News & Brews May 2, 2023
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House committee passes bill threatening worker freedom
Yesterday, the Democrat majority on the House Labor & Industry Committee advanced legislation that would grant favors to unions while stripping workers of their rights. HB950 would elevate union contracts over state law while allowing unions to coerce membership. Since he was first elected to the House in 2015, Democrat Committee Chair Jason Dawkins, who oversaw the vote, has received more than 50% of his campaign contributions from unions, per campaign finance reports.
Lawmakers consider switching presidential primary date
The Post-Gazette reports that state lawmakers are considering moving our presidential primary from the 4th Tuesday in April to the 3rd Tuesday in March. The move, which can happen only through legislation, comes as the April 23, 2024 primary date falls on the first full day of Passover. Moving the date would not only avoid this conflict but would also give Pennsylvania a greater say in the presidential nominees. At the same time, the move could also unleash “chaos” (per the P-G story), as it would impact the calendar for down-ballot candidates to gather petition signatures.
Shapiro signs cancer screening legislation
Yesterday, Gov. Shapiro signed his first piece of legislation. The bipartisan bill, sponsored by Senate President Pro Tempore Kim Ward (Westmoreland County), received unanimous approval in the Legislature. It will require health insurers to cover breast and ovarian cancer screenings for high-risk patients.
State Senate votes to ban supervised injection sites
Yesterday, the state Senate voted 41-9 for legislation (SB165) that would ban so-called “safe injection sites.” These sites are locations where individuals can legally inject drugs under supervision in hopes of preventing overdose and death. The bill’s prime sponsor was Democrat Sen. Christine Tartaglione (Philadelphia County). The bill received the support of all Republicans and 13 Democrats. The AP reports, “Gov. Josh Shapiro … has said he opposes safe injection sites. The subject has divided Democrats, making it unlikely that the bill will come up in the Democratic-controlled state House of Representatives.”
Media outlet goes silent when news contradicts its narrative
We regularly tackle headline bias in our Monday emails, but sometimes, the media’s one-sidedness extends far (far) beyond headlines alone. Broad + Liberty takes a look at how one prominent media outlet covered the recent Bucks County School Board controversy, so long as it fit their agenda. But when information came out that contracted their narrative, they went silent.