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With extremism resurgent, will Pa. finally pass a tougher hate crimes law? | Friday Morning Coffee
'Hate crimes have become part of American life, the new normal in our country,' a Pittsburgh lawmaker, who's trying to turn the tide, says.
Pa. Republican Rep. Mike Reese dies at age 42
Reese died Saturday afternoon at Excela Health Westmoreland Hospital with his family by his side, KDKA-TV reported.
Report: Most states are weeks late in paying unemployment benefits. How did Pa. do? | Monday Morning Coffee
As of Nov. 1, all but three states were meeting the federal mandate to get benefit payments to 87 percent of applicants within three weeks.
It’s Budget Week (again). Here’s what you need to know | Monday Morning Coffee
Lawmakers and Gov. Tom Wolf have until Nov. 30 to get a budget deal to finish the 2020-21 fiscal year. Can it be done?
‘The best part of it is picking your own time to leave,’ Scarnati says, as Pa. Senate pays tribute to retiring GOP leader
A 20-year veteran of the Senate, Scarnati announced in February that he would not seek reelection this year, saying he wanted to spend more time with his family.
Hughes: It’s ‘a crime to have $1.3B sitting around’; Ahead of budget debate, Senate Dems release plan for unspent CARES cash
With round two of this year’s budget debate looming, Senate Democrats have rolled out their plan to spend $1.3 billion in unspent federal COVID-19 relief funds.
Pa. Senate’s vote to curb executive power devolves into partisan shouting match
Actions by the GOP majority “defied the spirit of democracy” the chamber's top Democratic leader said Wednesday.
Activists, W.Pa. lawmakers call on Allegheny Co. officials to increase access to the ballot box
Allegheny County election officials have already processed 204,000 mail-in and absentee ballot applications to date,
This Pittsburgh nurse works on the front lines. Here’s what she needs from Harrisburg. | John L. Micek
Artinese Knight is a registered nurse. And she worries about lots of stuff: Whether she’ll have the personal protective equipment she needs when she shows up for work. If she can offer the care to her patients that they need and deserve. And, if she gets sick, whether she can afford to take the time […]
DePasquale announces audit, Senate serves subpoena as pressure increases to open up Wolf’s waiver
The move forces Gov. Tom Wolf to shed light on how his administration decided which businesses could open and which would remain closed to prevent the spread of the disease.
State Senate sends Wolf bill aimed at reopening Pa. businesses; Guv signals veto
The legislation lifts its business criteria from an advisory issued last month by an agency in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The Republican-controlled House passed it Tuesday.
In fight over COVID-19 relief bills, Pa. lawmakers walk a political tightrope | Thursday Morning Coffee
From loan forgiveness to bills to help childcare centers, there's no shortage of ideas. Still, the plans highlight partisan divisions on the way forward.