HARRISBURG – Sen. Dan Laughlin (R-49) was officially sworn in today for his third term in the Pennsylvania State Senate. Laughlin continues to represent the 49th Senatorial District, encompassing most of Erie County. The swearing-in ceremony officially starts the Pennsylvania General Assembly’s 2025-26 legislative session.
“I am thankful for the confidence and trust of the people of the 49th Senatorial District,” said Laughlin. “While we’ve worked to accomplish many things during my past eight years in the Senate, there’s plenty left to do, and I’ll continue to work hard to deliver results for Erie County.”
Born in Erie and raised in the Erie Heights housing project, Laughlin is the son of a decorated World War II combat veteran who worked as a union carpenter and a mother who assembled fighter planes at the Curtis Wright Plant in Buffalo.
One of four children, Dan contributed to the family income during his formative years by mowing lawns, delivering the Erie Daily Times, working at a strawberry farm and being employed as a vertical lathe worker and homebuilder.
He joined his brother’s construction firm and later bought into the company as a full partner. Laughlin Builders was one of the region’s premier builders of quality homes. Twenty years later, the brothers formed Waste Away, a trash disposal company, which they later sold to Pro Waste Corp. Their portfolio of companies expanded to include Clear Water Foam, an insulating firm, as well as Laughlin Properties, a rental company.
As a small business owner, Dan strongly supports policies and programs that create jobs, limit government spending and ease the tax and regulatory burden on job-creators. A strong advocate for government reform, he is committed to making state government accessible and accountable to the people he serves.
He is married to the former Peggy Schneider, a mechanical engineer. They have two sons, Spencer and Nathaniel, and a daughter, Sinclaire. The family attends Grace Church in McKean.
You can view the video of the swearing-in ceremony here.
For more state-related news and information, constituents can visit Laughlin’s website at www.senatorlaughlin.com or follow him on Facebook and Twitter @senatorlaughlin.
Contact: David Kozak 717-787-8927