The regional power transmission network and electricity market manager that serves Pennsylvania and 12 other states faces a mid-December deadline for a plan to manage the impact of data centers and other large energy consumers on electricity prices and reliability. From @petehallpa.bsky.social

If a slot machine gives skillful players the ability to win every time, is it illegal under Pennsylvania’s Crimes Code and Gaming Law? That was the question the state Supreme Court set out to answer Thursday in a pair of appeals. From @petehallpa.bsky.social

Reproductive, maternal, and community health advocates called on state lawmakers Tuesday to safeguard women’s health care access from mounting threats in Washington, D.C. From @petehallpa.bsky.social

The panel is set to vote on legislation that would give state regulators the ability to set appropriate fees for operators of small modular reactors and micro reactors that, according to experts who testified, are inherently safer than plants built decades ago. From @petehallpa.bsky.social

After long and difficult state budget negotiations ended without a plan to tax or regulate gambling devices that exist in a legal gray area, the leading maker of skill games across the nation is back in the public spotlight in Pennsylvania. From @petehallpa.bsky.social

What does Pennsylvania’s new budget mean for K-12 schools? penncapital-star.com/government-p...

The last state in the nation without some form of a budget for the 2025-26 fiscal year finally has a spending plan in place. Gov. Shapiro signed a $50.1 billion budget -- which increases overall spending by 4.7% compared to last year. From @petehallpa.bsky.social and @iankarbal.bsky.social

Hey hon, we’re going to need a few more ovens.

100% of what?

A Chester County (PA) judge has ordered that polling hours are extended to 10 PM tonight for all voters, helping to ensure that voters who were affected by today's poll book printing errors will not be disenfranchised. Post 8pm, voters will vote on provisional ballots. Dems/GOP agreed on this.

A judge in Chester County, Pa., has ordered polls to remain open for two additional hours until 10 p.m. after the board of elections delivered poll books from last spring's primary to all 230 polling locations. www.chesco.org/156/Voter-Se...

As two federal judges ordered the Trump administration to release food assistance money, Gov. Josh Shapiro announced Friday the state will make $5 million available to a network of food banks across the commonwealth. From @petehallpa.bsky.social

Capital-Star Q&A: DNC Chair Ken Martin says Pa. Supreme Court election stakes are high penncapital-star.com/campaigns-el...

A heavyweight in the legal cannabis industry visited Pennsylvania’s Capitol to meet with state lawmakers Wednesday. Known as “the baddest man on the planet” at the height of his boxing career, former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson entered the cannabis ring in 2021. From @petehallpa.bsky.social

One of two nuclear reactors at the Susquehanna Steam Electric Station in Luzerne County shut down automatically Tuesday night at the same time firefighters were dispatched to the plant, its owner Talen Energy reported to federal regulators. From @petehallpa.bsky.social

One of Talen Energy's nuclear reactors in Luzerne County automatically SCRAMed Tuesday night after a cloud of hydrogen ignited in a conflagration outside the plant. penncapital-star.com/energy-envir...

If you know anyone who was exploited on Backpage before it was closed down for human trafficking, tell them that there is a pool of money available for survivors and free legal help in applying for it: www.backpageremissionnetwork.org

Pittsburgh-based Westinghouse would produce an unspecified number of the company's AP1000 reactors in a deal with Japan providing a $100B investment and expertise. The last two efforts to build new reactors in the U.S. have not gone well. www.washingtonpost.com/business/202...

JOHNSON: “It’s been a great run, but I think the president knows ..” @politico.com www.politico.com/live-updates...

For the second morning in a row legislative leaders from both chambers and parties met in Gov. Josh Shapiro’s office. No comment from Republicans except Senate President Pro Tem. Judy Ward, who said, “We’re working.”

Possible Pa. budget action today. Leaders from all four legislative caucuses went into Gov. Josh Shapiro’s office in the last 10 minutes or so.

Much as Democrats have drawn a line at school vouchers, the GOP is steadfast in its opposition to a flat rate for cyber charter tuition. House Dems proposed a compromise that would let districts deduct the costs cybers don’t incur, like tax collection and sports. penncapital-star.com/education/de...

I guess we’re drawing to an end of the 10 months where 7/8 of the state government isn’t running for reelection.

@wtyppod.bsky.social Have you guys done an episode on the flying crowbar? If not, it would be timely now. www.bbc.com/news/article...

Harrisburg man pleads guilty to attempted murder and arson in Governor’s Residence firebombing penncapital-star.com/criminal-jus...

