TheRepublic.com - Pennsylvania State General Assembly News

Pa. senator sees support to privatize wine, liquor

Tue, 14 May 2013 21:44:13 -0400

HARRISBURG, Pennsylvania - A second hearing in front of Pennsylvania state senators Tuesday on the liberalization of wine, beer and liquor laws appeared to solidify support for legislation that would allow private-sector sales of wine and liquor, but would not end every aspect of state control, as Gov. Tom Corbett has sought.

Democrats try to force Pa. Medicaid expansion vote

Tue, 14 May 2013 16:43:42 -0400

HARRISBURG, Pennsylvania - Democratic lawmakers in Pennsylvania are trying to force the Republican-controlled Senate to vote on legislation to compel Gov. Tom Corbett to expand Medicaid eligibility under the 2010 federal health care law.

Pa. lawmakers approve health care clinic grants

Tue, 14 May 2013 16:00:37 -0400

HARRISBURG, Pennsylvania - A bill that would provide $4 million to help create or expand community-based health care clinics in Pennsylvania is on its way to Gov. Tom Corbett.

Pa. bikers seek to tighten learner permit rules

Mon, 13 May 2013 13:11:34 -0400

HARRISBURG, Pennsylvania - Scores of motorcyclists descended on the Pennsylvania Capitol to demand a tightening of rules for learner's permits.

Pa. high court upholds redrawn legislative maps

Wed, 08 May 2013 17:15:00 -0400

HARRISBURG, Pennsylvania - A revised plan to redraw the boundaries of Pennsylvania's legislative districts won the unanimous approval Wednesday of the state Supreme Court, which rejected renewed appeals by citizen challengers and Democrats who argued the plan, like the previous version, was driven by political considerations and did not meet constitutional guidelines.

Abortion debate flares up in Pa. Senate committee

Tue, 07 May 2013 18:28:15 -0400

HARRISBURG, Pennsylvania - The latest stop for a Republican-penned bill to limit insurance coverage of abortions sparked an angry debate Tuesday among senators, reviving arguments over President Barack Obama's health care law and the case of a Philadelphia abortion doctor accused of killing a patient and four babies.

Pa. proposes gas drilling health advisory panel

Tue, 07 May 2013 17:44:26 -0400

PITTSBURGH - A Pennsylvania politician wants to create an advisory panel to examine possible health issues related to Marcellus Shale natural gas drilling.

Corbett's agenda creeps ahead but questions remain

Tue, 07 May 2013 16:05:49 -0400

HARRISBURG, Pennsylvania - State lawmakers signaled Tuesday they are moving ahead with two of Gov. Tom Corbett's top priorities - raising billions for transportation projects and slashing public pension costs - though serious questions about both remain.

Arrest after device thrown at Pa. lawmaker office

Mon, 06 May 2013 18:40:18 -0400

PHILADELPHIA - Police say a 20-year-old man is in custody in connection with some kind of device thrown into the northwest Philadelphia campaign office of a state lawmaker.

Pa. House passes proposal to lower business taxes

Mon, 06 May 2013 17:30:30 -0400

HARRISBURG, Pennsylvania - The Pennsylvania House is giving its approval to a bill that would eventually cut business taxes by hundreds of millions of dollars a year while increasing revenues by cracking down on the so-called Delaware loophole.

Pa. governor, officials detail gifts, free travel

Wed, 01 May 2013 18:39:09 -0400

HARRISBURG, Pennsylvania - Pennsylvania state lawmakers, the governor and other public officials are disclosing gifts, travel and other financial details in annual disclosure reports that were due Wednesday to the State Ethics Commission.

Pa. built surplus in April, but smaller than hoped

Wed, 01 May 2013 14:19:17 -0400

HARRISBURG, Pennsylvania - Pennsylvania's state tax collections are running a surplus, but not as big as Gov. Tom Corbett had hoped.

Corbett nominates Mackereth as Pa. welfare chief

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 17:56:28 -0400

HARRISBURG, Pennsylvania - Gov. Tom Corbett nominated Bev Mackereth as secretary of the state Department of Public Welfare on Tuesday, less than three months after she took over the post on an acting basis.

Scarnati urges focus to expand beyond liquor plans

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 16:56:37 -0400

HARRISBURG, Pennsylvania - Pennsylvania's ranking state senator is warning that the nearing June 30 end of the fiscal year doesn't bode well for the completion of a budget and Gov. Tom Corbett's ambitious agenda if the pace of work doesn't pick up.

Pa. Senate leader proposes open records law rework

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 13:53:28 -0400

HARRISBURG, Pennsylvania - A new proposal to make changes to Pennsylvania's Right-to-Know Law would include limits on access by inmates and authorize the Office of Open Records to review documents in private to see if they should be released.

Pa. lawmakers send Corbett jury commissioners bill

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 16:36:53 -0400

HARRISBURG, Pennsylvania - Pennsylvania state lawmakers have moved quickly to try again to let counties eliminate jury commissioners, voting Wednesday to send Gov. Tom Corbett a bill to reinstate the law following a recent court decision that threw it out.

Ex-Pa. lawmaker's aide pleads in grant fraud case

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 16:36:25 -0400

PHILADELPHIA - A former aide to a state lawmaker accused along with a Philadelphia traffic court judge with alleged misuse of state grant money has pleaded guilty to federal charges.

Audit: Pa. Legislature spending rose; surplus fell

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 13:37:49 -0400

HARRISBURG, Pennsylvania - Total spending by the General Assembly increased about $8 million last year, and its year-end surplus declined, according to an internal report released Wednesday.

Gun rights backers vow at rally to keep up fight

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 12:38:50 -0400

HARRISBURG, Pennsylvania - Hundreds and hundreds of gun rights supporters filled the steps of the Pennsylvania Capitol on Tuesday, vowing to keep up their fight over the Second Amendment a week after a gun control proposal lost a critical vote in Congress.

Lawmaker: Pa. schools should have injectors

Sun, 21 Apr 2013 13:44:16 -0400

EASTON, Pennsylvania - A state lawmaker wants every school in the commonwealth required to stock pre-filled injections designed to treat severe allergic reactions.