WASHINGTON, March 4, 2026 — Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies, the bipartisan government relations and communications affiliate of international law firm Cozen O’Connor, today announced that Alexandra DeRiso has joined the firm as a principal on its health care team.
The Pennsylvania General Assembly began its Appropriations Committee Budget Hearings for the House Appropriations Committee and Senate Appropriations Committee to examine the Governor’s proposed budget in detail. The Senate Appropriations Committee held its first budget hearings on Tuesday with the Pennsylvania State Police and the Department of General Services, and a significant portion of the hearings focused on the $40 million in repairs and security upgrades at the Governor’s Residence and Governor Shapiro’s private home following a 2025 arson attack. While officials testified that the upgrades include AI-powered surveillance to combat rising threats, Republicans questioned the legality of spending $1.3 million on Gov. Shapiro’s private property. The Senate Appropriations Committee also heard from the Department of Human Services on Wednesday, where Secretary Valerie Arkoosh warned of the “impending disaster” from the federal Medicaid and SNAP cuts while Republicans scrutinized the size of the department’s budget.
The Special Election for House District 22 and House District 42 took place on February 24, 2026. Ana Tiburcio (D) won against Robert Smith (R) by a margin of 67% to 33% in the special general election for District 22 to replace former Representative Joshua Siegel (D), and Jennifer Mazzocco (D) won against Joseph Leckenby (R) by a margin of 82% to 18% in the special general election for District 42 to replace former Representative Dan Miller (D). With Tiburcio and Mazzocco’s victories, Democrats retained a 102–98 state House majority. Three upcoming special elections in March and May are expected to favor Republicans.
A new Quinnipiac University poll showed that Governor Josh Shapiro maintains a 56% approval rating and holds an 18-point lead over Republican State Treasurer Stacy Garrity. While Gov. Shapiro remains popular as governor, Pennsylvanians are split on his presidential prospects, with 40% stating he would make a good president and 43% disagreeing. Voters also expressed bipartisan support for banning cellphones in K-12 schools and skepticism of AI data centers in their communities. Additionally, 49% of respondents expressed a preference for Democrats to win control of the U.S. House in the upcoming midterm elections, compared to 43% for Republicans.
A Monday night forum for Philadelphia’s 3rd Congressional District became tense as candidates traded questions to differentiate themselves in the crowded Democratic primary to succeed retiring U.S. Representative Dwight Evans (D-PA-3). Dr. Ala Stanford questioned the tangible accomplishments of State Senator Sharif Street (D-3-Philadelphia), while Sen. Street pressed State Representative Chris Rabb (D-200-Philadelphia) on his opposition to hate-crime legislation, which Rep. Rabb argued contributes to mass incarceration. Additionally, State Representative Morgan Cephas (D-192-Philadelphia) challenged Dr. Stanford over the $2.5 million in government contracts her nonprofit received during the pandemic. The forum is ahead of the May 19 primary for the safely Democratic seat.
The Office of Management and Budget revealed that Pittsburgh concluded 2025 with an $8.6 million operating deficit, a surprise from previous Mayor Ed Gainey’s administration projected $3.2 million surplus. The city’s deficit, combined with approximately $44 million from its reserve day fund last year, was driven largely by $59 million in premium pay that exceeded the budget by nearly $21 million. Public safety bureaus significantly exceeded their 2025 budgets, with EMS spending more than double its premium pay allotment while police and fire combined for over $13 million in overtime expenses. City Council largely rewrote the 2026 budget to include a 20% tax increase to cover rising utility, vehicle, and labor costs, while officials continue to explore new revenue streams from nonprofits and unearned income taxes.
Pittsburgh City Council gave preliminary approval Wednesday to a bill establishing a “Housing Data Dashboard” to track the creation and loss of residential units across the city. The initiative, sponsored by City Councilor Bob Charland, aims to provide a singular, authoritative source of housing statistics to resolve long-standing political debates over development data. The database will initially use certificates of occupancy to track new construction and restored buildings, with a goal of completing the tracking system for new units by the end of this year. The dashboard may expand to include data on housing subsidies, affordability levels, and construction timelines.
President Donald Trump delivered a historically long State of the Union address on Tuesday, focusing on the economy, foreign policy, and immigration. Although there were moments of bipartisanship with tributes to the Olympic hockey team and a World War II veteran, President Trump frequently blamed Democrats for the nation’s problems on affordability and called them “crazy.” Among the Democrats that boycotted the address, Representative Summer Lee (D-PA-12) delivered a progressive response with the Working Families Party, labeling the state of the union as “dire” and “authoritarian.” President Trump’s State of the Union address received partisan reactions from Pennsylvania politicians, with Republicans praising the President’s vision while Democrats condemned his policies.
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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.
March 12, 2026
March 12, 2026
March 11, 2026
