July 25, 2025Commonwealth Media ServicesThe challenges facing Pa.’s huge, old road system, and what it means for the budgetby Stephen Caruso of Spotlight PARepublicans want road money in exchange for more public transit funding, but resources are tight and a deal remains tricky.
July 21, 2025Commonwealth Media ServicesLegal cannabis would be overseen by new state agency, sold by private dispensaries under key Republican's proposalby Kate Huangpu of Spotlight PAThe long-awaited GOP proposal moves Harrisburg’s marijuana talks forward, but the issue still divides the Pa. Senate.
July 18, 2025Amanda Berg / For Spotlight PASchools, transit agencies on high alert as Pa. ends another week without a finished budgetby Stephen Caruso of Spotlight PAKey lawmakers say talks are progressing, but privately, Democrats and Republicans are still struggling to agree on how much to spend.
July 17, 2025Commonwealth Media ServicesMost Pa. cyber charters back mandatory weekly wellness checks for students as Senate moves to tighten lawby Katie Meyer of Spotlight PAA bipartisan group of lawmakers wants to ensure that cyber charter students are seen and heard from weekly.
July 15, 2025Feixu Chen / Next Generation NewsroomData center boom inspires flurry of bills from Pa. lawmakers hoping to make state an AI hubby Abigail Hakas of Next Generation NewsroomLawmakers want to make the commonwealth more attractive to data center developers, and are proposing incentives and new regulations to lure them.
July 14, 2025The interior of the Pennsylvania Capitol in Harrisburg.How Harrisburg Works: The stealthy tool that lets leaders pass deals fastby Stephen Caruso of Spotlight PATop legislators can cut sensitive deals behind closed doors, then use ‘vehicle bills’ to pass them with little warning.
July 11, 2025Commonwealth Media ServicesA popular, bipartisan solar program to save Pa. schools on energy costs might soon go darkby Kate Huangpu of Spotlight PATrump’s tax and spending bill will end federal support, and state lawmakers are unsure if they’ll renew their portion.
July 9, 2025Amanda Berg / For Spotlight PAPrices on certain goods, services could rise as Pa. lawmakers consider axing some sales tax exemptionsby Stephen Caruso of Spotlight PAWith the budget overdue and facing significant deficits, one GOP leader says he’s willing to consider changes.
July 7, 2025Commonwealth Media ServicesWages for low paid home care workers could rise under Pa. budget proposal. Is it enough?by Vincent DiFonzo for Spotlight PAThe proposal from Gov. Josh Shapiro would add $21 million to the budget for certain home care workers. But advocates say much more is needed before Pa. pay is competitive.
July 3, 2025Commonwealth Media ServicesTrump’s massive tax bill could cost Pa. $800M to keep food benefits program goingby Angela Couloumbis and Charlotte Keith of Spotlight PATwo million Pennsylvanians rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, many of them children and older adults.
July 2, 2025Kalliyan Winder / Next Generation NewsroomLawmakers loosen restrictions on Pa. Lottery payouts to boost salesby Abigail Hakas of Next Generation NewsroomA recently approved bill would allow the state lottery to spend more money on payouts. Supporters say the change will increase profits and funding for senior services.
July 2, 2025Sarah Anne Hughes / Spotlight PACyber school facing wrongful death suit says it’s ‘unreasonable’ for teachers to see students weeklyby Katie Meyer of Spotlight PAThe wellness check requirement, passed into state law last year, was inspired in part by the death of a 12-year-old Commonwealth Charter Academy student.
June 30, 2025Commonwealth Media ServicesShapiro expects budget negotiators will reach a deal ‘very soon’ as deadline passesby Associated Press and Stephen Caruso of Spotlight PATalks between top lawmakers went through the weekend, Gov. Josh Shapiro told reporters on Monday.
June 30, 2025Commonwealth Media ServicesThe unknown costs of Amazon’s $20B promise to build 2 data centers in Pennsylvaniaby Stephen Caruso and Kate Huangpu of Spotlight PAMany key details, like the centers’ full impact on electricity supply and prices, and the amount of tax revenue the state will forfeit to Amazon, are still unknown.
June 27, 2025Commonwealth Media ServicesFights over transit, skill games, and overall spending mean the Pa. budget will again be lateby Stephen Caruso and Katie Meyer of Spotlight PAImpasses don’t mean much unless they stretch for more than a few weeks. Then, they start having serious consequences for schools, libraries, and more.
