😎 Good Morning. Another beautiful day on tap. Enjoy!

PA Weather
☀️ Erie | Mostly Sunny, 81
☀️ State College | Sunny, 82
☀️ Allentown | Mostly Sunny, 86

PA Sports
⚾ Phillies (55-29) | Tue-Thu vs. Chicago Cubs
⚾ Pirates (40-43) | Tue-Thu vs. St. Louis
⚽ Union (4-8-8) | Wed vs. Chicago

🗓️ What’s Happening Today. The State House convenes at 11 AM, while the Senate gavels in at 1 PM.

👂 What We’re Hearing. The Commonwealth Foundation’s “Common Ground” Q2 poll shows that more than half of respondents do not support Gov. Josh Shapiro’s budget proposal and do not believe the governor has delivered major accomplishments in office.

🗞️ Today’s Headlines >> Your Inbox. Where can you find all the latest news on what’s happening in Keystone State politics? Sign up for the PoliticsPA Playbook. We’ll deliver all the latest headlines in an easy-to-read format every weekday at 8 AM. And it’s free. Add your name to the list and subscribe now.

Top Story

1. Supreme Court Rules Former Presidents Have Some Immunity For Official Acts

“In a 6-3 vote, the Supreme Court ruled that a former president has absolute immunity for his core constitutional powers.

Core constitutional powers include appointing ambassadors and foreign governments, among others.

Former presidents are also entitled to at least a presumption of immunity for their official acts.” (PoliticsPA)

• Supreme Court Rules Ex-Presidents Have Broad Immunity, Dimming Chance of a Pre-Election Trump Trial. (AP)
• The U.S. Supreme Court’s Presidential Immunity Ruling, Explained — And What It Means For When Trump Could Stand Trial. (Philadelphia Inquirer)
• SCOTUS Ruling A Reprieve For Trump, But Not Blanket Immunity, Says Western PA Legal Expert. (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
• SCOTUS Delivers a Final, Massive Blow to the ‘Administrative State’ This Session. (NOTUS)

Related

New Post-Debate Poll Finds Trump With Clear Lead Over Biden in Pennsylvania. “A new Cygnal poll shows Trump has a significant chance of recreating his 2016 victory, leading Biden in the Keystone State by 4 percentage points.” (Washington Examiner)

7 Democrats Being Floated As Potential Biden Replacements. “If President Joe Biden were to step aside, several prominent Democrats could be waiting in the wings as possible successors, including Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro.” (The Hill)

What We Know About Jill Biden’s Lehigh Valley Visit On Tuesday. “First lady Jill Biden will visit Allentown on Tuesday, appearing alongside U.S. Rep. Susan Wild and other elected officials to discuss education and workforce opportunities for the Hispanic community.” (Allentown Morning Call)

Sen. Bob Casey Stands By Biden, Says Voters Will Decide On Issues, Not on a Bad Debate. “Pennsylvania Sen. Bob Casey said Monday that President Joe Biden is able to run a strong race and serve a second term in the Oval Office, standing by his close ally in the critical battleground state following a disastrous debate performance that’s prompting some national Democrats to question his candidacy.” (AP)

• Bob Casey Says Joe Biden Had a Tough Night In His First Comments on the President’s Debate Performance. (Philadelphia Inquirer)
• Casey Defends Biden; GOP Super PAC Plans $24M McCormick Ad Buy. (DV Journal)

State

2. PA Missed Its Budget Deadline. What’s Next?

“For the second straight year, Pennsylvania’s budget is late, although top lawmakers say they’re hoping for a quick deal after a weekend of closed-door talks.

