The war with Iran. The proliferation of data centers and attempts to transform warehouses into ICE detention facilities across the state. Affordability. The news cycle of late has been… a lot.

So it’s completely understandable if this slipped past you: a bill that could disenfranchise millions of American voters—which the Senate could take up as soon as today.

The Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act, or the SAVE America Act, would force Americans to prove they are citizens when they register to vote, mostly through a valid US passport or birth certificate.

Driver’s licenses in many states would not be enough. The legislation says that the identification must be compliant with new REAL ID rules and also indicate that the applicant is a citizen of the United States—which few state licenses do, including Pennsylvania’s.

The voter ID expansion would also include mail-in ballots, requiring those voting by mail to send a photocopy of their ID. 

There’s a lot more to the bill, which President Donald Trump has claimed would “guarantee the midterms” for his Republican Party in November should it pass. Though it’s not likely to. 

Democrats are uniformly opposed to the legislation and expected to block its passage through the Senate. They say the legislation would disenfranchise millions of American voters who don’t have birth certificates or other documents readily available—both Republicans and Democrats who would be newly registering to vote.

We’ve got much more on the SAVE America ACT—including action you can take to let your elected officials know where you stand on the measure—below.

The average price for a gallon of gas in Pennsylvania is $3.75 as of Tuesday morning, up from $3.69 yesterday. It was $3.12 just before the US and Israel launched attacks against Iran on Feb. 28.

Our QOTW: How are you dealing with the recent spike in gas prices?

Here’s what you’re saying:

“We have cut back on driving and groceries. We are on fixed incomes so it has really impacted us.”

— Bridget Y., West Newton

“Driving less, and it’s difficult in suburban Philadelphia. But I always combine trips, get deliveries, or do without.”

— Sue S. Suburban Philadelphia

“I drive as little as possible. This past week I did not use the car for 6 of 7 days, relying on my bicycle.”

— Thomas S., Lancaster

“What a pleasure for me that I haven’t had to visit a gasoline station in over nine years. The joy of owning an electric car.”

— Allison Weinkranz, Penn Valley

“We are driving our EV almost exclusively. We have a 2020 Chevy Bolt EV that we charge at home, and a 2021 Subaru Crosstrek. We’ll be driving the Subaru only when it’s absolutely necessary until prices at the pump come down. Even with the high price of residential electricity in PA, the Bolt EV gets the equivalent of about 94 mpg.”

— Lisa and David Mohan, Stewartstown

“I’m just dealing with it and fortunately my commute doesn’t take up a lot of gas. I love to take drives and I haven’t stopped because it’s one of my true joys. If gas prices continue to rise I’ll just make small cuts elsewhere if needed but I really don’t want to give up my meandering drives if I can help it!”

— Lisa P., Philadelphia

Tell us how you’re being impacted by rising gas prices, and please let us know where you live.

(L-R) Jeffrey Yass, a co-founder of the Susquehanna International Group trading firm who has financial ties to President Trump; Victoria Mars, an heir to Mars, Incorporated; and Philadelphia Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie are among the members of Pennsylvania’s billionaire class. (Associated Press/Getty Images)

A group of folks who likely aren’t being impacted by rising gas prices: the members of Pennsylvania’s billionaire class, which continues to grow

The list of Pennsylvania billionaires includes:

Republican mega-donor Jeffrey Yass, co-founder of the Susquehanna International Group trading firm, which oversees a 15% stake in TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance. 

Victoria Mars, heir to her family’s giant candy and pet food company, Mars, Incorporated. 

Philadelphia Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie, who paid $185 million for the team in 1994 and has watched his franchise’s value grow to more than $8 billion. How’s that for a return on investment?

• Montgomery County is one of the latest local or county governments to crack down against ICE operations by passing a resolution that prohibits ICE from using county-owned properties, among other restrictions. Our Sean Kitchen has the details in this story.

• As AI data centers increase the demand for power in the commonwealth, Pennsylvania lawmakers are seeking solutions to stem the associated rise of electricity costs. Find out about two new proposals under consideration here.

• A week after two Bucks County teens were charged in an attempted terror plot, it’s still unclear how, or even if, they knew each other before authorities said they drove to Manhattan on a mission to kill. Find out more in this report.

Our mission is to keep Pennsylvanians informed—from the hard news, to the feelgood news.

Our goal is to keep that news free and accessible to everyone. Your support makes that possible.

If you value local reporting and want to help keep the Keystone paywall-free, we hope you’ll consider contributing during our current Supporter Drive.

(Shutterstock)

As I’ve stated on past St. Patrick’s Days, I’m proud of my Irish heritage, but I’m really not keen on celebrating a day my late father (also a Patrick) dubbed “Irish New Year’s Eve,” as he felt more people were interested in getting loaded before noon than honoring Ireland’s patron saint.

Still, St. Patrick’s Day is a cause for celebration for many in Pennsylvania, where nearly 15% of the population claims Irish ancestry, according to the most recent US Census data. That’s the 6th highest percentage in the US, with New Hampshire in the top spot, at 19.2%. The commonwealth has the third highest number of residents claiming Irish descent at just under 1.9 million, trailing only California (approximately 2.2 million) and New York (just over 2 million).

Within the state, Lackawanna County has the largest percentage of residents claiming Irish ancestry at 23.2%, according to Census data, followed by Bucks and Delco (22.2% each), Chester (20.8), Susquehanna (20.1%), Butler (19.5%), Pike (19.2%), Montgomery (19%), Wayne (18.3%), and Blair (18.1%).

Thanks for reading. This newsletter was written by Patrick Berkery with stories from Sean Kitchen, the Associated Press, Ian Karbal from the Pennsylvania Capital-Star, and USA Today via Reuters Connect. It was edited by Brook Bolen.

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