Hi John , Welcome to the latest New Pennsylvania Project newsletter! New year, new Legislature in the Commonwealth. Republicans control the state Senate 27-22, the same balance the chamber had last session. Democrats maintained their one-seat state House majority in November. The new legislative session started Tuesday in Harrisburg, kicking off a two-year period that will likely feature debates over minimum wage, transit funding, the size of the budget, marijuana legalization, and more.
Meanwhile, this November, voters in PA will have the power to elect judges or remove judges and justices for the bench in nonpartisan retention election voting. Three PA Supreme Court Justices will be on the ballot for retention voting this Fall. #CourtsMatter #WhenWeVoteWeWin |
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Thursday January 30th
6:30-8:00PM
Online via Zoom
We will be hosting our second virtual town hall alongside Why Courts Matter - Pennsylvania, on the importance of our state and federal courts. |
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City & State Pennsylvania published its ranking of the 100 women who are powering change throughout the Commonwealth.
Featured in the CSPA 2024 Power of Diversity: Women 100 article, by Hilary Danailova, are New Pennsylvania Project's board member and Speaker of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, Joanna McClinton, as well as our founding CEO, Kadida Kenner. |
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Every Pennsylvanian deserves reliable healthcare they can afford, no matter their job, income, or background. Programs like Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, SNAP, and the Affordable Care Act help millions of families stay healthy, feed their children, and retire with dignity. Earlier this week, SEIU, Campaign for a Family Friendly Economy, New Pennsylvania Project, and Planned Parenthood joined outside Rep. Fitzpatrick’s district office to demand no cuts to Medicaid and other critical care programs. |
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Judge blocks release of special counsel report on Trump's criminal cases
"The federal judge who oversaw the classified documents case against President-elect Donald Trump temporarily blocked the release of special counsel Jack Smith’s report on his investigation Tuesday. The injunction lasts until three days after the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rules on a pending request to block the release of the report over a separate matter involving Trump co-defendants Walt Nauta and Carlos De Oliveira."
Biden Vetoes Bill That Would Add 63 New Federal Judges Over Next Decade President Joe Biden vetoed a bipartisan bill that would add 63 new federal judges over the next decade, explaining that the bill “fails to resolve key questions” about the allocation of judges and senior status judges.
Pennsylvania Supreme Court retention could be the next ugly political fight "After a bruising Presidential election and a slew of fights over control of Congress and the state legislature, maybe you thought 2025 would at least be largely free of bitterly partisan election battles. Don’t get your hopes up. Pennsylvania voters will decide next year whether three sitting state Supreme Court justices should remain on the bench for another 10-year term. Those retention votes usually get little attention — but observers say they could become yet another partisan battleground."
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Feds’ suit claims Pennsylvania city’s ‘at-large’ election system is biased against Hispanic voters
“The U.S. Justice Department wants a judge to declare that a Pennsylvania city’s method of electing council members citywide instead of by districts has illegally diluted the political power of its growing Hispanic population, arguing in a lawsuit that Hazleton is violating the federal Voting Rights Act. A complaint filed Tuesday in Scranton federal court claims the “at-large” system “results in Hispanic citizens not having an equal opportunity to participate in the political process and to elect candidates of their choice.””
Immigrants in Philly stress about their futures under Trump
“It’s unclear exactly how many Philadelphians might be directly affected by Trump’s tougher immigration policies. The Migration Policy Institute, a Washington, D.C. think tank, estimated in 2019 that the city was home to 47,000 undocumented immigrants.” Pennsylvania could be on the sidelines as states line up to battle Trump over climate
“As President-elect Donald Trump takes direct aim at federal climate policy, states and their attorneys general are preparing to fight back. In California, the governor has asked legislators for $25 million to fight off any effort by Trump to upend the state’s climate friendly initiatives... But in Pennsylvania, one of the largest energy producers in the country where voters narrowly voted for Trump, it’s unclear just how stiff that resistance will be if the incoming president follows through with his vows to shred President Biden’s environmental agenda and cancel funds for clean energy projects.”
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Last day to register to vote: Monday, May 5, 2025
Primary Election: Tuesday, May 20, 2025 Last day to register to vote for the General Election: Monday, October 20, 2025
Last day to request mail-in ballot: Tuesday, October 28, 2025
General Election: Tuesday, November 4, 2025 |
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