Top 10 Stories: Harrisburg/PA Politics Reported By Local News Media Last Week

Because In Politics Everything Is Connected To Everything Else--

-- Gov. Shapiro

-- Gov. Shapiro Issues Order Directing Agencies To Set Deadlines For Permit Reviews, Requires Money-Back Guarantee If Deadlines Not Met  [PaEN]

-- PennLive - Jan Murphy: Shapiro Offers A Money-Back Guarantee On PA’s Licensing And Permitting Process

-- PA Capital-Star: Shapiro Launches Review To Mitigate Red Tape In PA Professional Licensure Process

-- AP: Shapiro Order Aims To Reduce Wait Times For Professional Licensing

-- The Center Square: Shapiro Executive Order Refunds Licensing, Permitting Fees For Slow State Processing

-- Pittsburgh Business Times: Business Groups Optimistic About Shapiro’s Efforts To Cut Red Tape

-- Inquirer: How Josh Shapiro Is Starting His Administration With A Pro-Business Focus, And A ‘Money-Back’ Guarantee

-- PennLive - Jan Murphy: Gov. Shapiro Orders 2,300 State Employees To End Hybrid Remote/In-Office Working And Return To The Office

-- TribLive/PennLive: Shapiro Administration Orders 2,300 State Employees To Return To The Office

-- TribLive Editorial: Let’s Not Forget What Working At Home Taught Us

-- Courier Times: Why Josh Shapiro’s DEP Nominee May Be Grilled By PA Senate

-- Gov. Shapiro Nominates DGS Secretary, Appoints Inspector General

-- PA Senate/House Transition

-- AP: Unexpected PA House Speaker Hopes To Retain The Job

-- Politics PA: PA House Speakers Expects To Keep His Job After Special Elections

-- WESA: Public Has Message For House Speaker’s Listening Group: ‘Let Us Be Heard’

-- The Center Square: Policy Hearings Fill PA House’s Legislative Void

-- Politics PA: The Rise Of Women In PA Politics

-- PennLive - Jan Murphy: PA House Republican Leader Irate After Staffer Locked Out Of His Office, Speaker Says Office Space Was Occupied Without His Permission

-- Inquirer: PA House Speaker Changes Locks On Room With Sensitive House Republican Materials

-- LancasterOnline Editorial: Pennsylvanians Deserve Better From State House

-- PennLive: PA Republican Groups Holding Events With Right-Wing Fringe Group Organizer Over Next Week

-- Special Elections

-- TribLive: 3 Special Elections In Allegheny County Will Determine State House Majority

-- PennLive: Republican Rep. Lynda Schlegel Culver Wins State Senate Special Election

-- PennLive: Legislature’s Special Election Season Kicks Off Tuesday With State Senate Seat

-- PA Capital-Star: PA Democrats Shake The Money Tree Ahead Of Feb. 7 Special House Elections

-- May Primary Election

-- AP: Democrats Endorse McCaffery For Open Seat On PA Supreme Court

-- AP: PA Republicans Endorse Carolyn Carluccio For PA Supreme Court

-- November 2022 Election

-- Reading Eagle: Commonwealth Court Dismisses Berks Republicans’ Election Recount Petitions

-- Reading Eagle: Clash Among Berks County Republicans Still Unresolved

-- Election Reform/2020 Election Fallout

-- MCall: Sen. Boscola Proposes Funding For Election Drop Boxers, Letting Family Members Drop Off Ballots

-- TribLive Guest Essay: PA Republicans Must Solve The Suburban Puzzle - By Chester County Republican Running For Congress

-- Post-Gazette - Salena Zito: Dispelling The Myth Of ‘Rural Rage’ In Pennsylvania

-- Post-Gazette Guest Essay: Opening Primary Elections To Unaligned Voters Is Essential To Healing PA Politics - By David Thornburgh

-- Scranton Times Editorial: Fight Fraud With False Claims Law

-- PA’s Role In Assault On U.S. Capitol

-- MCall: Monroe County Man Charged With Crimes Related To Assault On U.S. Capitol

-- Post-Gazette/WPost: Court Blocks DOJ Review Of PA Republican Cong. Scott Perry’s Phone In Probe Of Assault On U.S. Capitol

