April 3, 2026Courtesy of Amy Kobeta of Children FirstPennsylvania could require paid family leave — if lawmakers can decide who bears the costby Jaxon White of Spotlight PAThe concept has bipartisan support in both the Pa. House and Senate. But disagreement about cost remains a roadblock.
March 23, 2026Richard Drew / APShapiro parodies and chatbot phone banks — how AI is popping up in Pa. electionsby Kate Huangpu of Spotlight PAA bill pending in the Pa. Capitol would impose consequences for using AI to misrepresent candidates close to an election.
March 11, 2026Matt Smith / For Spotlight PAWill independents ever get to vote in Pa. primaries? Advocates hope a lawsuit moves the needle.by Kate Huangpu of Spotlight PAThe suit argues Pennsylvania’s closed primaries violate the state constitution by giving Democrats and Republicans more voting power than independents .
March 9, 2026Ted Shaffrey / APShapiro wants to incentivize data centers to be better neighbors. Will that work?by Kate Huangpu of Spotlight PAThe governor plans to allow faster permitting for data centers built with consideration for water, energy, and local jobs.
March 4, 2026Stephen Caruso / Spotlight PAA Silicon Valley firm offered gift cards as part of a campaign to defeat Pa. regulation. Lawmakers say that’s unethical.by Stephen Caruso of Spotlight PALawmakers say Point’s payment for testimony crossed ethical lines and called their arguments against regulation into question.
March 4, 2026Nate Smallwood / For Spotlight PADemand for student teacher stipends outstrips supply as Shapiro proposes boosting programby Katie Meyer of Spotlight PAStill, experts say teacher turnover remains a major issue across Pennsylvania, especially in lower-wealth urban and rural districts.
Feb. 24, 2026Amanda Berg / For Spotlight PARape crisis centers say Shapiro’s budget will worsen staffing, service challengesby Kate Huangpu of Spotlight PAFunding has been flat in 6 out of the past 10 Pa. budgets for rape crisis centers. They say they’re stretched too thin and services are suffering.
Feb. 23, 2026Commonwealth Media ServicesFalse claims laws in other states have brought in millions. Why hasn’t it passed in Pa.?by Charlotte Keith of Spotlight PAAdvocates for the legislation say without it, Pa. is missing a key tool to fight fraud and is losing out on millions in federal dollars.
Feb. 19, 2026Commonwealth Media ServicesData center tax break created to boost economy, add jobs in Pa. could cost state billions in revenueby Kate Huangpu and Stephen Caruso of Spotlight PAOpponents argue the tax break is a costly giveaway to an industry dominated by some of the country’s largest and most profitable corporations.
Feb. 11, 2026Commonwealth Media ServicesWhy a $193M injection for rural health care in Pa. isn’t easing closure worriesby Marley Parish of Spotlight PA State CollegeThe five-year Rural Health Transformation Program is meant to expand and strengthen access to care, but state officials and experts warn the money isn’t enough to fix every problem.
Feb. 9, 2026Commonwealth Media ServicesAre Republicans in Pa. ready for legal weed this year? Advocates are skeptical.by Kate Huangpu of Spotlight PAPennsylvania Democratic lawmakers say it’s time for Senate Republicans to act, but a key GOP lawmaker says his caucus is “very divided” on the issue.
Feb. 6, 2026Commonwealth Media ServicesWho owns Pa.’s digitized history? We’re a step closer to an answer.by Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PACommonwealth Court is considering a case that could determine whether digitized historical records belong to the public or are controlled by Ancestry.com.
Feb. 3, 2026Commonwealth Media ServicesGOP leaders must stop tying relief for childhood sexual abuse survivors to ‘pet projects,’ Shapiro saysby Kate Huangpu of Spotlight PARepublican leaders in the state Senate have refused to advance a window for abuse lawsuits unless it is tied to expanded voter ID.
Feb. 3, 2026Commonwealth Media ServicesShapiro calls for more investment in Pa.’s poorest schools, public transit agencies as part of $53.3B budget pitchby Stephen Caruso and Kate Huangpu of Spotlight PATo help pay for the new spending, Shapiro again called on lawmakers to tax and regulate slot-like skill games and legalize recreational marijuana.
Feb. 2, 2026Commonwealth Media ServicesShapiro expected to address housing costs, energy demand, and unfinished business in budget pitchby Kate Huangpu and Stephen Caruso of Spotlight PAIn this election year — in which both parties will be trying to flip a legislative chamber — lawmakers could face pressure to finish a budget deal earlier than in the past.
