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What We’re Hearing
Kat Copeland, Republican candidate for state Attorney General, is ending her campaign after failing to secure the Pennsylvania GOP endorsement.
Happy Birthday
Cake and candles for Rep. Lloyd Smucker as well as Aaron Bonnaure and Diego Píña Sterling of Rep. Guy Reschenthaler’s office.
Start Your Day Smarter
The PoliticsPA Playbook gives you all today’s PA political headlines in an easy-to-read format. All by 8 AM. And it’s free. Subscribe now.
Top Story
1. PA and National Lawmakers Announce Abortion-Related Moves On Roe Anniversary
“Though Roe v. Wade was repealed in June of 2022, the 51st anniversary of the landmark Supreme Court ruling turned out to be a busy day for state and national lawmakers working to shore up reproductive rights.
In the state Capitol’s rotunda, Rep. Tarik Khan on Monday announced legislation to expand abortion access in the commonwealth during a news conference.
The legislation would roll back the 2011 TRAP law, or “targeted restrictions on abortion providers,” which requires that abortion clinics follow the same standards as ambulatory surgical centers, such as mandating specialty elevators and width of hallways, and that they have admitting privileges at local hospitals.” (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
Related
PA Lawmakers Plan Bill To Repeal Abortion Clinics’ Classification As Surgical Centers. “Pennsylvania House Democrats plan to push a bill that would rescind a more than decade-old rule requiring abortion clinics to clear the same regulatory hurdles as full-on surgical facilities.” (PennLive)
Lee, Innamorato Rally For Abortion Rights In Pittsburgh On Roe Anniversary. “The politics of abortion became personal in the cold portico of the City-County Building on Monday.” (Penn Capital-Star)
Fetterman’s Break From The Left Excites Republicans. “The Pennsylvania Democrat is straying from liberal orthodoxy on the border and Israel, giving GOP colleagues hope that he might keep surprising them.” (Politico)
Trump’s Continued Talk Of A ‘Rigged Election’ Focuses Attention On PA. “As he asked for support in 2024 from those crowding into a packed convention center auditorium, former President Donald Trump kept looking back to 2020.” (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
Former President Donald Trump To Speak In Harrisburg On Feb. 9. “The National Rifle Association (NRA) announced that former President Donald Trump will address members as the keynote speaker at the NRA Presidential Forum on Friday, February 9, as part of its Great American Outdoor Show.” (PoliticsPA)
State
2. Pennsylvania GOP Endorses York County Prosecutor In A Three-Way Contest For State Attorney General
“Pennsylvania’s Republican Party on Monday endorsed York County’s district attorney, Dave Sunday, for state attorney general out of a three-person field.
The party’s endorsement came the day before candidates could begin collecting the required number of voter signatures to get on Pennsylvania’s primary ballot. State committee members met via video link to vote on Monday evening.
Sunday won the endorsement over state Rep. Craig Williams and Katayoun Copeland, both former federal prosecutors who hail from Delaware County in southeastern Pennsylvania. Copeland has said she would not run against the party’s endorsed candidate and ended her candidacy, a campaign aide said Monday.” (AP)
Related
RSLC Includes PA House Among Legislative Targets For 2024. “For the first time in over a decade, the Republican State Leadership Committee (RSLC) has a new goal for the Pennsylvania State House of Representatives – winning back the majority.” (PoliticsPA)
Pennsylvania Gov. Shapiro Promised 30% Renewable Electricity By 2030. Will That Happen? “A bill in the Legislature would advance Pennsylvania’s meager renewable energy development. Trade groups are already putting their foot down.” (Philadelphia Inquirer)
Thousands of Records Mistakenly Deleted From PA State Government Computer Servers. “Human error caused the loss of thousands of records from at least two state agencies stored on the state’s computer system servers.” (PennLive)
Rep. Jordan Harris: Before PA Revisits Voucher Proposals It Must Address Education Inequality. “A fortnight before Gov. Josh Shapiro is due to deliver his second state budget address, the Pennsylvania House Democrats’ chief budget negotiator said lawmakers must address education equality in 2024.” (Penn Capital-Star)
Around The Commonwealth
3. Tuesday Marks Start Of 2024 Pennsylvania Primary Season
“The 2024 Pennsylvania primary season begins Tuesday when candidates can begin collecting signatures on their nomination petitions.
