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Pa. advocates push to counter the ‘criminalization of homelessness’ following SCOTUS ruling
Lawmakers and housing advocates in Pennsylvania are calling on the commonwealth to take a more compassionate response to homelessness on the heels of a monumental ruling that allows local government to ban outdoor sleeping even if there are no shelter beds available....
Lancaster Rep. Smith-Wade-El asks legislators to bring awareness to youth homelessness
HARRISBURG – The School District of Lancaster has identified 800 students who are experiencing homelessness so far this school year. Last November, the district said 692 students were homeless, a number that climbed to 970 by the end of the 2024-25 school year....
‘Not a criminal justice issue’ say those against bans on public sleeping
(The Center Square) - Just as homelessness rates across the country reached record highs, the impact of a June 2024 U.S. Supreme Court ruling cleared the way for a town in Oregon to criminalize sleeping in public. Introducing bills in both chambers, progressive...
Pennsylvania lawmakers to introduce bill that aims to prevent criminalization of homelessness
Pennsylvania lawmakers are set to introduce the Shelter First Act, which aims to prevent the criminalization of homelessness by requiring municipalities to provide indoor spaces for those experiencing homelessness before enforcing laws against living outside.
Senator Saval Joins Legislators, Advocates in Announcing the Shelter First Act
Senator Saval Announces Shelter First Act to Protect People Experiencing Homelessness from Criminalization
Pennsylvania lawmakers to introduce bill that aims to prevent criminalization of homelessness
Pennsylvania lawmakers are set to introduce the Shelter First Act, which aims to prevent the criminalization of homelessness by requiring municipalities to provide indoor spaces for those experiencing homelessness before enforcing laws against living outside.
Lawmakers introduce legislation that moves to protect those unhoused in PA
HARRISBURG, Pa. — Pennsylvania lawmakers on Tuesday introduced companion bills designed to prevent municipalities from criminalizing homelessness unless adequate shelter is available. The Shelter First Act comes months after the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2024 Grants Pass...
Solar on the Skyline: Inside the Philly Warehouse Pushing a Bold New Energy Future
PHILADELPHIA, PA — Pennsylvania lawmakers and clean-energy advocates gathered this past week atop a Northeast Philadelphia warehouse to spotlight a rapidly emerging opportunity in the state’s renewable-energy landscape: large-scale rooftop solar on industrial...
Pa. budget deal packs a slew of policy changes and turns on money flow to counties, schools
HARRISBURG — In a Wednesday whirlwind of massive bills, rapid votes and an all-smiles signing ceremony, the state’s elected leaders adopted a $50.1 billion budget for a fiscal year that was already 135 days old. The flurry of public actions on major issues and big...
Democrats react to Pennsylvania budget deal
The Center Square) - Democrats celebrated alongside Gov. Josh Shapiro at the Capitol today as he signed the state's long overdue budget into law. Shapiro touted the bill as a bipartisan effort, though he acknowledged the struggle to bring Democratic leadership in the...
Democrats may sacrifice climate program to break Pennsylvania’s budget impasse
HARRISBURG — Gov. Josh Shapiro and Democratic leaders are considering a budget deal that would pull Pennsylvania out of an interstate program that charges power plant operators for releasing carbon into the atmosphere, according to a source with knowledge of...
Senate Democratic Caucus Policy Committee Holds Hearing Regarding Supporting Home Care Workers & Consumers
PHILADELPHIA, PA − November 10, 2025 −Today, Senate Democratic Policy Committee held a hearing to examine direct care employee wages, and the trends observed in the Commonwealth over the last decade. “Earlier this year, I walked a day in the life of a home care worker...
Environmental groups rally in fear Harrisburg budget deal will sink major greenhouse gas initiative
Environmental groups and elected officials aligned with their climate goals say a deal is in the works in Harrisburg that would scrap the state’s entrance into a major greenhouse gas initiative in return for a budget deal. “If you’re in Harrisburg, this is the only...
Penn graduate student union announces strike authorization vote for Nov. 18
PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Graduate students at the University of Pennsylvania are preparing to strike. The GETUP-UAW student union representing graduate student teaching and research assistants announced it will take a strike authorization vote, after it said...
GET-UP announces strike authorization vote at press conference with elected officials
Graduate Employees Together — University of Pennsylvania hosted a press conference on Monday with local elected officials to formally announce its strike authorization vote. The Nov. 3 event was the latest effort by GET-UP to rally graduate workers across the...
Senator Saval Joins Coalition of Advocates, Community Organizations, and Labor Partners to Announce Legislation to Tax Billionaires and Wealthy Corporations to Pay Their Fair Share
Senator Saval Calls for Billionaires and Wealthy Corporations to Pay What They Owe to Pennsylvanians
Coalition calls for taxes on billionaires to solve state deficit
(The Center Square) - A coalition of lawmakers from both chambers of the Pennsylvania General Assembly joined activists at the Capitol Wednesday to demand billionaires pay more taxes. With the slogan, “Tax billionaires, fund PA,” the group spoke in support of a...
Around Town – Bill would require Narcan at high schools
State Sens. Christine Tartaglione and Nikil Saval announced the introduction of Senate Bill 1054, legislation that would require all high schools in Pennsylvania to maintain opioid antagonists, such as naloxone or Narcan, onsite and to follow procedures developed by...