Representative Karen Boback News Boback’s Bill Commemorating Tuskegee Airmen Needs Governor’s Signature to Become Law A bill sponsored by Rep. Karen Boback (R-Lackawanna/Luzerne/Wyoming) that would designate March 29 of each year as “Tuskegee Airmen Commemoration Day” in Pennsylvania passed unanimously in the Senate last week. House Bill 2586 now awaits the governor’s signature to become law. “Nearly 100 Tuskegee Airmen came from western Pennsylvania, more than any other region in the nation,” Boback said. “It is important that we both remember and honor this group of outstanding state residents who put their lives on the line for our nation and Commonwealth, all while in the face of racial adversity.” The Tuskegee Airmen were the first group of African-American military aviators, fighting with exemplary courage and distinction during World War II. Despite facing rigid racial barriers and constant segregation, these airmen were among the most accomplished and effective pilots of the entire war. Upwards of 900 pilots who graduated from Tuskegee Airfield flew 1,578 missions and 15,533 sorties, destroying 261 enemy aircraft and earning themselves more than 850 medals, collectively. The bill also would require an annual proclamation from the governor encouraging all public schools and educational institutions to observe and conduct exercises recognizing the Tuskegee Airmen and their sacrifices. The governor has 10 days to sign, veto or allow the bills to become law without his signature. If signed, the new law would take effect in 60 days. Boback’s Bill to Assist Older Foster Youth Awaits Governor’s Signature After Senate Approval – A bill sponsored by Rep. Karen Boback (R-Lackawanna/Luzerne/Wyoming) aimed at helping older foster youth in Pennsylvania find more permanent family connections passed unanimously in the Senate on Wednesday. House Bill 1866 now awaits the governor’s signature to become law. “It is imperative that we do all we can to help foster youth in Pennsylvania find a permanent family before reaching adulthood and, if that doesn’t happen, to ensure they at least have positive family and community connections,” said Boback. “My bill helps these young people to make the often difficult transition into adulthood with a support system in place. I am so pleased we were able to get it across the finish line before the end of the current legislative session.” House Bill 1866 builds on existing state requirements that foster youth receive counseling and other services as they grow older, including the identification of family members who may be willing to assume a primary caretaker or other supportive role. The measure also ensures those requirements are fully and effectively implemented. If signed, the new law would take effect in 60 days.
Attorney Joseph Grady, former Scranton Workers’ Compensation Judge, joins the Law Offices of O’Malley & Langan The Partners at O’Malley & Langan are pleased to announce that Scranton native Attorney Joseph Grady has joined the firm and is now accepting clients. Building on a distinguished, 30-year career as a Workers’ Compensation Judge, Attorney Grady brings with him a remarkable depth of experience in navigating the legal system. “I’ve represented many Workers’ Compensation clients in Joe’s courtroom over the years. He was always fair, even-handed, and highly professional,” says Todd J. O’Malley, Founder and Senior Partner at O’Malley & Langan. “I’ve always believed knowledge and experience count when you’re representing a client, particularly in Workers’ Compensation cases. Having handled thousands of complex cases, Joe’s insights and wisdom make him an invaluable addition to our team.” Attorney Mary Anne Lucas, a Partner at the firm, agrees, “No matter how much progress is made in improving workplace safety, people are still getting hurt on the job and employers’ insurance companies are still trying figure out how they can reduce benefits or completely stop payments on medical bills and prescriptions. As a Judge, there’s not much Joe didn’t see. Now, our clients can benefit from his wealth of knowledge.” Licensed in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, Attorney Grady served as a Workers’ Compensation Judge with the PA Department of Labor and Industry in the Scranton office from 1992 through 2022. Over the years, he was at the forefront of implementing innovative practices and procedures that resulted in more efficient and timely litigation of matters within the Workers’ Compensation adjudicatory system. He was also instrumental in establishing one of the first mediation programs in the state for Workers’ Compensation litigants. “Having seen so many lives affected by work injuries in different ways, I understand the importance of good representation with any work injury,” says Attorney Grady, reflecting on his decision to join O’Malley & Langan. “The attorneys at O’Malley & Langan appeared before me for many years representing clients with work injuries. I can say – without hesitation – they were always well prepared, understood the issues, and provided the best representation for their clients. That’s why I decided to work alongside them, helping those affected by workplace injuries.” Educated at Scranton Preparatory High School, the University of Scranton, and Seton Hall University School of Law, Attorney Grady is currently a member of the Pennsylvania and Lackawanna Bar Associations. He has served as President of the Lackawanna County