PA Capitol Report: Top 10 Stories On Harrisburg/PA Politics Last Week
Because In Politics Everything Is Connected To Everything Else–
— 2022 Priorities
— WITF: Republican Budget Chiefs Want PA’s Plethora Of Pandemic-Era Cash Used ‘Judiciously’
— Governor’s Budget Address Feb. 8
— PA’s Role In Assault On U.S. Capitol
— New Voting Districts – Senate, House, Congressional
— AP: State Judge Begins Review To Pick New Congressional Voting District Map
— Spotlight PA: Commonwealth Court Weighs PA Congressional Voting District Maps With National Implications
— PennLive – Charles Thompson: Mappapalooza: Fight Over PA Congressional Voting Districts Map In Court
— Inquirer: How Different Congressional Maps Would Redistrict Pennsylvania
— Inquirer: All 14 Proposed PA Congressional Redistricting Maps
— Spotlight PA: Wolf Vetoes PA Congressional Voting District Map Sent To Him By Republicans
— Spotlight PA: PA Republicans Send Doomed Congressional Districts Map To Wolf Likely Handing The Choice To State Courts
— PA Cap-Star: Courts Likely To Pick PA Congressional Districts Map After Wolf, Legislature Fall Short
— ErieT: Wolf Says State Redistricting Should Be Above Partisan Bickering
— AP: Lawmakers Stalemated On PA Congressional Map, Republican Senate Leader Says
— Spotlight PA: What Delayed Voting District Maps Could Be For May 17 Primary Election
— TribLive Editorial: Just Draw The New Voting District Maps Already
— ReadingE Editorial: Local Impacts Of Redistricting Don’t Get Enough Attention
— Governor’s Race
— Inquirer: PA Governor’s Race Will Shape Voting Law, Maybe The 2024 Election
— PennLive – Jan Murphy: PA Likely To Shatter $80 Million Total For Spending In Governor’s Race
— AP: Democrats Shapiro, Fetterman, Lamb To Miss Biden Pittsburgh Visit Friday Due To Scheduling Conflicts
— PennLive – Charles Thompson: Republicans Dave White, David McCormick Win SW PA Straw Poll For Governor U.S. Senate
— City & State: Rep. Austin Davis Scores SEIU Endorsement For Democratic Lt. Governor
— TribLive Guest Essay: As Governor, Shapiro Will Protect Our Democracy – Rep. Emily Kinkead (D)
— U.S. Senate Race
— AP: PA Democrats Deadlock On Endorsing In U.S. Senate Race; Lamb Gets Most Votes
— PG: PA Democrats Opt To Sit Out U.S. Senate Primary; Lamb Doubles Fetterman In Votes
— City & State: Here Are Endorsements In PA’s U.S. Senate Race
— Pennlive – Charles Thompson: Democratic U.S. Senate Hopefuls Trade Policy Ideas, Occasional Jabs On Eve Of Endorsement Meeting
— AP: Democrats Shapiro, Fetterman, Lamb To Miss Biden Pittsburgh Visit Friday Due To Scheduling Conflicts
— PennLive – Charles Thompson: Republicans Dave White, David McCormick Win SW PA Straw Poll For Governor U.S. Senate
— MCall: Sen. Ted Cruz Rallies Republicans In Lehigh Valley To Kick Off Candidate’s Bid To Replace Toomey
— AP: PA Republican U.S. Senate Hopeful Enlist Other Republican Stars
— PG: Fetterman Criticized For Skipping Black Clergy Forum
— TribLive Guest Essay: Dr. Oz Is Fun, But The Republic Must Come First – Joseph Sabino Mistick
— ErieT Guest Essay: PA Farmers Need Right-To-Repair – Lt. Gov. Fetterman, Democratic Candidate For U.S. Senate
— PG Guest Essay: Pittsburgh Knows Biden Agenda Has Failed – Dave McCormick, Republican Candidate For U.S. Senate, Fmr Hedge Fund Manager
— May 2021 Election
— MCall: Lehigh, Northampton Counties Need Spanish-Speaking Poll Workers For May Primary
— Election Reform/2020 Election Fallout
— Spotlight PA: PA’s Mail Voting Law Ruled Unconstitutional, But Remains In Place As Wolf Appeals