During a recent review of the Ellen Greenberg case, Philly Chief M.E. Lindsay Simon stood by the city's suicide ruling, despite finding 3 more stab wounds & 20 more bruises never accounted for before, raising the total number of bruises to 31 and stab wounds to 23. www.inquirer.com/news/philade...

On this disappointing night in Philly sports, here’s an alarming fact: Thursday Night Football is nearly 20 years old. If you remember a time without TNF, you’re old or getting there. If you don’t, get off my lawn.

100 days in and Pennsylvania is still the only state in the country without some form of spending plan in place for 2025-2026 fiscal year. From @petehallpa.bsky.social, @iankarbal.bsky.social, and @ejprev.bsky.social

State lawmakers' robocalls to constituents don't violate the federal telemarketing law, the 3rd Circuit ruled this week. The decision ends a lawsuit against Pa. House Majority Leader Matt Bradford over calls about events and services in his distrirct. penncapital-star.com/government-p...

A Montgomery County lawyer who’s made a career out of suing telemarketers has been dealt a loss in a case seeking damages from Pennsylvania House Majority Leader Matt Bradford over pre-recorded calls to his constituents. From @petehallpa.bsky.social

The train to Harrisburg I'm on this morning hit and killed a person just past Middletown. Feeling awful for the conductor who had to get off and confirm what they were already pretty sure about.

Pennsylvania’s vote-by-mail law has been the subject of a seemingly endless stream of court cases since casting an absentee ballot without an excuse became an option in 2020. So what has changed with voting by mail since last November’s presidential election? From @petehallpa.bsky.social

not a single news org signed. that's what it takes. stand together. everywhere, every time.

BREAKING: Our client Mario Guevara, an Emmy-winning journalist detained by ICE in retaliation for livestreaming law enforcement activity, will be deported tomorrow to El Salvador. Mario and his family are being punished for his reporting. This cruelty is meant to stifle our free press.

Pennsylvanians would be required to disclose whether a property they’re selling is in a flood zone and requires flood insurance, under legislation passed unanimously Wednesday in the state House. From our @petehallpa.bsky.social

They still make that?

Emotional debate and rising tempers preceded a vote Wednesday on state House legislation to ban devices used to make semi-automatic handguns fire as quickly as machine guns. From @petehallpa.bsky.social

It’s a perfectly cromulent word.

Lawmakers in the state House passed legislation that would require background checks for the sale and transfer of rifles and shotguns, which is not currently required in Pennsylvania. The 104-99 vote was one of three held to try to toughen the commonwealth’s gun laws. From @petehallpa.bsky.social

The Pennsylvania House is voting on a suite of gun safety laws. HB 1859, which would create extreme risk protection orders, aka a red flag law, was just voted down 101-102. Here's our recent coverage: penncapital-star.com/gun-violence...

"Imagine trying to plan your own personal budget without a complete picture of your income, or trying to pay all of your bills without as much as 70% of your income. That’s the position school districts find themselves in because of this year's late state budget.” From @petehallpa.bsky.social

Pa. Supreme Court to weigh special licensing rule for carrying a gun in Philadelphia penncapital-star.com/civil-rights...

Someone get a little ahead of themselves?

County election officials are required to accurately report when voters’ mail-in ballots have been set aside because of disqualifying errors and allow their votes to be counted on provisional ballots, Pennsylvania’s highest court has ruled. From @petehallpa.bsky.social

Election officials must notify voters if mail-in ballots are set aside, Pa. high court rules penncapital-star.com/campaigns-el...

Families of children who received gender-affirming care at two Pennsylvania hospitals are fighting a U.S. Department of Justice effort to obtain medical records and personal information about transgender youth. From @petehallpa.bsky.social

The organization that manages the electric grid for Pennsylvania and 12 other states has moved too slowly in response to skyrocketing energy demand and consumers are paying for it, Gov. Josh Shapiro said Monday. From @petehallpa.bsky.social

“It is my hope that it will not get to that here in Pennsylvania,” Gov. Josh Shapiro told reporters Wednesday. “I can tell you that we are preparing aggressively on that front.” From @petehallpa.bsky.social

Name something you had in your house in the 2020s that kids today (2055) wouldn’t understand.

Electricity customers across a broad swath of the country will bear the costs of running an outdated fossil fuel power plant in Pennsylvania that federal energy regulators pulled back from the brink of retirement earlier this year. From @petehallpa.bsky.social