Lawmakers will likely get half as much time to draw the state’s new legislative and congressional maps, worrying advocates who have long fought for a more open process.
Lawmakers will likely get half as much time to draw the state’s new legislative and congressional maps, worrying advocates who have long fought for a more open process.
Pa. voters will have a say on curbing governor’s emergency declaration powers
Updated Feb 06, 2021;
Posted Feb 06, 2021
The state House of Representatives cast the final vote needed to get three proposed constitutional amendments on the May 18 primary ballot, two of them seek to curb the governor s powers in emergency disasters that arose out of Gov. Tom Wolf s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.
(AP/Julio Cortez/file)AP File Photo/Julio Cortez
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Now it is up to voters to decide whether Pennsylvania’s General Assembly should have a say in how long a governor’s emergency disaster declarations should last.
Could Pa. voters see a ballot question to aid abuse victims this spring? ‘It’s absolutely doable,’ lawmaker says
Updated Feb 04, 2021;
Posted Feb 04, 2021
Rep. Jim Gregory, R-Blair, (left) and Rep. Mark Rozzi, D-Berks, have not giving up hope that the Legislature will enact an emergency constitutional amendment on statute of limitations that can get on the May 18 ballot.
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For Republican state Rep. Jim Gregory, the week started with a note of devastation.
Gregory has been shepherding a constitutional amendment that was poised to give victims of child sex abuse a chance at justice and had hoped voters could approve it in May. But on Monday, he learned that the ballot measure would be delayed due to a major mistake by officials at the Pennsylvania Department of State.
The sons of the state Senateâs two top leaders are both registered lobbyists for the same firm that lobbies on behalf of some of the stateâs largest corporations, records show.
Mike Ward, the son of Majority Leader Kim Ward, and Anthony Costa, the son of Minority Leader Jay Costa, are both Pittsburgh-based lobbyists for lobbying firm Cameron Companies.Â
Cameron Companies was established in 2007 and has employed the sons since at least 2019. Anthony Costa filed as a lobbyist in January 2021, but began lobbying in January 2020, according to his filing.
Cameron Companiesâ dozens of clients include health care companies like Independence Blue Cross, massive corporations like 3M Companies, business associations like the Pennsylvania Health Care Association, the snack delivery company goPuff and Philadelphiaâs National Constitution Center. In 2020, the lobbying firm spent $274,948 wining and dining Pennsylvaniaâs lawmakers on behalf of its clients, according