Articles written by Christen Smith
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Pennsylvania Hits COVID-19 Vaccination Target
Pennsylvania hit a self-imposed vaccination target this week as Gov. Tom Wolf announced 70 percent of the state’s adult population are now fully immunized against COVID-19. As of Wednesday, the Department of Health reported that 13.1 million doses...
State To Text Residents Who Missed Second COVID-19 Shot
In an effort to boost the statewide COVID-19 vaccination rate, the Pennsylvania Department of Health said residents who missed their second dose will soon receive text message reminders to complete the immunization series. Acting Secretary of Health...
Smaller Toll Increases Planned on Pa. Turnpike Through 2050
Drivers on the Pennsylvania Turnpike can except toll increases through 2050, officials said Wednesday, July 28, albeit at a slower rate than experienced over the past 15 years. The announcement comes as the PA Turnpike Commission makes the last $450...
'Record Breaking' Lottery to Benefit Seniors
Pennsylvania lottery profits exceeded a “record-breaking” $1.3 billion, state officials said Monday, Aug. 2. Pennsylvania Lottery Executive Director Drew Svitko said it’s the 10th consecutive year that the agency’s revenue hit $1 billion,...
Pennsylvania Announces New Nursing Home Regulations
Pennsylvania’s 72,000 nursing home residents could soon receive at least four hours of care, the Department of Health said Wednesday. The proposed regulation comes more than 20 years after the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services...
Pa. Double Counted 500,000 Vaccine Doses
Pennsylvania’s number of vaccinated residents shrank by more than 500,000 last week after the state revealed it counted some doses twice. The discovery came July 9 when the Department of Health said more than 11.3 million doses of the COVID-19...
PennDOT Says Proposed Interstate Bridge Tolls 'Not Permanent'
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation said that proposed tolls for nine interstate bridges won’t be permanent. PennDOT Secretary Yassmin Gramian told the Senate Appropriations Committee Thursday, April 29, that the tolls will remain in...
Vaccine Hesitancy Among Longterm Care Workers A Complex Issue, Pennsylvania Providers Group Says
Vaccine hesitancy among long-term care staff remains a complex issue that goes beyond “selfishness,” the Pennsylvania Health Care Association said Thursday. “Two weeks ago, there were headlines that painted a picture of selfish, uninformed work...
White House Report Grades Pa. Infrastructure C-
A White House report rates Pennsylvania's infrastructure at a C-minus after decades of "systemic" underfunding. The analysis concludes that "historic" levels of investment via the American Jobs Plan...
In Pa. Visit, Biden Proposes $16 Billion For Plugging Abandoned Oil And Gas Wells
President Joe Biden's infrastructure spending plan earmarks $16 billion to plug abandoned oil and gas wells across the country. It's a potential solution for an expensive and overwhelming problem for...
Minimum Wage Debate Taking Shape In Senate
Pa. Senate Minority Leader Jay Costa, D-Pittsburgh, said March 2 that his caucus can’t accept a Republican proposal to raise the state’s minimum wage to $10 an hour. “We don’t believe it’s the right number, and we believe it needs to be...
Emergency Constitutional Amendment For Sexual Abuse Survivors Blocked In Pennsylvania
The effort to extend the litigation window for survivors of child sexual abuse suffered a blow this week after lawmakers blocked an emergency constitutional amendment necessary to get the measure on the ballot in May. Senate Majority Leader Kim...
Pa. Restaurants to See Reprieve From Restrictions Soon
Bars and restaurants across Pennsylvania will soon see a reprieve from pandemic operating limitations. Gov. Tom Wolf made the announcement March 15 that state-certified establishments may raise their occupancy to 75 percent and resume bar service...
Constitutional Amendment Proposes End to Pennsylvania Property Taxes
A bicameral pair of lawmakers proposed a constitutional amendment on Thursday ending the collection of school property taxes. Sen. John DiSanto, R-New Bloomfield, and Rep. Perry Stambaugh, R-New Bloomfield, said Senate Bill 424 and House Bill 927...
Pa. Senate Urges 'Smart Use' Of School Stimulus Money
The American Rescue Plan delivered more than $5 billion in stimulus to Pennsylvania’s 501 school districts, but senators last week urged caution when spending the “windfall.” Pa. Acting Secretary of Education Noe Ortega told the Pa. Senate...
