On Sept. 27, Gov. Josh Shapiro announced former State Rep. Mike Vereb is stepping down as secretary of legislative affairs and he will appoint Thomas (TJ) Yablonski Jr., a Pennsylvania native who currently serves as a senior adviser in the Governor’s Office, to fill the role.

“Mike has spent decades serving our Commonwealth, including six years securing funding for law enforcement and enhancing school safety in the Office of Attorney General and the critical first year of our Administration getting a historic, bipartisan budget across the finish line,” said Chief of Staff Dana Fritz. “Mike has been a key member of our team and thanks to his dedicated service, the Governor’s Office is prepared for the work ahead. We wish Mike all the best and we’re grateful for his service.”