Top News Courts

Five cases pending before the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, shown here, seek to upend the state’s sex offender registry law as well as the public website listing offenders, which is accessed by millions of people every year. — PennLive

Sex offender registry law in Pa. facing life-or-death test at Supreme Court

by Angela Couloumbis

Five cases before the state's high court claim the law is cruel, discriminatory and deprives thousands of people of fundamental rights. Prosecutors warn the cases could undermine public safety, as well as the public website listing registered sex offenders.

Politics

Top Senate GOP aide Drew Crompton, who was nominated this week to fill a vacancy on the state Commonwealth Court — PennLive

Secrecy, deal-making rule in process to pick Pa.'s interim judges

by Angela Couloumbis

health

The state's largest community college, HACC, Central Pennsylvania's Community College, eliminated campus mental health counseling in September, causing a backlash among students and sowing confusion about how they could seek help. — PennLive

Criticized for cutting campus mental health counseling, Pa.'s largest community college adds new services

by Aneri Pattani

health

In September, HACC, Central Pennsylvania's Community College, eliminated its campus mental health counseling across its five campuses and said it would refer students to off-campus providers. — ANERI PATTANI / Spotlight PA

Feeling suicidal, she turned to her college. But it had just cut campus mental health services.

by Aneri Pattani

More top stories

Health

From left, Marshall Everett, Ed Peters, and Sabrina Herb protest the cuts to campus mental health services at HACC, Central Pennsylvania's Community College, on Oct. 23, 2019. — ANERI PATTANI / Spotlight PA

Students blast Pa.'s largest community college for cutting campus mental health services while spending big on renovations

by Aneri Pattani

Campaign Finance

State Sen. Jay Costa (D., Allegheny) is pushing a sweeping campaign finance reform bill that would, among other changes, ban using campaign cash for personal use and require candidates to better describe their expenses on public forms. — Pittsburgh Post-Gazette staff

Citing Spotlight PA/Caucus probe, top lawmaker pushes limits on campaign donations, stricter disclosure rules

by Sam Janesch, The Caucus and Angela Couloumbis, Spotlight PA

Campaign Finance

Reporters for The Caucus and Spotlight PA spent a year requesting and analyzing thousands of credit card statements and receipts for Pa. legislative campaigns to uncover examples of lavish and outlandish spending. — SARA SIMON / Spotlight PA

The 10 most extravagant or bizarre campaign expenses by Pa. state lawmakers

by Brad Bumsted and Sam Janesch of The Caucus

Campaign Finance

A top aide to Senate leader Joe Scarnati, Shelly Brown, charged thousands of dollars worth drinks and meals — including a visit to Mangia Qui in downtown Harrisburg — to Scarnati's campaign credit card, despite having no official role with the campaign. — Sara Simon / Spotlight PA

She’s paid by taxpayers. So why is top Pa. Senate aide wining and dining on a campaign credit card?

by Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PA and Alyssa Biederman of The Inquirer

Campaign Finance

Hours after an investigation Tuesday revealed millions of dollars in hidden campaign expenses by Pa. lawmakers, a House committee, at the request of GOP Senate leaders, attempted to further limit oversight. But on Wednesday, House Republicans said they would reverse course. — Kalim A. Bhatti/Philadelphia Inquirer

Pa. lawmakers abruptly abandon attempt to limit public access to campaign expenses

by Angela Couloumbis

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