Sean Kitchen is the Keystone’s political correspondent, based in Harrisburg. Sean is originally from Philadelphia and spent five years working as a writer and researcher for Pennsylvania Spotlight.
Sean Kitchen
Latest from Sean Kitchen
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Pa. Women’s Health Caucus push for maternal health care, childcare access as legislature reconvenes
Tuesday marked the beginning of negotiations for the upcoming 2025-26 state budget. The Pennsylvania Women’s Health Caucus laid out their priorities for the budget, which include funding for Black maternal health, expanding childcare access and expanding access to menstrual products for lower-income residents.
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Local Republican DA tells reporter that she hopes their colleague “burns in a fire”
Lebanon County District Attorney Pier Hess Graf told a Pennlive reporter last week that she hopes their co-worker “burns in a fire” over an investigation into the office’s handling of sex crimes. This comes when attacks on the press are on the rise.
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Pa. Republican accused of domestic violence tapped as Pentagon’s top spokesperson
Sean Parnell, a former US Senate candidate from Western Pennsylvania, was hired as the Pentagon’s top spokesperson earlier this week. Parnell received Donald Trump’s endorsement ahead of the 2022 primary, but had to suspend his campaign due to domestic abuse allegations.
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Social media fuels anti-Trump and Musk demonstration at Pennsylvania capitol
Over 400 demonstrators descended upon the Pennsylvania capitol to protest Donald Trump and Elon Musk on Wednesday. The rally, mostly driven by social media, was part of the “50501” movement, which helped spur thousands of rallies across the country.
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Legal cannabis, raising wages, and skilled games: Top takeaways from Josh Shapiro’s budget proposal
Gov. Josh Shapiro highlighted his track record and called for legalizing adult-use cannabis, regulating skill games, and restoring housing rights for those who have past evictions.
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Josh Shapiro’s proposed budget continues to close education funding gap
Gov. Josh Shapiro’s proposed state budget includes an additional $526 million to close the education funding gap between poorer and wealthier school districts. It also calls for capping cyber charter tuition at $8,000 per student.
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Pa. House Democrats share competing visions for legalizing adult-use cannabis
Pennsylvania House Democrats have begun circulating multiple cosponsor memos laying the groundwork for legalizing adult-use cannabis. Social equity, limits on potency and deciding who gets to sell it are still in the air.
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Pa. receives federal funding to help establish tracking system for untested rape kits
Abuse survivors in Pennsylvania will soon have the ability to electronically track their untested rape kits. Pennsylvania is one of ten states throughout the country without a tracking system for untested kits.
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Teacherless AI-powered cyber charter school denied by Shapiro administration
Pennsylvania Department of Education issued a scathing rejection of Unbound Academy, an AI-powered cyber charter school. However, the state’s charter school laws will allow the school to reapply in the future.
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LGBTQ+ lawmakers renew calls for Pa. Fairness Act after Trump’s attacks on transgender rights
Pennsylvania House Democrats passed the Fairness Act in the previous session. Now lawmakers are renewing calls to pass protections for LGBTQ+ Pennsylvanians after Trump signs executive orders attacking transgender rights.
