Pennsylvania in Focus

A sense of frustration spread through the Senate Appropriations Committee hearing on Wednesday as legislators struggled to get the specifics of Gov. Josh Shapiro’s higher education reform plan. Chancellor Dan Greenstein, head of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education, wasn’t privy to the details either, but reiterated his appeal for more funding to deliver another tuition freeze for PASSHE students. The system wants a $38 million, 6.5% increase to its appropriation, which would total $624 million.

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After legalizing fentanyl test strips last session, the Pennsylvania House wants to expand its harm reduction approach by allowing syringe services. Though it has some bipartisan support, many House Republicans caution against such a move, concerned about safety in already-suffering neighborhoods. A House Judiciary Committee meeting on Wednesday voted 15-10 to advance a bill that would allow syringe services programs statewide. 

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Amid debate over legalizing adult-use marijuana, lawmakers say Pennsylvania’s medical program needs some improvements – and call on the governor to lead the way. The medical program grinds against federal law: every cardholder faces the loss of their Second Amendment rights. That tradeoff was made clear in January when Warren County District Attorney Rob Greene announced that he obtained a medical marijuana card — and the law required the county sheriff to confiscate his license to carry a firearm.

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 A Microsoft policy executive said to Pennsylvania lawmakers this week he’s "unaware" of the possibility that generative artificial intelligence could develop sentiency and become exploitive – even dangerous. “This is not new to Microsoft,” said Tyler Clark, Microsoft’s director of state and local government affairs. “Humans need to guide this technology and that’s what we are committed to doing safely and responsibly.” Clark’s response comes after lawmakers on the House Majority Policy Committee pressed him on the theory of technological singularity – which posits that artificial intelligence will outsmart human regulations and leave society at its whims.

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 Pennsylvania’s energy future isn’t only a question of renewables versus fossil fuels — it’s a question of whether the state can reliably provide enough energy to meet growing demand. One problem is that power plants retiring is happening quicker than new, cleaner ones get built. The shuttering has been driven by state and federal rules to mitigate pollution, but getting projects approved and built takes years and years. Meanwhile, the demand for electricity is growing every year.

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Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro’s second budget address again touted major spending for education, a statewide economic investment plan and significant funding for public transit. All of this, he argued, could be done with a balanced budget and no new taxes, along with a minimum wage increase, a new gun violence office and the legalization of recreational marijuana. And, perhaps most importantly, could undermine Ohio’s economic prowess just a little bit.

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A recent state Supreme Court ruling side-stepped the question of constitutional abortion access in Pennsylvania, reviving discussion over a would-be ballot referendum mired in legislative gridlock. Five justices said Monday the Commonwealth Court erred when it dismissed a 2019 case brought by seven abortion providers challenging Medicaid coverage restrictions first established in 1982 and upheld in 1985. The 1982 law said abortions sought for reasons other than rape, incest, and life-threatening complications did not qualify for reimbursement.

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As the one-year anniversary approaches of the train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, President Joe Biden says he will soon visit the area to meet with locals and assess the recovery efforts. The White House has not confirmed when, but said that a trip to the site near the Ohio-Pennsylvania border would be made in February. The derailment of the Norfolk Southern train, just east of the town center, led to a conflagration when officials decided to burn off vinyl chloride, exposing residents and nature to chemical smoke and fumes.

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The growing trend of large corporations imposing exorbitant rent increases after acquiring manufactured home communities limits affordable housing options and threatens the financial security of those on fixed incomes – especially seniors. That’s why a coalition of communities in Pennsylvania is advocating for legislation that would protect residents from this practice. Manufactured homes are built in factories and assembled on-site. They are unique in that residents own the home, but not the land they occupy.

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 Nearly 4,500 dealerships representing all major auto manufacturing brands from every state recently signed a letter to President Joe Biden asking him to “tap the brakes” on his proposed electric vehicle mandate based on a lack of consumer demand. Since the letter was sent in November 2023, dealerships continue to add their names to the list – including 85 from Pennsylvania. The Biden administration set a target for battery electric vehicles, also known as BEVs or EVs, to account for half of all new vehicle sales by 2030 – some states have taken steps to ban internal combustion engine vehicles altogether by 2035. 

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