Billy Penn in Harrisburg
News from the state capitol that affects city life
Sarah Anne Hughes is reporting on what you need to know about Gov. Wolf, the General Assembly, and state agencies — directly from the state capitol in Harrisburg. As a Report for America corps member, Sarah is tasked with covering stories that matter to readers in Philadelphia.
Have a question or story idea? Send her a tip.
Lawsuit: Time’s up for PA’s Medicaid abortion ban
The lawsuit could expand low-income access to abortion.
Gov. Tom Wolf’s inauguration speech: Fact-checks and takeaways
"I’m not asking Pennsylvanians to trust me," Wolf said, "I’m asking them to trust in themselves."
This gun reform has bipartisan support in PA — and surprising opposition
It's not often the NRA and ACLU end up on the same side.
5 of the most impactful laws Pennsylvania passed in 2018
From criminal justice reform to actual firearms legislation.
Your suggestions for fixing Harrisburg’s white-only, male-dominated history timeline
Women and people of color are featured elsewhere in the state capitol welcome center — but that's not the point.
Gov. Wolf: PA should take a ‘serious and honest look’ at legalizing recreational marijuana
With both NY and NJ moving toward legal weed, the governor's position appears to be evolving.
A timeline at the PA capitol features one woman and no people of color. Let’s do better.
What about Crystal Bird Fauset, K. Leroy Irvis, or Rachel Carson?
Everything Harrisburg is trying to fix PA’s gun laws
We'll update this tracker on the General Assembly's gun reform efforts throughout the year.
This is how reporters get secret info from the government — and you can, too
A guide to filing Right-to-Know requests in Pennsylvania.
Reference checks for gun permits? Small staffs and privacy concerns make it tough — or illegal
The auditor general is sick of waiting around for Harrisburg to make a move.
Philly’s younger, more diverse state House delegation doesn’t plan to stay quiet
“We have to break out of these silos to get at the heart of what we care about.”
The #MeToo movement fell flat in the Pennsylvania legislature
Despite sexual misconduct scandals in both chambers, leadership will remain largely unchanged.
Will Pennsylvania gun reform get a boost after the Pittsburgh massacre?
Corralling bipartisan support for firearms control "is just hard work."
A mural on the capitol steps decries the detention of immigrant families
One Republican leader called it "entirely inappropriate."
Punishment for ‘sanctuary cities’ moves forward in PA legislature
A bill that passed the Senate last year was overhauled in House committee.
A push to replace Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples’ Day in Pennsylvania
No one thinks the legislation has a chance, but it's symbolic.
2,700 Philadelphians are serving life without parole. Will they get a chance at redemption?
Supporters compared life sentences to "death by incarceration."
A debate over ‘whether or not we trust women’ as PA House passes domestic violence bill
The bill would tighten restrictions on how accused domestic abusers can access firearms.