☔ Hi Tuesday. Another long day in store in Harrisburg.
PA Weather
Bradford | Showers and storms, 70
Greencastle | Showers and storms, 78
Bensalem | Showers and storms, 83
PA Sports
Phillies (40-37) | Tu-Th at Chicago
Pirates (35-42) | Tu-Th at San Diego
What We’re Hearing
“The PGC is a broken agency. This is just one more debacle they will excuse away because no real ramifications will ever occur, and they know that.” – Rep. David Maloney
What’s Happening
The House will convene at 11a. The Senate will convene at 1p. Senate Health and Human Services Committee will consider nominations of Debra Bogen and Val Arkoosh for cabinet positions.
Happy Birthday
Cake and candles for former Rep. Conor Lamb.
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Top Story
1. PA House Republicans Want More Oversight Over Its State-Related Universities. They Blocked Funding For Pitt And Temple To Get It
“Pennsylvania House Republicans Monday held up funding for state-related universities because they want greater oversight of the institutions, including their research and the medical care they provide.
Pennsylvania appropriates hundreds of millions of dollars each year to its four state-related universities: the University of Pittsburgh, Penn State, Temple, and Lincoln. These funds allow the quasi-public institutions to offer in-state tuition discounts to Pennsylvania residents.
Funding for the state-related universities requires a two-thirds majority vote in each chamber of the state legislature. House Republicans successfully blocked funding for Pitt and Temple, and declined to vote on Penn State on Monday night.” (Philadelphia Inquirer)
Related
The Next Tax Debates Are Heating Up In Congress. “Call it the battle of the tax cuts. Western Pennsylvania’s lawmakers are on opposite sides as the U.S. House debates whether — and how — to cut taxes.” (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
As Moms For Liberty Come To Philly, Tensions Run High. “Since its founding in 2021, Moms for Liberty has had no shortage of attention-grabbing accomplishments, including immediate buy-in from some of the right’s fiercest culture warriors; high-profile politicization of previously nonpartisan school board elections; and getting books banned for thousands of students. ” (City & State)
- More Groups Of Historians Denounce Moms For Liberty Event At American Revolution Museum. (Philadelphia Inquirer)
State
2. Schmidt Passes Initial Step To Be Named PA Secretary Of The Commonwealth
“Acting Secretary of the Commonwealth Al Schmidt’s confirmation is heading to the Senate floor.
A week after his confirmation meeting was abruptly canceled, Schmidt was confirmed Monday by the Senate State Government Committee with only one opposing vote.” (WESA)
Related
Mumin Confirmed As PA Education Secretary Despite Criticism From Both Sides. “Gov. Josh Shapiro’s nominee to lead the state education department was confirmed by the Pennsylvania Senate on Monday despite criticism from both the right and the left – with the latter highlighting what is said to be an ongoing budget negotiation that includes school vouchers.” (PennLive)
PA Senate Gives Stamp Of Approval To Insurance, Fire Commissioners. “The Pennsylvania Senate on Monday unanimously confirmed Michael Humphreys to serve as Insurance Commissioner of the Pennsylvania Insurance Department (PID) and Thomas Cook to serve as the first Senate-confirmed state fire commissioner.” (PennLive)
PA House Votes To Extend I-95 Disaster Proclamation Until Next June. “A resolution that would extend to next June Gov. Josh Shapiro’s emergency disaster declaration issued in response to the collapse of a bridge on I-95 in Philadelphia passed the state House of Representatives.” (PennLive)
The Battle For I-95. “Two weeks ago, looking at the burned-out section of I-95 in Philadelphia from above, the safe bet was that this stretch of the East Coast’s most essential arterial would be a traffic nightmare for months to come.” (The Atlantic)
Whither The Volunteer Firefighter In PA? “Pennsylvania has just over 1,800 registered fire departments. Nearly all – 98.6 percent to be exact – are registered volunteer or mostly volunteer departments. How long can the Commonwealth depend on the goodwill of its citizens for this service without state support” (PoliticsPA)
Around The Commonwealth
3. PA Getting $1.16B For High-Speed Internet Expansion
“President Joe Biden on Monday said that high-speed internet is no longer a luxury but an “absolute necessity,” as he pledged that every household in the nation would have access by 2030 using cables made in the U.S.