Pandemic Highlights Shortcomings of Pa.'s Open Records Law
News outlets said in March that Pennsylvania’s Department of Health “hides behind other state statutes” to block the release of COVID-19 data – but it’s far from the only agency or organization to do so. During a hearing with the House...
Pa. Dept. of Human Services: Stimulus Package 'Going to be Huge' For Entitlement Programs
The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS) said March 10 that the latest federal stimulus package will help it "prepare for life beyond the pandemic" in the face of rising costs. "This is...
Pa Schools Offered Free Water Testing
Pennsylvania launched a statewide program March 15 that will offer free water tests at schools and day cares concerned about lead contamination. Gov. Tom Wolf said the $1.74 million federal grant program is a piece of his “Lead Free...
Pa. Dept. of Human Services: Stimulus Package 'Going to be Huge' For Entitlement Programs
The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS) said March 10 that the latest federal stimulus package will help it "prepare for life beyond the pandemic" in the face of rising costs. "This is...
Pa. Begins Vaccination Plan Focused on Teachers
Starting March 10, about 200,000 educators and support staff will receive the COVID-19 vaccine through the Pennsylvania's newest mass immunization plan. Gov. Tom Wolf and the state's vaccine task...
Pa. Ag Officials Talk About Enforcing Pandemic Health Orders
The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture said Feb. 24 that it has been “deputized” to enforce public health orders stemming from the pandemic as restaurants and other establishments flout operating restrictions. As such, Agriculture Secretary...
Bipartisan Cannabis Legalization Bill Emerges From Pa. Senate
A bipartisan duo of senators introduced a measure on Feb. 24 to legalize adult use cannabis in Pennsylvania. It's the first time a Republican member of the chamber has cosponsored the proposal – typ...
Pa. Public Officials Worry 2020 Deadliest Year On Record For Fatal Drug Overdoses
Drug overdose deaths in 2020 may eclipse Pennsylvania’s peak recorded just three years prior, public officials said. Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs Secretary Jennifer Smith made the statement during a meeting with the Center for Rural...
Pa.'s School Choice Debate More Fraught Than Ever Amid Pandemic
With the pandemic affecting how students attend public schools, the ongoing debate about whether lawmakers should prioritize traditional districts or ease limitations on their public and private...
Pa. State Senate OKs Bill Authorizing Pandemic Relief For Hospitality Industry
The Pennsylvania Senate approved a bill Jan. 27 that aims to provide $145 million in state aid to bars and restaurants crushed under ongoing pandemic restrictions. Senate Bill 109 would amend the...
Pa. Voters To Decide Extent Of Governor's Emergency Powers
Voters in Pennsylvania will soon decide the extent of the governor’s emergency powers. A constitutional amendment requiring the governor to seek legislative approval before extending disaster declarations beyond 21 days cleared the last hurdle...
Pa. Governor Says Stifling Minimum Wage 'Bad For Business'
Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf said Jan. 28 that stifling employee earnings to increase profits “is simply not good business.” Wolf’s comments came during a 40-minute news conference previewing his budget priorities. The governor said he wanted...
Pandemic may cause some permanent job loss
Fiscal analysts projected Jan. 21 that Pennsylvania’s economic damage from the pandemic will last years, and some jobs may never return. The Independent Fiscal Office released its five-year outlook that concluded lost economic growth in 2020 will...
Pennsylvania health officials launch provider map for expanded immunization plan
Residents now included in Pennsylvania's expanded first phase of its COVID-19 immunization plan can find available providers through an interactive map on the Department of Health website. A vaccine...
Pa. Turnpike Tolls Rise, Again, Amid Bleak Revenue Projections
Another year, another toll increase on the Pennsylvania Turnpike – a trend drivers will likely withstand for another three decades amid bleak traffic and revenue projections, according to a new...
A Review of the Laws Pennsylvania Enacted In 2020
Despite a series of vetoes from Pa. Gov. Tom Wolf this year in his tug-of-war with Republicans to control pandemic mitigation efforts, the General Assembly managed to pass some laws, too. A review of the laws passed in Pa. in 2020 follows. Takeout...
Pa. looks to accelerate vaccination plan in 2021
Officials in Pennsylvania said Jan. 4 approximately 135,000 residents have been vaccinated since mid-December, falling far short of expectations set by the federal government. Nationally, about 2 million doses have been administered out of more than...