— CourierT: Republican PA Cong. Kelly Celebrates Initial State Court Ruling Eliminating Mail-In Voting For Over 1.3 Million Pennsylvanians [Kelly Also Led Efforts To Overturn The 2020 Election Results By Spreading Misinformation]
— TribLive: Commonwealth Court Strikes Down Mail-In Voting: AG Files Appeal
— PennLive – Charles Thompson: Appeals Filed With PA Supreme Court After Mail-In Voting Law Ruled Unconstitutional
— PA Cap-Star: Commonwealth Court Rules Pennsylvania’s Mail-In Voting Law Unconstitutional
— AP: Commonwealth Court Strikes Down Expansive Mail-In Voting Law
— MCall – Paul Muschick: Why I’m Glad A Court Struck Down PA’s Mail Voting Law, A Chance Now To Write A Stronger Law
— TribLive Editorial: Logical Failings With Mail-In Voting Challenge, Court Ruling- Put The Issue Before Voters In A Constitutional Amendment
— WBTimes: Luzerne County Election Bureau Proceeding As Usual With Mail-In Ballots
— ErieT: Erie Postmaster, Project Veritas Face Off In Court Over 2020 Mail-In Ballot Claims
— CourierT: Analysis: We Examined Millions Of PA Voter Records, There Were Few ‘Irregularities’
— ErieT: More Democrats Than Republicans Changing Affiliation To Opposing Party In PA
— ScrantonT: Lackawanna County DA Finds No Voter Fraud In Drop Box Case
— LancasterOnline Editorial: Lancaster County Republicans Shouldn’t Align Itself With Disinformation-Spreading FreePA
— PA Cap-Star: What The Right For Voting Rights And PA School Funding Lawsuit Have In Common
— Inquirer: Progressives Want To Derail Republican Appointment To Philly’s Elections Board
State Constitutional Amendments
— Spotlight PA: Complete Guide To More Than 70 Proposed Amendments To State Constitution
— PA Cap-Star: With Abortion Amendment To Constitution, PA Republicans Have Given Up On Legislating
— PG Guest Essay: PA Constitution Getting The ‘Sharpie Treatment’ By Republicans Under Influence Of Special Interests And Dark Money Groups – Reps. Ryan Bizzarro (D) & Pam Snyder (D)
— Guest Essay: Legislating By Constitutional Amendment Is Not Legislating – Rep. Dan Miller (D)
— PennLive Guest Essay: Republican Legislators Shirking Their Duties As They Push Dozens Of Constitutional Amendments – Mark Singel (D)
— ScrantonT Editorial: Republican Lawmakers Drunk On Constitutional Amendments
— PG: PA Republicans Look To Referendum To Amend Constitution To Privatize Wine, Liquor Sales
— MCall- Ford Turner: Will PA’s State-Run Alcohol Stores Finally Be Privatized?
— Inquirer: New Effort To Eliminate State Liquor System Via Constitutional Amendment
— PG Editorial: Privatizing Liquor In PA On The Ballot
— Harrisburg Potpourri
— PA Cap-Star: Gift Ban Advocates Target PA Republican Leaders
— PennLive – John Baer: Wolf, Corman, Mastriano, Oz Said What? Things In Politics That Make You Go, ‘Hmmmm’
— PA Cap-Star: How PA Politicians Are Adapting Their Campaigns In The Age Of COVID
— CourierT: Rep. Wendi Thomas Won’t Seek Reelection
— Gov. Wolf: DCED Secretary Dennis Davin To Depart; Neil Weaver Named Acting Secretary
— LancasterOnline/The Caucus: Fmr PA Treasurer Barbara Hafer’s PAC Collected $2.3 Million From Investments, Paid Daughter $500,000 Since She Left Office
— WESA: Move To Privatize PA Liquor Sales Draws Familiar Opponents
— PG: PA Republicans Look To Referendum To Amend Constitution To Privatize Wine, Liquor Sales
— Inquirer: New Effort To Eliminate State Liquor System Via Constitutional Amendment
— MCall- Ford Turner: Will PA’s State-Run Alcohol Stores Finally Be Privatized?
