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….Two Mansfield teens arrested for shoplifting…One person hurt in Tioga County collision….”Fairness Act” passes state house….

Tioga County

Two 17 year old Mansfield girls were arrested for shoplifting at the Walmart store in Richmond Township April 23. State police claim the girls stole various household goods valued at $630.68. Charges are pending in district court.

State police at Mansfield have just released details about a collision on April  16 in Westfield. Troopers explained 80 year old Sharon Russell of Lawrenceville and 42 year old Heather Stanton of Knoxville were traveling west following a large tractor. Stanton turned left into the driveway of 2762 Route 49 just as Russell moved into the eastbound lane to overtake the tractor and collided with Stanton’s Kia Soul. The impact caused Russell’s Subaru Forester to roll over one time, coming to rest upright. Stanton’s SUV came to a stop on the right shoulder. Russell was taken by ambulance to UPMC Wellsboro for treatment of minor injuries. Stanton and her 15 year old female passenger were not hurt. The vehicles had to be towed from the scene.

Statewide

House Bill 300, which Democrats call the “Fairness Act” passed the House Tuesday with a vote of 102-98. It will now go to the Senate for consideration. Two Republican House members issued statements about their “no” votes. State Rep. Brian Smith (R-Jefferson/Indiana)  said “This legislation is fair in name only. It is a slap in the face of health care professionals and parents, and potentially harmful to the children of the Commonwealth.“Democrats say House Bill 300 is trying to protect LGBTQ+ Pennsylvanians from discrimination. However, this bill would discriminate against a different group, religious health care professionals. It would lead to the punishment of any doctors who, for religious or professional reasons, refuse to perform sex change operations. “In addition, the bill would allow biological males to play women’s sports if they so choose and require the sharing of bathrooms and locker rooms in public school settings.“This bill is a solution in search of a problem. There are many existing protections in place for LGBTQ+ Pennsylvanians. This legislation is just a divisive distraction focusing on our differences instead of what brings us together.”Meanwhile, Rep.. Stephenie Scialabba (R-Butler) expressed a   similar opinion. She said, “I believe in equal rights for all, which is already protected under law. This legislation is not what it purports to be. “It introduces gender ideology to school children, requires shared locker rooms, erases women’s sports and hijacks the practice of medicine.“During the House Judiciary Committee meeting on this subject, Democrat Rep. Emily Kinkead of Allegheny County admitted that doctors would face repercussions if they don’t perform sex reassignment surgeries. She said the following:“When we talk about, ‘Are physicians going to be required to do x, y, z?’ Yes! If it does no harm, if it in fact helps people. And when we deny gender-affirming care to people who do not identify with the gender that they were assigned at birth, that is causing harm and absolutely we should be holding the doctors accountable who will deny life-saving care to people.” The lawmaker concluded,“We should be for equal rights, not special rights.”