Though state and federal governments have poured vast amounts of money into programs under the banner of environmental justice, Pennsylvanians who want to watch meetings of their own EJ Advisory Board are out of luck compared to other states. The board meets every quarter and invites public participation, but — unlike several other states — does not publish video recordings. The Tuesday meetings, which can run six hours long, can be difficult to watch live because they happen during the workday....
Oct 13, 2023•5 min•Ep. 179
New enrollment at Pennsylvania’s state-run college system increased again this fall, pointing to stabilization after years of worrying decline, officials said. The Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education announced Monday that first-time student enrollment jumped 3.4% for fall 2023, and is up 10% since 2021. Chancellor Dan Greenstein credited the fifth year of tuition freezes and a focus on programs that lead to sought-after jobs as an enrollment driver. Support this podcast: https://podcas...
Oct 12, 2023•6 min•Ep. 178
The state House has overwhelmingly rejected a joint proposal to move the primary election date and implement sweeping voting changes that frustrated lawmakers on both sides of the aisle. The chamber struck down Senate Bill 224 by a vote of 177-26. In total, all 101 Republicans and 76 Democrats, including House Speaker Joanna McClinton of Philadelphia, disapproved. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/pennsylvania-in-focus/support...
Oct 06, 2023•5 min•Ep. 177
Pennsylvania will have a new specialty license plate celebrating the state amphibian — the eastern hellbender, America’s largest salamander. Though most Pennsylvanians won’t encounter the reclusive and skittish creature in the wild, the hellbender became a state symbol in 2019. It can grow up to two feet and lives under rocks and boulders in clean, clear waters. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/pennsylvania-in-focus/support...
Oct 05, 2023•4 min•Ep. 176
Pennsylvania may soon criminalize possession of xylazine – except for veterinary uses – amid an influx of the animal tranquilizer into the illicit drug supply across the country. State Rep. Carl Metzgar, R-Somerset, said he introduced a proposal to give law enforcement another tool to get people into treatment and protect the agricultural supply chain. The House Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee voted 8-6 Wednesday to send the bill to the chamber floor for consideration. Support this podca...
Sep 30, 2023•5 min•Ep. 175
Successful recovery from drug addiction goes beyond overdose reversal drugs and rehab, advocates say, amid a statewide push to prioritize social and community support for former users. “People that use substances aren’t bad people and I think the realization is setting in that (addiction) can happen to anybody,” Breanne Pugh, a project coordinator with the Washington County Drug and Alcohol Commission, said. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/pennsylvania-in-focus/supp...
Sep 29, 2023•4 min•Ep. 174
Many voters in Pennsylvania approve of Gov. Josh Shapiro, even if they don't know exactly why. The Commonwealth Foundation’s quarterly Common Ground in the Commonwealth poll saw the governor earn a 61% favorable rating compared to last season, but his disapproval rating rose in tandem by 5 points to 29%. Shapiro, data showed, had the only approval rating over 50% of any statewide official. Most respondents couldn’t name any of Shapiro’s major accomplishments, according to the poll, but still exp...
Sep 28, 2023•3 min•Ep. 173
Residents receiving or renewing drivers licenses and state ID cards will be automatically registered to vote. Gov. Josh Shapiro made the announcement early Tuesday, joining Pennsylvania to a list of 23 other states — including Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Georgia, Virginia, and West Virginia — that automatically walk applicants through the process, unless they opt out. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/pennsylvania-in-focus/support...
Sep 23, 2023•5 min•Ep. 172
State lawmakers must act soon before a trio of authorizations expire for traffic cameras that capture drivers violating traffic laws. Provisions will soon kick in that would put an end to speed cameras in active work zones; camera-equipped school buses that ticket drivers who fail to yield to a stop sign; and speed cameras along Philadelphia’s Roosevelt Boulevard — one of the commonwealth’s most dangerous roads. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/pennsylvania-in-focus/...
Sep 22, 2023•4 min•Ep. 171
The online shopping industry, and the multi-billion dollar logistics and distribution network at its core, depend on Pennsylvania’s roads, land and workers for its warehouses. And yet, environmental groups say that zoning ordinances for these facilities fall short, leaving the state’s land, air and water vulnerable to destruction. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/pennsylvania-in-focus/support...
