth anglers: Anglers under 16 do not require a license but must have a Voluntary Youth Fishing License or free Mentored Youth Fishing Permit to participate in special youth events.

Important 2026 dates:

Now: 2026 licenses, permits, and vouchers on sale
March 28: Statewide Mentored Youth Trout Day
April 4: Opening Day of Trout Season
May 24 & July 4: Fish for Free Days

As a reminder, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection has a Do Not Eat advisory for all fish in the Neshaminy Creek.

Supporting our skilled laborers

Last week, I participated in the Policy Committee’s tour and roundtable discussion at the Sheetmetal Workers Local 19 Training Center. The center provides people with the skills they need to succeed in the trades while also producing the components essential for growing and expanding industry in Pennsylvania. During the visit, we toured the facility and engaged in a conversation about how the legislature can better support and invest in workers.

PA 529: An Easy Gift for Education

Pennsylvania has a convenient new way to help families save for education. Through a partnership with Gift of College, friends and relatives can now purchase digital gift cards that recipients can deposit directly into their PA 529 College and Career Savings Program accounts—no need to know whether an account already exists. Gift cards are available at pa529.com/gift.

For those who want to contribute to an existing account, PA 529 also offers Ugift, which provides each account with a unique code that can be shared with anyone interested in giving. Contributions may qualify the giver for a Pennsylvania state tax deduction.

Anyone -- parents, grandparents, and family friends -- can contribute to a PA 529. Savings may be used for K–12 expenses, higher education, career credentials, and apprenticeship programs.

Pennsylvanians can choose between two plans:

Morningstar Gold-Rated PA 529 Investment Plan (IP) with multiple investment options, or
PA 529 Guaranteed Savings Plan (GSP), which grows based on tuition inflation.

Additionally, all children born to PA residents in 2019 and later are automatically eligible for a $100 Keystone Scholars starter scholarship, which can be claimed and linked to a PA 529 account at pa529.com/keystone.

Learn more at pa529.com or by calling 800-440-4000.

New county office in Bristol taking shape

A major public works project is now underway in Bristol Township, where Bucks County has begun construction of the new Lower Bucks Government Services Center. The 39,000-square-foot facility is being built on the county’s New Falls Road campus to replace the existing government building, which has served the area for decades but no longer meets current needs.

To provide transparency and allow the public to follow the progress, the County has launched a 24/7 construction livestream, available at BucksCounty.gov/LBGSC. The feed offers residents a view of the project as the center takes shape.

When completed, the new facility will house accessible offices for 13 county departments, improving service delivery for residents throughout Lower Bucks.