Pandemic Lockdown Closed 30 Percent of Pennsylvania Businesses, Second Most In Nation
Federal data shows pandemic restrictions forced three in 10 businesses statewide to close, at least temporarily, ranking Pennsylvania second only to Michigan in terms of economic lockdown impacts. Sti...
Restaurants In Pa. Find Creative Ways To Survive Amid Pandemic Restrictions
It’s been two weeks since Pa. Gov. Tom Wolf banned indoor dining and alcohol sales at restaurants statewide amid an alarming spike in COVID-19 hospitalizations. And for many owners, abiding by the rules – devastating as they may be – remains a...
Pennsylvania's Population Stagnates As Reapportionment Nears
Pennsylvania netted just 83,000 more residents over the last decade as growth in the state stagnates compared to the southern and western regions of the country. Only 500,000 more Americans live in...
Republican Senators Denounce 'False Hope' of Pa. Legislative Election Reversal
Two Lancaster County Republican senators said Dec. 4 that a campaign from fellow GOP colleagues to change the state’s electors in support of the president gives “false hope” that the Legislature can overturn the results. State Sens. Ryan...
Pa. GOP Won't Overrule Popular Vote for Joe Biden, If Certified
Republican leaders in the General Assembly confirmed Friday, Nov. 6, that a certified popular vote victory for former Vice President Joe Biden for the presidency will stand, despite rumors to the contrary still circulating on social media. Pa....
Pennsylvania Elected Officials Agree To Yearlong Pay Freeze Amid Pandemic
Pennsylvania state government officials delayed their annual pay raise last week in the face of a pandemic-induced revenue shortfall. Pa. Gov. Tom Wolf signed House Bill 2487 on Friday that freezes pay for himself, cabinet officials, legislators and...
Proposed Laws Regarding Solar Power Could Help Dairy Farmers
Proposed legislation enabling electricity credits for community solar panels may just benefit Pennsylvania’s struggling farmers the most. At least, so say the clean energy groups testifying in favor of Pa. House Bill 531 the first week of...
Pa. Supreme Court Bars Trump Campaign From Election Lawsuit
The state’s highest court said neither the president’s reelection campaign – nor the national Republican National Committee – can intervene in a state lawsuit brought against election officials. The split decision comes six weeks after Pa. Se...
Governor Signals Hope for June NASCAR Race at Pocono
Pa. Gov. Tom Wolf said a NASCAR event planned for the Pocono Raceway next month can proceed if the county progresses to the yellow stage of his phased economic reopening plan. “If Monroe County goes to yellow before that race happens and NASCAR,...
Pennsylvania's Top Health Official Warns Against GOP Push to Reopen Businesses
Pennsylvania’s top health official warned lawmakers against legislation that would reopen some of the state’s businesses during the coronavirus pandemic. Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine wrote a letter to the General Assembly discouraging...
Pennsylvania food secure, still panic buying persists
As Pennsylvania braces for another month of social distancing, state officials pleaded with residents to stop panic buying and supply hoarding. There’s more than enough for everyone, Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding says, and there will... Full story
Pa. Delays Primary Election Until June 2
The Pennsylvania House of Representatives unanimously agreed Tuesday, March 24, on a plan delaying the state’s primary election until June 2 amid the coronavirus pandemic. Senate Bill 422 heads back to the upper chamber for a concurrence vote... Full story
Pa. Reconsiders Closing Liquor Stores
Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf said Sunday night, March 22, that he’s reconsidering his order to shutter liquor stores as part of the state’s coronavirus mitigation effort. The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board closed 600 wine and spirits stores... Full story
State Officials Aim To Quell Election Day Concerns Ahead Of Pa. Primary
Pennsylvania State Department officials assured lawmakers that errors and delays will not plague the upcoming April 28 primary, despite the ongoing implementation of sweeping voting reforms enacted last year. “We will be ready,” Secretary of Stat...
Pa.'s Medical Marijuana Program Shortages To Subside
Pennsylvania’s two-year-old medical marijuana program serves 160,000 active patients and, sometimes, keeping products in stock proves challenging. Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine says, however, this problem will soon resolve itself. “I...
Lawmakers Grill Pa. State Police Over Municipality Service Fee
House lawmakers grilled the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) on Feb. 20 over the governor’s proposal to raise $136 million for the agency via municipality service fees that some see as akin to a tax increase. “We were told this is a...