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: Unveils Commonsense Budget To Address The Issues PA Faces

-- Gov. Shapiro’s Budget Proposes Major Initiative To Speed Up DEP Permit Reviews/ Inspections; Double Oil & Gas Fund Investment In State Parks/Forests Infrastructure  [PaEN]

-- AP: PA Senate OKs Shapiro Picks For Attorney General, State Police Commissioner

-- Michelle Henry Confirmed By PA Senate As Attorney General

-- PA Senate/House

-- WITF: New House Speaker Responds To Harassment Allegations Against Fellow Democrat Mike Zabel

-- Spotlight PA - Stephen Caruso: Top House Democrats Knew About Sexual Harassment Allegation Against Rep. Zabel In 2019

-- PennLive - Jan Murphy: 16 Republican Lawmakers Call On Democratic House Member Accused Of Sexual Harassment To Resign

-- AP: Democratic Rep. Zabel Resigns Amid Sexual Harassment Allegations

-- AP: PA House Speaker Sets May 16 Primary Date For House Special Election

-- Post-Gazette/Capitolwire: Senate Judiciary Committee Unanimously Forwards Nomination Of Acting State Attorney General To Full Senate

-- AP: Audit Says Surplus In Senate, House Legislative Expense Accounts Jumped To A Record $261 Million In FY 2022; Spending Reached $392 Million On Themselves 

-- PennLive - Jan Murphy: Legislatures Financial Surplus Sets Record High At $261 Million

-- PennLive Guest Essay: If There’s Any Wasteful Government Spending, It’s In The PA Senate, House - By Mark Singel

-- U.S. Senate/House

-- PennLive: Sen. Fetterman Will ‘Be Back Soon,’ Says His Chief Of Staff

-- PennLive: Chair Of Washington County Republicans Asks For Proof That Sen. Fetterman ‘Is Alive And Well’ 

-- Inquirer: Report: Republican Sen. Mastriano Considering Run For U.S. Senate In 2024

-- PennLive - Charles Thompson: Republican Sen. Mastriano, After Big Defeat To End 2022, Climbs Back Onto Political Stage

-- PennLive: Republican Sen. Mastriano Falls For Fake Poll Showing He’d Lead Bob Casey In U.S. Senate Race

-- WITF: Campaign Lawyer For Republican Sen. Mastriano, Ex-Presidents Admits Her Voter Fraud Claims Were False

-- May Primary Election

-- AP: PA House Speaker Sets May 16 Primary Date For House Special Election

-- Election Reform/2020 Election Fallout

-- WITF/Votebeat: PA Republican Senator’s Record On Election Policy Has Democrats, Voting Advocates Worried Passing Reform Will Be Difficult

-- WITF: Campaign Lawyer For Republican Sen. Mastriano, Ex-Presidents Admits Her Voter Fraud Claims Were False

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

-- WITF/Votebeat: PA Republican Senator’s Record On Election Policy Has Democrats, Voting Advocates Worried Passing Reform Will Be Difficult

-- PennLive - Charles Thompson: Republican Sen. Mastriano, After Big Defeat To End 2022, Climbs Back Onto Political Stage

-- PennLive: Republican Sen. Mastriano Falls For Fake Poll Showing He’d Lead Bob Casey In U.S. Senate Race

-- WITF: Campaign Lawyer For Republican Sen. Mastriano, Ex-Presidents Admits Her Voter Fraud Claims Were False

-- AP: Fmr VP Mike Pence: Ex-President ‘Endangered My Family’ On Jan. 6; History Will Hold Him Accountable

-- State Constitutional Amendments

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

-- Ohio/PA Train Derailment

-- Pennsylvania State Actions Responding To Ohio/PA Train Derailment - Week Of March 6  [PaEN]

-- Norfolk Southern CEO To Appear March 20 Before PA Senate Committee To Answer Questions About Ohio/PA Train Derailment; Committee Subpoenas Documents [PaEN]

-- House Democratic & Republican Policy Committees Hold March 14 Joint Hearing On Impact Of Ohio/PA Train Derailment In Beaver County [PaEN] 

-- Gov. Shapiro Announces Agreement With Norfolk Southern To Pay $7.38 Million In Initial Response Costs, Costs To Businesses, Residents From Train Derailment  [PaEN] 

-- Dept. Of Health Extends Operation Of Health Resource Center In Beaver County For PA Residents Impacted By Ohio/PA Train Derailment  [PaEN] 