-- York Dispatch: PA Republican Cong. Scott Perry Is In A Position To Investigate Himself

-- PennLive: PA Republican Groups Holding Events With Right-Wing Fringe Group Organizer Over Next Week

-- State Constitutional Amendments

-- Spotlight PA: Complete Guide To More Than 70 Proposed Amendments To State Constitution

-- PA Politics Of Russian Invasion

-- PJM Interconnection Electric Grid Operator Issues Cold Weather Alert, Conservative Operations For Feb. 3–4  [PaEN]

-- National Fuel Gas Reduces Cost For Natural Gas It Supplies To Customers [Due To Easing Of Price Spike Caused By Russia’s War Against Ukraine, LNG Exports]

-- Marcellus Drilling News: 5 Reasons Why The Price Of Natural Gas May Be Ready To Bounce Higher  

-- Inquirer: Hefty Heating Bills Leave Some Philadelphians Aghast [Global Energy Markets For Natural Gas Driving Up Costs]

-- TribLive: Sticker Shock: High Natural Gas, Electric Bills From December Have More Seeking Help With Heating Bills 

-- PUC Launches Comprehensive Investigation Into Billing Issues Impacting PPL Electric Customers

-- StateImpactPA - Rachel McDevitt: PUC Investigating Incorrect PPL Electric Bills

-- MCall - Paul Muschick: Burned By PPL Billing Problem?  Let State Regulators Know About It

-- Reuters: U.S. Natural Gas Prices Slip 2% To 25-Month Low On Milder Feb Weather Forecast

-- Reuters: Fire-Idled Texas LNG Natural Gas Plant Seeks U.S. Approval To Start One Unit

-- PA/Harrisburg Politics Potpourri

-- Inquirer: PA Republicans Sticking With Current Leadership Despite Suffering Big 2022 Losses

-- Post-Gazette - Salena Zito: Dispelling The Myth Of ‘Rural Rage’ In Pennsylvania

-- TribLive Editorial: Does Pennsylvania Have A Real-Life ‘Groundhog Day’ Problem?

-- Citizens Voice Editorial: Lawmakers Need Grip, Not Grope, Lawmakers Have History Of Failing To Take Claims Of Sexual Harassment Seriously

-- PennLive: Fmr Lycoming County Republican House Member Garth Everett Dies 

-- PA Capital-Star: Republican Sen. Regan Forcibly Removed, Stepped Over Protester Blocking Access To Fundraiser

-- Inquirer: Summer Lee’s Journey To Becoming PA’s First Black Congresswoman

-- Budget 2023

-- Senate Appropriations Committee Sets Agency Budget Hearing Schedule  [PaEN]

-- The Center Square - Anthony Hennen: PA State Revenue Estimate Revised Upward $1.5 Billion For FY 2022-23

-- Courier Times: New Financial Report Could Complicate PA’s Budget And Tax Scenario, Here’s How

-- The Center Square - Anthony Hennen: PA State Treasurer Warns - Fiscal Cliff Ahead [FY 2025-26]

-- Dept. Of Revenue Reports January State Tax Collections Were 5.5%, $205.6 Million Less Than Anticipated, Fiscal Year-To-Date Up $297.5 Million

-- Independent Fiscal Office: January State Revenue 0.9%, $32.8 Million Above IFO Estimates, Up $1.19 Billion For Fiscal Year

-- COVID Pandemic/Health

-- Scranton Times: PA Reports 10,268 New COVID Cases, 158 More Deaths

-- Centre Daily Times: COVID Cases Down, Deaths Still Rise, No PA Counties At High Community Transmission

-- School Districts/Higher Education

-- PennLive - John Baer: Auditor General’s Look At School Surpluses - Groundhog Day All Over Again

-- PA Economy

-- Pittsburgh Business Times: Business Groups Optimistic About Shapiro’s Efforts To Cut Red Tape

-- WESA: With Gig Work On The Rise, PA Democrats Look To Crack Down On ‘Worker Misclassification’

-- TribLive/AP: Father Of Marshmallow Peeps Bob Born Dies At 98

[Posted: February 5, 2023]