Nonprofit movers & shakers – you can register here for my Nonprofit Symposium, which will be held on Thursday, Oct. 30 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Bricklayers & Allied Craftworkers Local 9 PA, 100 Kingston Drive, in Wilkins Township. You’ll gain expert tips on fundraising, accessing grants, and more. Questions? Call my office at (412) 273-3400.

Visit this page to determine whether you qualify for a grant-writing scholarship. If your address is located in a green zone designated as a low-income census tract, you are eligible to apply. Residents who wish to apply should contact Krishna Patel at patelk.hea@gmail.com by Oct. 15.

After President Trump and U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced an association between Tylenol/acetaminophen use during pregnancy and autism, it became clear that we need to separate facts from disproven theories and ensure that state policymaking is guided by science.

As chair of the Pennsylvania Autism Caucus and the first person with autism to hold this position, I called on House leadership to convene a hearing with experts in medicine, mental health, and epidemiology.

They discussed the state of current research, which does not support a link between Tylenol use and autism, and highlighted the fallacy of pointing to a single cause, given the multiple genetic components associated with autism. You can watch a clip from the hearing here and the entire hearing at this page by clicking on the livestream link.

In related news, autistic Pennsylvanians should be aware of the Pennsylvania State Police’s Autism Spectrum Disorder interaction card, which some people may find useful in situations that can create sensory overload, including those involving lights and sirens, loud noises, or other high-stress situations. To learn more about the card, visit www.psp.pa.gov, click on “Resources” on the left side of the page and then “Safety Resources,” and navigate down the page to the section on Autism Spectrum Disorder interaction cards.

Click here or on the image above to watch a video about the card. My office can also help you download and print the card.

Last week, I voted for — and the House passed — legislation that would:

• Close loopholes in our laws by expanding background checks for long gun purchases.
• Require companies that collect personal information electronically to take steps to protect that data from breaches.
• Give consumers rights regarding how their personal data is used or sold, and require businesses to protect consumer privacy and limit data collection.
• Protect consumers during the homebuying process by requiring disclosure of flood-related risks.
• Establish state insurance for landslides and sinkholes.

You can read more about how we voted in the House by visiting this page.

Last week, our staffers Connie and Simon attended the Homewood Healthy Active Living Center’s 50th anniversary. The center, with its wide variety of programs and supportive staff, is an incredibly important part of our community.

In other Homewood news, neighbors turned out to congratulate Homewood Community Sports, which held a ribbon-cutting ceremony with elected officials and community members to celebrate its new football field.