Dauphin News

The Senate Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee has unanimously passed a bill sponsored by Sen. Camera Bartolotta aimed at supporting veteran-owned businesses in Pennsylvania. Senate Bill 64 seeks to authorize the creation of logos that promote businesses owned by veterans. To qualify for this initiative, a business must be registered with the Department of State, with at least 51% ownership by a veteran, reservist, or member of the National Guard.

Sen. Bartolotta noted the challenges of starting a business and highlighted the additional obstacles faced by veterans. "Because of my own experience, I can confidently say that opening and running your own business is not easy. I had the benefit of taking on those challenges without simultaneously fighting post-traumatic stress injury and trying to resume life as a civilian after serving our country – unlike our veterans,” Bartolotta stated. “Let’s give them the best chance at success.”

The legislation includes measures to prevent misuse of the promotional logo. Anyone falsely claiming to be a veteran to acquire the designation could face a third-degree misdemeanor. Fines collected from such violations will contribute to the Veterans’ Trust Fund.

Managed by the Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, the Veterans’ Trust Fund provides grants to organizations that support veterans and their families with housing, financial assistance, food, training, and recovery.

The next step for the bill is consideration by the full Senate. A previous version of this bill, known as Senate Bill 438, was introduced during the 2023-24 legislative session. It received unanimous support in the Senate but did not reach a vote in the House of Representatives.

For more details, including Sen. Bartolotta’s remarks, viewers are encouraged to watch the provided link.

For further inquiries, contact Katrina Hanna at 717-787-1463.