State News

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Pennsylvania’s state House of Representatives and Senate returned to the Capitol on Tuesday, as leaders of the Republican-controlled chambers worked to get an agreement on a roughly $42 billion budget plan with Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf before the state loses some of its spending authority in three days. Read more

HARRISBURG – At the PA Open Air Farmers Market at the Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg last week, Wolf Administration officials reminded Pennsylvania’s low-income seniors and Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program recipients to obtain and use their vouchers from the Pennsylvania Farmers Market Nutrition Program (FMNP) to purchase fresh and local fruits, vegetables, and herbs from FMNP-approved farmers at farmers markets and farm stands across the commonwealth. Read more

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — A proposal to require Pennsylvania’s four state-related universities to promise they are not conducting research or experiments with fetal tissue from elective abortions was added to a state budget bill by House Republicans on Monday. Read more

HARRISBURG – The Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP) was joined last week by national nonprofit Shatterproof and substance use disorder treatment provider Gaudenzia to announce the expansion of the free and confidential Addiction Treatment Locator, Assessment, and Standards platform (ATLAS) to Pennsylvania. Read more

(The Center Square) – The future of abortion in Pennsylvania is an open question, as current state law protects it but both parties would like to change the law. Read more

HARRISBURG – Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) on Thursday celebrated significant accomplishments and outstanding performances by employees. Read more

HARRISBURG – The Pennsylvania Department of General Services announced last week that more than 280 heavy equipment items from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, or PennDOT, will be up for public purchase during an online auction which began June 20 and ends Tuesday, July 5 at 10 a.m. Read more

HARRISBURG – The Department of Banking and Securities, Department of Aging, and Insurance Department recently issued a joint letter to leaders in the U.S. Senate and Pennsylvania senators urging passage of legislation focused on protecting senior citizens. Read more

HARRISBURG – Pennsylvania’s congressional delegation last week backed Gov. Tom Wolf’s efforts to make Pennsylvania a leader in the development of clean hydrogen and ensure Pennsylvania’s competitiveness to be a Regional Clean Hydrogen Hub through an investment by the U.S. Department of Energy. The bipartisan statement of support signed by the congressional delegation and Wolf highlights Pennsylvania’s shared commitment to expand and modernize our industrial and manufacturing base with less carbon-intensive forms of energy. Read more

COATESVILLE – Gov. Tom Wolf’s cabinet member, Department of Human Services Acting Secretary Meg Snead, was joined last week by Rep. Dan Williams at Coatesville City Hall to call on Pennsylvania’s General Assembly to finally act to support Pennsylvanians by passing legislation for the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA)-funded $500 million PA Opportunity Program, which would send $2,000 checks to Pennsylvanians. Read more

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — State House Republicans blocked a proposal to prevent those ages 18 to 21 from possessing assault-style rifles on Tuesday by completely changing the bill into a constitutional amendment to allow anyone to carry concealed guns. Read more

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — One candidate is unabashedly blunt, willing to embrace progressive positions, doing little to build rapport with party leaders and dominating rooms with a 6-foot-8-inch frame. The other crafts a more moderate image, a deliberate public speaker who became a congressional aide out of college and has carefully cultivated relationships within the party ever since. Read more

PITTSBURGH – Department of Labor & Industry (L&I) Secretary Jennifer Berrier recently visited a Pittsburgh-based apprenticeship program that provides in-demand skills training for Pennsylvanians interested in IT careers. Read more

HARRISBURG – Which crimes are most common in the county where you live? How many intoxicated drivers have been arrested on the highways you travel? Do distracted driving crashes happen frequently near your child’s school? Read more

HARRISBURG – Following the approval of two vaccines by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and emergency use authorization from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Department of Health says vaccine providers across Pennsylvania are prepared to begin providing COVID-19 vaccinations for children six months and older beginning early this week. Read more

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Pennsylvania’s workforce grew again in May as the state’s unemployment rate sank to another post-pandemic low, according to new state figures released Friday. Read more

HARRISBURG — The deadline for older and disabled Pennsylvanians to apply for rebates on rent and property taxes paid in 2021 has been extended from June 30 to Dec. 31, the departments of Revenue and Aging announced Monday. Read more

HARRISBURG – Gov. Tom Wolf recently announced an additional $8.25 million investment in ByHeart, the nation’s newest FDA-registered baby formula manufacturer, which is located in Pennsylvania. The investment will support increased capacity and hiring that will ultimately feed up to 500,000 more babies. Read more

READING – The Wolf Administration last week joined educators and students at Reading Area Community College (RACC) to highlight Gov. Tom Wolf’s plan for a new scholarship program to make college education more attainable for thousands of students and to build a pipeline of critically needed professionals in the fields of health care and education. Read more

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Pennsylvania’s Senate approved two competing plans Wednesday to slash the state’s corporate net income tax rate, although Democrats warned the bills are premature because there is no agreement with Gov. Tom Wolf. Read more

HARRISBURG – Gov. Tom Wolf recently announced recipients of a new round of funding for housing programs made available through the Pennsylvania Housing Affordability and Rehabilitation Enhancement (PHARE) fund. Read more

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf and state lawmakers are launching into their busiest stretch: the horse-trading and budget-making weeks of June that are vastly different this year than any other in memory, with billions of extra dollars to spread around. Read more

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Doug Mastriano, Pennsylvania’s Republican nominee for governor who has pushed Donald Trump’s election lies, said Monday that he had appointed Trump’s former campaign lawyer as a senior legal adviser to his own campaign. Read more

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Republicans used a legislative bill-shuffling strategy Monday to voluntarily relinquish a Pennsylvania House committee’s control over four bills that address gun violence. Read more

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Pennsylvania state lawmakers are advancing proposed new limits on fireworks in response to growing complaints after a 5-year-old state law greatly liberalized their sales and use. Read more

STEELTON – Department of Aging Secretary Robert Torres and Department of Human Services Acting Secretary Meg Snead were recently joined by Rep. Patty Kim and community leaders to echo Gov. Tom Wolf’s call for the Pennsylvania General Assembly to immediately use a portion of the $1.7 billion in unspent American Rescue Plan Act dollars to help older adults and individuals with disabilities through property tax and rent rebates to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. Read more

GREENSBURG, Pa. (AP) — The youngest defendant convicted in the torture death of a mentally disabled woman a dozen years ago is appealing the new sentence of 60 years to life imposed late last month. Read more

HERSHEY – Department of Labor & Industry (L&I) Secretary Jennifer Berrier recently joined workers’ compensation attorneys and judges, employers, and workers from across Pennsylvania at the 21st Annual Workers’ Compensation Conference in Hershey. Read more

HARRISBURG – The Pennsylvania Department of Health recently provided an update on the fourth and final package of proposed skilled nursing facility regulations that includes updates to align with federal regulations. Read more

HARRISBURG – The Pennsylvania Departments of Agriculture and Education on Monday reminded Pennsylvanians to take advantage of the many summer food assistance programs for students and caretakers across the commonwealth. State and local options are available to Pennsylvania families facing food insecurity this summer. Read more