News & Brews July 1, 2026
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Pa. fair booth ‘packed’ after Shapiro claimed no interest
After Gov. Josh Shapiro claimed he couldn’t find businesses interested in participating in the Great American State Fair, he’s now trying to save face and claim businesses had a ‘change of heart,’ after U.S. Sens. John Fetterman and Dave McCormick easily found enough businesses and materials to pack the Pennsylvania booth. Of course, everyone knows Shapiro is just trying to save face and cover the fact that he was willing to sacrifice highlighting Pennsylvania businesses for the sake of his own ego. That didn’t go well, and the Inquirer reports on Pennsylvania’s “showcase” at the national event.
Budget deadline blown, five years running
The Center Square reports, “For the fifth year in a row, state leaders have failed to meet the June 30 deadline for finishing an annual budget – a situation that will have little practical effect in the short term but raises the ugly specter of last year’s 135-day impasse.” Yesterday, the state Senate adjourned until after the holiday weekend, while Senate Majority Leader Joe Pittman said negotiations are on “a very good trajectory.” We’ll see where and when that trajectory lands.
House passes bill on data center NDAs
Yesterday, the state House voted 171-31 in favor of legislation “removing tax breaks from data center developers that engage in non-disclosure agreements with local officials,” the Center Square reports. Despite passing with overwhelming support, however, the legislation was not without debate. State Rep. Josh Kail (Beaver and Washington counties) for example, “argued that the bill only took away local authority and insulted their competency to act in the best interests of those who elected them.” He said, “This bill is a knee-jerk reaction and won’t actually accomplish anything it’s setting out to do.”
Picozzi: Philly kids deserve private education
Republican State Sen. Joe Picozzi (Philadelphia) has an op-ed in the Philadelphia Citizen on the importance of Pennsylvania’s tax credit scholarship programs. “[T[oday over 100,000 Pennsylvania students in all 67 counties currently attend private and parochial schools because of tax credit scholarships,” he writes. “Most families receiving tax credit scholarships earn below the median income level for their respective counties, and the counties with the most low-achieving public schools have the highest number of scholarship recipients.” Yet, House Democrats want to “cut credits for scholarship organizations.” Instead of attacking educational scholarships, Picozzi concludes, “It’s time to expand these important programs.”
After court ruling, Pa. must protect women’s sports
Yesterday, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that states can protect girls from being forced to play sports against biological males. Following the ruling, state Reps. Barb Gleim (Cumberland) and Clint Owlett (Tioga and Bradford) issued a statement “calling on the PIAA [Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association] and school boards across the Commonwealth, who have not already acted to protect their girl athletes, to enact policies now.” House Democrats have repeatedly avoided voting on this issue, despite widespread public support for protecting women’s and girls’ sports.