HARRISBURG — Pennsylvania homeowners and renters who are elderly or have disabilities may get a state rebate check earlier than expected, officials announced Tuesday.

About 500,000 Pennsylvanians who benefit from the state’s property tax and rent rebate program will be receiving their checks six weeks earlier than usual, state officials announced Tuesday.

A group of state officials has an idea to expand the availability of ventilators and other equipment hospitals need to treat coronavirus patients: let more medical facilities fix the ones they have.

Pennsylvania’s two largest banks — PNC and Wells Fargo — have agreed to cash federal stimulus checks for both customers and non-customers for free.

Two of Pennsylvania’s largest banks have agreed to cash stimulus checks – for both customers and non-customers – without fees, and will not offset stimulus payments to customers against penalty fees. Pennsylvania Treasurer Joe Torsella, who brokered the arrangement, called on other Pennsylvania financial institutions to do the same. Paper stimulus checks will arrive through mail over the coming days and weeks.