Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies (CPS) announced that Jessica I. Monahan — a transportation policy expert who has secured federal funding for a range of nonprofits, local governments, Fortune 100 companies, emerging businesses, and government contractors — has joined its Washington D.C.-based lobbying team as a senior principal.
On Friday, Philadelphia City Councilmember Jeffery Young and Mayor Cherelle Parker joined state, local, and federal officials to announce $20 million in federal funding allocated toward increasing the number of devices and broadband accessibility within workforce training centers, municipalities, and local entities. The federal grant program is part of $279 million in broadband funding distributed through the Capital Projects Fund. City & State Pennsylvania has more.
GOP State Senators Doug Mastriano and Chris Gebhard introduced a bill aiming to deter illegal immigration by imposing a 10% fee on money that undocumented immigrants send back to their home country. The Washington Post also interviewed Governor Josh Shapiro about the potency of the immigration issue in Pennsylvania. PennLive has more.
A class action lawsuit filed in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania challenges solitary confinement practices in prisons across the state, saying they violate prisoners’ Eighth Amendment rights as cruel and unusual punishment. The suit, filed on behalf of six inmates, seeks to end prolonged and indefinite solitary confinement for anyone with a mental health diagnosis. PennLive has more.
With a Biden-Trump rematch likely in November, election experts, lawyers, and others expect new challenges to target everything from the legality of drop boxes to what constitutes a valid mail ballot. Experts say this potentially crowded litigation landscape could have been prevented if the state legislature had clarified portions of Pennsylvania’s 2019 law ushering in voting by mail. PennLive has more.
In Pennsylvania, all voting machines produce paper ballots that can be audited, allowing election officials to verify the accuracy of the outcome. These systems are tested twice before going into service. Despite these security measures, politicians have seized on human error to cast doubt on election results. WESA has more.
The Philadelphia Water Department’s 25-year Water Revitalization Plan, estimated to cost around $2.5 billion, aims to update and strengthen aging drinking water infrastructure, from stations that pump water out of rivers to pipes that carry water across the city. The Department is launching a series of listening sessions to receive public input. WHYY has more.
City Councilmember Rue Landau introduced a resolution calling for a comprehensive review of Philadelphia’s outdoor dining regulations. The aim is to restart the conversation through a public hearing on the policies, and the economic and cultural impact, of the city’s “streeteries” and sidewalk cafes. Billy Penn has more.
Teachers rallied outside the School District of Philadelphia board meeting to protest the district’s 3-5-7-9 absence policy, and members of the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers delivered a petition with more than 2,000 signatures to board members with the hope of ending the rule. WHYY has more.
After months of delays, Pittsburgh Regional Transit expects to begin offering riders information next month about immediate delays or cancellations through its website. The goal is for riders to have reliable information on when their next transit vehicle is coming so they do not have to unnecessarily wait outside in the cold, rain, or heat. Union Progress has more.
Lieutenant Governor Austin Davis pushed for more funding for public transit at a news conference at Station Square in Pittsburgh. Davis noted that transit suffered sharp ridership losses during the pandemic and needed millions of dollars in federal support to continue operations, but money will run out as early as this year for SEPTA, and within the next three years for PRT. Union Progress has more.
Republican U.S. Senate candidate Dave McCormick said during a speech in Pittsburgh that Pennsylvania’s future economic prosperity will depend on whether its energy industry can grow even faster than it already has. He stated that he would focus on reducing greenhouse gas emissions by flooding the market with LNG. WESA has more.
As Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, the longest-serving leader of the Senate GOP, announces his planned resignation from leadership, all eyes turn to the “three Johns” — Barrasso, Cornyn, and Thune — each plotting to fill McConnell’s shoes. Coupling this leadership shake-up with the potential for a second Trump presidency, the Public Strategies team navigates turbulent political waters, exploring the normalization of impeachment and the events of the January 6th insurrection. Listen to the latest episode featuring Public Strategies’ Howard Schweitzer, the Hon. Rodney Davis, and Towner French here.
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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.
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.
April 25, 2024
April 25, 2024
April 24, 2024
