WASHINGTON, September 1, 2026 — Cozen O'Connor Public Strategies, the bipartisan government relations and communications affiliate of international law firm Cozen O'Connor, today announced the addition of Rodney Whitlock, Debbie Curtis, Katie Waldo, and Maddie News to the firm's federal health policy practice in Washington, D.C.
Pennsylvania health officials announced that the commonwealth will keep its existing childhood immunization rules despite a new executive order from President Donald Trump advocating for fewer vaccines spaced out over longer intervals. State Health Secretary Dr. Debra Bogen and Governor Josh Shapiro stated that Pennsylvania’s public health policies will remain guided by established medical science rather than shifting federal directives, emphasizing that splitting up standard combination shots like the MMR vaccine introduces unnecessary risks and administrative barriers for parents.
Pennsylvania Attorney General David Sunday has filed a lawsuit in Allegheny County Court against TikTok and its parent company, ByteDance, alleging that the platform intentionally uses addictive features like autoplay to maximize ad revenue while failing to protect minor users from inappropriate content. The legal action seeks to compel the company to implement effective safeguards, improve app store disclosures, and protect teenagers from compulsive usage and associated mental health risks following state-led youth roundtable discussions between Pennsylvania teens and the attorney general.
As the Pennsylvania gubernatorial race progresses, Democrats are working to build momentum for incumbent Governor Josh Shapiro by capitalizing on ten months of consecutive voter registration gains over Republicans. To counter Treasurer Stacy Garrity’s underdog campaign, which emphasizes her military background, rural roots, and record of fiscal stewardship, Democratic leaders and allied trade unions are highlighting her ties to the Trump administration and past comments regarding the 2020 election. Treasurer Garrity has also faced recent union backlash for accepting an endorsement from a political action committee that supports right-to-work laws and opposes the proposed Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act.
Democrat Brandon Dukes and Republican Scott Timko are set to compete in an August 18 special election for Pennsylvania’s 12th Legislative District in Butler County to fill the remainder of former State Representative Stephenie Scialabba’s term, ahead of a November 3 rematch for the full two-year seat. The district has been a Republican stronghold for over three decades and maintains a significant voter registration advantage, though Democrats hope to challenge this trend through party enthusiasm. Dukes, a banking professional, is campaigning on initiatives such as open primaries, raising the minimum wage, and investing in trade schools and community colleges. Timko, a retired Air Force captain and small business owner, is prioritizing tax cuts, Second Amendment protections, local control over data center developments, and preventing what he describes as radical political agendas in classrooms.
The Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry has been recognized as the 2026 State Chamber of the Year by the National Association of State Chambers. The award celebrates state chambers that demonstrate excellence in member services, leadership, public policy advocacy, and overall impact. Backed by endorsements from several Pennsylvania lawmakers, including Governor Josh Shapiro and Senators Dave McCormick (R-PA) and John Fetterman (D-PA), the organization was praised for successfully advancing tax reforms, streamlining permitting processes, expanding workforce opportunities, and fostering a stronger economic climate for its more than 13,000 member businesses across the commonwealth.
At the request of City Council President Kenyatta Johnson and all 17 Council members, Philadelphia City Controller Christy Brady will conduct a comprehensive performance audit examining the management, operations, and finances of the Philadelphia School District. The review goes beyond routine financial checks to evaluate central office administrative expenditures, consulting contracts, resource allocation, and the economic impact of planned school closures. The audit follows heightened friction between City Hall and district leadership over a $300 million structural deficit and the school board’s decision to close 17 schools. Expected prior to the upcoming budget season, the findings aim to provide city officials with greater transparency and accountability regarding how the district utilizes its $4.6 billion budget, which includes $2 billion in direct city funding.
Mayor Cherelle Parker’s administration has publicly committed to helping preserve nearly 1,000 subsidized rental units in West and Southwest Philadelphia following tenant concerns over the planned sale of the Neighborhood Restorations property portfolio. With federal affordability tax credits expiring, city housing officials plan to negotiate with the owner on a strategy that includes a suggested $36 million in city funding over five years toward an estimated $280 million multi-partner preservation effort. The administration’s immediate focus is securing 225 units with already-expired affordability restrictions while funding a capital needs assessment to determine exact restoration costs across the full portfolio.
