Spotlight PA

A Spotlight PA / Votebeat investigation found that flawed claims fueled a backlash against a tool intended to make voter rolls more accurate.

Under a new Pennsylvania budget proposal, $4 million could potentially wipe out $400 million of medical debt for the state’s poorest citizens.

The $48.3 billion plan represents a departure for first-term Gov. Josh Shapiro, who last year proposed to keep spending relatively flat.

Billions of dollars are coming to states to help them respond to the opioid epidemic, but Pennsylvania’s drug paraphernalia law is creating conflict.

Proposals to restructure Pennsylvania’s higher education system and boost public transit funding are expected to be centerpieces of Gov. Josh Shapiro’s upcoming Feb. 6 budget address.

Transit systems across Pennsylvania are struggling with inflation, even as ridership rebounds from the pandemic. State lawmakers are struggling to agree on funding to help.

Pennsylvania lawmakers have proposed letting nonprofits accept credit and debit card payments for small games of chance, which is currently illegal.

The Office of Administration under Gov. Josh Shapiro accidentally deleted thousands of records including State Police evidence logs. Some records haven’t been recovered.

Pennsylvania lawmakers say a court mandate to overhaul public school funding has opened avenues for compromise on charter school reform.

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.

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.

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.

The increase to $1.95, which takes effect in March, helps Pennsylvania pay for 911 call center staffing and infrastructure upgrades.

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.

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.