News & Brews December 11, 2025
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Blue states have higher electricity prices
We’ve all heard (and voiced!) the concerns recently about rising electricity prices. In fact, as the Institute for Energy Research (IER) notes, “A recent poll conducted by Ipsos found that 73% of U.S. residents were concerned about their electricity and gas bills rising this year.” But it turns out residents in blue states are getting hit hardest. “In total, 86% of states with electricity prices above the national average in the continental U.S. are reliably blue…. In contrast, 80% of the 10 states with the lowest electricity prices are reliably red.”
Philly courts again named a Judicial Hellhole
In the newly released edition of the American Tort Reform Association’s (ATRA) list of Judicial Hellholes®, the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas again appears among the top (worst) five—a place it’s held for the last nine years save one (when it was ranked 6th). ATRA points to the city’s reputation for issuing nuclear verdicts®, which are defined as $10 million or more. “2025 did not bring the same level of activity, but this decline is not the result of positive reforms or improved legal activity, but rather a reduction of trials. Critics attribute the slowdown to corporate defendants choosing to settle cases rather than run the risk of being the next poster child for abusive litigation in the state.” Meanwhile, the Pa. Supreme Court, which has ranked among the top four every one of the last five years, moved to “watch list” status.
AG Sunday endorses Garrity for governor
Attorney General Dave Sunday has endorsed state Treasurer Stacy Garrity for governor. In a statement, Sunday said, “Pennsylvania needs leaders who put service over self, which is the hallmark of Stacy Garrity’s life. From her time serving our country in the Army, her experience in the private sector and now as our state treasurer, Stacy has always worked tirelessly to better her community. I’m proud to endorse Stacy Garrity for governor so that all Pennsylvanians can benefit from her boundless energy and her selfless service that will make a better and safer Pennsylvania for all.”
Pa. Society kicks off today
Today is the day the who’s who of Pennsylvania politics, business, and lobbying begin their three-day bash of all things Pennsylvania—held in New York, of course. The annual Pennsylvania Society kicks off today at the famed Waldorf Astoria in New York City. PoliticsPA provided a run-down of the schedule of events, which you can view here.
Senate Committee passes school cell phone ban
The Pennsylvania Senate Education Committee voted unanimously to advance bipartisan legislation that would “require public schools across the commonwealth to adopt policies prohibiting student cellphone use during the school day.” Under the bill, “each school district [must] develop its own ‘bell-to-bell’ cellphone policy, but the standard will be consistent statewide: students may not use cellphones during the school day…. The bill includes exceptions for medical needs, IEPs requiring a communication device, English-language learners using translation apps, and limited instructional use with teacher and administrator permission.” The legislation now heads to the full Senate.