Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania’s website redesign looks to open ‘no wrong door’
Gov. Josh Shapiro mandated better online services in 2023, and since then a massive effort has been underway to revamp the commonwealth’s website around life events, not agency functions.
Pennsylvania turns to AI to help reduce time-to-hire
The state aims to bring the time it takes to hire a new employee down to within 50 days.
PA House passes bill creating criminal offense for tracking device-based stalking
The legislation heads to the Senate after passing with a 201-2 vote.
Pennsylvania is an efficiency north star, expert says
A permitting reform effort in Pennsylvania could serve as a model for other states looking to streamline operations and improve service delivery, according to a fellow at the Institute for Responsive Government.
Doug Mastriano calls on Congress to support DOGE as he backs state-level DOGE bill
The former candidate for Pennsylvania governor has sponsored legislation seeking to create a state-level Department of Government Efficiency.
Rural Pennsylvania increases resident satisfaction with public transit modernization
One Pennsylvania transit agency hopes to be a guiding light for rural communities looking to embark on modernization journeys.
Treasurer Stacy Garrity bans DeepSeek AI platform from Pennsylvania Treasury devices
The state treasurer said the move is necessary to safeguard the data and sensitive information of Pennsylvanians.
Biden administration doles out $4.2 billion for big-ticket infrastructure projects
A new Boston rail bridge, a California high-speed rail station, electric dock equipment in Miami and a safer highway interchange in Iowa are among the 44 projects selected for funding.
Why thousands of Philly families are switching to cyber charter school
A growing number of Black, brown, and low-income Philadelphians turning to cyber charters because they see them as a safe and flexible educational option for their families.
Election workers may need to become whistleblowers this fall
Legal groups stand ready to help election workers navigate the legal realities of “see something, say something.”
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Little-noticed statehouse races could reshape election policies next year
In several swing states, control of legislative chambers—and agendas—is on the ballot in November.
Suicide rates for young Americans are increasing. Here’s what states are doing about it.
A $68 million federal grant program announced last week during Suicide Prevention Month will help support state programs aimed at solving the youth mental health crisis.
Philly residents with opioid addiction get medication from the ‘bupe bus’—creating a path for treatment
COMMENTARY | As an addiction medicine physician and researcher, I think a lot about how to get effective treatment to the patients who need it most.
‘License plate flippers’ help drivers evade police, tickets and tolls
A few states and cities are cracking down on the devices, which obscure or conceal license plates.
Move over, presidential race. These state governments also are up for grabs.
Thousands of state lawmakers are on the ballot, and control of some statehouses hangs in the balance.
States recognize 'something's got to give' in providing services to older adults
Helping older adults participate in society and stay engaged with the community as they age is a growing priority for state governments.
New bans on panhandling in medians spark debate over free speech rights
The efforts to pass pans have grown amid a nationwide homelessness crisis, with more people visibly soliciting money in the streets, and higher pedestrian deaths compared with before the pandemic.
Extreme heat is making schools hotter—and learning harder
Rising temperatures mean dehydrated, exhausted kids, and teachers who have to focus on heat safety instead of instruction.
Clean needles save lives. In some states, they might not be legal.
In Pennsylvania, where 5,158 people died from a drug overdose in 2022, the state’s drug paraphernalia law stands in the way of harm reduction programs that distribute sterile syringes.
Shapiro pitches carbon cap-and-invest plan to capitalize on Pennsylvania’s energy exports
The program could make could make the state a national clean energy leader, but critics claim it’s the same tax on electricity as the state’s Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative.
