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.
After the Governor and his staff moved into their renovated offices earlier this year, the renovation of Pennsylvania’s Capitol complex was officially marked complete, spanning four decades and costing almost $2.5 million. The State Capitol, often held to be one of the most opulent in the nation, fell victim to decades of delayed maintenance and preservation work, necessitating the full renovation. PennLive has more.
Secretary of the State Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP) Jen Smith said her department is preparing for a smooth transition from the Wolf administration to the next, aiming to minimize disruption to key programs. Read more from City & State PA.
A federally-mandated suicide prevention hotline now has a new number — 988 — to better connect people in crisis, but employees of Pennsylvania ’s hotlines say more funding is needed to ensure staffing meets demand and that callers are routed to operators in their area familiar with local resources. WITF has more.
State transportation officials say they are working with the General Assembly on legislation to do away with the state gas tax and move towards a mile-driven tax, which industry experts say will be necessary in the coming years as people drive more electric and hybrid cars. Read more from the Post-Gazette.
Renters in Philadelphia ’s suburbs saw the largest rent increases in the region, with some going up 15 percent since last year. In Philadelphia, average rent went up 6 percent. BillyPenn has more.
Staff in Philadelphia ’s public defender’s office are paid less on average than nearly every other city agency. The office is now asking for $5.8 million in new funding to help close that disparity. The office, which represents most defendants in City courts, says closing the funding gap is a matter of racial equity. Read more from the Inquirer.
City Republican leaders moved this weekend to remove a South Philadelphia ward leader who is the subject of an investigation over “ballot harvesting ” — in this case, allegedly filing for mail-in ballots on behalf of other voters and having the ballots sent to his house. The Inquirer has more.
The two-year growth of natural gas exports from the Pennsylvania region is being fueled by the Mariner East 2 pipeline, the controversial pipeline which opened in 2018. Extra transportation capacity from the pipeline now means one ship a day arrives in Marcus Hook for processing to be loaded. Read more from the Inquirer.
A growing number of foodservice employees are pushing for unionization, led by workers at five Philadelphia Starbucks shops, but they are also joined by employees at some smaller shops. The new push could lead to increased benefits for workers but added costs to the owners. The Inquirer has more.
Longtime Democratic Senator Anthony Williams, who serves parts of southwest Philadelphia as well as parts of Delaware County, is facing his first serious primary challenger in years from progressive activists Paul Prescod. Read more from WHYY.
Democrats from Pittsburgh and other parts of Pennsylvania sent a letter decrying an attack ad against U.S. House candidate Summer Lee, which was funded by a pro-Israel Super PAC and accuses Lee of being a fake Democrat. The Tribune-Review has more.
Black Women in Pittsburgh continue to face the highest per capita rates of maternal morbidity and the lowest overall earning power, signs that inequities continue to persist. Read more from the Capital-Star.
Investigators released footage of a bus driving over the Fern Hollow bridge just as it collapsed. The collapse occurred hours before President Biden was scheduled to visit Pittsburgh, but resulted in no serious injuries. Pittsburgh Magazine has more.
The Supreme Court stands on the brink of striking down the landmark 1973 decision in Roe v. Wade, and the news has hit the political world like an earthquake.
Public Strategies ’ Howard Schweitzer, Mark Alderman, Patrick Martin, Towner French, Kaitlyn Martin, and Tristan Breaux discuss the leak of a draft opinion itself, unprecedented in the Supreme Court ’s recent history, on the court ’s standing, and ponder the potentially seismic consequences of overturning the landmark decision across the social, demographic, and political spectrum. Listen here.
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 23, 2024
April 23, 2024
April 22, 2024
