Local lawmakers are reflecting on what they accomplished in 2025, and what they consider unfinished business for 2026.
State senator Gene Yaw represents Tioga, Bradford, Sullivan, Union, and Lycoming counties. As chair of the Environment Resources and Energy Committee, Yaw saw movement on multiple oh his policy priorities this year- like eliminating the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative.
“It’s been a heck of an impact on energy generation in Pennsylvania and it’s going to take many, many years for us to recover from that,” Yaw said.
From a non legislative perspective, his office has been educating the broader public on how the energy industry works.
“Trying to get people to understand how fragile our electric grid is, what we need to do with it, and how in need of more generation capacity, is out there,” Yaw said.
Locally, districts have benefited from the Neighborhood Assistance Program- a total of $9.5 million this year.
Yaw is also working on economic development projects- like a new baseball tournament complex and Bass Pro Shop in his district. As a leader on the Center for Rural Pennsylvania, Yaw says tourism is one solution to declining population trends in rural counties.
“Anything that we can do to attract people to come to the area, to come and visit– increases the likelihood that somebody may come in and actually say, ‘hey, it’s not a bad place to live’,” Yaw said.
When asked about unfinished business for 2026, the senator had a chuckle.
“The list is long.”
Yaw says data center policy will be critical to pass.
“I want them to come to Pennsylvania. I think that we need to do that. We’ve got all the resources here,” Yaw said. “But if they come, we need to make sure that we’re not hurting the ordinary household consumer.”
The senator is also working on an independent energy office, banning PFAS in firefighter training, and plugging more wells that leak methane- that last one controversial in Harrisburg as lawmakers argue over the best way to plug wells.
“You know, this is one of those things where looking for the perfect gets in the way of the good,” Yaw said on the delay of the issue.
Skill games also remains a priority for many lawmakers who see it as a needed new revenue source. The senator wants to keep regulations and taxes on the industry to a minimum- while others want higher state profits from the gambling machines.
“Skill games are jobs. It’s a jobs issue. And then it’s taxing, trying to tax an industry out of existence,” Yaw said.
Finally- Yaw will likely be chairing the Chesapeake Bay Commission, which has members from Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia.
“Pennsylvania lately has gotten very high marks as far as what it’s done to improve its water quality,” Yaw said.