RSVP for FREE: Join us June 18 for a live Q&A on redistricting with Sen. David Argall »

Top News Elections

Gov. Tom Wolf has made clear he opposes the voter ID requirements and would almost certainly veto the bill in its current form. — JESSICA GRIFFIN / Philadelphia Inquirer

GOP’s major election overhaul advances in Pa. House as Democrats call it a ‘farce’

by Marie Albiges of Spotlight PA and Jonathan Lai of The Philadelphia Inquirer

The bill — dubbed the Voting Rights Protection Act — includes stricter voter ID, signature verification requirements, and limits on drop boxes.

“The fact that we haven’t gotten this bill done is what so frustrates people about politics,” Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta (D., Philadelphia), one of three openly LGBTQ people serving in the legislature, said Tuesday on the steps of the Capitol. — ALEJANDRO A. ALVAREZ / Philadelphia Inquirer

Wolf, Pa. Democrats again push for passage of LGBTQ discrimination protections

by Sarah Anne Hughes of Spotlight PA and Colin Deppen of Spotlight PA

The Milton Hershey School has struggled for decades to reconcile its runaway financial growth with its founding mission to “break the cycle of poverty.” — Lisa Larson-Walker / ProPublica

Sold on the promise of a college education, some former Milton Hershey School students ended up with debt, hardships

by Charlotte Keith of Spotlight PA and Bob Fernandez of The Philadelphia Inquirer

Personal data of people contacted by contact tracers in Pennsylvania remained online more than a month after the company responsible assured the public it had been secured. — DAN NOTT / For Spotlight PA

Personal data from Pa. contact tracing calls still online despite assurances it had been secured

by Jamie Martines of Spotlight PA

Like what you read?

Become a Member

Help Spotlight PA hold the powerful to account with a gift today.

Other Amount:

Donate now Yes, accountability matters

Most Popular Stories

Editor’s Pick

About $20 million went into Pennsylvania lawmakers’ pockets over four years in the form of reimbursements for meals, mileage subsidies, per diems, and other expenses. — Leise Hook / For Spotlight PA

Taxpayers foot huge bill to run Pa.’s full-time legislature, but are blocked from many details

by Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PA and Mike Wereschagin, Brad Bumsted, and Sam Janesch of The Caucus

More top stories

“Whenever an anti-choice bill comes to my desk, I will veto it,” Gov. Tom Wolf said on Thursday. — Commonwealth Media Services

Wolf again vows to veto any bills that limit abortion access in Pa.

by Shaniece Holmes Brown for Spotlight PA

The legislation is sure to draw intense scrutiny and will likely face steep obstacles as Republican leaders, who control both chambers of the state legislature, try to keep their party unified while also winning the approval of Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf. — TOM GRALISH / Philadelphia Inquirer

Pa. GOP proposes major election overhaul, including stricter voter ID and in-person early voting

by Marie Albiges of Spotlight PA and Jonathan Lai of The Philadelphia Inquirer

Some trustees of the Pennsylvania public school pension system, PSERS, pose with executive director Glen Grell (right) at the $60 billion-asset agency's Harrisburg office tower in 2020. Chairman Chris Santa Maria, a Harriton High School social studies teacher, is at center. — PSERS

Six of 15 board members of embattled Pa. pension fund officially call for removal of its top command

by Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PA and Craig R. McCoy and Joseph N. DiStefano of The Philadelphia Inquirer

Gov. Tom Wolf, a Democrat, cannot veto the measure. — CHARLES FOX / Philadelphia Inquirer

Legislature votes to immediately end Pa.’s coronavirus disaster declaration while keeping waivers in place

by Sarah Anne Hughes of Spotlight PA

Activists from MarchOnHarrisburg have been pushing for a gift ban for decades. — Marc Levy

Activists target top Republican in Pa. Senate as they push for gift ban

by Shaniece Holmes Brown for Spotlight PA

The proposed ouster comes after federal prosecutors and the FBI launched an investigation in the spring into the $64 billion fund — the Public School Employees’ Retirement System — which sends $6 billion annually to retirees. — Kalim A. Bhatti / For The Inquirer

In a revolt, dissidents on PSERS board lobby colleagues to fire the fund’s leaders and set a new investment strategy

by Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PA and Craig R. McCoy and Joseph N. DiStefano of The Philadelphia Inquirer

Gov. Tom Wolf, a Democrat, said he believed the decades-old state education funding formula is inadequate and has historically shortchanged schools in both urban and rural districts hanging on by a financial thread. — Commonwealth Media Services

