News & Brews May 29, 2025
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Pa. officials oppose AI regulation ban in proposed federal budget
The LNP reports that Pennsylvania officials from both parties “are decrying a provision in the tax and spending cuts bill passed in the House last week that would ban states from adopting or enforcing artificial intelligence regulations over the next decade.” Pa. Senate Communications & Technology Committee co-chairs Tracy Pennycuick (R-Berks & Montgomery) and Nick Miller (D-Lehigh & Northampton) sent letters to Pa.’s congressional delegation “arguing the ban would ‘impede’ their work to protect consumers and infrastructure while supporting AI development.” And Pa. AG Dave Sunday “was among the 40 state attorneys general who, in a May 16 letter to congressional leaders, slammed the moratorium as ‘irresponsible’ and warned it would ‘directly harm’ consumers.”
Shapiro’s energy plans would double electricity bills
A new report from the Commonwealth Foundation reveals that Gov. Shapiro’s two energy proposals—the Pennsylvania Climate Emissions Reduction Act (PACER) and the Pennsylvania Reliable Energy Sustainability Standard (PRESS)—”would impose massive increases to household electricity rates.” By 2035, they would increase statewide electricity costs by $157 billion. Further, “overall electricity rates would increase by 60 percent and residential electric bills would more than double.”
McCormick visits Israel as ‘show of solidarity’
U.S. Sen. Dave McCormick arrived in Israel on Monday as part of his first overseas trip since becoming chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Near East, South Asia, Central Asia, and Counterterrorism. Speaking with the Jewish Insider during his trip, McCormick said, “We wanted to come to Israel as a show of solidarity. It’s a very tough time now, in the aftermath of [Israeli Embassy staffers] Yaron [Lischinsky] and Sarah [Milgrim] killed in Washington, and all the polarization and the challenges with Gaza and Iran.”
Trump coming back to Pa. tomorrow
The Post-Gazette reports that President Trump is scheduled to come to U.S. Steel’s Irvin Works in West Mifflin tomorrow for a rally celebrating the U.S. Steel/Nippon Steel deal, which he recently approved. The story looks at how the U.S. Secret Service is likely preparing for the trip to avoid the dramatic security failures of the July 13 Butler rally, where Trump was injured by a would-be assassin who also killed an innocent bystander and injured others.
Pa. lawmakers continue recreational marijuana push
The Pa. House proposal to legalize recreational marijuana and place it under the oversight of the state’s Liquor Control Board may be dead. But efforts to expand the drug’s use in Pa. are alive. The Post-Gazette reports that Dem. state Sen. Marty Flynn (Lackawanna & Luzerne) plans to propose legislation that would legalize recreational marijuana and have it regulated by an independent commission. Meanwhile, GOP state Sen. Dan Laughlin (Erie) plans to propose creating a control board that would regulate medical marijuana even if recreational marijuana (which he supports) doesn’t happen.