Bar Association and its Young Lawyers Division. He was also a member of the Bar Association Board of Directors and served on various committees including Chairman of the Mediation Committee. Attorney Grady was recognized several times by the University of Scranton and the J.A. Panuska College of Professional Studies and Edward R. Leahy, Jr. Endowment for planning and developing the Annual Northeast United States Conference on DisAbility. He also earned the 2013 Lackawanna County Bar Association President’s Award, and the 2022 Lackawanna Bar Association’s Exemplary Service Award. He is a longtime lecturer and course planner on Workers’ Compensation topics for both the Lackawanna County and Pennsylvania Bar Associations. Philanthropic by nature and an enthusiastic community leader, Attorney Grady has been active over the years with the ARC/Parents of Down Syndrome of Lackawanna County, and previously served on the Board of Directors of Saint Joseph’s Center, Scranton. A founding member of the Steamtown Marathon and previous Exalted Ruler with the Scranton Elks Lodge, he has also contributed his time and talent as the Assistant Race Director for the Ronald McDonald House of Scranton’s 5K Run/Walk. The son of Marjorie Werner Grady of Scranton and the late Eugene P. Grady, Attorney Grady is married to Anne Cottone Grady. They are the proud parents of one son, Christian Grady. As one of seven children, he has three brothers, Michael Grady, MD, Washington DC; Patrick Grady, MD, Clarks Summit; Eugene Grady, MD, Scranton; and three sisters, Mary Kay Pierce, Waverly; Ellen Huckenpoehler, Maryland, and Joan Loftus, Ed.D., New Hampshire. His father-in-law, the late Judge S. John Cottone, served as a Judge for the Court of Common Pleas of Lackawanna County and was a United States Attorney for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. For 30+ years, the team of attorneys at O’Malley & Langan has been serving clients throughout Northeastern Pennsylvania from offices located in Scranton, Pittston, and Towanda.Attorney Grady can be contacted by telephone at (570) 344-2667 or via email at jgrady@omalleylangan.com. Visit our website to learn more about the Law Offices of O’Malley & Langan and Attorney Joseph Grady.
Hourigan, Kluger & Quinn Names Three New Principals Effective as of January 1, 2022, attorneys Ryan Molitoris, Christopher Quinn and Kevin Walsh will be advancing to Principal status of the law firm Hourigan, Kluger & Quinn. Molitoris and Quinn will join eight other Personal Injury Attorneys and Walsh will join nine Business Law Attorneys in Principal status. Ryan Molitoris Attorney Molitoris was born and raised in Plains, PA. He graduated from the University of Scranton with a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Philosophy and a minor in History. He then pursed his legal career at Widener University School of Law in Harrisburg, PA, graduating Magna Cum Laude in the top 10% of his class – while serving as the Executive Managing Editor for its Law Review. Before joining Hourigan, Kluger & Quinn, Molitoris served as a Staff Attorney in the Pro Se Office for the United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. Prior to that, he served as a Federal Judicial Law Clerk to the late Hon. Edwin M. Kosik and as an Associate Attorney for the Siejk Law Firm in Scranton, PA. Molitoris is a member of the Pennsylvania Bar Association, the Luzerne County Bar Association, the Lackawanna County Bar Association, and the Federal Middle District of Pennsylvania. His practice areas include medical malpractice, premises liability and motor vehicle accidents. Christopher Quinn Attorney Quinn was born and raised in Clarks Summit, PA. He graduated from the University of Pittsburgh with a bachelor’s degree in Philosophy and a minor in Political Science. He then pursued his legal career at Duquesne University School of Law in Pittsburgh, PA., where he was a member of the National Trial Team, a National Member of the Order of Barristers and recipient of the Court Call Award for Excellence in Trial Advocacy, as well as the Shalom Moot Court Award. Prior to joining Hourigan, Kluger & Quinn, he served as a Law Clerk to Lackawanna County Judge Hon. Terrence R. Nealon. Quinn has been named to the 2022 Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch – Medical Malpractice Litigation. He is a member of the Pennsylvania, Lackawanna and Luzerne Bar Associations and the Northeast Pennsylvania Trial Lawyers Association. His practice areas include medical malpractice, products liability, trucking and auto accidents. Kevin Walsh Attorney Walsh was born and raised in Drums, PA. He graduated from Bucknell University with his bachelor’s degree in Political Science. He then pursued his legal career at Syracuse University College of Law, where he was selected as a recipient of the Lampe Bar Scholarship. Prior to joining Hourigan, Kluger & Quinn, Walsh was an Associate Attorney with Donald G. Karpowich, Attorney-At-Law, P.C., and with the Law Offices of Tullio DeLuca. Walsh also began his legal career serving as a Law Clerk to Lackawanna County Judge Terrence R. Nealon. Walsh is a member of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, the United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, and the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. His practice areas include real estate transactions, banking and creditors’ rights, zoning, real estate and general litigation matters.