Sep 16, 2023•4 min•Ep. 170
Though some have concerns, health care experts want to see the Drug Enforcement Administration preserve the pandemic-era expansion of telemedicine to address the opioid crisis. The Drug Enforcement Administration this week held a listening session for its telemedicine rules, and one Pennsylvania addiction treatment provider encouraged the federal agency to make its temporary rules permanent. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/pennsylvania-in-focus/support...
Sep 15, 2023•7 min•Ep. 169
As Pennsylvania’s divide over education funding continues, House Republicans once again championed their plan to give scholarships to students in low-performing schools to enroll elsewhere. The House Republican Policy Committee met Tuesday in Philadelphia to hear testimony from education professionals, private school students, and parents on how families would benefit from Lifeline Scholarships , which has been controversial with Democrats who worry about diverting funding from public schools. S...
Sep 14, 2023•10 min•Ep. 168
As the state's prolonged game of chicken enters its third month, all eyes turn toward the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. That’s because two key pieces of legislation needed to enact the $45.5 billion budget sit unfinished on the chamber’s desk, though neither meets the demands of the Democrats in charge. As such, leadership dismisses the bills as nothing more than the Senate’s revenge for a school voucher program Gov. Josh Shapiro cut from the budget to appease his legislative allies. Su...
Sep 08, 2023•13 min•Ep. 167
Officials tasked with monitoring the state's medical marijuana program said this week edibles don't belong in Pennsylvania's marketplace. Concerns about safety, efficacy and legal enforcement gave members of the Medical Marijuana Advisory Program pause. Six abstained from voting on the recommendation at all during its Wednesday meeting. Only two members supported the proposal, while two more rejected it. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/pennsylvania-in-focus/support...
Sep 07, 2023•5 min•Ep. 166
The state’s piecemeal budget negotiations fractured again this week after lawmakers split a key measure in half. When the Senate gaveled out of a rare one-day voting session Wednesday, the chamber left behind two fiscal codes for the House to sort out – an unorthodox strategy that’s brought the process no closer to conclusion, legislative sources say. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/pennsylvania-in-focus/support...
Sep 02, 2023•5 min•Ep. 165
A new report argues that Appalachian natural gas recently entered a production plateau and economic growth in the area now depends on other industries. “As measured by jobs, population, and income, Appalachia’s principal shale gas producing counties have done worse economically than the region and the nation since the dawn of the Appalachian boom,” the report from the Ohio River Valley Institute stated. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/pennsylvania-in-focus/support...
Sep 01, 2023•4 min•Ep. 164
The state Senate will return to Harrisburg later this month to finalize crucial pieces of the budget, according to Republican leadership. Senate President Kim Ward, R-Greensburg, called session for Aug. 30 – two months past the start of the new fiscal year – to finalize code bills, which serve as the blueprint for how to spend money earmarked in the $45.5 billion budget itself. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/pennsylvania-in-focus/support...
Aug 26, 2023•4 min•Ep. 163
A proposed liquefied natural gas terminal in Chester leaves some residents anxious about further environmental degradation, while advocates make promises of economic growth. The Philadelphia LNG Export Task Force met in Chester on Tuesday, with jobs and tax revenue at the front of the mind for both members and testifiers. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/pennsylvania-in-focus/support...
Aug 25, 2023•5 min•Ep. 162
A state constitutional amendment in the early stages of development suggests curbing the authority of unconfirmed cabinet officials. Republican Sens. Kristin Phillips-Hill and Judy Ward recently began circulating a co-sponsorship memo for the proposal that says gubernatorial appointees unconfirmed by the Senate should exercise limited authority. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/pennsylvania-in-focus/support...
Aug 19, 2023•6 min•Ep. 161
Homelessness has declined nationally over the last decade, but the number of those who have been unhoused for long periods of time has crept upward. At the National Conference of State Legislatures’ annual summit, government officials and experts discussed expanding the housing supply and the need for leaders to change their approach when something isn’t working. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/pennsylvania-in-focus/support...
