Justin Sweitzer

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.

Kim Ward suggests ‘six-month budget’ amid ongoing PA budget impasse

More here from @cityandstatepa.bsky.social ⤵️

Here are a few SEPTA substitutions should Philly's Regional Rail face severe cuts.

TLDR: Buses, walks and rideshare services could cost riders more time and money if funding issues cause route reductions. www.cityandstatepa.com/politics/202...

BOGGS TOWNSHIP, Pa. —

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.

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

More here via @cityandstatepa.bsky.social ⤵️

Special Report: Affordable Housing Special Report: Affordable Housing

The @cityandstatepa.bsky.social 2025 Special Report on Affordable Housing is live now! 🏠

You can check it out here:

Rite Aid closures add to the strain as Pennsylvania loses hundreds of pharmacies Pharmacies across Pennsylvania are closing as pharmacists say insurance reimbursements fail to cover costs. They say a new law isn't enough to reverse the trend.

The problem, pharmacists and their advocates say, boils down to how much pharmacies are paid for their work and the medications they provide.

Congressman Dan Meuser opts against run for governor in 2026 The Republican congressman appeared to secure the support of President Donald Trump earlier this year.

Congressman Dan Meuser opts against run for governor in 2026.

The Republican congressman appeared to secure the support of President Donald Trump earlier this year.

More here via @cityandstatepa.bsky.social ⤵️

Pennsylvania is a Top 3 state for government AI readiness A new analysis from Code For America says the commonwealth’s proactive approach to AI “positions it as a leader in responsible AI adoption and innovation.”

Pennsylvania is a Top 3 state for government AI readiness.

A new analysis from Code For America says the commonwealth’s proactive approach to AI “positions it as a leader in responsible AI adoption and innovation.”

More here from @cityandstatepa.bsky.social ⤵️

WNBA Poll Results: Let the Freedom ring Readers say Philadelphia Freedom is their favorite team name

The WNBA team name results are in: City & State’s poll shows nearly 40% of 345 respondents choosing Freedom, far above any other option. www.cityandstatepa.com/personality/...

By the numbers: The key figures contained in the One Big Beautiful Bill While supporters and critics spar over the myriad impacts from the recently passed reconciliation bill – a cornerstone of President Donald Trump’s second-term agenda – City & State focuses on the numb...

By the numbers: The key figures contained in the One Big Beautiful Bill

Via @cityandstatepa.bsky.social

Here’s the bill text that was approved by the General Assembly.

Inbox: Gov. Josh Shapiro has signed a bill into law targeting the use of deepfakes. The new law makes it a felony to use AI to generate content designed to “injure, exploit or scam Pennsylvanians.”

The bill, SB 649, was sponsored by GOP state Sen. Tracy Pennycuick.

It’s a new dawn for the city: Philly’s long wait for a professional women’s basketball team to come back to town is nearly over after the WNBA announced the city will be part of the league’s next expansion.

Cast your vote for the best team name here: www.cityandstatepa.com/personality/...

In other news, a NY-based rapper released a single titled “John Fetterman” last month.

Here’s the cover in case any of you were interested:

Deluzio added that one positive aspect from the Senate language is that a federal preemption on state AI regulation has been removed from the bill.

"That was a positive development," he said.

Citing data from the U.S. Congress Joint Economic Committee, Deluzio said nearly 500,000 Pennsylvanians could lose access to health coverage as a result of the bill, per an analysis from the minority side.

Deluzio said the bill "will take away health care from millions of Americans, jacking up the debt in the order of trillions of dollars on a paper tax giveaway for some of the richest, most powerful people and corporations in the history of planet Earth."

Rep. Chris Deluzio (D) reiterates he will vote against the BBB.

"I think this is reckless. It's cruel," Deluzio says, adding that the BBB is "waging war against so many hard-working and working-class Americans to pay for fiscally reckless tax giveaways to the very top."

‪A proposed federal ban on state AI regulation is no more.

@semafor.com‬ has more here ⤵️

Pa. House unanimously passes bill to crack down on deepfakes in political campaign ads HARRISBURG — House lawmakers Monday approved legislation to combat artificial intelligence that is used to mislead voters by impersonating political candidates.

Pa. lawmakers unanimously approved legislation to combat AI used to mislead voters by impersonating political candidates.

The bill would require campaigns to disclose when they use deepfakes to mimic a candidate’s appearance or voice. lancasteronline.com/news/politic...

Philly Mayor Cherelle Parker announces trash collection ‘pause’ with city worker strike imminent A work stoppage will impact city services from the sanitation and water departments to swimming pools and emergency services

Philadelphia’s largest blue-collar union is on the verge of putting immense pressure on Mayor Cherelle Parker's administration to resolve their contract dispute.
www.cityandstatepa.com/politics/202...

Philly is getting its WNBA in 2030.

The next question is: What’s the best team name?

Permanent takeover of shaky rural PA water company faces another setback Rock Spring Water Company rejected a $65K offer from the State College water authority to buy the system, delaying a permanent solution to shaky service.

Brian Heiser, the water authority’s executive director, explained at the meeting that an attorney for Rock Spring said the company “was not in agreement with the offering price” and did not counter.

As Amazon moves in, lawmakers weigh innovation vs. oversight in AI policy The efforts to make the commonwealth into an artificial intelligence powerhouse have plenty of upside and risk to go around.

As Amazon moves in, Pennsylvania lawmakers weigh innovation vs. oversight in AI policy

Story here via @cityandstatepa.bsky.social ⤵️

‘Pennsylvania is on the rise’: state and business leaders celebrate plans to reopen Three Mile Island nuclear reactor Constellation says the rebranded Crane Clean Energy Center could open as soon as 2027.

‘Pennsylvania is on the rise’: state and business leaders celebrate plans to reopen Three Mile Island nuclear reactor

Via @cityandstatepa.bsky.social ⤵️

Philly’s $6.8 billion budget by the numbers Mayor Parker got final approval for her major H.O.M.E. initiative aimed at increasing affordable housing

Philly City Council approved budget legislation Thursday, moving Mayor Cherelle Parker’s $6.82 billion spending plan and several priorities across the finish line. 

Here’s a glimpse of the $6.8 billion budget, by the numbers www.cityandstatepa.com/policy/2025/...

Democrats look to the state Senate again after passing transit funding out of the House House Bill 1364 passed the state House Tuesday by a vote of 107-96.

A day after the Democrat-led state House passed a transportation bill that would boost public transit as well as road and bridge funding, officials were once again joined by transit riders and advocates at a rally to shine a spotlight on the significance.
www.cityandstatepa.com/policy/2025/...

‘All in on AI’: Shapiro, Amazon announce $20B AI investment in Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro said the investment is the largest private-sector investment in the history of the commonwealth.

NEWS: Gov. Josh Shapiro and Amazon announced a $20B investment in AI infrastructure – a deal that will result in new data centers in Luzerne + Bucks counties, plus investments in job training, STEM programming and AI education.

Via @cityandstatepa.bsky.social www.cityandstatepa.com/policy/2025/...

Gov Announces Amazon to Invest $20B in PA, Largest Capital Investment in History Gov Announces Amazon to Invest $20B in PA, Largest Capital Investment in History

Here’s the full announcement

News: Gov. Josh Shapiro announces that Amazon will invest $20B to build “high-tech cloud computing and artificial intelligence innovation campuses” across the state.

Communities in Bucks and Luzerne counties have been picked for the first two sites.