Pennsylvania Perspective for Thursday, May 26, 2022

May 26, 2022

Pennsylvania

Wolf Sets Veto Record During Eight-Year Tenure

Governor Tom Wolf surpassed former Governor Robert P. Casey for most veto uses in two terms, with nearly a third of those vetoes coming during 2020 on issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic. During the first years of the Wolf Administration, most vetoes were related to education and labor bills. City & State PA has more .

Medical Marijuana Card Companies Act As Middlemen for Doctors Banned from Advertising

The recent flood of companies promising to connect Pennsylvanians with doctors who could grant them a medical marijuana use card comes from a unique provision in the state ’s cannabis laws — while doctors alone have the power to grant these card, they are barred from advertising these privileges. Advocates worry that these companies and the doctors they work with are rushing through the application process, improperly screening patients or leaving questions unanswered. Read more from Spotlight PA.

New State Environmental Protection Policies Unveiled and Scrutinized

The Department of Environmental Protection is revamping its operating policies by requiring environmental justice to be considered when adopting programs or policies. For some, elements of this may mean additional hearings focused on environmental justice before approval. However, the draft policy is being criticized by some who say that it amounts to lip service while others say it oversteps the DEP ’s mandate. The Post-Gazette has more .

Floor Vote on Assault Weapon Ban Fails in State House

State Democrats took the unusual step of forcing a floor vote on an assault weapon ban introduced by former Rep. Ed Gainey. The vote failed nearly along party lines (with one Democrat voting against and one Republican voting in favor). Read more from the Post-Gazette.

 

Philadelphia

Philadelphia Restarts Stalled Program to Power 22% of City Buildings by Solar, Including City Hall and the Airport

Yesterday, City officials announced that they signed an update agreement to buy solar-generated power. The Philadelphia Inquirer has more.

Workers at Four Philadelphia Starbucks Vote to Unionize

Votes to unionize were successful in four Philadelphia Starbucks, two in West Philadelphia and two in Center City. One store by the Barnes Foundation voted against unionization. The moves come as a number of Starbucks nationwide take unionization votes. Read more from the Inquirer.

Two Major Area Scholarship Organizations to Merge

Philadelphia Futures and Steppingstone Scholars will merge to create a new organization that helps 3,000 Philadelphia students by issuing $10 million annually in scholarships. The Inquirer has more .

 

Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh Climate Regulations Shift to Focus on Lowering Overall Emissions

The Pittsburgh 2030 District is shifting its push for a greener city by shifting focus on overall lower carbon emissions, spurred by scientists calls for the world to become carbon neutral by 2040 to avoid the worst of climate change. WESA has more .

 

Federal

Toomey Joins Bipartisan Group Working on Gun Legislation

Sen. Pat Toomey (R-PA) joined a group of nine other bipartisan Senators to work on a “modest ” piece of gun reform legislation, with Toomey working specifically on expanding background checks. ABC27 has more .

Official Recount Ordered in Senate Race with Oz Maintaining Slight Edge

Mehmet Oz maintains a 902-vote lead over David McCormick after Pennsylvania election officials ordered a recount in the tight Senate race. Thousands of GOP mail-in ballots still remain uncounted. Read more from PennLive.

About Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies

Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies, an affiliate of the international law firm Cozen O’Connor, is a bipartisan government relations practice representing clients before the federal government and in cities and states throughout the country. With offices in Washington D.C., Richmond, Albany, New York City, Philadelphia, Harrisburg, Chicago, and Santa Monica, the firm’s public strategies professionals offer a full complement of government affairs services, including legislative and executive branch advocacy, policy analysis, assistance with government procurement and funding programs, and crisis management. Its client base spans multiple industries, including healthcare, transportation, hospitality, education, construction, energy, real estate, entertainment, financial services, and insurance.

About Cozen O’Connor

Established in 1970, Cozen O’Connor has over 775 attorneys who help clients manage risk and make better business decisions. The firm counsels clients on their most sophisticated legal matters in all areas of the law, including litigation, corporate, and regulatory law. Representing a broad array of leading global corporations and middle-market companies, Cozen O’Connor serves its clients’ needs through 31 offices across two continents.

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