😀  Friday. It’s Here

PA Weather
McLane | Increasing Clouds, Showers Arriving, 74
Port Royal | Sunny, 81
Exton | Sunny, 82

PA Sports
Pirates (13-7) | Cincinnati 4-3 | F-Sun vs. Cincinnati
Phillies (8-12) | Colorado 0-5 | F-Sun vs. Colorado
76ers (3-0) | Brooklyn 102-97 | Sat vs. Brooklyn

What We’re Hearing
While Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick is uncomfortable with portions of the $4.5 trillion debt-limit package, he seemed open to voting for it, if only to kick off the broader debt limit negotiations between McCarthy and Biden.

Happy Birthday
Cake and candles for Rep. Tina Davis (Fri.) and Rep. Sheryl Delozier (Sat.).

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Top Story

1. House Passes Bill Barring Trans Athletes From Competing On Female Teams

“Transgender athletes whose sex assigned at birth was male would be barred from competing on girls’ or women’s sports teams at federally supported schools and colleges under legislation pushed through by U.S. House Republicans on Thursday.

The bill, entitled the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act, was approved by a 219-203 party-line vote. It is unlikely to move further along because the Democratic majority in the Senate will not support it and the White House said President Joe Biden would veto it.” (PoliticsPA)

Related

House Republicans Pass Bill Restricting Transgender Athletes From Women’s Sports. “The legislation — H.R. 734 (118) — is a key part of the GOP’s education agenda and mirrors more than 20 laws that have been adopted in states across the country.” (POLITICO)

Top GOP Lawyer Decries Ease Of Campus Voting In Private Pitch To RNC. “A top Republican legal strategist told a roomful of GOP donors over the weekend that conservatives must band together to limit voting on college campuses, same-day voter registration and automatic mailing of ballots to registered voters, according to a copy of her presentation reviewed by The Washington Post.” (Washington Post)

A Top Marijuana Advocate In Congress Credits John Fetterman’s Pro-Pot Stance For His 2022 Win. “John Fetterman wouldn’t be sitting in the U.S. Senate right now if it weren’t for his strong support for legalizing marijuana, according to the founder and co-chair of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus. ” (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

• Dem Lawmakers Propose Resolution Descheduling Cannabis. (PoliticsPA)

State

2. Mastriano Says He’s Reached Decision On U.S. Senate Run

“During a Facebook Live session while driving into Gettysburg on Thursday morning, state Sen. Doug Mastriano said he and his wife, Rebbie, had reached a decision a few weeks ago and expect to make an announcement soon.

During a Facebook Live session while driving into Gettysburg on Thursday morning, Mastriano said he and his wife, Rebbie, had reached a decision a few weeks ago and expect to make an announcement soon. He also teased an announcement about “big plans” for the Keystone State, saying “Pennsylvania is our promised land.” (PoliticsPA)

Related

Doug Mastriano Says He’s Made A Decision On A 2024 Senate Run – But He Didn’t Reveal It. “The far-right Republican state senator teased the coming announcement Thursday in a video on Facebook while driving to Gettysburg, saying he and his wife Rebbie made their decision weeks ago. He did not say when he would reveal that decision.” (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

Rep. Torren Ecker Crashes Car; Alcohol Suspected. “Rep. Torren Ecker (R-Adams/Cumberland) is under investigation for suspected driving under the influence after a car crash Tuesday night.” (PoliticsPA)

• PA State Lawmaker Involved In Single-Vehicle Alcohol-Related Crash: Police. (PennLive)

EPA Agrees To Make PA Cut Chesapeake Bay Pollution. “Pennsylvania must minimize its outsized role in polluting the Chesapeake Bay, according to a proposed settlement agreement announced Thursday that would subject the state to increased oversight from federal environmental officials.” (AP)

PASSHE Board Delays Vote On Tuition Until July. “The Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education‘s governing board deferred a vote on tuition for the upcoming school year, allowing for more time to see how the budgetary process plays out in Harrisburg.” (Pennsylvania Capital-Star)

• PA Students Get A Mixed Bag Of News About Paying For College Next Year. (PennLive)

Around The Commonwealth

3. That’s Madam Mayor, Thank You

“A former mayoral candidate-turned- award-winning documentarian amends his take on this year’s race for the city’s top post.” (Philadelphia Citizen)

Related

Lawmakers Again Pushing To Open PA’s Closed Primaries. “As the current primary election season continues, Pennsylvania lawmakers renewed efforts to open future spring elections in the commonwealth to the mass of voters who have no party affiliation.” (CNHI News)

The Pros And Cons Of An Independent Poll This Late In The Philly Mayor’s Race. “Less than a month before the primary, Philadelphians are about to get their first public opinion poll on the mayoral election.” (Billy Penn)

Jeff Brown Went On Offense At A Heated Philly Mayoral Forum: ‘She’s The Queen Of Making Stuff Up.’ “A Philadelphia mayoral forum got heated Thursday night after grocer Jeff Brown went on offense, attacking at least three of his opponents directly, one of whom said his comments were sexist.” (Philadelphia Inquirer)

Will Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald Endorse His Preferred Successor? “Asked Wednesday about the likelihood of an endorsement in that marquee race, Fitzgerald said, “All I can say is, ‘Stay tuned.’” (WESA)

Judge: Billow’s Defamation Lawsuit vs. Burns Can Move Forward. “A Cambria County judge ruled on Tuesday that a defamation lawsuit filed against state Rep. Frank Burns, D-East Taylor Township, by his opponent in the 2022 election can continue.” (CHNI News)

‘Moving The Needle’: Lower Merion Restricts Gun Sales In Township. “Firearms businesses can no longer open in homes and near schools. Lower Merion’s ordinance limits gun sales to four commercial areas in the township.” (WHYY)

Bad News For City Council’s Longest Serving Member Is Good News For Other GOP Candidates. “Bad news for Brian O’Neill, a Republican who has held City Council’s 10th District seat since 1980, is good news for GOP candidates running for citywide office this year.” (Philadelphia Inquirer)

The Race For Erie City Council. “The seven-member Erie City Council will welcome at least one newcomer in 2024.” (Erie Times-News)

Editorial

4. What They’re Saying

A glance around the Keystone State at editorials and opinions.

Editorial

• Require More Disclosures From Allegheny County Candidates. (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

Opinion

• Why Doesn’t PA Have The Apprenticeship Programs That The Governor Wants? (Zach Boren) 
• When Will There Be An Uproar Rather Than Silence To This Appalling Rise In Gun Deaths. (Nancy Eshelman)
• Here’s A One-Two Fix For PA’s Colleges And Universities. (Robert Goodman)
• Stop Chasing Residents Away With High Taxes. (Kevin Kane)

1 Thing

5. Politics On Campus

“Prospective college students are increasingly factoring in politics when deciding where to pursue higher education.”

• A quarter of college-bound high school seniors say they’d shun a school in a state whose politics or policies they abhor, according to one recent study.
• 60% of adults 18–59 without a college degree said a state’s laws around reproductive health would affect their decision to attend a specific college or university, the Lumina Foundation and Gallup found in a survey released Thursday

Why it matters: Americans are choosing where to live and who to associate with based on politics, exacerbating polarization — and that process is beginning at a young age. (Axios)

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