Wolf sticks by $1 billion plan to close Pa.’s education gap, minus his proposed tax increase

by Shaniece Holmes Brown for Spotlight PA

Within the first 12 hours of the launch, more than 62,000 Pennsylvanians had filed claims and the Department of Labor & Industry deemed the new system a success. — DAVID MAIALETTI / Philadelphia Inquirer

Jobless in Pa. livid over new unemployment system errors as state declares victory

by Rebecca Moss of Spotlight PA and Christian Hetrick of The Philadelphia Inquirer

Under FBI investigation, Pennsylvania's $64 billion public school pension fund sought to backtrack on previous disclosures that staffers were working on both sides of real estate dealings. — Handout

Facing FBI probe, PSERS backtracks on disclosure that staffers were on both sides of real estate dealings

by Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PA and Craig R. McCoy and Joseph N. DiStefano of The Philadelphia Inquirer

Join Spotlight PA at 1 p.m. June 18 for a live interview and reader Q&A with Sen. David Argall on congressional redistricting. — Madhuri Shukla / For Spotlight PA

You’re invited! A live reader Q&A on congressional redistricting

by Spotlight PA Staff

Five Republicans have already declared their candidacy, most notably former U.S. Rep. Lou Barletta. — JOSE F. MORENO / Philadelphia Inquirer

Pennsylvania’s 2022 race for governor: What we know so far

by Sarah Anne Hughes of Spotlight PA

Members of the Poor People's Campaign in Pennsylvania gathered on the steps of the Capitol to call for a "just and moral budget." — Shaniece Holmes Brown

With $10,000,000,000 to spend, advocates press Wolf, Pa. lawmakers to prioritize poor people

by Shaniece Holmes Brown for Spotlight PA

About $20 million went into lawmakers’ pockets over four years in the form of reimbursements for meals, mileage subsidies, per diems, and other expenses. — Leise Hook / For Spotlight PA

Bill would force Pa. to post online how lawmakers spend millions in tax dollars each year

by Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PA and Brad Bumsted, Sam Janesch, and Mike Wereschagin of The Caucus

The General Assembly spent $203 million from 2017 through 2020 just to feed, house, transport, and provide rental offices and other perks for lawmakers and their staffs. — JOSE F. MORENO / Philadelphia Inquirer

Five takeaways from a year-long investigation on lawmaker spending

by Colin Deppen of Spotlight PA

Economy

Unemployed workers and advocates from Pittsburgh and Philadelphia protest over more than 300,000 unemployment claims still waiting for review by the state Department of Labor and Industry. The department this week is launching a massive overhaul of its computer system. — Rebecca Moss / Spotlight PA

Anxiety runs high as Pa. begins massive overhaul of 60-year-old unemployment computer system

by Rebecca Moss of Spotlight PA

The headaches for PSERS — the Public School Employees’ Retirement System — began this spring when its board admitted endorsing a bad number for its investment profits. — Kalim A. Bhatti / For The Inquirer

Internal PSERS documents show how Pa’s biggest pension fund got key financial calculation wrong

by Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PA, Joseph N. DiStefano of The Philadelphia Inquirer, and Craig R. McCoy of The Philadelphia Inquirer

A contingent of right-wing Republicans says the grants were fundamentally unfair because Democratic-leaning counties got more money. Election directors in those areas used those funds to offer voters additional ways to cast a ballot, such as by opening satellite offices and making drop boxes available. — Yong Kim / Philadelphia Inquirer

Mark Zuckerberg helped some Pa. counties survive the 2020 election. Right-wing lawmakers say that was unfair.

by Marie Albiges of Spotlight PA

Photo illustration by ProPublica; source image: Milton Hershey School, MHS 2018 IRS Form 990 — Lisa Larson-Walker / ProPublica

America’s richest school serves low-income kids. But much of its Hershey-funded fortune isn’t being spent.

by Bob Fernandez of The Inquirer and Charlotte Keith of Spotlight PA

The inspector general’s investigation was ordered by Gov. Tom Wolf after state election officials admitted in February that they had failed to advertise the ballot question as required by law.
. — JOSE F. MORENO / Philadelphia Inquirer

‘Internal systemic failures’ led to Wolf administration blunder that derailed child sex abuse amendment

by Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PA

Giorgi Mushroom Company worker Juan Frutos gets a vaccine shot from Penn State Health nurse Christy Daniels during a clinic facilitated by Latino Connection's mobile unit. The Wolf administration hired the group this spring to address persistent disparities. — Matt Smith / For Spotlight PA

A stark racial divide on vaccinations leaves many at risk as Pa. reopens

by Jamie Martines of Spotlight PA

Who We Are

Spotlight PA's vital investigative journalism depends on your support. It's that simple. Contribute now.