Pennsylvania

Every school in Pennsylvania will have to keep student cellphones out of use from the first bell to the last by the 2027-28 school year under a bill from Republican state Sen. Devlin Robinson that Gov. Josh Shapiro signed Monday at Lenape Middle School in Doylestown. Senate Bill 1014 cleared the House 141-62 and the […]

Republican U.S. Rep. Dan Meuser defended his record on healthcare, energy and economic policy during an October 20 debate with Democratic challenger Rachel Wallace, making the case that his experience in Congress and support for pro-growth policies offer a stronger path forward for Pennsylvania’s 9th Congressional District. Meuser, seeking a fifth term, faced Wallace at […]

U.S. Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) announced more than $42.2 million in federal funding for rail infrastructure projects across Pennsylvania, targeting improvements to freight corridors, aging bridges, tunnels and railroad tracks. The $42,287,800 in awards comes through the Federal Railroad Administration’s Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements program, part of a nationwide funding package announced by […]

Pennsylvania has opened applications for $11.5 million in funding for youth programs focused on after-school activities, mentoring and other services intended to keep young people safe and engaged. State Sen. Nick Miller announced the opening of applications for the 2026-27 Building Opportunities Through Out-of-School Time initiative, known as BOOST. The program’s official announcement describes the […]

Pennsylvania lawmakers have advanced bipartisan legislation requiring electric utilities and their contractors to keep automated external defibrillators available at worksites where lineworkers and other electrical workers face dangerous conditions. The state Senate passed Senate Bill 1328, sponsored by Republican Sen. Camera Bartolotta and Democratic Sen. Nick Pisciottano. The measure would require AEDs to be readily […]

Two Lehigh County projects are slated to receive a combined $891,000 in state grants for park improvements and trail development, bringing new investment to recreation facilities in Emmaus Borough and South Whitehall Township. State Sen. Nick Miller, a Democrat representing Lehigh and Northampton counties, announced the awards through Pennsylvania’s Department of Conservation and Natural Resources […]

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro is intervening in a major utility proceeding to push for data center developers to shoulder more of the electricity costs associated with their projects, as the rapid growth of energy-intensive facilities raises concerns about higher bills and grid reliability. Shapiro filed a petition with the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission on October […]

Republican Scott Timko is getting another chance to flip a competitive Pennsylvania House seat after losing to Democrat Brandon Dukes by just 98 votes in an August special election. The candidates will face off again November 3 in Pennsylvania’s 12th House District, which includes communities in southwestern Butler County. Dukes won the August 18 special […]

Scranton Mayor Paige Cognetti is making campaign finance reform and government accountability central to her challenge against Republican Rep. Rob Bresnahan, but federal records show a more complicated picture of political money in northeastern Pennsylvania's competitive 8th Congressional District. Cognetti has called for banning corporate political action committee donations to federal campaigns, reversing the Supreme […]

Republican Rep. Scott Perry defended his approach to national security, called for relief from Pennsylvania's high gas taxes and challenged Democratic opponent Janelle Stelson's policy positions during their final debate Wednesday in one of the state's most closely watched congressional races. The debate in Harrisburg put the candidates' competing approaches to the economy, the war […]

Elon Musk and national Republican groups are pouring millions of dollars into Pennsylvania congressional races, adding a major new wave of outside spending as the GOP fights to maintain control of the House. The Philadelphia Inquirer reported Wednesday that the Congressional Leadership Fund has redirected nearly $3.6 million in advertising to support Republican Rep. Brian […]

Pennsylvania's system for monitoring agencies responsible for protecting older adults is facing renewed scrutiny after a state audit found deficiencies that could leave vulnerable residents at risk of abuse, neglect and financial exploitation. The audit examined the Department of Aging's Comprehensive Aging Performance Evaluation, known as CAPE, which is used to assess the performance of […]

HBG IN FOCUS | Harrisburg Rolls the Dice on Pennsylvania's Future With a critical deadline approaching, casino interests and skill-game operators battle for influence while Pennsylvania lawmakers struggle to find common ground. Editor's Note: In Focus is a recurring series from the Northeast Independent that goes beyond the daily headlines to examine the policies, political […]

Republican Stacy Garrity used Pennsylvania’s lone governor debate Wednesday night to press Gov. Josh Shapiro on taxes and gas prices while trailing badly in polls and money. Axios Pittsburgh reported the hourlong showdown at the ABC27 studio in Harrisburg is likely the only one of the race, and that the candidates traded barbs over data […]

State Sen. Joe Picozzi is pressing Harrisburg to regulate and tax Pennsylvania’s skill games and steer part of the revenue to mass transit before a court-imposed deadline arrives Oct. 13. The Philadelphia Republican, who represents the 5th District in the Northeast, made the case in an op-ed on his Senate website, warning that some 70,000 […]

A Pennsylvania Senate committee advanced two bills Wednesday that would give local police a speed-enforcement tool they have been denied for more than six decades and let drivers show vehicle registration on their phones. The Senate Transportation Committee approved Senate Bill 509 and Senate Bill 895, according to a release from Senate Democrats. Sen. Nick […]

State Sen. Joe Picozzi has secured more than $4.8 million in state grants for Northeast Philadelphia, funding everything from airport runway repairs to school security upgrades. The Republican from the 5th District announced approval of $4,828,154 in Statewide Local Share Account grants, according to a release from his office. Picozzi said the money is going […]

A Pennsylvania Senate committee voted Wednesday to advance a ban on lab-grown meat and poultry, sending Sen. Camera Bartolotta's farmer-protection bill to the full chamber. The Senate Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee approved Senate Bill 1422, which would prohibit the manufacture and sale of lab-grown meat and poultry in Pennsylvania, according to a release from […]