News & Brews December 5, 2022
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Krasner sues to stop lawmakers from removing him from office
After being summoned to appear before the state Senate on January 18 for the start of his impeachment trial, Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner filed a lawsuit in Commonwealth Court on Friday, contending that the General Assembly’s impeachment and trial process ended at the close of the two-year legislative session last week. The AP further reports that Krasner wants the court “to declare that the General Assembly lacks constitutional authority to remove local officials like him — as opposed to state officials — and that the claims against him do not amount to the ‘misbehavior in office’ required for impeachment.”
Some Pa. Republicans coming around to mail-in voting
POLITICO reports that after two years criticizing no-excuse mail in voting, some Pennsylvania Republicans are urging their party to embrace the option rather than suffer blistering electoral defeats at the hands of Democrats. As GOP state party chair Lawrence Tabas said, “You have 50 days to vote by mail. If you vote at the polls, it’s 13 hours. We outvoted the Democrats at the polls. But the mail is something that we need to work on.”
New legislative session brings nearly 200 legislative proposals
The Morning Call reports that on their first day of work last week in the new legislative session, lawmakers “unleashed a flood of 197 ideas for new laws,” many of which are re-introductions of proposals that never passed last session. Among the topics are hospital closures, mental health, property taxes and rent, and more. That said, the “ongoing power struggle in the House may complicate their path to becoming actual legislation.” Read more here.
Analysis: How redistricting played in Bucks & MontCo races
The Bucks County Courier Times looks at how the redistricting process impacted election results in three House districts in Bucks and Montgomery counties. The piece contends that, at least in these local elections, redistricting may have been the core reason Democrats secured victory.
Op-Ed: Pa. should stop treating beauty professionals like criminals
Jessica Poitras and Daryl James of the Institute for Justice write in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review that Pennsylvania’s licensing requirements for hair braiders and other beauty professionals are an expensive and undue burden that forces beauty workers to “either pay up, switch careers or hide like criminals.” In some cases, “[t]he process can top $6,000 and take months to complete”—a price many can’t afford to pay. Poitras and James urge lawmakers to embrace occupational licensing reform to empower, not penalize, beauty professionals.