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The Capitol

Sept. 30, 2020

The resolution would create a committee of five House lawmakers — three Republicans and two Democrats — to investigate and review the Nov. 3 election. — HEATHER KHALIFA / Philadelphia Inquirer

Pa. Republicans want to create and control an ‘election integrity’ panel with subpoena power

by Cynthia Fernandez of Spotlight PA

Sept. 28, 2020

Tim Tai / Philadelphia Inquirer

How Pa.'s victim advocate found herself in the crosshairs of the GOP-led Senate

by Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PA

Sept. 25, 2020

The Pennsylvania legislature could decide to offer its own slate of electors by invoking Article II of the U.S. Constitution. — KALIM BHATTI / The Philadelphia Inquirer

Could the Pa. GOP bypass the popular vote regardless of who wins? Here’s what we know.

by Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PA and Cynthia Fernandez of Spotlight PA

Sept. 22, 2020

Grassroots and good-government groups have long wanted to take lawmakers completely out of the process and hand over the job to a committee of average citizens. — TIM TAI / Philadelphia Inquirer

Lawmakers' power to redraw Pa.'s political maps could be more limited in 2021

by Cynthia Fernandez of Spotlight PA

Sept. 18, 2020

Counties are anxiously waiting to see if lawmakers and Gov. Tom Wolf will extend the amount of time elections boards have to begin “pre-canvassing” mailed ballots. — TYGER WILLIAMS / Philadelphia Inquirer

Voting victories for Democrats in Pa. might have closed the door on more election reform

by Cynthia Fernandez of Spotlight PA

Sept. 16, 2020

Senate President Pro Tempore Joseph Scarnati’s campaign is seeking $6,070 from The Caucus, Caucus Bureau Chief Brad Bumsted, and Spotlight PA reporter Angela Couloumbis. — STEVEN M. FALK / Philadelphia Inquirer

Top Pa. Republican’s campaign sues journalists over public records costs

by Mike Wereschagin of The Caucus and Ed Mahon of Spotlight PA

Sept. 14, 2020

Senate Majority Leader Jake Corman is widely considered next in line to ascend to the chamber’s top leadership post. — JOSE F. MORENO / Philadelphia Inquirer

Top Pa. GOP lawmaker taps politically connected lobbyist to be chief of staff

by Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PA and Brad Bumsted of The Caucus

Aug. 25, 2020

Gov. Tom Wolf delivered a message to lawmakers Tuesday: "We’ve got to get back to doing things that actually matter to people.” — Commonwealth Media Services

Gov. Tom Wolf wants Pa. to legalize marijuana, provide more COVID-19 relief this fall

by Jamie Martines of Spotlight PA and Cynthia Fernandez of Spotlight PA

July 9, 2020

Democrats have called the measures first steps, as they press GOP leadership to go further and take up more complex issues like curtailing when officers can use deadly force. — KALIM BHATTI / The Philadelphia Inquirer

Everything you need to know about Pa. police reform efforts by the legislature

by Cynthia Fernandez of Spotlight PA

July 8, 2020

Independent research shows gerrymandering protects incumbents and strips communities of political power by heavily concentrating one party’s voters into a single district or spreading them out unnaturally. — TIM TAI / Philadelphia Inquirer

Lawmakers will rule again over redrawing of Pa. political boundaries, but critics aren’t giving up

by Cynthia Fernandez of Spotlight PA

July 3, 2020

States lawmakers are considering a proposal that would allow certain municipalities to ban residents from setting off fireworks. — Paul Vasiliades / Flickr

In Pa.’s growing fireworks war, it’s fed-up residents versus cold, hard cash

by Cynthia Fernandez of Spotlight PA

June 24, 2020

Black Democrats who demanded action in the wake of Floyd’s death called the reform a first step. — ELIZABETH ROBERTSON / Philadelphia Inquirer

Effort to track police use of force in Pa. would lack racial data, public transparency

by Cynthia Fernandez of Spotlight PA

June 24, 2020

Senate GOP leaders said they are still hoping for a vote this week, but they are working against the clock: The legislature will break for the summer later this month. — KALIM BHATTI / The Philadelphia Inquirer

Prospects dimming for behind-the-scenes push to expand video gaming in Pa.

by Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PA and Brad Bumsted of The Caucus

June 22, 2020

Bryan Cutler's rise comes as the state is grappling with how to best respond to a continuing public health crisis. — Matt Rourke / AP Photo

After sudden Turzai resignation, GOP elevates new leadership in Pa. House

by Cynthia Fernandez of Spotlight PA

June 20, 2020

“It all begins and ends with this database,” said Michelle Kenney, the mother of Antwon Rose II. — Gene J. Puskar / AP Photo

