Spotlight PA

The race is on in Pennsylvania for U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey's open seat, with a large field of interested candidates and lots of money in the mix.

Pennsylvania’s 2022 U.S. Senate race: What we know so far

Spotlight PA is an independent, non-partisan newsroom powered by The Philadelphia Inquirer in partnership with PennLive/The Patriot-News,…

Reform groups including Fair Districts PA wanted an independent commission void of elected officials who could unfairly influence the process of drawing the state's political maps.

Politics and Government

Redistricting Reform In Pa. Is Dead For Now, Advocates Say. So What's Next?

This article is part of a yearlong reporting project focused on redistricting and gerrymandering in Pennsylvania. It is made possible by the support of…

Philadelphia's citywide plastic bag ban will go into effect next month, but it will not be fully enforced and implemented until April 2022.

Agriculture and Environment

Philadelphia And Pittsburgh Move Ahead With Plastic Bag Bans As Pennsylvania’s Preemption Nears End

HARRISBURG — Cities and townships hoping to ban plastic bags within their borders may finally have the legal authority to do so in Pennsylvania.When the…

Democrats call any new ID restrictions 'voter suppression,' while Republicans say it makes elections more secure. The reality is more complicated.

Politics and Government

As Pa. House Advances Doomed Election Overhaul, Senate GOP Charts Different Course To Voter ID

This article is made possible through Votebeat, a nonpartisan reporting project covering local election integrity and voting access. This article is…

The move diminished anti-gerrymandering advocates' hopes of preventing Pennsylvania's most powerful lawmakers from drawing maps that unfairly benefit one political party.

Politics and Government

Panel Agrees To Put Guardrails On How Pa. Lawmakers Draw Congressional Maps, But Not Their Own

This article is part of a yearlong reporting project focused on redistricting and gerrymandering in Pennsylvania. It is made possible by the support of…

Gov. Tom Wolf has made clear he opposes the voter ID requirements and would almost certainly veto the bill in its current form.

Politics and Government

Pa. Republicans' Major Election Overhaul Advanced In The State House As Dems. Called It A 'Farce'

This article is made possible through Votebeat, a nonpartisan reporting project covering local election integrity and voting access. This article is…

Unemployed workers and advocates from Pittsburgh and Philadelphia protest more than 300,000 unemployment claims still waiting for review by the state Department of Labor and Industry. The department is launching a massive overhaul of its computer system.

Politics and Government

Anxiety Runs High As Pa. Begins Massive Overhaul Of 60-year-old Unemployment Computer System

Spotlight PA is an independent, nonpartisan newsroom powered by The Philadelphia Inquirer in partnership with PennLive/The Patriot-News,…

One provider who reported a high number of spoiled doses cited a late shipment from the state and a lack of demand.

Politics and Government

After Citing Privacy Law, Pa. Backtracks And Discloses Wasted Vaccine Details

Spotlight PA is an independent, nonpartisan newsroom powered by The Philadelphia Inquirer in partnership with PennLive/The Patriot-News,…

The Wolf administration has forcefully pushed back on the claim that it can only mandate business closures when a disaster declaration is in place, arguing that power resides with the state's health secretary.

Politics and Government

Pa. Voters Back Curtailing Gov. Tom Wolf's Emergency Powers In A Win For Republicans

Spotlight PA is an independent, nonpartisan newsroom powered by The Philadelphia Inquirer in partnership with PennLive/The Patriot-News,…

Federal authorities are demanding records concerning a series of Harrisburg buildings and lots bought by PSERS, including the former Patriot-News building at 812 Market St., shown here after demolition.

Education

FBI Probe Of Massive Pa. Pension Fund Seeks Evidence Of Kickbacks Or Bribery

Spotlight PA is an independent, non-partisan newsroom powered by The Philadelphia Inquirer in partnership with PennLive/The Patriot-News,…