Jan. 28, 2026Mark Pynes / APLawmaker whose second job running trade group raised ethics concerns says he’s stepping downby Stephen Caruso of Spotlight PAState Rep. Seth Grove says his early resignation has nothing to do with the growing backlash to his new job.
Jan. 28, 2026Marc Levy / APShapiro campaigned on getting justice for sexual abuse survivors. Some say he hasn’t done enough as governor.by Kate Huangpu of Spotlight PASome abuse survivors want Gov. Josh Shapiro to take a harder stance when dealing with state Senate Republicans.
Jan. 26, 2026Rebecca Blackwell / APA new Pa. law aimed at keeping unregulated vapes out of the hands of kids may not actually workby Stephen Caruso of Spotlight PAPennsylvania’s first major effort to tackle vaping suffers from loopholes, insufficient funding for enforcement, and limited public health backing.
Jan. 23, 2026Amanda Berg / For Spotlight PALawmakers move to close meeting notice loophole after ruling weakens Pa. transparency lawby Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PAThe goal is to clearly define when local governments can forgo the Sunshine Act requirement of publicizing agendas at least 24 hours in advance.
Dec. 15, 2025Amanda Berg / For Spotlight PAPa. could end the year with the lowest number of new laws in at least a decadeby Kate Huangpu of Spotlight PAPennsylvania legislators have passed just 65 bills in 2025, which is poised to be an all-time low for the past decade, leaving key priorities unfinished.
Dec. 9, 2025Commonwealth Media ServicesPennsylvania restricts weight-loss drugs for Medicaid patients amid budget woesby Stephen Caruso of Spotlight PAThe change will save hundreds of millions of dollars, the Shapiro administration estimates.
Dec. 2, 2025Sarah Anne Hughes / Spotlight PAFunding cuts and new oversight rules hit Pennsylvania's 14 cyber charter schoolsby Katie Meyer of Spotlight PAPennsylvania is home to 14 cyber charter schools, which have ballooned in popularity since the COVID-19 pandemic.
Nov. 26, 2025Sarah Anne Hughes / Spotlight PASkill games avoid regulation again in Pa. as gambling lobby war intensifiesby Stephen Caruso and Kate Huangpu of Spotlight PAA dispute over the level of taxation and accusations of retribution derailed another attempt to regulate skill games in Pennsylvania.
Nov. 25, 2025Amanda Berg / For Spotlight PAThe Pa. budget includes two big tax credit changes. Here’s what you should know.by Kate Huangpu of Spotlight PALawmakers created a new program to mirror the federal Earned Income Tax Credit, and adjusted an affordable housing credit to attract new investors.
Nov. 24, 2025Commonwealth Media ServicesPennsylvania directs $220 million to SEPTA after railcar fires force evacuationsby Associated PressThe Federal Railroad Administration investigated five fires this year involving the Silverliner IV passenger railcars used by SEPTA.
Nov. 19, 2025Jeff Chiu / APBarstool influencers pushed anti-tax message as Pa. lawmakers privately debated sports betting proposalby Stephen Caruso of Spotlight PAThe videos raise questions about whether they constituted lobbying, and if Barstool Sports and its stars had the needed state registration to do such advocacy work.
Nov. 14, 2025Nate Smallwood / For Spotlight PASEARCH: See how much money your Pa. school district will receive to close adequacy, tax burden gapsby Kate Huangpu and Katie Meyer of Spotlight PALawmakers approved a second year of supplements targeting districts that fall short of adequate per-student spending benchmarks.
Nov. 14, 2025Commonwealth Media ServicesSolar rooftop program for Pa. schools survives budget deal that cut major climate policyby Kyle Bagenstose of Inside Climate NewsSolar for School remains one of the few policy bright spots for clean energy advocates following Pennsylvania’s newly negotiated exit from a carbon cap-and-trade program.
Nov. 12, 2025Commonwealth Media ServicesDemocrats sacrifice climate program for $50.1B budget agreementby Kate Huangpu of Spotlight PAThe Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative would have capped the amount of carbon that companies in Pennsylvania are allowed to emit.
Nov. 12, 2025Amanda Berg / For Spotlight PA$50.1B budget that ends impasse sends $565M to needy schools, makes key climate concessionby Stephen Caruso and Kate Huangpu of Spotlight PAThe deal ends a four-month budget impasse that stopped the flow of billions of state dollars to schools, counties, and nonprofits that provide critical public services.
Spotlight PA Event: The past, present, and future of Pennsylvania’s mental health care systemsAttendJul 30