Law and Policy


Protesters Holding Signs
New Bill From Pennsylvania Democrat Would Ensure Easier Access to Abortion Care and Secure Reproductive Freedom

The antiquated state law that makes abortion legal includes numerous restrictions on access to care. New legislation would remove those barriers and allow government funding for abortion facilities.

Pennsylvania House Speaker Mark Rozzi, D-Berks, presides over a session of the House of Representatives Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2023 at the Pennsylvania Capitol in Harrisburg, Pa.(AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
Pa. House Passes Child Sex Abuse Bills That the GOP-Controlled Senate May Not Even Consider

After years of delays and administrative mistakes, legislation giving victims of childhood sexual abuse legal recourse against their abusers passed the House Friday. The measure, championed by House Speaker Mark Rozzi, now heads to the Senate where it faces pushback from Republicans.

Pennsylvania Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro speaks during a news conference in Philadelphia, Thursday, Feb. 16, 2023. Shapiro says he won't allow Pennsylvania to execute any inmates while he is in office and calls for the state's lawmakers to repeal the death penalty. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
Shapiro Calls on PA Lawmakers to Abolish Death Penalty: ‘Pennsylvania Should Not Be in the Business of Putting People to Death.’

The governor said Thursday he will not allow Pennsylvania to execute any inmates while he is in office, and called on state lawmakers to abolish the death penalty altogether.

Voters line up at an early voting satellite location at the Anne B. Day elementary school, Thursday, Oct. 15, 2020, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Michael Perez)
Amendments on Voter ID, Governor’s Veto Power, Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse One Step Closer to May Ballot

Republicans in the Senate pushed through a bill containing two proposed amendments to the state constitution that would affect voting rights and the governor’s veto powers, in addition to tacking on a measure that would provide relief for survivors of childhood sexual abuse, which Democrats support while opposing the other two proposals.

FILE PHOTO: Semi-automatic handguns are displayed at shop in New Castle, PA. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic, File)
How Pennsylvania Lawmakers Worked to Prevent or Enable Gun Violence in the Past Session

State lawmakers proposed dozens of bills throughout the 2021-2022 legislative session aimed at addressing gun violence in Pennsylvania, from banning assault weapons to universal background checks.

10 Years Later: What Has & Hasn’t Changed in the Decade Since Sandy Hook

We've heard it again and again: If we weren't able to pass gun reform after Sandy Hook, nothing will ever change. While school shootings haven't stopped, or even slowed, in the decade since Sandy Hook, progress has been made.

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., walks to the chamber for final votes as the House wraps up its work for the week, at the Capitol in Washington, Friday, Dec. 2, 2022. McCarthy is seeking enough GOP backing to become Democrat Nancy Pelosi's successor when Republicans take control of the House in the new Congress. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
House Republicans’ Agenda Focuses on Social Security Cuts and Sham Investigations—Not Working Families

Between Republicans’ economic agenda, spurious investigations, and threatened impeachments, the House is looking at a busy but unproductive year.