Pennsylvania’s Corrections Department wanted to figure out why their prison officers were getting sick.  They decided the reason was a certain contraband getting into their institutions.   A form of synthetic marijuana known as K2 had been found on the flaps of envelopes and even in crayon drawings that had been mailed to inmates.  These incidents […]

“At a time when public pensions are wreaking havoc on state and school district budgets, it’s especially egregious that taxpayers are continuing to fund the pensions of public employees who commit felonies on the job,” says Senator John DiSanto.  The problem, he says, is a “loophole” in the Pension Forfeiture Act of 1978;  it doesn’t […]

Governor Wolf and Agriculture Secretary Redding have borrowed the idea of a “Farm Bill”  – a term usually reserved for a federal plan for farmers – and repurposed it for Pennsylvania.   Anticipating over the next decade approximately 75 thousand farming job vacancies, the plan calls for budgeting $24 million to help inspire a new generation […]

When Governor Wolf announced his new budget for Pennsylvania, he said, “Pennsylvania is at a turning point.  We either have to strengthen workforce development or we risk falling behind.”  Rep. Curt Sonney and his colleagues in the House are introducing a package of bills designed to improve career and technical education.  The bills address a […]

After the fatal shooting of eleven people at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh last year, Governor Tom Wolf called for tougher gun laws.  Several gun-related bills have already been introduced in Pennsylvania’s still-young legislative session.   One bill bans people who have been involuntarily committed to mental health institutions from having guns.  Another would […]

As long as anyone can remember, hunting on Sundays has been prohibited in Pennsylvania.  A bill in the state Senate may change that.  The bill’s main sponsor, Senator Jim Brewster, says compromise has been built into the legislation.   It would allow hunting on a limited number of Sundays during regular hunting season, not all […]

Governor Wolf has put his support behind an effort that would reduce greenhouse gases in Pennsylvania.  This type of emission traps the earth’s heat,  and is a factor in climate change, according to scientists.   Tom Schuster of the Sierra Club of Pennsylvania is impressed that the governor is setting his own agenda, especially in consideration […]

With respect to to “election antiquation”, Chris Borick from Muhlenberg College says Pennsylvania ranks 9.5 on a 10-point scale.    Senator Mike Folmer reinforces the point by saying, “Our election code hasn’t been looked at in 70 years.”   With the help of his colleagues in both the House and Senate,  the group has put together […]

Being allowed to hunt on Sundays may be a step closer for Pennsylvania sportsmen.  A state committee has approved a bill to that effect that will go to the full House of Representatives for their consideration.  But the State Grange believes outdoor enthusiasts  should be able to have Sundays free to enjoy the fresh air […]

February 5th is the day Governor Tom Wolf announces his new budget proposal.    Minimum wage, a new tax on Marcellus shale natural gas drillers,  and funding for basic education are major budget and legislative concerns.  Add to those issues a changing dynamic within the legislature, as it repopulates itself with new faces with new ways […]