The Office of Administration under Gov. Josh Shapiro accidentally deleted thousands of records including State Police evidence logs. Some records haven’t been recovered.
Spotlight PA
Long-sought charter school changes on the table as Pa. lawmakers plot education funding overhaul
Pennsylvania lawmakers say a court mandate to overhaul public school funding has opened avenues for compromise on charter school reform.
Pa.’s broadband authority reverses position on key state law before new federal funding arrives
The Broadband Development Authority initially said it would waive a key section of the 2004 law that restricts publicly owned broadband networks. The agency reversed course after public comments.
Utility shut-off protections in Pa. would be expanded to summer months under bill
The legislature must reauthorize a law that shields people from winter utility shut-offs before the end of the year. That’s spurred a debate between consumer advocates and utilities about additional protections.
Relief for abuse survivors, other constitutional amendments halted in Pa.’s split legislature
Deep partisan differences are keeping proposals with bipartisan support from voters, including one that would give survivors of childhood sexual abuse a chance to sue their abusers.
Pa. county officials say lawmakers’ increase to the 911 phone fee isn’t enough to alleviate taxpayer burden
The increase to $1.95, which takes effect in March, helps Pennsylvania pay for 911 call center staffing and infrastructure upgrades.
Pennsylvania provides state money for public defense for the first time
The state legislature approved $7.5 million for indigent defense. Until now, Pennsylvania was one of the few states to not provide state funding for public defenders.
New law aims to make guardianship a last resort in Pa., but some experts say it doesn’t go far enough
A new Pennsylvania law makes changes to the process of assigning guardians to people who are considered incapacitated, but some experts fear it won’t solve the issues.
“No budget, no pay” bill proposed after Pennsylvania lawmakers voluntarily withhold salaries
A bill would make it mandatory for Pennsylvania lawmakers to forego pay during a budget impasse. At least one member says it could force votes for the wrong reason.
School funding, permitting at top of Pa. legislature’s 2024 agenda
Looming over the legislature is a nearly year-old court ruling that declared the state’s education funding system to be unconstitutionally inequitable and ordered lawmakers to correct it.
Pa. medical marijuana cards and anxiety: What the research says
Anxiety disorders are the leading reason doctors approve patients for a medical marijuana card in Pennsylvania, even though the evidence that cannabis or its compounds are an effective treatment for them is limited and mixed.
Why the Pennsylvania legislature is off to a slow start in 2024
The legislature will be temporarily unable to grapple with major issues such as a far-reaching court ruling on how the state funds public education or its outdated Election Code.
Pennsylvania legislators approve study to improve 911 response to mental health crises
The study will look for ways for emergency dispatchers to send crisis responders through the 911 system in response to mental health emergencies.
Inside the Pa. court case pitting a genealogist against Ancestry.com
Pennsylvania hired genealogy company Ancestry.com to digitize a sweeping list of historical documents. Now the company claims it owns those digital copies.
Pa. lawmakers’ base salary now tops $106K after automatic pay raise
What you need to know about Pennsylvania lawmakers’ salaries, the history of the increase, and why changes are unlikely.