Kane passes on a re-election campaign, Sims drops out and Stack endorses Zappala. Good morning politicos, here’s the Playbook!

BREAKING: Kane Announces She Won’t Run for Re-Election: The Attorney General dropped out of the 2016 race.

Reader Poll: Do You Agree With Sen. Toomey’s SCOTUS Decision?: Pennsylvania’s junior Senator thinks Justice Scalia’s seat should be filled by the next President.

Reader Poll: Majority Disapprove of Wolf: Our readers don’t seem to think highly of the Governor.

Stack Endorses Zappala for AG: The Lieutenant Governor makes his choice in the Democratic primary for Attorney General.

PA-Sen: Scalia’s Death Causes A Furor in the Senate Race: Pat Toomey’s announcement that the next President should get to appoint Scalia’s replacement brought strong rebukes from his Democratic opponents.

BREAKING: PA-2: Sims Drops Out: The State Rep. is also endorsing his colleague Dwight Evans.

Democrats React to Kane’s Withdrawal: The Democratic Attorney General candidates react to Kathleen Kane’s announcement.

PA-9: Halvorson Collects over 3,000 Signatures: “Art’s Army” collected three times the number of ballot-access signatures required by law.

SD-5: Kevin Boyle Receives Support From Firefighters Union: State Representative Kevin Boyle won the endorsement of the Philadelphia Fire Fighters & Paramedics Union Local 22.

Legislative Elections Update

HD-89: Christine Tolbert, a school teacher who once served on the Orrstown Borough Council, announced she will be running as a Democrat in this race.

“I chose to run because I am someone who understands the challenges faced by ordinary citizens as we try to make a better life for ourselves and our families,” Tolbert said. “I am proud of our community and our way of life, and I want to be the voice of the 89th District in Harrisburg.”

The 89th district consists of parts of Cumberland and Franklin Counties.

HD-91: Denise Weldon-Siviy emerged as only Democratic candidate to meet the petition threshold in this contest.

The 91st district includes parts of Adams and Franklin Counties.

Statewide
StateImpactPA: Solar advocates decry PUC decision on net metering
PLSReporter: VIDEO: Wolf signs criminal history sealing expansion bill
PLSReporter: AG Kane to keep it one term
PLSReporter: Supreme Court takes case to decide fate of gas station beer sales
PLSReporter: PennDOT Secretary: Cap State Police funding to free up infrastructure project money

Philadelphia
Inquirer: Amid reform, a city agency too often fails to protect children
Inquirer: Timeline: Kane’s troubled tenure as attorney general
Inquirer: Transition team has 139 recommendations for Kenney’s first year
Notebook: Supreme Court wipes out SRC’s powers to waive provisions of Pa. school code
Heard In The Hall: PICA to city officials: Do something about the pension crisis
Heard In The Hall: Kenney picks non-profit director to lead community services cabinet
Big Tent: Jeb Bush files for April Pa. primary ballot
WHYY Newsworks: Who’s running? It’s filing day
WHYY Newsworks: Fattah racks up another labor endorsement in fight to retain congressional seat [UPDATED]
WHYY Newsworks: Focus on black males now a part of Philadelphia mayor’s administration

SEPA
Pottstown Mercury: Democrat Josh Shapiro: Kane ‘doing what is right for Pennsylvania’
Delco Daily Times: Montgomery County judge won’t certify Bill Cosby’s appeal to state court
Daily Times News: United Steelworkers union discusses opposition to Trans-Pacific Partnership

Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh Business Times: The post-Scalia stakes for employers at the U.S. Supreme Court
Pittsburgh Business Times: Solar industry’s bigger than coal mining now, but not in Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh Business Times: Pennsylvania’s rig count drops to lowest level since 2007
Tribune Review: Wolf plan worries charter schools
Post-Gazette: Constables suing top Allegheny County officials, claiming conspiracy to undermine roles
Post-Gazette: Pa. Turnpike Commission planning improvements in wake of January storm
Post-Gazette: New bill will help non-violent offender seal criminal records
Early Returns: Action! Intrigue! Election petitions!

Southwest
Altoona Mirror: Cambria County approves budget, tax hike
Johnstown Tribune-Democrat: Federal prosecutor begins overdose tour of western counties
Beaver County Times: Commissioner Sandie Egley: Final Beaver County budget includes cuts that are ‘painful for everyone’
Beaver County Times: Budget cuts will mean layoffs, Beaver County Sheriff Tony Guy says
Observer-Reporter: U.S. attorney announces anti-heroin ‘fusion resource center’

NEPA
Times-Tribune: Former Scranton cop enters race for attorney general
Times Leader: Hanover Township police officers join elite group of police departments using Naloxone
Citizens Voice: W-B mayor misses deadline to submit amended budget
Citizens Voice: Chelsea Clinton attends Shavertown fundraiser for mother’s campaign
Standard Speaker: City solicitor to research ‘impact fee,’ residency requirement

South Central
Patriot News: Ten candidates file for Pennsylvania’s presidential primary
Carlisle Sentinel: County owned nursing homes have past violations
York Daily Record: Look who’s on the York County ballot
York Dispatch: Morgan to be sworn in as York County Judge
York Dispatch: York Democratic women to hold gun discussion
Lancaster Intelligencer: Cosby loses appeal; case appears headed to evidence hearing
Roxbury News: Attorney General Kane: I know speaking out comes at a great personal cost

Lehigh Valley
Morning Call: Records don’t reflect Pat Toomey’s claim on election-year court-nominees
Morning Call: Pa. bill allows minor criminal records to be sealed
Reading Eagle: Pennsylvania signs contract for prescription drug registry
Reading Eagle: Pennsylvania high court to delve into beer dispute
WFMZ: It’s official: Brown and Morganelli are running for statewide office
Express Times: District judge to resign 2 months into 6 year term

North by Northwest
Centre Daily Times: Rita Graef appointed to fill Ferguson Township supervisor seat
Centre Daily Times: Penn State, trustees’ support sought for Wolf budget
Erie Times News: Scalia’s death makes tie possible in Erie diocese’s case

Opinion
Times-Tribune: Nominate and confirm
Times-Tribune: Eliminate car stickers
Times Leader: Wilkes-Barre and Hazleton council members shouldn’t be in dark about city finances
Citizens Voice: GOP senators lack justification to block court nominee
Patriot News: Republicans might not like it, but Obama has the obligation to name Justice Scalia’s replacement
Morning Call: Sen. Casey’s Mideast trip not necessary
Morning Call: Republicans spread gridlock to Supreme Court
Johnstown Tribune-Democrat: Scofield: The possibility of a single-payer health care system
Johnstown Tribune-Democrat: Questions arise on PennDOT’s plan to eliminate stickers
Observer-Reporter: Restoring fairness to charter school funding
Tribune Review: Zito: Struggling to comprehend the new political landscape
Tribune Review: Bernie Sanders’ college tuition plan: The folly of ‘free’
Post-Gazette: After Scalia: Fill the vacancy with a scholarly centrist
Inquirer: Acel Moore leaves a great void
Inquirer: Antonin Scalia and the limits of ideology

Blogs
Keystone Crossroads: Wolf signs bill allowing minor criminal records to be sealed
Citified: Brian Sims Just Dropped Out of the Congressional Race
Citified: Insider: The SRC May Be Sizing Up Your Neighborhood School Right Now
Commonwealth Foundation: Press Pause on Clean Power Plan
2 Political Junkies: Senator Toomey Abandons His Constitutional Responsibilities For Partisan Politics