This year will bring a host of contests in Pennsylvania, starting with primaries for president, Congress, state attorney general, auditor general, treasurer, and the state Legislature.
The primary date is April 23, the fourth Tuesday in April, a departure from the customary third Tuesday in May because of the presidential primary this year. Candidates who wish to appear on the primary ballot have three weeks to circulate and file their nomination petitions by Feb. 13. ” (Armchair Lehigh Valley)
Related
A Rematch Is Brewing In Rep. Amen Brown’s West Philly District. “A primary battle for a West Philly state House seat is shaping up to be Brown vs. Green vs. Purple. Again.” (Philadelphia Inquirer)
Candidate Announcements
- HD-05: Ontelaunee Township Woman Running For Seat In The 5th District. (Reading Eagle)
- HD-22: Bethlehem Native Joshua Siegel To Seek Second Term In State House. (LehighValleyNews.com)
- HD-106: Republican Bobbie Jeffries Announces Another Go at District. (PennLive)
- HD-136: State Rep. Bob Freeman Announces Re-Election Bid. (LehighValleyNews.com)
- SD-33: Greencastle Man Aims For State Senate Seat Held By Doug Mastriano. (Chambersburg Public Opinion)
PA Rep. Wants Voters, Not Elected Officials, To Decide On Warehouse, Distribution Center Development. “House Bill 1960 was introduced Thursday by Rep. Joe Emrick.. It would amend the Pennsylvania Municipalities Code to initiate referendums on such developments involving facilities of at least 100,000 square feet in size and on a minimum of 3 acres of land.” (Sharon Herald)
Looking For A Raise? Here’s The Highest, And Lowest, Paid Industries In Your PA County. “Workers in Pennsylvania’s natural resources and mining, information and finance industries were among some of the highest paid employees in the state during the first three months of 2023, most making $42 to $172 an hour, data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics show.” (PhillyBurbs.com)
Proposed Update To State Gaming Rules Could Offer Relief To PA’s Fire Companies, Nonprofits. “Pennsylvania’s volunteer fire companies rely on raffles and bingo to stay open, but state law prohibits them from accepting cashless payments for these small games of chance, a condition that limits their fundraising abilities and has some of them considering breaking the rules.” (Spotlight PA)
PETA Wants To Replace Punxsutawney Phil With Gold Coin. “People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals sent a letter to the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club’s president Tom Dunkel urging him to swap out Pennsylvania’s most famous groundhog for a gold coin on next Friday’s Groundhog Day. PETA called for Punxsutawney Phil to be allowed to live the rest of his life at a sanctuary.” (Tribune-Review)
Editorial
4. What’s On Your Mind
- Abortion Is Legal, But Burdened, In PA As A Nurse And Legislator, I’m Trying To Change That. (Rep. Tarik Khan)
- We Must Talk About Abortion. (Rep. Chrissy Houlahan)
- I-95 Reconstruction Is Really A Widening Project That Will Hurt Philly Neighborhoods. (Inga Saffron)
- It Happened In 2016 Too: Donald Trump Doesn’t Have The Opponents The Country Needs. (Ross Douthat)
- Old People Love Cable News — and They Vote. (Jack Shafer)
- Congress Has The Last Word To Save Pennsylvanians From A Looming Tax Hike. (Richard Schulze)
- Shapiro’s Duck-and-Dodge 1st Year. (Matthew Brouillette)
- A Sorry State: The U.S. Supreme Court Threatens To Eliminate Oversight. (New York Daily News)
1 Thing
5. Say It Ain’t So, Potato
“The “Potato Chip Capital of the World” could be facing a potato problem.
Researchers at Penn State University say Pennsylvania could face a potato shortage because of crops damaged by bacterial infections.
The researchers collected potato stems from diseased crops at 26 potato fields throughout the state. They cautioned that if left unchecked, the pathogens can trigger crop loss, jeopardizing the potato supply used by the many potato chip manufacturers in Pennsylvania that produce nearly $60 million annually in sales.” (The Keystone)
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