1 in 10 eligible U.S. voters say they can’t easily show proof of their citizenship
Top Republicans are lining up behind a proposal to require proof of U.S. citizenship for voter registration in federal elections. But for millions of U.S. citizens, it’s not easy to prove their citizenship with a document, NPR reports.
Jay-Z’s Support of the Voucher Bill Draws Pushback online. He is on the Wrong side of this issue.
“The AFT Pennsylvania teachers union said on the social platform X: ‘This ain’t it,’ over a photo of Jay-Z and Jeffrey Yass, a billionaire who is the biggest donor to Republican campaigns in Pennsylvania. Yass’s top issue in the state is school choice. Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, a first-term Democrat, supported a Republican-backed proposal last year to send $100 million to families for private school tuition and school supplies. Shapiro later backed down in the face of House Democratic opposition.” Read more in AP News.
Pa. House takes first step to make fair education funding plan into law
Pennsylvania school districts would save more than $500 million a year under a proposal to set a statewide tuition rate for cyber charter schools that’s part of state House Democrats’ education plan, Penn Capital-Star reports.
PA House Democrats pass historic education funding bill
“This bill reflects a historic moment for public education in Pennsylvania. The state representatives who have crafted it are true leaders in the fight to fix our unconstitutionally broken public school funding system,” Pennsylvania State Education Association President Aaron Chapin said in a statement. Read more in Keystone Newsroom.
Black leaders, state legislators rally in Harrisburg to pass CROWN Act
Pennsylvania House Democrats joined leaders in the Black community last Tuesday to call on the Senate to advance the CROWN Act and ban discrimination on how hair is worn by people, especially women, of color, The Philadelphia Tribune reports.
Gun control measures advance out of Democratic-controlled Pennsylvania House committee
Democrats in majority control of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives advanced several gun control measures Wednesday, including one that would ban sales of automatic and semi-automatic guns, after years of standstill in the politically divided state government, The Keystone Newsroom reports.
Senate Republicans vote against making contraception a federal right
The Senate voted to block a bill to create a federal right to contraception access after many Republicans said they opposed the legislation as unnecessary and government overreach, The Washington Post reports.
Election officials, retired lawmakers plead for more money to protect voting
Election security should not be a partisan issue. The US House is reviewing a bill this week as a bipartisan group of election officials urges them to secure more funding before the 2024 presidential campaign heats up, Roll Call reports.
Biden’s support among young, Black and Hispanic voters ebbs over economy, Gaza war
Black and Latino voters and those 35 and younger were instrumental in electing President Joe Biden four years ago. Increasingly, though, polls show that the support the president once enjoyed among these voting blocs has not only eroded, it continues to diminish over issues a world away, like the war in Gaza and at home with the high cost of living, Penn Live reports.
The Sad History of Pennsylvania's Inability To Pass a Budget
In the past 20 years, Pennsylvania has only passed seven budgets on time. This means state leaders fail to complete their essential task 65% of the time, Trib Live reports.
Voting access is the cornerstone of democracy
Although Pennsylvania is not the most stringent state in regards to restricting voting access, the birthplace of American democracy has lagged behind many states – including North Carolina and Georgia – in ensuring access to the ballot. Read the full release here.
6 state legislatures where partisan balance is on the line in November
Greater attention is turning toward state legislatures as they become the focal point for debates over abortion access, immigration, redistricting and gun control. Democrats and Republicans alike see opportunities to shift the balance of partisan control in one or both chambers among a handful of state legislatures this fall, including Pennsylvania, The Hill reports.
