Pennsylvania in Focus

In some schools across the state, students walk the same halls that children of Civil War soldiers once did – a fact lawmakers find shameful, not venerable. House Education Committee Chairman Peter Schweyer, D-Allentown, represents one such school in his district: Harrison-Morton Middle School, built in 1874, and on track to graduate its 150th class next year.

Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/pennsylvania-in-focus/support

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The state House approved a boosted phone surcharge for 911 services, even though the proposal’s tie to inflation sparked division among lawmakers who all agree the state’s emergency services system needs more money. House Bill 1304 increases the monthly fee assessed on phone bills from $1.65 to $1.97, to adjust every year after with the consumer price index until the provision sunsets in 2029. Doing so would generate an additional $30.4 million for the state’s emergency services fund in 2024, according to the bill’s fiscal note.

Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/pennsylvania-in-focus/support

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Pennsylvania General Assembly passed a law last year to curtail dirt bikes and ATVs from use in cities across the state, but not all localities are happy with it. In Philadelphia, the regulations cause problems for a pre-existing local ordinance. Before the state law passed, Philadelphia’s off-road vehicle law had stronger provisions, but that has now been superseded by the legislature. One way to find a compromise would be to exempt the city and let it reimplement its more-stringent law — a policy advocated by Rep. Ed Neilson, D-Philadelphia.

Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/pennsylvania-in-focus/support

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Tax credits for workers and families advanced to the Pennsylvania House floor this week, setting the stage for a partisan showdown over the ballooning cost of incentive programs moving through the chamber. Lawmakers clashed over two bills – one to create an earned income tax and another to expand the state’s existing child care tax credit – in the House Finance Committee on Tuesday.

Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/pennsylvania-in-focus/support

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Unexpected revenues woven into a new budget proposal on Monday pads Gov. Josh Shapiro’s desired bottom line, though by how much remains a point of controversy among lawmakers. The plan increases public education spending by $491 million and splits $450 million between two restricted accounts reserved for school facilities modernization and whole home repairs. There’s also cuts to certain government operations, conservation programs and some services for schools, health care, and public assistance – among others.

Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/pennsylvania-in-focus/support

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

No EMS-related hearing in the General Assembly is complete without legislators and testifiers sounding the alarm over a system in crisis. At a Senate Health and Human Services hearing on Tuesday, these warnings and more echoed in the Capitol.

Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/pennsylvania-in-focus/support

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Pennsylvania’s emergency services face a serious financial crisis — and a dire situation to recruit first responders and ensure their health. The state’s inaction, combined with mounting demands, leaves firefighters frustrated. Emergency workers scale back their voluntary commitments or quit for easier jobs with higher pay. Many of them suffer from PTSD and health problems. Suicide rates eclipse the generation population.

Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/pennsylvania-in-focus/support

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Voters in Philadelphia ranked crime as a top concern heading into the May primary election. Democrats, who have a strong majority in the city, even chose former City Councilwoman Cherelle Parker, who campaigned on public safety. Whether Parker, who rode to victory on the support of the city’s political establishment, can align her policies with voter preferences, however, remains to be seen.

Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/pennsylvania-in-focus/support

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Two controversial gun bills cleared the state House on Monday with bipartisan support, but that doesn’t mean they’ll get anywhere near the governor’s desk any time soon. That’s because, despite Democrats’ slim margin in the lower chamber, Republicans still control the Senate by six votes – and they believe stricter laws, including universal background checks and emergency protection orders, won’t solve the problems the proposals purport to fix. Senate Majority Leader Joe Pittman, R-Indiana, told The Center Square that increasing safety and security remains of “chief importance” to Republicans, but said their policies to do so involve supporting law enforcement; leading school safety initiatives; and examining ways to provide “greater mental and behavioral health support.”

Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/pennsylvania-in-focus/support

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Attracting businesses and encouraging entrepreneurs already in the area to grow the economy isn't the only issue holding back rural workforce growth. Other practical problems that pop up, from the pressures of family or a lack of infrastructure, can keep residents out of a job, state officials told the Senate Majority Policy Committee recently. “Bringing people into Pennsylvania and keeping them here, particularly in rural communities, is a challenge that we all need to address and think about,” said Nancy Walker, acting secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry.

Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/pennsylvania-in-focus/support

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.