Litigation has affected many Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (PLCB) licensees with dram shop actions, slip and fall accidents, workers’ compensation claims, etc. The most well-known way to protect assets is to hold the PLCB license under a separate operating company or individual. Another way to protect a business is to use high-quality surveillance cameras. Cameras can be installed in conspicuous places, such as doorways, parking lots, the restaurant seating area, the bar seating area, and possibly outside lavatories. Many restaurants or social clubs that use surveillance cameras only retain the tapes for one (1) month to sixty (60) days. Given… read more »
Attorney Jeff Rehmeyer Named to UPMC Memorial Hospital Advisory Board
CGA Law Firm is pleased to announce Attorney Jeffrey L. Rehmeyer has been selected to join the UPMC Memorial Hospital Advisory Board in Central Pennsylvania. UPMC has seven acute care hospitals with 1,283 licensed beds, over 160 outpatient clinics and ancillary facilities, more than 2,900 physicians and allied health professionals, and approximately 13,000 employees in Central Pennsylvania. It is a health care hub serving Dauphin, Cumberland, Perry, York, Lancaster, Lebanon, Juniata, Franklin, Adams and parts of Snyder counties.
CGA Law Firm Assists Vail Resorts with Inclusion Initiative
by Judge John Kennedy In 2019, local Ski Roundtop was acquired by Vail Resorts. The Countess, Gilbert and Andrews families were always winter and skiing enthusiasts. Currently, Larry Young, Judge John Kennedy and other CGA members regularly ski. This year Vail began a program, Epic for Everyone. They partnered with the National Brotherhood of Skiers (NBS) to introduce youth of color to winter sports. The local NBS affiliate, Black Ski of Washington, D.C. was selected as one of nine clubs across the nation to participate in this program. Vail awarded all 9 affiliates a $37,000 grant to help introduce 40 youth from each… read more »
Supreme Court Hears Arguments on Biden Administration’s Student Loan Forgiveness Plan
Today in our nation’s capital, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in relation to the Biden administration’s student loan forgiveness plan (hereinafter, the “Plan”). The Court heard arguments in two different cases – Biden v. Nebraska and Department of Education v. Brown – both of which involve similar yet distinct factual backgrounds and issues of law that will impact the very future of this debt cancellation. While the Court will not reach a final decision on these cases for another several months (many experts predict late June of 2023), today’s events provided a “sneak-preview” of where the Court is likely… read more »
Landmark Victory on Behalf of Pennsylvania’s Underfunded School Districts
In a 786-page decision issued on February 7, 2023, the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court ruled that Pennsylvania’s school funding system is unconstitutional and must be reformed. The case William Penn School District et al. v. Pennsylvania Department of Education et al. was filed against the Pennsylvania Department of Education, state legislative leaders, state education officials, and the governor (collectively, the “Defendants”) in 2014 by six Pennsylvania school districts, four parents of minor children, the Pennsylvania Association of Rural and Small Schools, and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People – Pennsylvania State Conference (collectively, the “Plaintiffs”). The Plaintiffs claimed… read more »
Understanding Charter Schools
In 1997 the Pennsylvania legislature passed the Pennsylvania Charter School Law, and charter schools were established. Forty-six states have a charter school law, and charter schools have become a major factor in public education. This article will answer some basic questions about charters. According to the National Alliance of Public Charter Schools, as of the spring of 2022, there are roughly 7,700 schools and campuses serving more than 3.4 million students across the U.S. Pennsylvania has almost 200 charter schools that serve about 1 75,000 students. There are two basic structures. First, a charter school can be located in a… read more »
SECURE 2.0 & Other Important Changes to Estate Planning Law for 2023
Happy New Year! This year brings to us several legal changes which will benefit to taxpayers for 2023 and beyond. For more details, contact CGA Law Firm’s Estate Planning attorneys. Increase for Estate Tax Exemption. This year, the amount that an individual can transfer estate tax-free automatically increases for estates of decedents passing away in 2023 from $12.06MM to $12.92MM, an inflation-index increase of $86,000. A married couple enjoys a combined exemption of $25,840,000. Keep in mind, however, that the exemption amount will decrease in the end of 2025 with the sunset of the 2017 Tax Cut and Jobs Act,… read more »
Renew America’s Schools Grant
On November 29, President Biden, through the U.S. Department of Energy, announced that applications are open for the Renew America’s Schools grant program. This first-of-its-kind investment will enable K-12 public schools to make clean energy improvements and upgrades that will lower energy costs and foster healthier learning environments. The grant provides a total of $500 million in funding. The first round of grants will provide up to $80 million for schools to install energy efficient lighting and HVAC systems, improve the insulation of their facilities, switch to electric vehicles, and convert facilities to renewable energy sources such as solar and… read more »
Deb Werner Celebrates 10 Years with CGA
Although she began her CGA career on the Real Estate legal team, Deb found herself in Estate Planning when a long-time employee announced their retirement plans. While working in Estate Planning, Deb discovered she had an interest and aptitude for the work in this practice area. In Estate Planning, Deb assists attorneys in preparing trusts, wills, and powers of attorney, as well as meeting with clients. In the Real Estate department, she helps with agricultural conservation easements, which protect tracts of land from development. Deb enjoys the workload because she has always squeezed diverse and interesting activities into her… read more »
Resolve to Avoid DUI Trouble in 2023
It happens too often. You are driving your vehicle after having a drink (or more than one) and suddenly you see the flashing lights of a police car behind you. You’re about to be confronted with a situation that happens to tens of thousands of Pennsylvanians every year. What will happen during the police stop and afterward? How should you handle it? Will you have a criminal record and what will happen to your driver’s license? This article addresses some of those issues. Driving under the influence (DUI) is far and away the most common reason for arrest every year…. read more »
