News: Advocacy

PJM Interconnection, the grid operator for Pennsylvania and 12 other states, faces a mid-December deadline to finalize rules for managing the growing influence of data centers and other large electricity users on power prices and system reliability. Its 800-member committee recently reviewed competing proposals on how to integrate these large loads and allocate the costs…

Governor Shapiro signed the Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair (CROWN) Act into law. This legislation amends the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act (PHRA) to expand the definition of “race” to include traits historically associated with race, including hair texture and protective hairstyles. This prohibits employers from discriminating against employees or applicants based…

The 2025-26 Pennsylvania budget makes significant investments in addressing the child care accessibility and workforce crisis in the Commonwealth. First, the budget includes $25 million for recruitment and retention bonuses for child care workers. It also increases funding for the Pre-K Counts program by $7.5 million. Together, these steps aim to strengthen child care services…

Pennsylvania’s long-delayed attempt to join the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) has ended with the latest state budget, and policymakers in Harrisburg are quickly shifting to new discussions on Pennsylvanias energy future. Republicans, who opposed RGGI for years, anticipate increased investment in natural gas power, while Democrats are searching for alternative climate measures that may…

At November’s Policy Pulse Speaker Series, attendees heard from Central Pennsylvania Food Bank leaders Shila Ulrich and Zachary Zook. They spoke about how federal budget impasses and rising food insecurity are affecting our region. During the discussion, they outlined key policy issues, shared current data trends, and explained how the Food Bank is supporting families…

On Wednesday, November 12, President Trump signed legislation that funded and reopened the United States government. The Senate secured enough votes on Monday to pass a package of bills that will fund federal operations through January 30, 2026. The bills also fully fund agricultural, military construction, and veterans affairs programs through September 2026. The deal…

On Wednesday, November 12, Governor Josh Shapiro signed the 2025-26 Pennsylvania budget into law after a months-long impasse. The budget totals $50.1 billion in spending, an increase of 4.7% from 2024-25. The budget makes investments in job creation, business attraction, and workforce development without dipping into Pennsylvania’s Rainy Day Fund. Highlights for the business community…

The Senate of Pennsylvania recently approved legislation that would repeal Pennsylvania’s participation in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI). Senate Bill 1068, sponsored by Senator Gene Yaw, was approved by the Senate in a vote of 33-17.  RGGI is a multi-state compact in which participating states require fossil fuel power plants to purchase allowances for…

As the federal government shutdown continues, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced a pause in the distribution of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits as of November 1. This would be the first full stoppage of SNAP since the program began during the Great Depression. Approximately 2 million Pennsylvanians receive SNAP benefits. In Cumberland, Dauphin, Perry,…