Pennsylvania in Focus

Pennsylvania’s phone surcharge for 911 services will soon increase, bringing in an estimated $60 million more for the state’s emergency safety net. Worked into Act 34 and passed Wednesday night, the current $1.65 surcharge was set to expire in January. Under the new law, that surcharge will extend until February 29, 2024 until increasing to $1.95 until it expires January 31, 2026.

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Although a bill that creates an electric vehicle fee in Pennsylvania cleared a House committee on Monday, it’s unlikely to pass in its current form. Senate Bill 656, sponsored by Sen. Greg Rothman, R-New Bloomfield, would replace the alternative fuel tax with a $290 EV fee paid at the time of vehicle registration. Owners would also have the option of enrolling in a monthly payment plan. 

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A leaky roof at the Pennsylvania Capitol building means House lawmakers won’t cast their first votes of 2024 until March 18. According to an internal memo circulated to legislators and shared with The Center Square, a severe water leak on the top floor of the building damaged areas just above the House chamber. Workers need to erect scaffolding to assess the damage and make any necessary repairs.

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The Pennsylvania opioid trust recently chose an accounting firm to steward the money dedicated to assuaging the impact of drugs and addiction in the commonwealth. Some of the trust’s board members, though, voiced concern over how the firm, Pennsylvania-based Maher Duessel, got chosen.

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New research suggests reading and math test scores still lag prepandemic levels as schools grapple with ongoing learning loss, an unconstitutional funding model and growing discontent among families. The data, published by the Commonwealth Foundation on Tuesday, shows marginal improvement in math proficiency between 2022 and 2023, though more than half of fourth graders and nearly three-quarters of eighth graders still score below grade level.

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Last year, Pennsylvania divested its government holdings of certain firms in Russia and Belarus, as well as the two countries’ governments. This year, some legislators want to follow a similar divestment path for China. Though no draft language is yet available, Sen. Doug Mastriano, R-Chambersburg, has circulated a legislative memo to divest the state of its connections to the Chinese Communist Party.

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The Shapiro administration will appeal a Pennsylvania court’s decision to strike down a proposed carbon "tax" as unconstitutional in a bid to “protect” the authority of future governors. The news comes just one day after Gov. Josh Shapiro teased the appeal during a press club luncheon in Harrisburg. He said it was important to “listen” to all sides involved, most of whom agree that “cap and trade” is a good idea to reduce harmful emissions.

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House lawmakers in Pennsylvania voted Wednesday to extend jobless benefits to workers on strike. House Bill 1481, which passed the lower chamber 106-97, would make workers unemployed due to a labor dispute eligible for compensation, alongside others who haven’t voluntarily quit their jobs. “Making the decision to strike is not easy by any means,” said Rep. Jason Dawkins, D-Philadelphia. “It’s a decision that often results in loss of pay, which is money our workers need to provide food and housing for their families.”

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After months of delay, state-related universities will get the funding they expect, but with a catch: more financial transparency. The state-relateds — Penn State University, Temple University, the University of Pittsburgh, and Lincoln University — will receive $603.5 million. Though Gov. Josh Shapiro had proposed $640 million for the schools – a 7% increase from last year – in the end, the only increase legislators authorized were $3.2 million each to the Pennsylvania College of Technology (part of Penn State) and Lincoln University.

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Ohio voters embraced recreational marijuana on Tuesday, putting pressure on Pennsylvania as another neighbor legalizes adult use. As The Center Square reported, marijuana will be legal for adults 21 years and older. Plants can also be grown at home starting in December. Advocates argued the change will bring in $200 million annually in tax revenue and be “a significant investment in economic development for some communities.”

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