The funding includes more than $1 billion each for 19 states, including $1.16 billion for Pennsylvania, with remaining states falling below that threshold.” (KDKA)
Related
Nomination Of SEIU Official To Planning Commission In Limbo. “The appointment of a top union official to Pittsburgh’s planning commission appears to be in limbo three months after it was sent to City Council for approval.” (Pittsburgh Union Progress)
Rematch Coming In DA’s Race, As Zappala Accepts GOP Write-In Nomination. “Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen A. Zappala Jr. and the Democratic nominee to replace him, Matt Dugan, appear poised for a rematch this fall. Zappala has formally accepted a write-in nomination to run as the Republican candidate, according to the county elections office.” (WESA)
Fetterman Endorses Innamorato For Allegheny County Executive. “U.S. Senator John Fetterman endorsed State Rep. Sara Innamorato for Allegheny County Executive on Monday, citing her collaborative leadership style and ability to deliver transformational solutions for working people” (PoliticsPA)
PA Could Be A Model For Solar-Powered Schools – If It Can Get Past Political Divisions. “As the June 30 deadline to approve a new state budget approaches on Friday, the state Legislature is currently weighing House Bill 1032, legislation that would create a Solar for Schools grant program to help the commonwealth’s school districts build large-scale solar arrays to power public K-12, community college and career technical school facilities.” (Pennsylvania Capital-Star)
How PA Has (And Hasn’t) Spent Billions Of COVID-19 Stimulus Dollars. “Pennsylvania received $7.3 billion in state and local pandemic relief funding from the American Rescue Plan Act. That money came with an expiration date: Funds must be allocated by 2024 and spent by 2026. Any funds that remain unused by that deadline will be returned to the federal government.” (Spotlight PA)
‘An Absolute Disaster’: Hunters Unhappy With First Day Of PA Game Commission License Sales. “At 8 a.m. Monday, the Pennsylvania Game Commission launched the sale of 2023-34 hunting licenses. For the first time, the so-called “doe tags” were available online and at retailers instead of by mail-in application.” (Morning Call)
Editorial
4. What They’re Saying
- In The Year Since Dobbs, We’ve Learned Who’s Pro-Life And Who Isn’t. (Sandra Strauss)
- Give Schools Buildings As Much Attention As I-95. (Isaiah Thomas, Quetcy Lozada)
- Let’s Work Together To Rescue Students In Failing Schools. (Reps. Martina White, Clint Owlett)
- Train Derailments Bode Poorly For Public Health Amid Planned Petro And Hydrogen Hubs. (Sen. Katie Muth, Alison L. Steele)
- Balance History, Functionality In Any New PA Flag. (York Dispatch)
- Let’s Hope Bob Nutting Is Not John Fisher. (David Mills)
1 Thing
5. Showering Students With Experience
Weather World, produced by the Weather Communications Group at Penn State, is a 15-minute weather show that airs five days a week on PCN with upwards of two dozen students helping to put it together – creating feature segments, producing the graphics, crafting the forecasts and directing the show all from a small studio on the fifth floor of the Walker Building.
It’s the place where, with the help of five faculty members, their fascination with weather is honed to a marketable and valuable skill.
“It’s really quite simple. We give them opportunities that they are not going to get elsewhere,” said Rob Lydick, Weather World executive producer. (PennLive)
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2 Responses
We cannot afford to have political hacks who have no comprehension as to the value of research and scholarship done at our public universities meddling in higher education. This intellectual dumbing down of academia is akin to DeSantis in Florida wanting the feds out of credential process for colleges and allow the states to decide who they want to accredit their universities. Political hacks will turn wildly successful research schools into a joke and hurt our country.
When is the witch hunt on our state related universities going to end! 5th largest state by population in the bottom 10% for Higher Education Funding, they want an assurance that tuition will not be raised so in order to achieve that they want to withhold the money that DIRECTLY GOES TO OFFERING THE IN STATE TUTITION DISCOUNT??? Make it make sense please, they already control 33% of the Boards at these institutions on a deal that is highway robbery.