News Digest :: June 26, 2021

Legislature

Pa.’s $40 billion budget includes more money for poorest school districts, saves bulk of federal relief funding (inquirer.com)

Pa. House passes $40B budget with more money for schools, saving most federal relief aid | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

State lawmakers unveil a $39.8 billion budget plan | City & State PA (cityandstatepa.com)

Pa. lawmakers pass $40 billion budget, save $7 billion (abc27.com)

Lawmakers vote to bank pandemic funds, boost schools funding | National and World | dailylocal.com

No tax cuts for all, but tax breaks for some in Pennsylvania budget package – pennlive.com

Pennsylvania lawmakers vote to bank pandemic funds, boost schools funding – The Morning Call (mcall.com)

Wolf to sign $40.8B budget that spends on education, saves billions for the future | Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

Pa. House passes state budget (abc27.com)

Pennsylvania House and Senate pass budget for 2021-22 (wgal.com)

Lancaster’s 3 poorest school districts will get bump under $100 million investment in Pa. budget | PA Power and Policy | lancasteronline.com

Pa. budget passes with more money for schools, nursing homes (goerie.com)

State legislators send $39.8B budget to Wolf; plan holds back $5B in ARP funds | News | tribdem.com

Republicans unveil budget that puts pandemic funds in bank | Times Leader

College athletes in line to gain control over image, likeness in Pa. budget bill | Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

To-go cocktails legislation appears dead in Pennsylvania Senate — at least for the summer (inquirer.com)

Wolf’s picks for adjutant general, major general confirmed by Pennsylvania lawmakers | Pennsylvania | thecentersquare.com

Kayden’s Law passes Pennsylvania State Senate; now goes to House | Times Leader

Kayden’s Law: Pennsylvania State Senate passes child custody reform bill (theintell.com)

Kayden’s Law in memory of 7-year-old would reform Pennsylvania’s child custody statute (abc27.com)

Milk Date Code Bill Passes | Main Edition | lancasterfarming.com

Talks About Adult-Use Cannabis Bills Heat Up in Pennsylvania; Introduction Does Not – Cannabis Business Times

Sen. Boscola supports Senate passage of 5G wireless infrastructure bill – Pennsylvania Business Report (pennbizreport.com)

Pa.’s push to arm local police with radar is for profit, not safety | Letter – lehighvalleylive.com

Pa. Senate passes election reform bill (wgal.com)

Voting Rights Protection Act Heads to Governor’s Desk, Grove Says – GantNews.com

Pa. Senate approves elections bill in partisan vote, Wolf will veto (goerie.com)

Pa. Senate sends election law rewrite to Wolf, who promises veto over Voter ID language | Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

Pennsylvania Senate approves election reform bill; Gov. Tom Wolf veto anticipated – The Morning Call (mcall.com)

Pa. Senate approves elections bill in partisan vote, Wolf will veto (timesonline.com)

Pennsylvania governor says he’s preparing veto pen for election reform bill | Pennsylvania | thecentersquare.com

Senate passes major election reform bill; Wolf set to veto (audacy.com)

Zimmerman 1 of 3 GOP reps to oppose bill to reform state’s voting law, says he still doubts 2020 election | PA Power and Policy | lancasteronline.com

Potentially life-saving prior authorization, step therapy bill moves out of Pa. Senate Committee (abc27.com)

Pa. lawmakers should say ‘yes’ to RGGI and clean air for our kids (goerie.com)

Bill cleaning up Pa.’s medical marijuana law, without home growing provision, heads to Wolf | Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

Pa. lawmakers approve a bill that lets students repeat a year because of COVID-19 (inquirer.com)

 

Coronavirus – COVID-19

Gov. Wolf: 75% of Pennsylvania’s adults have received first COVID-19 vaccination (abc27.com)

State health department lifts universal mask mandate on Monday | City & State PA (cityandstatepa.com)

Pa. hits national vaccine milestone, Wolf admin. to lift masking orders next week | Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

Pa. mask mandate lifts Monday, but Health Dept. reminds businesses can still require them (abc27.com)

COVID-19 cases in Erie County and most of Pennsylvania decline (goerie.com)

Man with longest-known COVID infection to date had virus for 10 months: ‘Every day I live now is a bonus’ – pennlive.com

 

Business/Jobs

Companies seek workers as labor shortages affect trash pickups (buckscountycouriertimes.com)

SBA’s PPP forgiveness process is about to get much easier for larger loans – Philadelphia Business Journal (bizjournals.com)

 

