Politics
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Shapiro administration distributes $11 million in afterschool programs for underserved communities
“When we invest in afterschool programs, we’re being smart about safety, and we’re saving lives. There’s no more important metric, when we talk about getting stuff done, for the good people of Pennsylvania,” Lt. Gov. Austin Davis said.
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Trump’s attorney general pick challenged the 2020 election results in Pennsylvania
Pam Bondi, Donald Trump’s nominee for US Attorney General, was an early promoter of falsehoods surrounding Pennsylvania’s 2020 election results. She continued to cast doubts about those election results at her confirmation hearing on Wednesday.
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Justin Douglas becomes Dauphin County’s top commissioner one year into his term
Justin Douglas, a former pastor, helped Democrats flip Dauphin County for the first time in nearly 100 years. He became the county’s top commissioner on Wednesday with the help of the board’s sole Republican.
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Shapiro administration announces $45 million for high-speed internet projects at local schools, libraries and community centers
Gov. Josh Shapiro’s administration approved funding expanding high-speed internet access in dozens of public schools, libraries and community health centers across the commonwealth.
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Education advocates call on Pa lawmakers to close $4 billion funding gap
Education advocates called on Pa lawmakers to close the $4 billion funding gap between poorer and wealthier school districts over the next four years. A 2023 report found that 387 of Pennsylvania’s 500 school districts have inadequate funding gaps.
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Pa. House Democrats renew fight for public transportation funding
Public transportation funding continues to remain a top issue during the new legislative session. SEPTA, the country’s sixth largest transit agency, faces an annual $240 million budget shortfall.
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Medical debt will no longer appear on credit reports for all Americans
This new rule will erase an estimated $49 billion in unpaid medical bills from the credit reports of roughly 15 million Americans, according to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. The agency estimates that the new federal rule could help boost consumer credit scores by an average of 20 points.
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Josh Shapiro praises bipartisan efforts to reelect Pa. House Speaker Joanna McClinton
Pennsylvania House Speaker Joanna McClinton was reelected as speaker even though the House is tied at 101 members in each caucus. Gov. Josh Shapiro praised House Republicans for allowing the vote to happen.
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New Pa. law protecting pets from domestic abuse starts next week
Act 146 of 2024, which protects pets from domestic abuse situations, will go into effect starting Jan. 17, 2025. The Humane Society states that 71% of domestic violence victims reported that their abuser also targeted their pets.
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Pa. House Democrats hopeful for bipartisanship at start of new legislative session
Pa. House Democrats will control the chamber even though one of their members suffered a medical emergency last week. They will lead operations of the House even though it is tied 101 to 101 for the start of the new legislative session.