June 25, 2025Vincent DiFonzo / For Spotlight PAFree school lunch in Pennsylvania? Lawmakers want it to be part of the budget.by Vincent DiFonzo for Spotlight PAAdvocates say free school lunch would produce healthier, more engaged students — plus would save kids from stigma, and parents from debt.
June 24, 2025Amanda Berg / For Spotlight PAGOP leaders accused of pressuring lobbyists to drop gaming client in 'ugly' Pa. budget fightby Stephen Caruso and Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PAIn a rare public rift, powerful skill games operator Pace-O-Matic is accusing the Pa. Senate of forcing lobbyists to drop them as a client.
June 24, 2025Commonwealth Media ServicesShortage of new teachers is hurting Pa. kids’ academic prospects, report saysby Elena Eisenstadt for Spotlight PAPoor Pa. school districts are leaning heavily on less-rigorous emergency certifications to fill teaching gaps, a Penn State report found.
June 23, 2025Commonwealth Media ServicesShapiro says prison closures will save $100M, but critics want Pa. to explore alternativesby Elena Eisenstadt for Spotlight PAGov. Josh Shapiro’s administration has delayed making a final decision on the closures as the plan faces pushback.
June 20, 2025Commonwealth Media ServicesOlder, disabled Pennsylvanians could face higher fares for on-demand rides without more fundingby Stephen Caruso of Spotlight PAShared-ride services provide key transportation services in rural areas. It’s a little-known potential casualty of Pennsylvania’s transit deadlock.
June 11, 2025Amanda Berg / For Spotlight PAMinimum wage would be $15 in big counties, $12 in smaller ones under novel bill passed by Pa. Houseby Kate Huangpu of Spotlight PAThe proposal is designed to appeal to Republican senators, and comes after Pa. Democrats unsuccessfully tried for years to pass a statewide $15 minimum wage
June 10, 2025Amanda Berg / For Spotlight PAPennsylvania House advances bills to provide relief for abuse survivorsby Associated PressLawmakers advanced both a constitutional amendment and a traditional bill in a bid to create a two-year window for lawsuits.
June 9, 2025Amanda Berg / For Spotlight PAKey Pa. senator says bipartisan energy bills on hold until contested climate program settledby Kate Huangpu of Spotlight PAThe legislation would rewrite an unused tax credit in an effort to boost energy production, in PA plus promote and regulate solar energy.
June 4, 2025Nate Smallwood / For Spotlight PACyber charter reform that could save public schools $616M advances with unclear future in Pa. Senateby Katie Meyer of Spotlight PAAt least some of its concepts have support in both chambers, but the issue has always been complicated by the commonwealth’s tricky education politics.
June 2, 2025Jenny Kane / APAI boom drives states to offer big incentives for data center developmentby Associated PressIn Pennsylvania, lawmakers are writing legislation to fast-track permitting for data centers.
June 2, 2025Commonwealth Media ServicesFederal uncertainty complicates Pa. budget haggling over transit, educationby Stephen Caruso, Kate Huangpu, and Katie Meyer of Spotlight PARepublicans want to balance the books and be picky about spending, while Democrats say large investments in public education and transit are needed.
May 30, 2025Commonwealth Media ServicesOne question dogs Pa. cannabis debate: Should big businesses have a leg up?by Kate Huangpu of Spotlight PABalancing the desire to get recreational cannabis off the ground quickly, while giving small business a chance in the market, is Harrisburg’s toughest task.
May 26, 2025Courtesy Pa. House Democrats5 years after George Floyd’s murder, Pa.’s police misconduct database remains full of loopholesby Katie Meyer of Spotlight PASince creating the database, lawmakers have become even less focused on legislating changes to policing or fixing flawed reforms.
May 21, 2025Commonwealth Media ServicesPressure from powerful hospital lobby prompts lawmakers to limit proposed merger crackdownby Stephen Caruso and Katie Meyer of Spotlight PANew legislation aims to restrict private equity's influence in hospital mergers, excluding nonprofits after pressure from industry lobby.
May 19, 2025Amanda Berg / For Spotlight PATop Pa. lawmakers took $119K in gifts, trips, and more from those seeking to influence them in 2024by Stephen Caruso and Katie Meyer of Spotlight PAThat includes trips to Israel funded by the charity arm of AIPAC and to Taiwan funded by the government.