First Read – Jan. 17, 2024

WEATHER: Philadelphia: sunny, high of 25; Harrisburg: sunny, high of 25; Pittsburgh: mostly sunny, high of 22. 

FROM CITY & STATE:

* The eight Democratic candidates seeking to unseat U.S. Rep. Scott Perry in the 10th Congressional District met for their first candidate forum, organized by the Dauphin County Democratic Party.  

* Our partners at Pennsylvania Capital-Star report that leading members of Congress released a bipartisan, bicameral tax proposal yesterday, promising a middle-path deal to help low-income families and provide incentives for businesses.

NEW THIS MORNING:

* U.S. Reps. Summer Lee and Chris Deluzio and U.S. Sens. John Fetterman and Bob Casey sent a letter to the director of the Veterans Administration Pittsburgh Healthcare System yesterday seeking answers about “challenges” facing the system, The Pennsylvania Capital-Star reports. 

* Divided control of the legislature has raised the bar for advancing proposed constitutional amendments, as Democrats and Republicans must find common ground to send a measure to voters for consideration, Spotlight PA reports. 

* The five democratic candidates for the attorney general’s office participated in a virtual forum hosted by the Montgomery County Democratic Committee on Monday and are all largely on the same page on big issues, the Capital-Star reports. 

* Leaders of the Democratic U.S. house caucus are rallying today to support Rep. Summer Lee as the first-term incumbent girds for a contentious primary contest in which a rival rolled out endorsements of her own yesterday, WESA reports. 

* A proposed bill that is drawing bipartisan support in the Legislature would ban the misuse of artificial intelligence in political campaigns and establish fines for violations – a bill state Rep. Tarik Khan said has drawn support, PennLive reports.

* Educator and former Jefferson Hills Borough Councilmember Nicole Ruscitto plans to challenge first-term incumbent Devlin Robinson in the 37th Senatorial district swing district, a seat that is considered key to controlling the senate, WESA reports.

* Jerry Jordan, the decades-long mainstay of the powerful Philadelphia Federation of Teachers and a well-respected figure across the city, has opted not to run for reelection as president of the 13,000-member union, The Pennsylvania Inquirer reports.

* The Office of Homeless Services in Philadelphia spent $15 million more than it was budgeted over the last four years, but some nonprofit leaders say that during that time, they experienced severe delays in payment, the Inquirer reports.

* State Sen. Coleman from Lehigh and Bucks counties aims to change a law prohibiting drone use by hunters after learning of a pilot who had his drone seized by the game commission in Lancaster County last month, The Morning Call reports.

* Two recently reelected members of the Owen J. Roberts School Board are facing court dates after being charged in two separate incidents of a DUI and disorderly conduct, The Mercury reports.

EDITORIAL PAGES:

* PennLive has an op-ed by Deborah Kalina, who writes that when the Southern York County School Board voted to reinstate the Susquehannock High School’s Indian warhead mascot after retiring it in 2021, the newly elected school board violated the Sunshine Law.

* The Inquirer has an op-ed by Raffi Zarzatian, fourth-year student at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, condemning the discontinuation of its Bachelor of Fine Arts and Master of Fine Arts programs and calling it unnecessary and shocking.

NATIONAL POLITICS:

* After former President Donald Trump’s victory in the Iowa caucuses, New Hampshire voters now get their turn to decide just how competitive the Republican nominating fight will be for the upcoming 2024 elections, the Associated Press reports.

* U.S. senators overwhelmingly rejected a resolution yesterday that would have forced the Biden administration to look into potential human rights abuses perpetrated by Israel in its military campaign in Gaza, The Washington Post reports.

MOVING ON: Eastern Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters announced the appointment of Jonathan Young as its new political director … Have a career change or life event to announce? Email us: editor@cityandstatepa.com.

TODAY’S SKED:

9 a.m. – The House Republican Policy Committee hosts a hearing on rural workforce development, Workforce Development Training Center, 3580 Innovation Way, Hermitage. Stream here.

10 a.m. – The House Consumer Protection, Technology & Utilities Committee holds a public hearing on HB 1077, Main Capitol Building, Harrisburg.  Stream here. 

10 a.m. – House Education Committee, Room 523, Irvis Office Building. Livestream here.

10 a.m. – Pittsburgh City Council meeting, Council Chambers, Pittsburgh. Stream here. 

1 p.m. – The House Judiciary Committee holds a voting meeting on HB 335, HB 336, HB 483, HB 777, HB 1157, HB 1190 and HB 1859, Room 140, Main Capitol Building. Stream here. 

1:30 p.m. – The Shapiro administration will discuss the benefits of Senate Bill 500, now Act 32 of 2023, which takes effect this week to expand access and Medicaid coverage for infants needing donor milk, Mid-Atlantic Mothers' Milk Bank, 3127 Penn Ave., Pittsburgh. 

1:30 p.m. – Pittsburgh City Council Standing meeting, Council Chambers, Pittsburgh. Stream here. 

KICKER: “I think the most important thing for Harrisburg is to not be the status quo, to listen to everybody and take everything into account.” – Nicole Ruscitto, candidate for the 37th state senatorial district, via WESA.