Munley Law Ranked in 2022 “Best Law Firms” Munley Law has been ranked in the 2022 U.S. News & World Report and Best Lawyers “Best Law Firms” list regionally in 4 practice areas. Firms included in the 2022 “Best Law Firms” list are recognized for professional excellence with persistently impressive ratings from clients and peers. Achieving a tiered ranking signals a unique combination of quality law practice and breadth of legal expertise. The 2022 Edition of “Best Law Firms” includes rankings in 75 national practice areas and 127 metropolitan-based practice areas. Additionally, one “Law Firm of the Year” was named in each nationally-ranked practice area. Ranked firms, presented in tiers, are listed on a national and/or metropolitan scale. Receiving a tier designation reflects the high level of respect a firm has earned among other leading lawyers and clients in the same communities and the same practice areas for their abilities, their professionalism and their integrity. Munley Law received the folloing rankings in the 2022 U.S. News – Best Lawyers “Best Law Firms”: Regional Tier 1Northeastern PennsylvaniaMedical Malpractice Law – PlaintiffsPersonal Injury Litigation – PlaintiffsProduct Liability Litigation – PlantiffsWorkers’ Compensation Law – Claimants
Boback Bill Amending Flood Plain Management Act Becomes Law Rep. Karen Boback (R-Lackawanna/Luzerne/Wyoming) announces the enactment of Act 70 of 2021, that includes her House Bill 1598, which amends the Flood Plain Management Act by placing the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA) as the lead agency for the program. “I am thankful to see the bill that I was the prime sponsor of get placed in the Administrative Code and receive support and enactment,” said Boback. “My bill specifically amended the Flood Plain Management Act by placing PEMA as the lead agency to oversee this program rather than the Department of Community and Economic Development. This change in oversight would increase the Commonwealth’s receipt of federal hazardous mitigation funding from 15% to 20%, according to PEMA projections. With many flood prone regions in my district, I am grateful to see the quick action and passage of this bill to provide Pennsylvanians with results.” “Flooding touches every county in the Commonwealth and is one of the most frequent disasters that affects the state,” said PEMA Director Randy Padfield. “Having responsibility for the administration of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) moved to PEMA will provide for greater continuity of the program and integration with other Federal Emergency Management Agency programs that our agency coordinates with the local municipalities. It will also assist us in obtaining an Enhanced Hazard Mitigation Plan which will lead to additional federal funding in the future to lessen the impacts of future disasters to citizens of the Commonwealth.” House Bill 1598 was enacted under the Administrative Code from House Bill 336, which would amend the Administrative Code to provide budget language implementation. For more information on Act 70 of 2021, please visit www.legis.state.pa.us.
New Law Updates CDL Licensing Requirements The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) today announced that a recently enacted state law, Act 131 of 2020, extends the validity period of a commercial learner’s permit and helps address the issue of human trafficking through severe penalties levied on commercial drivers or those who wish to obtain a commercial driver’s license. “This law helps ensure commercial drivers have adequate time to prepare for their commercial driving test while also addressing punishment for a serious crime,” said PennDOT Secretary Yassmin Gramian. Act 131 of 2020 extends the validity period of a commercial learner’s permit from 180 days to one year. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration recently changed regulations to allow a jurisdiction the choice of the 180-day commercial learner’s permit with an additional 180-day extension or a one-year commercial learner’s permit. A one-year permit is more convenient for customers, giving them more time to prepare for their skills test. Additionally, a longer validity period means that fewer customers will need to extend their permit, which will help decrease customer traffic in driver license centers. This section of the law became effective May 23, 2021. Act 131 will also update requirements and restrictions for commercial driver’s license (CDL) holders, including reporting requirements for convictions and violations. One of these changes disqualifies an individual from operating a commercial motor vehicle for life if they are convicted of using a commercial motor vehicle to commit certain forms of severe human trafficking. This section of the law became effective May 25, 2021. For more information on Driver and Vehicle Services, please visit www.dmv.pa.gov. Driver and vehicle online services are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week and include driver’s license, photo ID and vehicle registration renewals; driver-history services; changes of address; driver license and vehicle registration restoration letters; ability to pay driver license or vehicle insurance restoration fee; driver license and photo ID duplicates; and driver exam scheduling. There are no additional fees for using online services. Follow PennDOT on Twitter at www.twitter.com/PennDOTNews, or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/PennsylvaniaDepartmentofTransportation.