The state government will still function without a spending deal. The commonwealth is obligated to keep paying its employees, make debt payments, and pay for federal programs like Medicaid, among other obligations. Schools, mental health and addiction treatment, and libraries will face a crunch only if the delay stretches into a weeks-long impasse.” (Spotlight PA)

Related

Shapiro Calls SCOTUS Immunity Decision “Dark Day For America” “Speaking in Lackawanna County, Gov. Josh Shapiro responded to the Supreme Court decision on presidential immunity, calling it a “dark day for America.”” (PoliticsPA)

PA Budget Negotiations Continue With No Final Agreement Yet On Higher Education Changes. “The constitutional deadline for a budget passed Sunday night, but the lack of an approved spending plan for 2024-25 likely will not affect state operations unless it lasts many weeks.” (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

Bogen Confirmed As Health Secretary. “ Dr. Debra Bogen has officially become Pennsylvania’s secretary of the state Health Department after final Senate confirmation on Monday.” (The Center Square)

As Gun Violence Drops Sharply In PA, Focus Is On What’s Working. “The first four months of 2024 saw a 23% decrease in Pennsylvania gun homicides compared to last year, according to the Center for American Progress. Pennsylvania saw the second-largest decline in the country last year.” (WITF)

Around The Commonwealth

3. Pittsburgh College Student Political Leaders React To Presidential Debate

“Across the aisle and beyond it, Pittsburgh’s student leaders at the University of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Mellon University and Point Park University mostly agreed that college voters are unenthused by their choices this election.

While both presidential candidates are nearing or past 80 years old, they now must appeal to the millions of 18 to 22-year-olds who gained the right to vote since 2020.” (WESA)

Related

Cabell Wins Commonwealth Court Appeal To Count One Provisional Ballot, Reject Another. “Commonwealth Court issued a ruling Monday on one of three pending appeals in the tight race for the Republican 117th House District contest — this one granting incumbent Michael Cabell’s request to count one paper provisional ballot and reject another.” (Times Leader)

Washington County Voters Bring Legal Action Against Commissioners For Mail Ballot DQ Policy. “Washington County’s elected commissioners were slapped with a lawsuit on Monday by voters who contend that the policy on curing mail-in ballots disenfranchised voters who believed their votes would be counted.” (PoliticsPA)

School Board Organization Could Become Subject To PA’s Open Records Law. “The organization that represents Pennsylvania’s 500 school districts would be required to live under the same transparency rules as most other governmental agencies under legislation that passed the Senate on Monday by a near party-line 28-22 vote.” (PennLive)

SNAP Errors Still High. “New USDA data released Friday show many states continue to record high payment error rates under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, the country’s largest anti-hunger program. Six states, including Pennsylvania, have received notice of financial penalties for two years of poor performance. All recorded payment error rates of 15 percent or more in 2023, the new data shows.” (POLITICO)

Editorial

4. What’s On Your Mind

• The Supreme Court Affirms Trump’s Monarchical Vision Of The Presidency, Placing The Oval Office Above The Law. (Philadelphia Inquirer)
• Supreme Court Homelessness Decision Should Change Nothing in Pittsburgh. (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
• Roberts’ Rules: Presidents Can Kill Like Despots. (Marshall H. Tanick)
• 2024 Election Stakes Are Now Astronomical, Supreme Court Has Decided The Presidency Is “Above The Law.” (Neal Katyal)
• Is Josh Shapiro Capable of Leadership? (William McGurn)
• The Search For Substance In This Year’s Election. (Adriana E. Ramírez)
• Veterans Urge Pennsylvanians to Discuss January 6 on July 4. (Dan Barkhuff and Naveed Shah)
• PA House Democrats Shapiro’s Achilles’ Heel. (Lowman Henry)
• Survey Says: Schools Skirt Parental Consent. (Beth Ann Rosica)
• Pennsylvania’s Energy Past Could Be Its Energy Future. (Rep. Tom Mehaffie)

1 Food Thing

5. Shady Maple Voted Best In The Nation

“Pennsylvania can take credit for a lot of great things, and now we can add buffets to the list.

Two of the top 10 buffets in the nation are in Lancaster County, according to USA Today’s 10Best Readers’ Choice 2024.

Shady Maple Smorgasbord, which claims to be “the largest buffet in America,” took the top spot on the list. The restaurant in East Earl serves up Pennsylvania Dutch cuisine on a 200-foot-long smorgasbord.” (The Keystone)

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