Kate Giammarise | WESA

Though the new rules won't take effect until January, state human service officials plan to begin notifying people about the upcoming changes later this month because they are expected to be so disruptive.

With funding included in the new Pa. budget, SNAP benefit cards will get security updates aimed at helping vulnerable households avoid the theft of their food benefits.

Pennsylvanians who have been waiting for food assistance benefits delayed by the federal government shutdown should get them soon.

A lawsuit filed by a public-interest group says the state's rules for property reassessment are unconstitutional, because it permits counties to go years or decades without revaluing properties — a practice the lawsuit says creates unequal tax burdens that hurt low-income households.

Gov. Josh Shapiro has said he wants to eliminate the waiting list, and has proposed putting an additional $483 million in federal and state funds to do so into this year’s budget.

State officials say a new initiative will aid Pennsylvanians filing for unemployment compensation.

Counties are waiting to hear if an oversight board will publicly approve their strategies.

Spotlight PA and WESA are requesting opioid settlement spending reports from all 67 counties in Pennsylvania to provide transparency into the process.

Counties must report how they spent tens of millions of dollars they received in the first rounds of opioid settlement payments.

With McKeesport signing on in November, Allegheny County will get a full payout from the opioid settlement fund this year.