— PennLive – Jan Murphy: Republican Senator Wants Cocktails To-Go To Make A Comeback In PA
— TribLive Editorial: Is Gambling Growth A Good Thing For Pennsylvania
— PA Cap-Star: Patient Limits For Nurses Bill Has Majority Support, But Won’t Advance In Harrisburg, Why?
— AP: General Assembly Fast-Tracks $225 Million More In Pandemic Aid To Hospitals
— PennLive: Lawmakers Call For Anti-Discrimination Statute After Chambersburg Revokes LGBTQ+ Ordinance
— Inquirer: PA Horse Racing Officials Release New Plan For Reducing Fatalities At Tracks
— PG: Pennsylvania Gets Failing Grades On Tobacco Control
— WHYY: Councilmember Introduces Bill To Repeal Philly Soda Tax
— Budget 2022
— WITF: Republican Budget Chiefs Want PA’s Plethora Of Pandemic-Era Cash Used ‘Judiciously’
— AP: General Assembly Fast-Tracks $225 Million More In Pandemic Aid To Hospitals
— PA Cap-Star: Wolf, Lawmakers Need To Release Pandemic Relief Funds To Nursing Homes
— TribLive Guest Essay: PA’s Out-Of Control Spending Is Driving Away Residents – Commonwealth Foundation
— Inquirer: New Effort To Eliminate State Liquor System Via Constitutional Amendment
— TribLive Editorial: Is Gambling Growth A Good Thing For Pennsylvania
— WITF: County Commissioners Push For More Money For Mental Health Services Among Top 2022 Priorities – Click Here for all priorities.
Bipartisan Infrastructure Law
— TribLive: Pittsburgh Leaders, Residents Seek Answers After Poor-Rated Bridge Collapses: ‘It Is Outrageous’ [The federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Will Provide Needed Resources To Address These Issues, But Also Mine Reclamation, Plugging Oil & Gas Wells Left Behind By Conventional Drillers, All But 1 Republican Voted Against It In PA]
— AP: Federal Investigators Vow To Put Collapsed Pittsburgh Bridge Under A ‘Microscope’
— TribLive: 1 In 8 Bridges In PA Rated In ‘Poor’ Conditions: ‘It’s A Resource Problem’
— TribLive Editorial: Pittsburgh Bridge Collapse Shows Infrastructure Failings
— PG Editorial: Bridge Collapse Won’t Be Last Infrastructure Failure
— PG Editorial: Repairing Western PA’s Other Regional Superhighway: The Rivers
— COVID Pandemic In PA
— Dept. Of Health Weekly Update On COVID Trends In Cases, Vaccinations, Hospitalizations
— Inquirer: Declining COVID Surge A Promising Sign, But It’s Not Over Yet
— PG: New COVID Cases Drop By Nearly Half In Allegheny County
— MCall: Lehigh Valley COVID Case Rate Plummets 72% In 12 Days
— ScrantonT: New COVID Cases Trending Upward Again In NE PA
— CitizensV: NE PA Hospitals Still Stressed As COVID Patient Numbers Level Off
— MCall Guest Essay: Lehigh Valley Health Systems – Hospitals Need Your Help Ending COVID Surge
— WilliamsportS: Community Marks 472 Local Deaths Due To COVID
— TribLive: COVID Surges Through Westmoreland County Prison
— AP: General Assembly Fast-Tracks $225 Million More In Pandemic Aid To Hospitals
— Gov. Wolf Celebrates Passage Of Bipartisan Bill Providing $225 Million To Support Health Care Workforce
— MCall – Ford Turner: PA Senate Approves Spending $225 Million To Recruit, Retain Nurses, Other Bedside Hospital Workers
— PA Cap-Star: Patient Limits For Nurses Bill Has Majority Support, But Won’t Advance In Harrisburg, Why?
