State Senator
Tracy Pennycuick
On the Issues
AI & cybersecurity
The digital landscape is rapidly changing. As Chair of the Communications and Technology Committee, Senator Pennycuick is leading the charge to secure the power grid, safeguard personal data, and protect our kids online.
As artificial intelligence rapidly evolves, Pennsylvania must strike the right balance — Senator Pennycuick understands the importance of encouraging innovation while protecting residents, especially children, from digital threats. She introduced Senate Bill 1213, now Act 125 of 2024, to address the alarming rise of AI-generated deepfake sexual images of children and non-consenting adults and Senate Bill 649, now Act 35 of 2025, to classify deepfakes as digital forgery. The bill covers intentionally deceptive deepfakes, malicious political deepfakes, AI scams, and other related areas.
Building on her legislation already signed into law, she is advancing additional safeguards, including age-appropriate standards for minors using AI chatbots.
EDUCATION
As a mom and a grandmother, Senator Pennycuick knows how important it is to make sure our kids get the best education possible — whether that’s in a public school or a private one.
As your state senator, she’s focused on supporting students, giving parents a stronger voice in their children’s education, and improving how we meet students’ learning needs overall.
She’s a strong supporter of the Educational Improvement Tax Credit program to help students access learning environments that work best for them.
She championed cyber charter school reforms that cracked down on truancy and residency issues, saving schools $178 million. As every parent knows — if kids aren’t in school, they aren’t learning.
Our children deserve evidence-based instruction that works. That is why Senator Pennycuick continues to support legislation promoting proven reading strategies and effective math instruction, ensuring students are equipped with the skills they need to succeed.
Education is about opportunity, accountability, and putting students first — and that’s what she’ll keep fighting for.
Fiscal Responsibility
Government must live within its means, just like we do. Senator Pennycuick is fighting to cut our taxes, balance the state’s books, and end wasteful spending.
Pennsylvania is facing a growing structural deficit in the years ahead. As a member of the Pennsylvania Senate Appropriations Committee, Senator Pennycuick is focused on keeping spending in check, cutting waste, and supporting smart policies that grow the economy — without putting additional pressure on families or employers.
Safety
As she travels throughout Berks County and Montgomery County, Senator Pennycuick consistently hears from families that tell her the same thing: they want to feel safe in their communities. As your State Senator, public safety is one of her top priorities. That’s why she’s working with colleagues from both parties to pass commonsense legislation that fights crime and supports law enforcement.
Here’s a look at some of the steps Senator Pennycuick
is taking to make us safer:
Holding drug dealers accountable when lives are lost
Senate Bill 92, also known as Tyler’s Law, establishes a mandatory minimum sentence for drug dealers with multiple prior felony convictions when their actions result in death. The bill honors the memory of Tyler Shanafelter, an 18-year-old who died after taking a fentanyl-laced pill.
Banning safe injection sites
Senate Bill 347 prevents so-called “safe injection sites” from operating in our neighborhoods and normalizing the use of dangerous drugs like heroin and fentanyl.
Keeping dangerous offenders behind bars
Senate Bill 490 stops courts from releasing defendants who pose a real threat to public safety on unsecured bail or their own recognizance.
Protecting our schools
Senate Bill 96 increases fines and toughens penalties for terroristic threats against schools, helping keep students, teachers, and staff safe.
Cracking down on swatting
Senate Bill 175 strengthens penalties for false emergency reports and allows courts to require offenders to pay the costs of emergency responses.
Keeping our communities safe shouldn’t be political—and she’ll continue working across party lines to make sure families feel secure where they live, work, and go to school.
Voter ID
Every voter deserves confidence that our elections are fair and secure. Senator Pennycuick sponsored a constitutional amendment to require photo identification to vote, ensuring our rights and our votes are protected.
Veterans
As a 26-year combat veteran of the U.S. Army, Senator Pennycuick understands the needs of our veterans and their families. She is working to improve veterans’ health care by ensuring providers are trained to recognize service-related conditions and that veterans are identified early in medical settings. Our obligation to veterans does not end when their service does.
Women
Men shouldn’t compete in women’s sports. Senator Pennycuick is standing up for women and defending their right to safe, fair competition.
Senator Pennycuick championed Senate Bill 88, which is now law, to expand access to supplemental breast cancer screenings at no cost for patients who are at average or higher risk. She understands that early detection saves lives, and this law removes a financial barrier that has too often stood in the way of preventative care.