General Assembly
Capitol Beat
Quinnipiac Poll shows Shapiro with early lead over Garrity – and looks ahead to 2028
A plurality of voters believe both parties in the state Capitol share blame for the state’s budget impasse.
Capitol Beat
Gun control bills receive mixed response in tight PA House votes
Lawmakers passed a bill to expand background checks, but two other gun-related bills failed to advance.
Policy
Updated
City & State’s 2025-26 Pennsylvania state budget tracker
Pennsylvania’s ongoing budget impasse is set to enter its third month.
Policy
PA lawmakers advance gun control bills following York police shooting
House Democrats advanced four gun control bills out of the state House Judiciary Committee on Monday despite opposition from Republicans.
News & Politics
For more PA cities, hard fiscal choices are leading to home rule
The need for revenue is driving more Pennsylvania local governments to consider home rule charters.
Policy
PA Senate advances $47.7B budget, transit spending plan
Amid an ongoing state budget impasse, state Senate President Pro Tempore Kim Ward called the proposal ‘the answer for the moment.’
Capitol Beat
Kim Ward suggests ‘six-month budget’ amid ongoing PA budget impasse
The Pennsylvania Senate president said school choice policies and mass transit funding remain sticking points.
Josh Shapiro
A recent history of efforts to raise Pennsylvania’s minimum wage
Lawmakers have attempted to raise the minimum wage in the commonwealth, with little success over the last 20 years.
Policy
A Q&A with state Rep. Lindsay Powell
Powell talked with City & State about several bills she has sponsored to increase access to housing and improve quality of life in Pennsylvania communities.
News & Politics
What we now know – and don’t know – about the Pennsylvania budget
Pennsylvania’s fiscal year started on July 1 – and the state still lacks a completed state budget.
General Assembly
Junk fees, corporate taxes and boot camps: 5 bills advanced by PA lawmakers this week
City & State rounds up some of the major proposals considered in Harrisburg to close out June.
News & Politics
PA senators approve bill banning TikTok from state devices
The bill would prohibit TikTok and other successor apps from being installed on electronic devices bought with state dollars.
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Policy
New investigation shows the ivory trade is alive and well in PA
Following the investigation, state lawmakers are looking to ban the sale of ivory and similar animal products in the commonwealth.
Budget
5 things to know about Pennsylvania’s budget timeline
City & State’s primer on the timeline for passing a state budget in Harrisburg.
Health Care
State lawmakers and health experts debate how to save PA hospitals
During a State Senate Institutional Sustainability and Innovation Committee hearing, panelists laid bare the challenges and offered solutions
Education
School voucher debate returns to Harrisburg
The Pennsylvania Senate Education Committee advanced a bill on Tuesday that would create a private school scholarship program.
Capitol Beat
Cannabis legalization bill advances in Pennsylvania House
Lawmakers on the House Health Committee voted 14-12 to advance the bill.
General Assembly
‘AI is not the future; it is current’: Lawmakers examine how to make Pennsylvania an AI powerhouse
GOP lawmakers traveled to Pittsburgh for a hearing focused on all things artificial intelligence.
Capitol Beat
PA House passes bill creating criminal offense for tracking device-based stalking
The legislation heads to the Senate after passing with a 201-2 vote.
Health Care
Opinion: It’s time to Washington-proof your health care
State Rep. Tarik Khan explains how Democrats in Harrisburg are working to protect access to health care.
