Pennsylvania Perspective for Monday, October 13, 2025

October 13, 2025

Pennsylvania

State Lawmakers Advance Wide-Ranging Bills Amid Budget Stalemate  

While the state budget remains unresolved, the House passed measures last week on issues including unemployment benefits for striking workers, school safety notifications, a statewide school facility inventory, and insect conservation, alongside bills on food waste oversight, premixed cocktail storage, transit district funding, road salt practices, E-ZPass appeal extensions, and updated watercraft safety rules. The Center Square Pennsylvania has more.

State Senate Bill Would Let Terminally Ill Patients Use Cannabis in Hospitals  

Last week, state Senator John Kane (D-Delaware) introduced “Ryan’s Law” in the Pennsylvania Senate to allow non-smoking forms of medical marijuana for patients with a life expectancy of one year or less, aiming to improve pain management and provide legal clarity for hospitals while safeguarding compliance with federal rules. Fox 43 has more.

PA Economy Outpaces Northeast Amid National Slowdown  

Pennsylvania is the only northeastern state with an expanding economy, according to Moody’s Analytics, buoyed by major investments like Amazon’s $20 billion data center project. Governor Josh Shapiro (D) touts the growth as proof of his administration’s economic strategy. PennLive has more.

PA Eyes Exit From Nation’s Largest Power Grid Amid Rising Costs  

Gov. Shapiro is pressuring PJM Interconnection to reform its governance and speed renewable integration as soaring demand from data centers drives record electricity costs, but leaving the 13-state grid would require complex legislation, federal approval, and billions in obligations, making a full withdrawal unlikely. Fortune has more.

Why PA Voters Face “Yes” or “No” Judicial Choices This Fall  

Three Democratic Pennsylvania Supreme Court justices are up for retention in November, drawing millions in campaign spending and partisan battles over whether they keep their seats—a rare event that could reshape the court’s balance and impact issues like abortion rights and redistricting. The Philadelphia Inquirer has more on why Pennsylvania has judicial retention votes.

Philadelphia

Council Member Introduces Rent Rebates, Permanent Free Transit Funding  

Philadelphia City Councilmember Nicolas O’Rourke (WFP-At Large) unveiled a legislative package on Thursday to create a rent rebate for low-income tenants, make the city’s Zero Fare SEPTA program permanent through a charter amendment, and ban privatization of Philadelphia’s water system, aiming to ease living costs and strengthen public services. Billy Penn has more.

Philly Evictions Safer but Slower After Private System Shutdown  

Since the Landlord and Tenant Office closed last year following shootings, the Sheriff’s Office has taken over evictions with no reports of gun violence and greater transparency, but lockouts now take six weeks to three months, frustrating landlords and raising concerns about housing costs and supply. WHYY has more.

Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh Ends Police-Social Worker Co-Response Program  

Pittsburgh officials are replacing the two-year-old model where social workers rode with police on mental health calls with a new system sending social workers in pairs, citing efficiency, but critics warn the change will slow crisis response and undermine a program they say has saved lives. WPXI has more.

Federal

PA Joins Lawsuit Challenging National Guard Deployments  

Gov. Shapiro announced Pennsylvania has joined a multi-state legal effort opposing President Donald Trump’s deployment of National Guard troops in cities without governors’ consent, calling it unconstitutional and a dangerous overreach of federal power. The Pennsylvania Capital-Star has more.

PA Lawmakers Join Push to Overturn Citizens United  

U.S. Representative Summer Lee (D-PA-12) joined colleagues from California, Colorado, and Massachusetts in proposing the “Citizens Over Corporations Amendment,” which would allow limits on campaign spending and public financing of elections to counter the Supreme Court’s 2010 ruling that opened the door to unlimited corporate and special interest spending. The Center Square has more.

Cozen Corner

Beltway Briefing: Peace Abroad, Tensions at Home

From a breakthrough in Middle East diplomacy to the deployment of troops in Chicago, President Trump’s recent moves highlight the complexities of governing at home and abroad. Listen to the latest episode featuring Public Strategies’ Howard Schweitzer, Mark Alderman, and John Dunn here.

Authors

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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