Aug 18, 2023•5 min•Ep. 160
A federal broadband expansion program triggers similar complaints across the country: red tape and labor shortages make the process daunting, even by bureaucratic standards, and many worry about the logistics of such a massive undertaking. At a summit hosted by the National Conference of State Legislatures on Monday, officials emphasized the artificial barriers set up by the federal Broadband Equity Access and Deployment program, or BEAD, which provides $42.5 billion in federal cash to states. S...
Aug 17, 2023•5 min•Ep. 159
Though thousands of Pennsylvanians die from a drug overdose every year, using medication as treatment to wean them off an addiction is rarely used. That approach reflects a national trend. A new report funded by the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that only 22% of Americans with an opioid use disorder received any medication to treat it. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/pennsylvania-in-focus/support...
Aug 12, 2023•7 min•Ep. 158
Rural America has 20% of the country’s population and 46% of the nation’s car crashes. A lack of resources, both in cash and workers, poses a challenge to avoiding wrecks and deaths. Though rural traffic studies have been of questionable quality, a new report from the Governors Highway Safety Association suggests broader cooperation to pool local resources, more public outreach, and better road design to curb collisions. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/pennsylvania-...
Aug 11, 2023•7 min•Ep. 157
A circle of farmers in Pennsylvania have embraced hemp as state and federal money encourages growth of the industry. With government support, farmers troubleshoot how hemp plays a role in the production of textiles, paper, automotive bio-composites, and construction projects. The need, advocates argue, lies in more research funding and building new markets in the commonwealth to support the crop. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/pennsylvania-in-focus/support...
Aug 10, 2023•6 min•Ep. 156
Pennsylvania’s public higher education system received bipartisan praise when it didn’t raise tuition for a fifth year. The General Assembly’s relationship with the commonwealth’s state-related universities, however, has been rockier as political disagreements and rising costs have made legislative Republicans more skeptical of the status quo. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/pennsylvania-in-focus/support...
Aug 05, 2023•7 min•Ep. 155
The Senate’s top-ranking Republican called lawmakers back to Harrisburg to face the $45.5 billion spending plan sitting on the chamber’s desk for the last four weeks. It's the same budget they all voted for on June 30, before the House did the same five days later. All the Senate had left to do was sign it – per parliamentary procedure – and wait for the blessing of Gov. Josh Shapiro's pen. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/pennsylvania-in-focus/support...
Aug 04, 2023•7 min•Ep. 154
An urban search and rescue team could come to western Pennsylvania at the behest of a bipartisan group of state lawmakers — but not with the endorsement of the state’s emergency response director. Philadelphia hosts a federally funded PA Task Force 1, one of 28 federal urban search & rescue teams, while the rest of the commonwealth relies on smaller teams. Two bills, House Bill 843 and Senate Bill 792 , would establish a similar task force based in Pittsburgh to respond to emergencies. Suppo...
Aug 03, 2023•6 min•Ep. 153
Pennsylvania hospitals may soon test urine samples for fentanyl and xylazine, two of the most common additives found in heroin. The state government legalized fentanyl test strips for personal use last year, following a number of other states responding to more overdose deaths in the last decade. More than 5,200 Pennsylvanians have died from an overdose death in the last year, according to CDC data. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/pennsylvania-in-focus/support...
Jul 29, 2023•4 min•Ep. 152
While the Pennsylvania budget stalemate remains, senators argued over the importance of school choice and increasing public school funding at a committee hearing in Reading. The Senate Education Committee met Tuesday to discuss “student opportunities for success,” hearing from parents of children in public and private schools in Reading, as well as public school leaders of Reading School District. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/pennsylvania-in-focus/support...
Jul 28, 2023•6 min•Ep. 151
In the fight against blight, neglectful property owners may soon feel more pressure to clean up their act – or else lose control to a land bank. House Bill 1163 , now awaiting action in the Senate, would let municipalities take a “use it or lose it” approach to blight. Once a locality declares a property blighted or abandoned, it could then be deemed liable to be acquired by a land bank. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/pennsylvania-in-focus/support...
Jul 22, 2023•7 min•Ep. 150
