🌅  Tuesday, Afternoon. Something calls to me.

🗞️  The PoliticsPA Playbook is compiled by Steve Ulrich. To read in your browser, click here. Was this email forwarded to you? Subscribe for free.

PA Weather
☔  Bellevue | Rain, 51
☁️  Middletown | Mostly Cloudy, 52
☁️  Richboro | Mostly Cloidy, 57

PA Sports
🏒  Flyers (25-26-7) | Tue vs. Pittsburgh
🏒  Penguins (23-27-9) | Tue vs. Philadelphia
🏀  Sixers (20-37) | Chicago 110-142 | Wed vs. New York
⚽  Union (1-0) | Sat vs. Cincinnati

🗓️  What’s Happening Today. The House Appropriations Committee holds hearings with the Departments of State and Labor and Industry. The Senate Appropriations Committee will hear from the Departments of Environmental Protection and Aging.

🎂  Happy Birthday. Cake and candles for Reps. Shelby Labs and Liz Hanbidge.

📱  Social Media. Join us on Twitter and Bluesky at @PoliticsPA

Top Story

1. All of PA’s Federal Funding Is Now Unfrozen By the Trump Administration, Shapiro Says

“All of Pennsylvania’s frozen federal funds are accessible again, Gov. Josh Shapiro announced on Monday.

Shapiro said President Donald Trump’s administration released more than $2.1 billion in federal funds that had been frozen or on temporary hold, most of which were for environmental and energy projects.” (Philadelphia Inquirer)

Elsewhere

The Supreme Court Will Decide How Much Trump Can Shape Government. “President Donald Trump has taken unprecedented steps to reshape the federal government. The Supreme Court likely will let him do it — at least in part.” (NOTUS)

Trump Tells Governors to Enact Death Penalty For Drug Dealers. “President Donald Trump in a sometimes tense meeting Friday with the nation’s governors pressed them to enact the death penalty for drug dealers and issued a threat to Maine’s Democratic chief executive over her state’s law protecting transgender people from discrimination.” (Penn Capital-Star)

Dems Are Preparing to Blast Republicans on Health Care. It Worked in 2018. “Private messaging guidance from party leaders, sent to Democratic lawmakers ahead of a planned Tuesday budget vote and obtained by POLITICO, urged them to accuse Republicans of “betray[ing] the middle class by cutting Medicaid while giving huge tax breaks to billionaire donors.” And it encouraged members to “localize” the effects of slashing billions from Medicaid.” (POLITICO)

State

2. Pennsylvania Changes Policy to Follow Trump Order on Transgender Athletes in High School Sports

“Pennsylvania’s governing body for high school sports has changed its policy that allowed transgender athletes to compete in prep athletics to follow President Donald Trump’s executive order.

The board of the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association voted last week to remove a policy that had deferred to school principals to determine an athlete’s “gender” when “questioned or uncertain,” and instead approved one that officials said was designed to comply with Trump’s order.” (AP)

Elsewhere

PA Acting Education Secretary ‘Exceptionally Concerned’ After Report on Cyber Charter School Funding. “Days after the state’s top auditor put a spotlight on the finances and the vastly increased savings accounts of five cyber charter schools — including one based in Beaver County — lawmakers asked more questions as they weighed a reform proposal from Gov. Josh Shapiro.” (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

PA Education Department Considering Options — ‘None of Them Pretty’ — If Federal Agency Axed. “Pennsylvania education officials spoke with state House members Monday about the department’s budget needs for the coming year. But President Donald Trump cast a long shadow over the discussion.” (WESA)

House Digs Into Big Education Budget. “Education is the second largest spending area in the state’s budget after human services. For legislators on both sides of the aisle, the question that loomed the largest seemed to be, “Are we getting what we pay for?”” (The Center Square)

The Children Left Behind By Free Lunch Programs, and the Proposed $250M Solution. “Federal meal programs still waive costs for the state’s poorest children, but nearly 50,000 Pennsylvania kids live in households with incomes just outside the range to qualify for even reduced lunch. Other families that can receive this aid are too embarrassed to admit they need assistance and choose not to apply.” (Spotlight PA)

Around The Commonwealth

3. Regional Unions Make Like a Bricklayer’s Mortar in Pittsburgh’s Government Power Structure

“After 40 years of relative union-management peace in Southwestern Pennsylvania, organized labor faces a presidential administration that’s generally viewed as bad tidings for organizers and workers rights advocates. Locally, though, labor is distributed throughout the power structure, with representation on key boards, close allies in places like the mayor’s office  and even ties to development interests.” (Public Source)

Elsewhere

Battle Brewing Over McGloin’s Replacement As Commissioner. “Democratic Lackawanna County Commissioner Bill Gaughan wants Dunmore Mayor Mark “Max” Conway Jr. to fill the vacancy on the Board of Commissioners created by fellow Democrat Matt McGloin’s resignation.” (Scranton Times-Tribune)

Philly Ward Leader Convicted of Sexually Assaulting a Child Resigns After Campaign Dustup Involving DA Larry Krasner. “A routine political meet-and-greet turned explosive when video surfaced on social media showing Larry Krasner in the same frame as Stephen Jones, who was convicted just two weeks ago.” (Philadelphia Inquirer)

Economics or Convenience: Debate Simmers Over Opening Day of PA’s Rifle Deer Season. “The first Monday after Thanksgiving for decades was treated as an unofficial holiday in Pennsylvania, as hunters took to the fields and woods for the first day of deer rifle season.” (Penn Capital-Star)

Scranton Mayor to Face Challenge in Primary Election. “Scranton Mayor Paige Gebhardt Cognetti will have a challenge in the Democratic primary from Eugene “Gene” Barrett, a former Scranton city councilman and former director of the Scranton Sewer Authority.” (Scranton Times-Tribune)

Editorial

4. What’s On Your Mind

• Trump May Not Like Amtrak, But It’s Good For Pittsburgh and the Country. (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
• Make Congress Great Again, By Limiting Their Terms. (Andy Dinniman and John Eichelberger)
• Black Men Poised to Shake Up PA Political Landscape. (Athan Koutsiouroumbas)
• Who Will Protect You Now? (Nick Hand)

1 Fish Thing

5. An Inside Look at What It Takes to Produce More Than 3M Trout Across PA

“When you catch a trout this spring, know about 18 months to more than three years of work went into producing that fish for public angling recreation.

The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission raises about 3.2 million trout each year and volunteer sportsmen groups help with another million trout for Pennsylvania anglers. 

Those fish will be in 691 streams and 130 lakes open to public angling across the commonwealth. Pennsylvania’s statewide trout season opens on April 5.” (Lebanon Daily News)

Thank you for starting your day with us.
And reading the PoliticsPA Playbook