Pennsylvania in Focus

Environmental remediation got a boost this week as Gov. Josh Shapiro announced a $101 million funding effort to restore abandoned mine lands at 16 sites across the commonwealth. The projects will target acid mine drainage, which can damage nature and streams in the area, as well as threaten human health. The projects are bankrolled by the federal government through the Infrastructure Investment an...

Pennsylvania's recreational marijuana prohibition recently inspired one county election official to not seek re-election. During an interview with The Center Square, Warren County District Attorney Rob Greene said prosecuting violations of the ban weren't worth the office's time. Public safety isn’t threatened by legalization, he argued. Instead, law enforcement should focus on bigger threats. Sup...

Pennsylvania is looking at $1.6 billion to expand broadband to rural and overlooked parts of the state, but experts are warning that the process puts the government in the way of success. Pennsylvania, too, may face hurdles that other states simply don’t. “One thing keeps getting in the way, and it’s called government,” Huntingdon County Commissioner Jeff Thomas told lawmakers during a House GOP P...

Pennsylvania’s horse racing industry saw a dip in state subsidies for 2023 — but only a minor one. It still remains one of the largest taxpayer-supported equine programs in America. Subsidies for horse-racing has a long tradition in the commonwealth: Since 2004, more than  $3.5 billion in taxpayer money  has flown toward the equine sport, as The Center Square previously reported. Get your Audible...

The annual Pennsylvania Farm Show brings a circular focus to agriculture in Harrisburg and officials call attention to issues that get overlooked. During a joint House and Senate committee hearing, Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding warned that a housing shortage affects farmers, too. “One issue of particular interest right now is farmworker housing,” Redding said. “I think it’s an issue for th...

Philadelphia’s new mayor, Cherelle Parker, knows the city needs more affordable housing and says fixing the problem is one of her top priorities. As part of her 100-day action plan announced Tuesday, the mayor pledged to  enable more housing  to get built and ordered a plan for “affordable luxury” for low- and middle-income families. The problem is a serious one for the city and Pennsylvania broad...

Pennsylvania’s largest water company could save millions annually with improved monitoring and material management, according to a recent analysis. The state Public Utility Commission’s audit of the Pennsylvania-American Water Company, which serves about 2.4 million people across 37 counties, gave more than 30 recommendations for operations, monitoring and management of the company. If the changes...

Though Pennsylvania officials have not fixed the EMS system across the state, some progress has been made in 2023. Staffing shortages, low pay, and legal hurdles remain, but the year brought more focus from local and state officials on the emergency safety net. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/pennsylvania-in-focus/support Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See...

Gov. Josh Shapiro still has a good favorability rating, but the public has started to give him less leeway, according to a new poll. A more negative view of the economy could be catching up to him. The Commonwealth Foundation released its  latest quarterly survey  on politics and economics as seen by Pennsylvanians, with more people less sure about Shapiro. Support this podcast: https://podcasters...

A deluge of work that packed dozens of bills in the Pennsylvania General Assembly into a few days meant that legislators voted based on limited information. The result, some of them said, is that bad bills are now the law of the land. One example is  Senate Bill 863  — Act 43 of 2023 — that gained. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/pennsylvania-in-focus/support Hosted b...

Pennsylvania’s phone surcharge for 911 services will soon increase, bringing in an estimated $60 million more for the state’s emergency safety net. Worked into  Act 34  and passed Wednesday night, the current $1.65 surcharge was set to expire in January. Under the new law, that surcharge will extend until February 29, 2024 until increasing to $1.95 until it expires January 31, 2026. Support this p...

Although a bill that creates an electric vehicle fee in Pennsylvania cleared a House committee on Monday, it’s unlikely to pass in its current form. Senate Bill 656 , sponsored by Sen. Greg Rothman, R-New Bloomfield, would replace the alternative fuel tax with a $290 EV fee paid at the time of vehicle registration. Owners would also have the option of enrolling in a monthly payment plan.  Support...