Mother of Antwon Rose II applauds confidential police hiring database, but does it go far enough?

by Cynthia Fernandez of Spotlight PA

June 19, 2020

Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati is retiring later this year. — MATT ROURKE / AP

Top Pa. GOP lawmaker fast-tracking a lucrative gambling expansion that would benefit a major campaign donor

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

June 18, 2020

The LGBT flag flies at the Capitol building in Harrisburg. — Office of Gov. Tom Wolf

Despite landmark ruling, Pa. GOP leaders in no hurry to extend LGBTQ protections under state law

by Cynthia Fernandez of Spotlight PA

June 15, 2020

It's unclear how many law enforcement agencies in Pennsylvania are even equipped with body cameras. — TIM TAI / Philadelphia Inquirer

Red tape, lack of funding limit public’s oversight of Pa. police through body cameras

by Jordan Wolman for Spotlight PA

June 15, 2020

The House Judiciary Committee considered the bills one week after Black Democrats took control of the chamber to demand Republicans consider a host of reforms in the wake of the police killing of George Floyd and widespread protests. — MONICA HERNDON / Philadelphia Inquirer

Pa. advances reforms to create confidential police disciplinary database, as NY, NJ take steps to make records public

by Cynthia Fernandez of Spotlight PA

June 10, 2020

In January, House Speaker Mike Turzai, left, stood with his wife Lydia, right, and one of his sons, Matt, center, as he announced at a news conference he would not run for another term. — Keith Srakocic / AP

Top Republican Mike Turzai will resign from the Pa. House on June 15

by Cynthia Fernandez of Spotlight PA

June 10, 2020

House Speaker Mike Turzai (R., Allegheny) earlier this year announced he would not seek reelection this fall. — Joe Hermitt / The Patriot-News

Pa. House Speaker Mike Turzai expected to resign before the end of his term, sources say

by Cynthia Fernandez of Spotlight PA, and Jan Murphy and Charles Thompson of PennLive | The Patriot-News

June 8, 2020

Pa. House Democrats blocked the start of a voting session to demand a special session to consider police reform bills in the wake of the killing of George Floyd and widespread peaceful protests. — Courtesy of PA House Democrats

Pa. House Democrats block start of voting session to demand police reforms from GOP

by Cynthia Fernandez of Spotlight PA

June 4, 2020

Gov. Tom Wolf marched with demonstrators against police brutality in Harrisburg on June 3, 2020. — Office of Gov. Tom Wolf

Wolf will appoint misconduct watchdog, establish commission to oversee Pa. state troopers, correctional officers

by Staff of Spotlight PA

June 3, 2020

Gov. Tom Wolf marches with demonstrators in Harrisburg on June 3, 2020. — Cynthia Fernandez / Spotlight PA

Pa. Gov. Tom Wolf marches with George Floyd demonstrators in Harrisburg

by Cynthia Fernandez of Spotlight PA

June 3, 2020

Rose’s death led to emotional protests, the arrest of the officer, and a package of police reform bills introduced by Democrats — legislation that went nowhere in the Republican-controlled state legislature. — Michael M. Santiago / Post-Gazette

Police reforms in Pa. languished after Antwon Rose’s killing. Will now be any different?

by Cynthia Fernandez of Spotlight PA

March 9, 2020

Kalim A. Bhatti / Philadelphia Inquirer

How the legislature gave itself special privileges when writing Pa.'s open records law

by Angela Couloumbis

March 5, 2020

House officials initially argued the state Constitution gave them the right to shield certain information about how lawmakers and their staff spend money. — Kalim A. Bhatti / Philadelphia Inquirer

Pa. House drops ‘legislative privilege,’ will release lawmaker spending details

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

March 5, 2020

The information deleted from Senate documents included details on the purpose of the chamber’s expenses, including travel, meetings, and conferences. — JOSE F. MORENO / Staff Photographer

Pa. Senate officials scrub details from financial records, raising alarm among open records advocates

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

Feb. 27, 2020

Lawyers for the House say "legislative privilege" shields the details of lawmakers' spending. — Kalim A. Bhatti / Philadelphia Inquirer

Pa. lawmakers black out details of why they spent tax dollars, claiming ‘legislative privilege’

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

Dec. 19, 2019

The Commonwealth Financing Authority is overseen by a seven-member board, but appointees from the state legislature have more power than the others. — Kalim A. Bhatti/Philadelphia Inquirer

Canceled meetings and finger-pointing plague top Pa. economic development agency

by Charlotte Keith

Spotlight PA

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