Pennsylvania category, Page 31
Pennsylvania lawmakers pass nearly $48B budget almost 2 weeks late
HARRISBURG — Pennsylvania lawmakers ground through a flurry of votes Thursday to approve a budget deal, nearly two weeks into the new fiscal year after being slowed by disagreements during closed-door negotiations over Democrats’ push for more public schools aid. The $47.6 billion plan for the fiscal year that started...
Pennsylvania’s electric vehicle owners soon will have to pay fees of $200+ per year
A bill that would establish a new annual fee for owners of electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles to offset the loss of gas tax revenue on those vehicles is headed to Gov. Josh Shapiro’s desk. The new fee, which Shapiro is expected to enact, is seen as a way to...
Bull on the loose wanders around York County before being captured
An escaped Texas Longhorn has been making the rounds in York County near Fishing Creek. A press officer with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation confirmed that the bull had been sighted on the department’s video cameras near exit 36 of I-83. Video of the animal was captured and posted to...
Restrictions on pharmacy benefit managers pass in Pa. Senate with some changes
A bill placing regulations on pharmacy benefit managers — third-party intermediaries who work with drug manufacturers, pharmacies and insurance providers — passed overwhelmingly in the Pennsylvania Senate on Wednesday with some revisions. The new version of the bill now returns to the House to approve the revisions before heading to...
After killing of trans teen, Pennsylvania House LGBTQ Caucus urges hate crime bill passage
In the wake of the killing of a 14-year-old transgender girl in Western Pennsylvania, some state House lawmakers are urging the Senate to pass an anti-hate crimes bill that would expand protections to gender and sexual-orientation classes. “We mourn the death of Pauly Likens and refuse to stand idly by...
Presidential battle could play role in control of Pennsylvania capitol, other swing states
HARRISBURG, Pa. — Two swing districts in a swing county may very well decide which party controls the House in the swing state of Pennsylvania, one of several where pivotal legislative battles are playing out in the shadow of the presidential campaign. Democrat Brian Munroe and Republican Joe Hogan were...
Blamed for Chesapeake Bay pollution, Pennsylvania took steps to clean up. Here’s how it’s going
Pennsylvania has drawn ire from environmental groups, lobbyists and even a lawsuit from Maryland because of its slow pace to reduce pollution flowing into the Chesapeake Bay. In a state where many residents are not connected to the bay and unaware of the upstream impact on the nation’s largest estuary,...
Is there too much Philly in Pennsylvania’s new license plate?
Gov. Josh Shapiro on Tuesday unveiled new Pennsylvania license plate and state welcome sign designs — ahead of America’s 250th anniversary in 2026. One could argue the new license plates have a Philadelphia flavor. The off-white plates contain an image of the Liberty Bell, and the phrase “Let Freedom Ring”...
Pa. great-grandmother who just finished radiation treatments for breast cancer wins $5M lottery prize
A great-grandmother from Pennsylvania who recently completed radiation treatments for breast cancer won $5 million on a scratch-off state lottery ticket that she only bought because a scheduled family trip didn’t go as planned. Donna Osborne, 75, scored the big prize last month when she bought a $50 “Monopoly Own...
French court rules American man detained after ‘So I raped you’ Facebook message can be extradited
LYON, France — A French court ruled on Monday that the American man accused of sexually assaulting a Pennsylvania college student in 2013 and later sending her a Facebook message that said, “So I raped you,” can be extradited to the United States. Ian Cleary, 31, of Saratoga, California, was...
Biden, Shapiro talk it over at Harrisburg coffee shop after stressful campaign day
As the number of Democratic elected officials calling for President Joe Biden to end his run for a second term continues to slowly grow, one key swing-state governor sometimes named as part of a potential replacement ticket - Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro - stayed in the beleaguered incumbent’s corner Sunday....
While Biden campaigns in Pennsylvania, some Democratic leaders in the House say he should step aside
HARRISBURG, Pa. — President Joe Biden urged his supporters to stay unified during a series of stops in critical Pennsylvania on Sunday, even as some leading congressional Democrats privately suggested it was time for him to abandon his reelection bid because of intensifying questions about whether he’s fit for another...
