State Senate
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Pennsylvania House makes last-ditch effort to stave off cuts at Philadelphia’s public transit agency
The bill—which includes funding for highways, too—increases aid for transit agency operations by $292 million, or about 25% more, with the lion’s share of the money going to the Philadelphia-based Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority.
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Cannabis legalization bill goes up in smoke following PA Senate Republican opposition
House Bill 1200 met its untimely demise less than a week after the Pennsylvania House passed its first adult-use cannabis bill. Senate Republicans oppose selling recreational cannabis in state-owned stores and shot the bill down in a committee vote.
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PA Republicans silent after member calls for violent rebellion against Shapiro’s budget
A video posted by State Sen. Dawn Keefer has renewed calls to end political violence. Her social media post called for a second Whiskey Rebellion and used a flamethrower on Gov. Josh Shapiro’s proposed budget less than a month after the governor’s residence was firebombed.
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Democrats take hope from upset win in a GOP-leaning Pennsylvania state Senate district
Democrat James Andrew Malone narrowly won a special election for a Pennsylvania state Senate seat in Republican-leaning suburbs and farming communities, scoring an upset for a party roiled by infighting since President Donald Trump’s victory.
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Democrat James Malone pulls off stunning upset in Pa. Senate special election
James Malone defeated his Republican challenger by 482 votes in a special election for a state Senate seat in Lancaster County. Last week, Elon Musk was sounding the alarm about losing the seat, which Trump carried by 15 points in November.
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Democrats hope to pull off upset in Tuesday’s Pa. Senate special election
East Petersburg Mayor James Malone faces long odds in pulling off an upset in a special election for Pennsylvania’s 36th senate district. But Malone’s momentum has Elon Musk and Republicans sounding the alarm.
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Amanda Cappelletti named finalist for EMILYs List’s 2025 Gabrielle Giffords Rising Star Award
Pennsylvania State Sen. Amanda Cappelletti is one of six finalists for EMILYs List’s 2025 Gabrielle Giffords Rising Star Award. Cappelletti has advocated for expanding reproductive healthcare after sharing stories about her miscarriages.
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Lawmaker proposes a moratorium on new cyber charter schools
State Senator Lindsey Williams is calling on the legislature to place a moratorium on cyber charter schools until 2038. There are 14 cyber charter schools operating in the commonwealth that cost taxpayers and school districts over $1 billion annually.
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Pa. Women’s Health Caucus push for maternal health care, childcare access as legislature reconvenes
Tuesday marked the beginning of negotiations for the upcoming 2025-26 state budget. The Pennsylvania Women’s Health Caucus laid out their priorities for the budget, which include funding for Black maternal health, expanding childcare access and expanding access to menstrual products for lower-income residents.
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Legal cannabis, raising wages, and skilled games: Top takeaways from Josh Shapiro’s budget proposal
Gov. Josh Shapiro highlighted his track record and called for legalizing adult-use cannabis, regulating skill games, and restoring housing rights for those who have past evictions.