-- DEP Reports No Signs Of Groundwater Contamination With First Results From Water Sampling Near Ohio/PA Train Derailment Site  [PaEN]

-- Sen. Bob Casey Testifies Before U.S. Senate Committee On Ohio/PA Train Derailment [PaEN]

-- Moms Clean Air Force: Impacted Parents From Ohio, PA Will Raise Concerns About Chemical Pollution From The Train Derailment, Petrochemical Industry In The Ohio Valley During U.S. Senate Hearing Today  [PaEN] 

-- Ohio/PA Train Derailment, Pipeline Explosions, Uncontrolled Releases Put Spotlight On Public Health, Safety Threats Posed By Petrochemical, Natural Gas Industrial And Pipeline Infrastructure In PA  [PaEN] 

-- PA Politics Of Russian Invasion

-- Sen. Yaw Proposes Independent Energy Office To Promote Development Of PA’s Diverse Energy Portfolio - Natural Gas, Nuclear Power, Coal [PaEN] 

-- Post-Gazette - Anya Litvak: Greene County House That Exploded In 2018 From Natural Gas Leak Stands As A Monument To Leaking Gas Pipelines, Leaking Gas Wells, Leaking Gas Storage Areas 

-- StateImpactPA - Rachel McDevitt: PA Annual Natural Gas Production Falls For First Time In 10 Years

-- Pittsburgh Business Times: Business, Natural Gas, Oil Groups Urge Shapiro, General Assembly To Promote State’s Energy Industry

-- Pittsburgh Business Times: What A Top Analyst Sees For Shale Gas Industry In Near-Term: Surplus Of Natural Gas Will Continue, Prices Remain Lower Sending A Chill Thru The Industry   

-- The Center Square - Anthony Hennen: Well Done Foundation Says Taxpayers Shouldn’t Be Stuck With Paying To Plug Oil & Gas Wells, Private Finance Or Corporate Funding Needed

-- Bradford Era Guest Essay: Natural Gas Keeps PA Open For Business - Marcellus Shale Coalition

-- LancasterOnline Guest Essay: Help Europe Replace Russian Natural Gas With U.S. [PA] Natural Gas - PA Chamber Of Business & Industry 

-- Erie Times Guest Essay: Support Reliable, Affordable PA Natural Gas, Coal, Petroleum And Grow Renewable Energy - Sen. Dan Laughlin (R-Erie)

-- Post-Gazette: Smoke Stacks From Closed Hatfield’s Ferry Coal-Fired Power Plant Demolished, Closing Chapter In PA Industrial History In Greene County: ‘I’m Ecstatic. It Was The Dirtiest, Dirtiest Place Ever.  It Put A Blight On Our Community’ 

-- TribLive: Fmr Cheswick Coal-fired Power Plant Property Could Be Rezoned Residential In Allegheny County

-- WESA: CMU Researchers Find High Levels Of A Hazardous Chemical Acrolein Weeks After Ohio/PA Train Derailment [Acrolein Also Used In Shale Gas Fracking Fluid ,To Treat Shale Gas Drilling Impoundments] 

-- Inquirer: Solar Panels Can Cost $20,000 But Some Philly-Area Homeowners Say They’re Worth The Investment As Energy Prices Go Up [Driven By Natural Gas Price Spikes]  

-- LancasterOnline: New Energy Co-Op Helps Make Switch To Solar Power Easier, More Affordable In Lancaster

-- U.S. EIA: 'Increasing Electricity Generation From Renewable Sources Contributes To Lower Power Prices' In 2023  [PaEN]

-- TribLive: Gasoline Prices Trending Upward As Annual Change To Summer Blends Is Underway

-- AAA Gasoline Prices: PA Average- $3.61, National Average- $3.40

-- Delaware Currents: Future Of Rail Shipment Of PA LNG-Natural Gas To Gibbstown LNG  Export Project Remains Far From Certain In Philadelphia Area 

-- Reuters: Chesapeake Energy Strikes 15-Year U.S. LNG Natural Gas Supply Deal With Swiss Commodity Trader Gunvor

-- Bloomberg: Oil Investors Get $128 Billion Payout As Doubts Grow About Fossil Fuels; Long-Term Projects Like Refineries, Natural Gas Power Plants Could Become Stranded Assets 

-- PA/Harrisburg Politics Potpourri

-- AP: Audit Says Surplus In Senate, House Legislative Expense Accounts Jumped To A Record $261 Million In FY 2022; Spending Reached $392 Million On Themselves 

