The state Supreme Court previously placed a moratorium on such proceedings until May 11, as officials shuttered much of Pennsylvania’s economy to prevent the coronavirus from overwhelming hospitals.
Spotlight PA
‘I’m trying to be transparent,’ Wolf says as his administration rejects bill to restart public records law
The governor championed government transparency during his campaigns, but now that commitment is being tested.
Top Pa. health official says state won’t supply masks, other protective equipment to hospitals that resume elective surgeries
Instead, the state is focusing on providing personal protective equipment to nursing homes, which have been hard hit by the pandemic.
How Pa. plans to keep track of the coronavirus after reopening to prevent another outbreak
Health officials said they will rely on a combination of partnerships with local hospital systems, voluntary tracking technology, and federal funding to hire additional staff.
Pa. sets modest goal to conduct 8,500 coronavirus tests per day, far less than what some experts say is needed
A Harvard estimate says the state should test about 19,000 Pennsylvanians per day — or more than twice the rate of the Wolf administration’s plan.
Pa. tax revenues plummet $2.2 billion as top state official warns reopening won’t end economic pain
Dramatic budget cuts or tax increases might be needed if Congress does not send additional, unrestricted aid to states.
As Wolf administration fails to produce waiver documents, Republicans move closer to subpoena
The state’s auditor general said he has begun an audit into the controversial process, but won’t release the names of businesses that received a coveted waiver.
Pa. to set coronavirus testing, contact tracing benchmarks just days before gradual reopening is set to begin
The state could need to conduct about 19,000 tests per day and employ as many as 2,000 contact tracers, numbers that far exceed current levels.
Gov. Tom Wolf says he won’t abandon ambitious spending plan as massive budget deficit looms
Even before the coronavirus, Republicans expressed skepticism about the spending.
Pa. senators threaten subpoena if Wolf administration refuses to turn over list of coronavirus business waivers
The administration has so far refused to release the information despite numerous requests from media organizations.
Pa. coroners, health department at odds over how to handle suspected coronavirus cases, potentially affecting death count
By not acknowledging what coroners see as their legal obligation, the Pennsylvania Coroners Association believes that the state is risking a miscount of deaths, potentially misunderstanding how the virus is spreading and overburdening hospital staff with administrative tasks.
States need coronavirus data to make timely decisions, and what they share with the public varies widely
As part of a collaborative effort, Stateline and Spotlight PA surveyed six states across the U.S. to determine what information they have made accessible to the public via their websites.
Pa. removes more than 200 deaths from official coronavirus count as questions mount about reporting process, data accuracy
The past five days have been a roller coaster of confusion involving the state health department, marred by retracted statements, reporting lags, and angry coroners.
AARP calls on Pennsylvania to release list of nursing homes with coronavirus cases
The number of long-term care residents and staff impacted by the coronavirus has nearly doubled in the past week, with 5,679 positive cases among residents and 849 deaths.
There’s no timeline to release list of Pa. businesses that received coveted coronavirus waivers, top official says
During a hearing Thursday, members of the Republican-controlled state Senate lambasted the now-closed waiver process and scrutinized key decisions made by the Wolf administration in response to the COVID-19 threat.