Pennsylvania Perspective for Thursday, October 13, 2022

Pennsylvania

New House Bill Aims to Compensate Wrongfully Convicted Individuals

On Wednesday, Pennsylvania’s House Judiciary Committee held a hearing on compensation for those who were convicted of crimes they did not commit. House Bill 2794 would award damages to wrongfully convicted individuals who served a portion of their sentence. City & State Pennsylvania has more.

Pennsylvania Corrections Officers Often Use Force on Inmates Suffering From Mental Health Conditions, According to New Findings

A recent investigation conducted by reporters at WITF found that inmates with mental health conditions in 25 county jails are frequently met with physical force from corrections officers. Nearly a third of all reported use-of-force incidents that occurred in the last three months of 2021 involved a person suffering from a mental health crisis or who had a mental health-related diagnosis. Read the investigation findings here.

Controversial Far-Right Figures to Speak at Penn State; Students to Protest

Proud Boys founder Gavin McInnes is scheduled to speak at Penn State University on October 24, which many students are planning on protesting. The Student Committee for Defense and Solidarity argues that hateful rhetoric spouted by McInnes and Alex Stein, another far-right speaker for this event, should not be protected by Penn State’s free-speech guarantees. WHYY has more.

Senator Mastriano to Speak at ReAwaken America Event in Manheim

The right-wing ReAwaken America tour will be making a stop in Manheim, Pennsylvania, toward the end of October, with Republican gubernatorial candidate Doug Mastriano as one of the event’s featured speakers. PoliticsPA has more.

Philadelphia

Philadelphia’s Ballot Drop Boxes Now Available for 2022 Midterm Elections

Philadelphia’s 17 ballot drop boxes are officially open for the 2022 midterm elections. A safe and secure means by which to cast a ballot, the Philadelphia Inquirer has more on how the drop boxes work and where they are located.

Delaware County Court of Common Pleas Visiting Judge Temporarily Halts Planned Closure of Delaware County Memorial Hospital

Last month, reporters at WHYY unveiled plans by Crozer Health to close Delaware County Memorial Hospital in Drexel Hill, which would reduce access to emergency medical care for a significant number of residents in the surrounding area. On Tuesday, Visiting Judge Robert Shenkin with the Delaware County Court of Common Pleas stepped in to temporarily prevent the closure of the hospital, citing violation of a commitment made by Crozer and parent company Prospect Medical Holdings to keep the facility open. WHYY has more.

Philadelphia’s Electric Vehicle Owners Face Additional Parking, Charging Obstacles

While electric vehicles are rising in popularity across the nation, the need for dedicated parking spaces, cables for street parking, and access to charging stations can often pose a challenge for drivers  in cities like Philadelphia. The Philadelphia Inquirer has more.

Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh Finalizes Search Committee, Begins Evaluation of Potential Consultant for Hiring of New Police Chief

This week, Pittsburgh finalized the search committee for its next chief of police to succeed Scott Schubert, who retired in July of this year. The city will also be engaging with a yet to be chosen consulting firm to assist in the hiring of a qualified candidate for the position. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette has more.

Gainey Administration Loosening Higher Education Requirements for Pittsburgh Police Recruits

The Pittsburgh Bureau of Police is loosening its higher education requirements for recruits. A new policy put forth by Mayor Ed Gainey will reduce the prerequisite number of college credits from 60 to 15, and will allow for recruits to complete 45 credits while enrolled at the academy. WESA has more.

Fate of Allegheny County’s Resign-to-Run Rule in Voters’ Hands

Currently, Allegheny County’s charter contains a resign-to-run rule, which prevents councilmembers from running for office and holding elected office concurrently. However, a change to the charter that would remove the rule will be on the ballot in November, leaving voters with the final say. WESA has more.

Pittsburgh-Area Environmental Activists, Elected Officials Demand Further Wastewater Overflow Prevention Measures

Environmentalists and elected officials are calling for action after a new report from Environment America revealed that approximately 9 billion gallons of sewage flow into Pittsburgh’s rivers each year. While water quality has generally improved in recent years, and local wastewater treatment company Alcosan is working on a long-term plan to reduce this number, many locals believe this does not go far enough. The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review has more.

Federal

Voter Confusion Over Two Mike Doyles May Threaten State House Representative Summer Lee’s Campaign for U.S. House

Name recognition often plays an outsize role in who gets elected. This is precisely what concerns Democratic candidate for Pennsylvania’s 12th House District Summer Lee and her campaign about her Republican opponent, Mike Doyle — who shares a first and last name with current U.S. Representative Mike Doyle, who is retiring at the end of his term. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette has more.

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