pa-legis
Street says Senate congressional draft is fair, protects minority voters; Democrats say he sold out
The Legislature must pass a map, and Gov. Tom Wolf must sign it, by Jan. 24.
Republicans say voter ID will increase voters’ trust in elections; researchers say otherwise
Add in a lack of faith in the GOP proper, and compromise on election reforms is seemingly hard to come by.
Pa.’s carbon fee for power plants is ready to be enacted, but legislative agency says it can’t yet
Final approval may be delayed until early January due to a technical dispute between Gov. Tom Wolf’s administration and the legislative agency that circulates new laws and regulations.
Advocates want a more diverse General Assembly. But making that a reality is complicated
If the composition of the General Assembly matched Pennsylvania’s rapidly diversifying population, there would be at least 47 lawmakers who were not white. Instead, there are just 31 elected state legislators who are not white. The space between Harrisburg and reality could be chalked up to a multitude of things, but as legislative leaders hammer […]
Bucks County students push to make the Hershey’s Kiss Pa.’s state candy
To build civic engagement, eight students and a Bucks County middle school teacher are pushing for Pennsylvania to pick its newest state symbol — the Hershey’s Kiss, as the official state candy. The effort was officially launched last week, when state Rep. Tom Mehaffie, R-Dauphin, circulated a memo on legislation to name the Kiss as […]
Municipalities want to limit carbon emissions. Pa. utilities want to preempt them
Nineteen states have passed legislation banning local governments from regulating utilities within their borders.
Activist announces independent run against 20-term western Pa. Democratic lawmaker
Independent Zarah Livingston says it's time for a change: Incumbent Rep. Anthony DeLuca has held the seat 'longer than I've been alive.'
Bail funds help the poor get out of jail. Advocates say a Pa. House bill could shut them down
The General Assembly is also being lobbied by the bail industry's former top advocate, who is registered to work for four bail bond companies.
Wolf admin denies legislative panel access to COVID death data, says it’s not a government agency
The Wolf administration has ruled that a six-decade-old legislative committee is not a government agency, blocking its efforts to access 100 redacted death certificates for a study of COVID-19 data reporting. The Legislative Budget and Finance Committee, which sought the information, noted the administration’s ruling in a report it released this week. The 12-member committee, […]
Legislators at work? One in 5 laws enacted in Pa. this year renamed a bridge (or road)
Much like legislation naming post offices to members of Congress, bills to name bridges and roads are a staple of slow legislative days in Harrisburg. The honorees range from military members and first responders who have died in the line of service to deceased lawmakers and local historical figures. But such legislation has made up […]
Gov. candidate Shapiro is skeptical of RGGI. It’s unclear if AG Shapiro will do something about it.
Now that he’s running for governor, Democratic state Attorney General Josh Shapiro is trying to separate himself from incumbent Gov. Tom Wolf’s signature environmental initiative. Shapiro’s campaign did not specifically say if, elected as governor in 2022, he would pull the commonwealth out of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. Also known as RGGI, it’s a […]
The clock is ticking for lawmakers to draw Pa.’s legislative maps. Here’s why
They must draw the maps by Jan. 2022, but likely will try to finish early to meet deadlines for next year's election.