A leaky roof at the Pennsylvania Capitol building means House lawmakers won’t cast their first votes of 2024 until March 18. According to an internal memo circulated to legislators and shared with The Center Square, a severe water leak on the top floor of the building damaged areas just above the House chamber. Workers need to erect scaffolding to assess the damage and make any necessary repairs....

The Pennsylvania opioid trust recently chose an accounting firm to steward the money dedicated to assuaging the impact of drugs and addiction in the commonwealth. Some of the trust’s board members, though, voiced concern over how the firm, Pennsylvania-based Maher Duessel, got chosen. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/pennsylvania-in-focus/support Hosted by Simplecast,...

New research suggests reading and math test scores still lag prepandemic levels as schools grapple with ongoing learning loss, an unconstitutional funding model and growing discontent among families. The data, published by the Commonwealth Foundation on Tuesday, shows marginal improvement in math proficiency between 2022 and 2023, though more than half of fourth graders and nearly three-quarters o...

Last year, Pennsylvania divested its government holdings of certain firms in Russia and Belarus, as well as the two countries’ governments. This year, some legislators want to follow a similar divestment path for China. Though no draft language is yet available, Sen. Doug Mastriano, R-Chambersburg, has circulated a  legislative memo  to divest the state of its connections to the Chinese Communist...

The Shapiro administration will appeal a Pennsylvania court’s decision to strike down a proposed carbon "tax" as unconstitutional in a bid to “protect” the authority of future governors. The news comes just one day after Gov. Josh Shapiro teased the appeal during a press club luncheon in Harrisburg. He said it was important to “listen” to all sides involved, most of whom agree that “cap and trade”...

House lawmakers in Pennsylvania voted Wednesday to extend jobless benefits to workers on strike. House Bill 1481 , which passed the lower chamber 106-97, would make workers unemployed due to a labor dispute eligible for compensation, alongside others who haven’t voluntarily quit their jobs. “Making the decision to strike is not easy by any means,” said Rep. Jason Dawkins, D-Philadelphia. “It’s a d...

After months of delay, state-related universities will get the funding they expect, but with a catch: more financial transparency. The state-relateds — Penn State University, Temple University, the University of Pittsburgh, and Lincoln University — will receive $603.5 million. Though Gov. Josh Shapiro had proposed $640 million for the schools – a 7% increase from last year – in the end, the only i...

Ohio voters embraced recreational marijuana on Tuesday, putting pressure on Pennsylvania as another neighbor legalizes adult use. As The Center Square  reported , marijuana will be legal for adults 21 years and older. Plants can also be grown at home starting in December. Advocates argued the change will bring in $200 million annually in tax revenue and be “a significant investment in economic dev...

Convictions for driving past school bus stop arms in Pennsylvania increased 47% in 2022, according to state data. Department of Transportation Deputy Secretary for Driver and Vehicle Services Kara Templeton said that 511 residents faced penalties for violating the law, up from 348 in 2021. During the agency’s Oct. 18 event to raise awareness for school transportation safety, she said law enforceme...

Commonwealth Court struck down Pennsylvania’s entry into an emissions regulatory program Wednesday, agreeing with critics that it's an unconstitutional tax. The decision delivers a blow to supporters of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative – a multi-state program that charges power generators for the pollution they produce – who had hoped Pennsylvania might join the rest of the Mid-Atlantic and...

Pennsylvania ranks among the worst in the nation when it comes to spending on veterans’ services, according to a recent analysis. The commonwealth fared 42 out of 50, according to data compiled from U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the U.S. Government's National Library of Medicine. Metrics measured were total state expenditure on veterans’ medical care, disability compensation, nursing hom...

Republican lawmakers welcome the state’s future hydrogen hubs as the next step in energy production that balances environmental conservation with economic growth. But not everyone believes in the promise of hydrogen, and instead worry that the government will waste billions on questionable technology. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/pennsylvania-in-focus/support Hoste...

Pennsylvania’s regulatory state is causing headaches, from long wait times to approve major projects to driving up costs that undermine the goals of federal programs. “We aim to strike a balance between the need for safeguards to protect the public and the imperative to create a business-friendly environment that fosters entrepreneurship, job creation, and prosperity,” Sen. Dan Laughlin, R-Erie, s...