Representative Government Working for You
9/23/2014
By Rep. Dave Hickernell
Pennsylvania House of Representatives

Sept. 23, 2014
Each time I am invited to offer a column for the township newsletter, I often take that opportunity to remind people that my offices are here to serve them. As a strong believer in Pennsylvania’s form of representative government, I strive to assist people with the problems and issues they come to me with.

Seven years ago, two young girls from Lancaster County, who were coming home from a shopping trip, were killed when a 22-year-old female driver crashed into the car in which they were traveling. Subsequent investigation revealed that the 22-year-old had been served several drinks at a local establishment despite visible signs she had already had too much to drink.

When Susan, the mother of one of the girls, met with me, I learned police investigators had told her that people at the establishment recognized this young woman had too much to drink. Despite this recognition by those at the bar that night, no one stopped this young woman from getting in her car.

Susan suggested to me that perhaps if the server had been trained to recognize and deal with intoxicated individuals, maybe her daughter would be alive today. She asked me to fight to strengthen the law so that all alcohol service workers would be required to receive some type of basic alcohol management training.

So, I wrote a bill that would change our laws to just that, and in June, the House approved that legislation, House Bill 1769, which would require Responsible Alcohol Management Training for any seller or server of alcohol in the Commonwealth.
Now, I am not saying every time someone comes to me with an issue that we can pass legislation to address it. But, I was quite persistent on behalf of Susan and her daughter’s memory, and hopefully the state Senate will also soon act and this sensible bill can become law.

That is the way representative government should work – someone comes to their representative with an issue, and they help them if possible. In this regard, it has been truly an honor to serve the residents of Londonderry Township in the state House of Representatives for the past 12 years. As always, I urge you to contact me whenever I can be of help.

My offices – 222 S. Market St. in Elizabethtown, (717) 367-5525, or 236 Locust St. in Columbia, (717) 684-5525 – provide many services and offer assistance in helping residents with government bureaucracy and paperwork. Some of the services we offer are:

• Assistance with PennDOT paperwork (driver’s license and vehicle registration applications and renewals, lost cards, changes, corrections, special registration. plates, vanity plates, and temporary placards for disabled persons).
• Pennsylvania birth and death certificates.
• PACE and PACENET applications for seniors.
• Property Tax and Rent Rebate applications.
• Voter registration forms and absentee ballot applications.
• Free state maps, state park information.
• Copies of legislation.
• Tours of the State Capitol.
• Referrals to agencies to resolve state-related matters.

My website, RepHickernell.com, also contains many links to state forms and other services that you can access from the comfort of your home.
Again, thank you for the opportunity to serve you, and please don’t hesitate to call or email if you require assistance.