Biden to attend church in Philly Sunday before traveling to Harrisburg
PHILADELPHIA — President Joe Biden will attend a predominately Black church in Philadelphia Sunday morning before traveling to a campaign event in Harrisburg on Sunday afternoon, his campaign announced Friday evening. Biden will deliver remarks after the church service in Philadelphia, his campaign said. It did not identify the church...
Biden cancels speech at teachers union convention in Philadelphia after union staff goes on strike
HARRISBURG — President Joe Biden canceled a planned speech in Philadelphia at the annual conference of the National Education Association after the union’s staff announced a strike and set up picket lines Friday. Biden had planned to speak Sunday, but his campaign said the president is a “fierce supporter of...
Longer happy hours, value meals with an adult beverage coming to Pennsylvania
Inflation-weary consumers could soon see changes coming to their favorite drinking establishments that will be gentler on their wallets. Longer happy hours and combo meals that include an adult beverage are among a number of changes to the state’s liquor code included in a bill the House approved on Wednesday...
Philadelphia’s Temple University hires John Fry as its president from neighboring Drexel
PHILADELPHIA — Temple University has hired John Fry of nearby Drexel University to become its 15th president, concluding a search that had been buffeted by the sudden death last fall of acting President JoAnne Epps, the Philadelphia school said. Fry, 63, has been Drexel’s president since 2010 and will start...
Bill taking Pennsylvania’s same-sex marriage ban off the books clears state House
A bill that would repeal Pennsylvania’s same-sex marriage ban passed the state House of Representatives Tuesday on a bipartisan vote, with proponents saying the change was necessary to protect marriage equality if federal case law was overturned. The measure passed 133-to-68 in the final vote, with all but one member...
Pa.’s health secretary wins Senate confirmation to the post on 2nd try
After 18 months as serving as the acting head of Pennsylvania’s Department of Health, Dr. Debra Bogen is now the state’s health secretary. Bogen, a pediatrician and former head of the Allegheny County Health Department, won Senate confirmation on Tuesday by a 42-8 bipartisan vote. “I look forward to continuing...
Union sues Philadelphia over requirement that city workers return to the office full time
A union that represents thousands of Philadelphia city employees asked a judge Tuesday to block Mayor Cherelle Parker’s requirement that they return to their offices full time as of July 15. The lawsuit, filed by District Council 47 of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, claims the...
School board organization could become subject to Pa.’s open records law
The organization that represents Pennsylvania’s 500 school districts would be required to live under the same transparency rules as most other governmental agencies under legislation that passed the Senate on Monday by a near party-line 28-22 vote. The legislation, sponsored by Sen. Kristin Phillips-Hill, would subject the Pennsylvania School Boards...
Pa. House passes bill to reinstate ‘lunch shaming’ ban, wipe students’ school meal debts
The Pennsylvania House on Monday moved to create a program that would wipe away large amounts of student lunch debt and reinstate a ban on “lunch shaming,” which had been enacted and then repealed in the commonwealth several years ago. During Monday’s session, the House gave final approval to a...
Duquesne renames law library for Ken Gormley at major donor’s request
The law library at Duquesne University is being renamed for the university president and former dean of its law school, Ken Gormley. Campus officials on Monday said the name change was requested by renowned trial attorney and Duquesne law school alumnus Thomas R. Kline, who in September 2022 made a...
Pennsylvania Sen. Bob Casey stands by Biden, says he’s competent to serve a second term as president
SCRANTON — Pennsylvania Sen. Bob Casey said Monday that President Joe Biden is able to run a strong race and serve a second term in the Oval Office, standing by his close ally in the critical battleground state following a disastrous debate performance that’s prompting some national Democrats to question...
Pa. Senate bill could limit citizens’ ability to make Right-to-Know requests
Six state senators are seeking to place a limit on the number of Right-to-Know requests that citizens can file with government agencies in Pennsylvania. “Numerous entities such as state agencies, municipalities and school boards frequently report that they are overwhelmed by burdensome Right-to-Know Law requests,” said state Sen. Cris Dush,...
Penn State reaches tentative deal with union days after Teamsters OK strike
Union members will vote in the coming weeks on a tentative contract agreement with management covering 2,500 employees on Penn State University branches statewide and the main University Park campus. The deal, if ratified, could offer a measure of labor peace at a time of heightened workplace anxiety across Penn...
