News Digest :: June 19, 2018
Legislature Bill giving some criminal offenders a second chance at a ‘clean slate’ advances https://www.pennlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2018/06/bill_giving_some_criminal_offe.html#incart_river_index Pa. House advances changes to medical marijuana law...Post Session Report :: Monday, June 18, 2018
SB 819, PN 1778 (Aument) – Amends the Agriculture Security Law to allow agritourism activity on land subject to a conservation easement. A vote of 48-0 was recorded. HB 1738, PN 3609 (Marsico) – This bill amends a section of the Judicial Code (relating to municipal...Partisan amendment to ‘gerrymandering’ bill puts redistricting reform in peril
In the span of a few hours last week, a nonpartisan organization seeking redistricting reform went from supporting a state Senate bill to registering staunch opposition. Fair District PA volunteer Anna Fisher’s presentation in Bethel Park happened to occur the evening...News Digest :: June 18, 2018
Legislature In Pa., local cops can’t use radar to catch speeders. That could soon change http://www.philly.com/philly/news/pennsylvania/radar-speeding-ticket-police-pennsylvania-municipal-bill-rothman-fines-20180618.html Republicans move to remake court after...Republicans move to remake court after gerrymandering case
Associated Press | By Marc Levy
After the Pennsylvania Supreme Court’s Democratic majority threw out the Republican-drawn map of congressional districts as an unconstitutional gerrymander, Republicans raised talk of impeaching Democratic justices.
Calls for impeachment even came from senior Republican Party officials.
That talk receded, but Republicans have brought forward another plan that could limit the lifespan of the court’s Democratic majority: changing the state’s constitution to elect appellate court judges in districts, rather than in statewide elections.
News Digest :: June 17, 2018
Budget Are state budget negotiations ‘friendly’? We’ll soon find out http://www.pennlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2018/06/pa_state_budget_review_-_world.html Legislature Will the Pa. House vote to shrink itself?...Pennsylvania Senate double-cross
The Morning Call | By Bill White
My Sunday column will look at the discouraging latest developments in the effort to reform the way election districts are drawn up in Pennsylvania.
In short, Senate Republicans double-crossed everyone at the last minute by amending Senate Bill 22 — which would create an independent citizens redistricting commission — so it includes a provision calling for regional elections of state appellate court judges.
Editorial: Bipartisanship cast aside in redistricting effort
The Reading Eagle | Associated Press
It’s hard to stomach the twists and turns in the effort to change the way Pennsylvania’s congressional and state legislative districts are drawn. The latest development, a last-minute Republican amendment calling for a change in the way state appellate court judges are elected, angered Democrats and led many of redistricting reform’s staunchest advocates to drop their support of legislation they had championed.