Community members and faith leaders marched through Center City Philadelphia to urge Pennsylvania Senators John Fetterman (D-PA) and Dave McCormick (R-PA) to support legislation restoring Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitians. The rally follows the expiration of federal TPS protections for an estimated 350,000 Haitians nationwide, including roughly 11,000 in the Philadelphia region, leaving individuals at risk of deportation and the loss of legal work authorization following a Supreme Court decision. Demonstrators highlighted concerns regarding severe safety risks in Haiti, potential family separations, and economic disruptions, calling on federal lawmakers to pass Senate Bill 4814 to re-designate and extend protections through April 2029.
The Pennsylvania State House will hold a historic legislative session at Philadelphia’s Congress Hall on September 9 to commemorate the upcoming 250th anniversaries of the Declaration of Independence and the state constitution. Speaker Joanna McClinton (D-191) announced that lawmakers will vote on two commemorative resolutions in the restored building, which served as the U.S. Capitol from 1790 to 1800. In addition to their legislative duties, the House is partnering with America250PA to host a civic education program for over 80 students from across the commonwealth. Due to space constraints within the historic venue, the 203-member legislative body will meet in two separate evening groups.
A series of reports released by VisitPittsburgh claims that the 2026 NFL Draft generated over $1.5 billion in economic value for the city, largely propelled by an estimated $1.41 billion in global media and publicity exposure. The three-day event reached 55 million viewers worldwide, generated 8.6 billion broadcast impressions, and set social media engagement records for an NFL Draft host city. In addition to brand visibility, the event generated $177 million in direct regional economic impact through visitor spending, including $17.7 million across 164 participating local businesses and $1 million raised to combat regional hunger.
An audit of Pittsburgh’s American Rescue Plan Act spending in 2023 and 2024 revealed that the Urban Redevelopment Authority lacks documentation for nearly $600,000 in federal grant expenses. The City Controller’s Office attributed the missing records primarily to staff turnover and the absence of standardized record-keeping policies within the agency. The documentation gaps primarily affected the Avenues of Hope initiative and the Streeteries Outdoor Dining Program, though auditors noted that other efforts like housing preservation were properly documented. In response to the controller’s recommendations, the Urban Redevelopment Authority and the city’s Office of Management and Budget agreed to implement new standardized documentation systems, comprehensive staff training, and a thorough review of all remaining projects as the city approaches the deadline to spend the federal funds by the end of the year.
The Allegheny County Government Review Commission has unanimously recommended implementing countywide property reassessments every four years to depoliticize the valuation process and address disparities stemming from current assessments based on 2012 data. Under the 14-point proposal, reassessments would occur during the first year of a county executive’s term to avoid election-year politics. Additional recommendations include expanding mitigation measures to protect lower-income homeowners from sudden tax increases, increasing assessment staffing, conducting public education campaigns, and adopting a state standard that permits a slight revenue increase following reassessments rather than maintaining the county’s strict revenue-neutral mandate. While the nine-member advisory panel supports pending state legislation for uniform reassessment schedules, they urged local officials to move forward independently. County Executive Sara Innamorato stated her administration will review the legal and fiscal implications of the commission’s nonbinding proposals.
A federal judge has expanded an injunction against President Donald Trump’s executive order that sought to alter mail-in voting regulations nationwide ahead of the November 3 midterm elections. U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani ruled that Congress did not grant the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) the authority to regulate election procedures. The executive order would have permitted the USPS to withhold ballot deliveries to states that did not collaborate on creating lists of confirmed eligible U.S. citizens. The preliminary injunction prevents the administration from enforcing these delivery restrictions and associated regulations, though it still allows the USPS to issue nonbinding guidance regarding ballot envelopes. The decision broadens a prior ruling that had only blocked the order in the 23 Democratic states, including Pennsylvania, that originally filed suit against the administration.
Senator John Fetterman (D-PA) has stated that he will not campaign against Senator Dave McCormick (R-PA) if he seeks a second term in 2030. Highlighting an unusual bipartisan alliance, Senator Fetterman referred to his counterpart as a friend and committed to not working against his potential reelection effort. While Senator Fetterman made his stance on opposition clear, he did not specify whether he would officially endorse a future Senator McCormick campaign.
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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.
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September 3, 2026
September 3, 2026
September 2, 2026
