A bill to restore Pennsylvania’s traditional opening day of statewide firearms deer season was introduced in the state Senate this week, according to Sen. Gene Yaw, R-Williamsport, and Sen. Lisa Boscola, D-Bethlehem, sponsors of the measure.
For more than 50 years, the first Monday after Thanksgiving marked the start of rifle season in Pennsylvania. That long-standing tradition changed in 2019, when the Pennsylvania Game Commission (PGC) moved the opening day to the Saturday after Thanksgiving, citing the goal of increasing participation and hunting license sales. The results, the legislators said, have been just the opposite.
Senate Bill 1244 would return the start of rifle season to the first Monday after Thanksgiving.
“Moving rifle season to a Saturday has crushed rural communities,” Yaw said. “Small businesses, fire companies, local grocery stores, and hunting camps rooted in tradition have all suffered. It’s time to bring rifle season back to where it belongs, support our sportsmen and women, and invest in rural Pennsylvania.”
“It remains unclear whether moving opening day delivered any real benefit,” Boscola said. “What is clear is the toll it has taken on families and communities across Pennsylvania. I’ve heard firsthand from families with generations of hunters how devastating the change has been for Pennsylvania’s rich hunting tradition, as well as the small businesses that sustain rural areas.”
According to the legislators, the Monday opener was not just a date on the calendar, but a community event. Schools traditionally gave students the day off, government offices often operated on a reduced schedule, and families planned gatherings around the start of the season.
The legislators said moving the opener to a Saturday has fractured those traditions, creating conflicts with Thanksgiving celebrations and making participation more difficult. One volunteer fire company in Yaw’s district, which hosts an annual fundraiser tied to hunters’ attendance, saw turnout drop from hundreds to just 40 last year.
The issue was reignited on Jan. 24, when PGC considered — and ultimately rejected — a proposal to move the opening day even earlier to the Saturday before Thanksgiving. While the proposal was voted down, Yaw and Boscola said it reinforced widespread opposition to Saturday openings across Pennsylvania.
Since first raising the issue, Yaw and Boscola said they have received overwhelming support from hunters, families, small businesses, and communities across the commonwealth who are eager to see the traditional opening day return.
Meuser votes to deport illegal fraudsters
U.S. Rep. Dan Meuser, R-Dallas, this week voted in favor of H.R. 1958 — the Deporting Fraudsters Act — a bill aimed at cracking down on criminal illegal immigrants who defraud the federal government or unlawfully receive taxpayer-funded benefits.
According to the White House Office of Management and Budget, the federal government spends over $1 trillion each year on welfare and social services. However, Rep. Meuser claimed that about $250 billion is lost to fraud.
Meuser said the Deporting Fraudsters Act holds illegal immigrants accountable for exploiting federal programs through crimes like Social Security fraud, identity theft, SNAP fraud, and theft of federal funds. He said it makes defrauding the U.S. government or stealing taxpayer-funded benefits a deportable offense and bars those who commit or admit to these crimes from re-entering the U.S. or receiving any form of immigration relief.
“As Chairman of the House Financial Services Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, I know how fraud and abuse undermine vital programs and waste millions in taxpayer dollars,” Meuser said. “This bill is part of a broader effort by House Republicans to restore integrity to federal programs and protect benefits for those who rely on them. This commonsense legislation ensures that individuals who exploit our system or unlawfully collect benefits face serious consequences and are not permitted to remain on American soil.”
The Deporting Fraudsters Act passed the House by a vote of 231-186 and heads to the Senate for consideration.
Bresnahan votes to deport benefit fraudsters
U.S. Rep. Rob Bresnahan, Jr., R-Dallas Township, also voted in favor of H.R. 1958.
“These programs are here to help our most vulnerable, and they are being exploited by individuals who are here illegally and committing fraud, plain and simple,” Bresnahan said. “This bill sends a clear message: if you come to this country and abuse taxpayer-funded programs, there will be real consequences. I’m fighting to protect taxpayer dollars, restore integrity to these programs, and make sure resources go to the hardworking families in Northeastern Pennsylvania who follow the rules.”
The Deporting Fraudsters Act of 2026 closes a loophole in current law that has allowed individuals convicted of benefit fraud to stay in the country and continue receiving immigration benefits. This bill makes sure federal agencies work together and that those who commit fraud face real consequences.
“Families across NEPA play by the rules, and they rightfully expect their government to do the same,” Bresnahan said. “This legislation is about accountability, fairness, and making sure federal programs serve the people they were created for, not those looking to exploit them.”
Pa., NJ launch aggressive driving enforcement
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT), Pennsylvania State Police (PSP), the Highway Safety Network, and the State of New Jersey this week launched a multi-state aggressive driving enforcement wave running through April 26.
The goal of this targeted enforcement is to reduce the number of aggressive-driving-related crashes, injuries, and deaths in both states.
As part of the enforcement wave, agencies across both states will join together for a one-day coordinated enforcement on April 14. No matter where you drive, if you drive aggressively, you will be stopped by the police.
“Aggressive driving crashes and fatalities are completely preventable,” said PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll. “Slow down, pay attention, follow all traffic signs, and just be kind. If we all stay calm and courteous while driving, we can create a safer and more respectful driving culture, ultimately leading to fewer aggressive driving crashes and traffic deaths.”
Pennsylvania’s statewide aggressive-driving enforcement wave runs through April 26 and is focused on speeding, distracted driving, and work zone awareness. Motorists exhibiting other unsafe behaviors, such as driving too fast for conditions, following too closely, or making careless lane changes, will also be cited.
While many people associate aggressive driving with road rage, they are two different behaviors. Road rage is a criminal offense and is often the result of aggressive driving behavior that escalates into an assault with a vehicle or other dangerous weapon.
Reach Bill O’Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on X @TLBillOBoyle.