-- PennLive - Jan Murphy: Legislatures Financial Surplus Sets Record High At $261 Million

-- PennLive Guest Essay: If There’s Any Wasteful Government Spending, It’s In The PA Senate, House - By Mark Singel

-- AP: Rep. Kenyatta (D) Enters 2024 Race For PA Auditor General

-- TribLive: Allegheny County Democratic Endorsements Show Leftward Shift On Committee

-- MCall: Former Rep. Don Snyder Passes

-- Federal Budget

-- AP: Biden Will Buck Tradition And Unveil Budget In PA Thursday

-- EPA Statement On President’s Proposed FY 2024 Federal Budget

-- DOE Statement On President’s Proposed FY 2024 Federal Budget

-- Appalachian Voices Urge Congress To Pass Proposed FY 2024 Investments In Appalachian Coalfields

-- Bay Journal Forum: Farms Need Federal Support Now, For Their Own Sake And For The Chesapeake Bay - Chesapeake Bay Foundation

-- Utility Dive: Proposed Federal Budget Boosts Funding For Clean Energy, Permitting, Energy Efficiency Programs

-- Budget 2023

-- Gov. Shapiro: Unveils Commonsense Budget To Address The Issues PA Faces

-- PennLive: Shapiro’s Budget Pitch Cuts A Few Taxes, Calls For Minimum Wage Hike

-- Spotlight PA: Shapiro’s $44.4 Billion Budget Keeps PA Spending Relatively Flat, Preserves Some Pandemic Benefits

-- AP: Shapiro’s 1st PA Budget Stresses Schools, Reserves

-- The Center Square: Price Tag For Shapiro’s $44.4 Billion Spending Plan Scrutinized

-- PennLive - Charles Thompson/Jan Murphy: What’s In Gov. Shapiro’s 2023 PA Budget Plan For You?

-- PennLive - Jan Murphy: Shapiro Shoots For The Possible In First Budget As Republicans See Common Ground

-- House Republicans Call Shapiro’s Proposed Budget A Starting Point

-- Senate Republican Leaders Reaffirm Commitment To Passing A Responsible Budget

-- AP: PA School Allies Criticize Shapiro’s Education Budget Plan

-- Post-Gazette Editorial: Tax Incentives Won’t Solve Crises In Teaching, Nursing And Policing

-- Erie Times: Shapiro Didn’t Mention These Topics In His Budget Address, Why That Matters

-- MCall - Paul Muschick: 6 Proposals In Shapiro’s Budget You May Not Have Heard About, But Should

-- PennLive - John Baer: Gov. Shapiro’s Long Budget Speech Sure Isn’t What We’re Used To

-- TribLive Editorial: Shapiro’s Budget Address Encourages Cooperation, Is It Likely?

-- PennLive - Jan Murphy: More State Government Workers Making $200,000+ Pay

-- AP: Audit Says Surplus In Senate, House Legislative Expense Accounts Jumped To A Record $261 Million In FY 2022; Spending Reached $392 Million On Themselves 

-- PennLive - Jan Murphy: Legislatures Financial Surplus Sets Record High At $261 Million

-- PennLive Guest Essay: If There’s Any Wasteful Government Spending, It’s In The PA Senate, House - By Mark Singel

-- COVID Pandemic/Health

-- Centre County Times: Cameron, Crawford Counties Have High Risk Of COVID Spread; PA Had 117 Deaths; Nearly 7,000 New Cases Last Week

-- WITF: Lehigh Valley Hospital Wants To Deport Woman In Coma Back To Dominican Republic, Against Her Family’s Wishes

-- MCall: Lehigh Valley Hospital Will Not Deport Comatose Mother

-- Law Enforcement

-- Post-Gazette/Capitolwire: Senate Judiciary Committee Unanimously Forwards Nomination Of Acting State Attorney General To Full Senate

-- PennLive: Faith Group Asks Legislators To Take Up Gun Reform Measures

-- School Districts/Higher Education

-- TribLive: Fmr PA Elections Secretary Kathy Boockvar To Join Pitt As Visiting Scholar

-- PA Economy

-- Dept. Of Labor & Industry: PA January Unemployment Rate 4.3%, Up 0.4% From December

-- PA Capital-Star: PA January Unemployment Rate 4.3%, Up 0.4% From December

[Posted: March 12, 2023]