Crime/Punishment

Study isn’t a ‘mechanism’ to close Perry County prison, officials say – pennlive.com

Philadelphia police sued over fatal shooting last year in Grays Ferry (inquirer.com)

 

Elections/Politics

Justice Department suing Georgia over voting restrictions | News | phillytrib.com

Sean Parnell: Critical race theory ‘will cost lives on the battlefield’ – FNTalk.com

Tucker Carlson doubles down on criticisms of Gen. Mark Milley and accuses him of a ‘race attack’ – News Colony

Reader Poll: Democrats Should Nominate Kenyatta for U.S. Senate in 2022 | PoliticsPA

After municipal primary ballot issues, Lancaster County ends relationship with mail ballot vendor | PA Power and Policy | lancasteronline.com

 

Environment

DEP grants Rockhill Quarry owner extension on asbestos study (buckscountycouriertimes.com)

 

Health

Paid Sick Leave Remains Live Issue At Allegheny County Board Of Health | 90.5 WESA

 

State News

How the state’s richest charity spends its money: The Milton Hershey School, by the numbers · Spotlight PA

Pennsylvania gaming revenue rebounding, according to report | Pennsylvania | thecentersquare.com

Pennsylvania ag officials pay $5.1 million to preserve 2,305 acres of farmland | Pennsylvania | thecentersquare.com

Cannonball! Former lieutenant governor’s residence swimming pool set to open – pennlive.com

Broadband expansion vital to Pa. students, economy and health care (buckscountycouriertimes.com)

Pa. lawmakers should say ‘yes’ to RGGI and clean air for our kids (goerie.com)

DCNR staff recognized for keeping state parks accessible, safe for visitors during pandemic | The Bucks County Herald

Department of Human Services announces distribution of $224 million in food assistance for families with young children | The Bucks County Herald

Explainer: Will Pa. evictions spike despite rental help? | WITF

 

National News

Judge sentences Derek Chauvin to over 22 years for murder of George Floyd (yahoo.com)

Florida judge blocks USDA debt relief payments to Black farmers | Business | phillytrib.com

N.J. proposes a first-in-the-nation anti-hunger advocate along with other legislation to help the food-insecure (inquirer.com)

Three weeks to final campus merger vote, NCAA says it still awaits information it needs | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Report showed major damage before Florida condo collapse | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

 

Local News

Junior Police Academy returns to Chester County after pandemic hiatus | Local-news | dailylocal.com

Bucks County Opportunity Council’s emergency food program delivers (buckscountycouriertimes.com)

Erie Pride Month and beyond: Virtual festival, vehicle parade, art exhibit planned (goerie.com)

Erie restaurants: Extended hours, choices await patrons (goerie.com)

Griffin ready to take the reins as chamber’s first woman president | Business | citizensvoice.com

NEPA mayors seek repeal of state fireworks sales law | News | thetimes-tribune.com

West Hazleton Council appoints former police chief to full-time public safety director post | News | standardspeaker.com

 

Pitt

Port Authority approves fare increase, along with free transfers starting in 2022 | News | Pittsburgh | Pittsburgh City Paper (pghcitypaper.com)

Pittsburgh Public Schools form committee to guide relief funds spending | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Pittsburgh Activist Reflects On Derek Chauvin Receiving 22.5 Years For Killing George Floyd – CBS Pittsburgh (cbslocal.com)

Children’s Museum Of Pittsburgh And MuseumLab Reopen With New Exhibits – CBS Pittsburgh (cbslocal.com)

 

Philly

City officials encourage residents to claim child tax credit | Local News | phillytrib.com

Bill that would end discriminatory motor vehicles stops reintroduced in City Council | PhillyVoice

Philadelphians weigh in on Chauvin’s sentence for murdering George Floyd | Local News | phillytrib.com

Dr. Ala Stanford continues the fight to save lives in Philadelphia’s communities of color | Local News | phillytrib.com

Laborers’ District Council opens new training center in North Philadelphia | Local News | phillytrib.com

Philly announces first winners of its vaccine lottery (inquirer.com)

 

Washington

House Dems head off retirement crisis — for now – POLITICO

Pennsylvania youth trek to White House to support climate justice initiative – WHYY

Biden nominates Chadds Ford man to board of National Institute of Building Sciences | Local News | delcotimes.com

On border tour, Harris laments ‘infighting’ over immigration | National and World | dailylocal.com

Congress votes to reinstate methane rules loosened by Trump | Business | dailylocal.com

Biden’s Infrastructure Plan Is A Win For Him But May Be A Tough Sell To Congress : NPR