Pennsylvania township and borough associations want the legislature to let them publish public notices online, but lobbyists for newspapers say voters prefer the status quo.
Spotlight PA
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Elder abuse and neglect investigations in Pennsylvania fall short, Spotlight PA reports
Most of Pennsylvania’s 52 county agencies responsible for protecting older adults are failing to swiftly review complaints of suspected abuse or neglect.
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ADHD patients in Pa. struggle to find medication and maintain normalcy amid ongoing shortage
Shortages of ADHD medications have forced patients to ration and to spend hours calling different pharmacies to get prescriptions filled.
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More funding could be coming to a Pa. affordable housing program
New money for an affordable housing program was one of Gov. Josh Shapiro’s asks in this year’s budget. Success seems to be in reach.
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Gov. Shapiro wanted to regulate skill games in this year’s budget, but talks aren’t going well
An effort to tax a legally iffy gaming sector appears to be in jeopardy amid Pa. budget talks. Loss of the funding stream could affect other parts of negotiations.
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A big education fight stands in the way of a Pa. budget deal
With the PA budget deadline approaching, lawmakers have found common ground on taxes, permitting, and college. But crucially, they’re far from a deal on basic education funding.
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Credit card ‘swipe fees’ could decrease under new Pa. bill, but banks hate the idea
A bill that would slightly reduce credit card ‘swipe fees’ is moving quickly through the Pa. legislature, but while merchants are on board, banks and credit card companies are not.
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Legal cannabis likely won’t be in this year’s budget, but supporters say there’s a silver lining
Advocates for legal cannabis say they’re closer than ever to success, citing allies in both parties.
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Pennsylvania counties await state board’s decision on opioid settlement spending
A state oversight board is expected to reconsider a range of programs, including money for county coroners, initiatives connected to district attorney offices, and media campaigns.
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Pennsylvania public defense system is unconstitutional, underfunded by at least $100M, new ACLU suit says
The lawsuit argues the current system leaves too many cases for too few attorneys. As a result, incarcerated people say their defense teams rarely communicate with them, don’t properly investigate their cases, and more.
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Cyber charter changes that could save public schools $530M may be in this year’s budget
Some lawmakers hope that the legislature will finally reach a consensus on how to update Pennsylvania’s charter school law.
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Nurse practitioners say they could ease rural health care shortage with more authority, but doctors say it won’t work
Lawmakers have long proposed giving nurse practitioners full practice authority as a way to address Pennsylvania’s rural health care gap. But despite bipartisan support, the bill keeps dying.
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Paid family leave draws bipartisan support as good for the economy, but some oppose cost, lost control
Currently, paid time off to care for a child or relative depends on where someone lives and works. New legislation would mandate it.
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Proposed scholarships would make going to college cheaper in Pa., but there’s a catch
Pennsylvania lawmakers are debating different strategies to make college more affordable.
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Redesigned envelope leads to fewer rejected mail ballots, but a new type of error sticks out
Election officials said Pennsylvania’s redesigned mail ballot envelope was a success, but state data points to a new type of voter mistake affecting rejections.
