By Whitney Downard | Reporter
“Today, the courts affirmed a vital principle of our democracy: Voting is a fundamental right that citizens – whether born here or naturalized – should be able to exercise without armed government agents harassing them.” — Beau Tremitiere, a lawyer at the legal advocacy group Protect Democracy, representing plaintiffs who sued to block the Department of Homeland Security from conducting election-related field operations.
Happy Friday! Are y’all ready for the weekend? I certainly am.
Growing up outside of Pennsylvania, I didn’t get the same state history lessons our esteemed editor has — so writing these little history blurbs always teaches me something new. Today, it was the 163-day 1902 anthracite coal strike which ended on this day 124 years ago.
Miners started striking for better wages and working conditions back in May, but owners initially declined to negotiate with the union. A presidentially appointed commission had to find a compromise to ensure homes had enough fuel before winter struck.
Thanks for starting your day with us and learning a little more about our beloved commonwealth. A special appreciation for those who are in a position to share and support our work. We couldn’t do this without you. — Whitney
The Pennsylvania Capitol dome. (Peter Hall/Capital-Star)
By Peter Hall and Whitney Downard
The Pennsylvania General Assembly sent dozens of bills to Gov. Josh Shapiro’s desk in a final legislative push this week before the midterm elections.
As of Thursday afternoon, Shapiro has signed 58 measures into law. Because the legislature is still in session, the governor has 10 days to sign or veto legislation after passage, otherwise it becomes law automatically.
Here’s a rundown of the legislation lawmakers got across the finish line, ranging from a ban on students using cellphones in school to modernizing raffles and other small games of chance.
Voters line up outside Shiloh Hills Baptist Church in Kennesaw, Georgia, on primary Election Day, May 19, 2026. (Photo by Ross Williams/Georgia Recorder)
By Jonathan Shorman
A federal judge on Wednesday night blocked the Department of Homeland Security from conducting election-related field operations that could sweep up U.S. citizens in nine states.
Judge Araceli Martínez-Olguín, an appointee of President Joe Biden in U.S. District Court in the Northern District of California, issued a preliminary injunction after voting rights advocates alleged that Homeland Security was sending armed agents to homes to question residents about their voter status.
The injunction bars operations in California, Connecticut, Georgia, Missouri, Nevada, New York, Pennsylvania, Washington and Wisconsin until polls close on Election Day, though the administration may appeal in the coming days.
Electric bikes and electric scooters parked on a street in Columbus, Ohio. Lawmakers in Ohio and many other states have enacted or are considering tougher regulations for e-bikes and e-scooters as their popularity – and safety concerns – grow. (Photo by Megan Henry/Ohio Capital Journal)
By Anna Claire Vollers
Earlier this month, a 50-year-old man riding his personal electric scooter in Washington, D.C., was killed when he collided with a woman on a rideshare scooter.
In June, a 12-year-old Massachusetts girl died after her electric scooter slammed into a school bus in a suburb of Boston.
And in April, an Atlanta woman riding an electric bike was killed when she hit a curb and was thrown headfirst into a wall.
A string of high-profile deaths and injuries involving electric scooters and bikes is spurring states and cities across the country to crack down on them. As technology improves, e-scooters and e-bikes capable of motorcycle-like speeds have become cheaper and more popular. Some models — and the ability to modify them with aftermarket upgrades — are blurring the lines between bicycles, scooters and motor vehicles.
Members of the Colorado House of Representatives work on the floor during session in May 2022. Colorado has among the nation’s highest rates of women serving in the state legislature. (Pema Baldwin for Colorado Newsline)
By Kevin Hardy
A record number of women are running for state legislative seats this November, more than two-thirds of whom are Democrats.
Across the 46 states with legislative seats on the ballot, a total of 3,824 women are running — up from 2022’s previous record of 3,621 women candidates, according to the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University. Women make up 35.5% of all state legislative candidates this cycle.
Currently, women hold about one-third of state legislative seats across the country — a record level of representation but nowhere near parity.
TODAY IN THE CAPITAL-STAR
Why so many pet owners in Pa. and elsewhere can’t afford a veterinarian: Private equity and corporate ownership are driving up prices and forcing people to make tough choices about their pets.
City, state employees are proud of their work but face burnout, harassment: State employees consistently reported less favorable workforce conditions than their city and county counterparts, with lower satisfaction, lower engagement and a substantially higher intent to leave.
Philadelphia school district’s enrollment fell by 2,500 students. Where did they go?: The decline represents a drop of more than 2% from last year. That’s raising concerns the district is losing out in an education environment where district, brick-and-mortar and cyber charters, and private schools all compete for the same kids.
ICYMI
House Democrats say GOP discord dashed deal on a skill games bill: State lawmakers have been working over the last four years to pass a regulatory and taxing scheme for skill games. The effort intensified this summer after the state Supreme Court declared in June that the slot machine-like games are gambling devices required to be licensed by the state Gaming Control Board.
Wallace tests incumbent Meuser in 9th Congressional District: The 9th Congressional District, considered to be safely Republican, stretches through the state’s coal region into the northern tier.
Scott Perry ad targeting Janelle Stelson makes unsubstantiated allegations of public nudity: The ad presents the claim about Democratic candidate for Pennsylvania’s 10th congressional district, Janelle Stelson, without evidence.
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