— WITF: With PA Hospitals Desperate For Nurses, ‘Travelers’ Make The Best Of A Bad Situation
— TribLive: Holding Onto Hope Inside A COVID ICU: ‘It’s Like Working In A War Zone’
— TribLive: PA Hospitals Wrestle With Nurse Staffing Issues As Pandemic Drags On
— AP: PA Deploys First ‘Strike Team’ To Ease COVID-Related Hospital Crunch In Bucks County
— PennLive: Patients Still Waiting Hours In ER For Care In Central PA Hospitals
— WHYY: Chester County Limits COVID Contact Tracing Amid High Community Spread
— Inquirer: PA Nursing Homes Playing Catch Up On Staff Vaccinations As Mandate Starting
— PA Cap-Star: Wolf, Lawmakers Need To Release Pandemic Relief Funds To Nursing Homes
— TribLive: How To Pick Up Free N95 Masks In Western PA
— PG: Medical Debt Buries Some Employees At UPMC
— AP: State Prisons To Halt In-Person Visitation Thru February Due To COVID-Related Staff Shortages
— COVID – Schools
— LancasterOnline: Large Majority Of Lancaster County Children Are Unvaccinated, Data Shows
— TribLive: Federal Court: 2 Different Decisions On School Masks In Pittsburgh, Same Facts
— TribLive: Federal Court Issues Injunction Ordering Upper St. Clair Schools To Keep Mask Requirement In Place
— ReadingE: Masks Optional And No Encouraging COVID Vaccines In Hamburg Schools
— PG: Carnegie Mellon Plans Return To Mostly In-Person Classes
— Opioid Epidemic
— AG Shapiro: All 67 Counties Join Opioid Settlement
— Inquirer: Here’s How Much Each PA County Will Get From Opioid Settlement
— WESA: Allegheny County Expected To Get $90 Million As Part Of Opioid Settlement
— Inquirer: Philadelphia Joins $1 Billion Opioid Settlement And Is Getting At Least $186 Million
— PA Cap-Star: PA’s Opioid Settlement Is Bad For Philly, DA Says, As He Waits For Another Deal
— PennLive: PA Plans Better Help For Children Born Into Addiction, Including Undoing Pandemic Harms
— School Funding/Administration
— Inquirer: 4 Highlights From Landmark PA School Funding Trial, As Plaintiffs Rest Their Case This Week
— Inquirer: Decisions In Philly Schools Revenue-Driven, Not Needs-Driven, CFO Testifies At School Funding Trial
— CitizensV: Superintendent Details Funding Hardships At Wilkes-Barre Area Schools In School Funding Trial
— PA Cap-Star: What The Right For Voting Rights And PA School Funding Lawsuit Have In Common
— ErieT Guest Essay: A Quality Education… With A Side Of Fries [School Funding Trial]
— CitizensV Editorial: Fair School Funding Would Have Huge Impact On Students’ Futures
— PA Cap-Star: U.S., PA Students Getting More Diverse, Their Teachers Aren’t
— Spotlight PA: Massive Republican Tax Credit To Fund Private Schools Lacks Basic Accountability, Report IFO Finds [Diverting Funds From Public Schools]
— Gov. Wolf Repeats Call For Private Charter School Reform Legislation
— Inquirer: Taxpayer Funded Private Cyber Charter Schools Grew Faster In PA Last Year Than Any Other State
— PA Cap-Star: Study PA Private Cyber-Charter Schools Lead On Cost; Lag On Results
— Spotlight PA: PA School Pension Fund Won’t Require Board Members To Sign Secrecy Oaths To Hear Investigation Report
— YorkD: York Suburban School Board Member Faces Global Conservative Backlash For Op-Ed
— PG: Pittsburgh School Superintendent Says ‘This Is Not Who We Are’ Amid Recent Spate Of Violence
— PG: Pittsburgh School Officials Offer Few Solutions To Ongoing Turmoil
— TribLive: 2 Teens Charged In Fight Involving Pepper Spray At Pittsburgh H.S.
— WESA: ACLU Finds Allegheny County Students Arrested More Often Than Anywhere Else In PA
— PG: Pittsburgh Promise Unveils Scholarship Aimed At Increasing The Number Of Black Educators In City
— YorkDR: York Is A Microcosm Of The Collateral Damage That ‘Just Ripples Out’ From Youth Violence
— WITF: Midstate School Districts Grapple With Substitute Teacher Shortage
— ErieT Guest Essay: Erie County Community College Offers Region New Opportunity And Access
— MCall Guest Essay: How My Generation Ended Up Overeducated, Underemployed And Buried In Debt – Kutztown & Lehigh University Grad
— LancasterOnline: Elizabethtown College To Bridge Leadership Gap With Interim President
— Gun Violence/Law Enforcement
— WITF/AP: PA Lawmakers OK Veto-Bound Bill Aimed At Killing Local Gun Laws
— Gov. Wolf Vows To Veto Republican Bill Preempting Local Gun Ordinances
— ScrantonT Editorial: At PA Capitol, It’s Ready, Fire, Aim On Reducing Weapons Trafficking
— ScrantonT Editorial: Gun Violence Requires Broad Response
— PA State Police: Gun Background Checks Increased 11% In Last Quarter Of 2021
— PennLive – Jan Murphy: Republican House Members Call For Extending Attorney General’s Jurisdiction To Address Philly Gun Violence
— WHYY: Philly DA: City’s 2022 Murder Rate Already Outpacing Record-Deadly 2021
— Gov. Wolf Announces $23 Million In 2nd Round Of Gun Violence Intervention And Prevent Grants
— ScrantonT: Loaded Gun Stolen From Sen. Marty Flynn’s Car Used In August Shooting By Teenager, Police Say
— ScrantonT Column: ‘Dirty Marty’ Votes For A Gun In Every Glovebox [Sen. Marty Flynn]
— ScrantonT Editorial: Sen. Flynn’s Carelessness With Guns Mirrors His Carelessness On Gun Legislation
— LancasterOnline: ATF Agents Seize Illegal Guns From Leacock Twp. Property
— AltoonaM: Blair County Eyes Gun Rights Sanctuary Language
— ScrantonT: 2 Teens Charged In Plotting Columbine-Style Attack On Dunmore H.S. Waive Hearings
— Inquirer: Philly DA Discusses Gun Violence After Officer’s Son Gunned Down
— KYW: Son Of Philadelphia Police Officer, Killed In Targeted Shooting, Sources Say
— PG – Tony Norman: Mysterious Shooting Death In Venango County, Family Deserves Real Answers
— PG Editorial: Pittsburgh Mayor Should Release Jim Rogers Investigation
— AP: Driver Charged In Alleged Dragging Of Philly Police Officer After SUV Stop
— WHYY: Philadelphia Man Cleared After 37 Years In Prison Sues City
— WITF/PennLive – Charles Thompson: Cumberland County Unveils New Mental Health, Counseling Program For First Responders
— Gov. Wolf Announces $4.5 Million Available For Organizations Targeted By Hate Crimes To Increase Security
— TribLive: Accused Pittsburgh Synagogue Shooter Says Jury System Is Flawed, Wants Charges Dismissed
— PennLive: ‘Intimidating’ Stickers Left On Jewish Center At Dickinson College
— PG Editorial: Antisemitism Is A Sickness We Can’t Allow To Spread
— MCall/TNS: Poconos Resort Under Fire After Video Of Black Guests Wrongly Accused Of Shoplifting Goes Viral
— TribLive: Civil Rights Activist And Pittsburgh Resident Alma Speed Fox Has Died
— PennLive: Republican-Led Chambersburg Becomes First PA Town To Revoke LGBTQ Inclusive Law
— PennLive: Lawmakers Call For Anti-Discrimination Statute After Chambersburg Revokes LGBTQ+ Ordinance
— PG Editorial: Treating Addiction In Jail
— PA Economy
— Gov. Wolf Accelerate Deadline For $15/Hour Minimum Wage For State Employees
— Gov. Wolf: Stop Disrespecting Workers By Finally Raising The Minimum Wage
— Gov. Wolf: DCED Secretary Dennis Davin To Depart; Neil Weaver Named Acting Secretary
— PA Housing Finance Agency To Launch $350 Million Pandemic PA Homeowner Assistance Fund Feb. 1
— WESA: Need Help Paying Your Mortgage? New PA Program Opens Next Week
— MCall: Lehigh Valley Renters Struggle To Find, Keep Affordable Housing As Prices Spike
— PennLive: PA Restaurants Hope For Even More Financial Aid As They Struggle ‘More Than They Did In 2020’
— MCall Guest Essay: How My Generation Ended Up Overeducated, Underemployed And Buried In Debt – Kutztown & Lehigh University Grad
— PG: Report: Smaller Companies Sidelined In PA’s Legal Pot Market