Democratic Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf on Wednesday continued to call attention to his proposal to dole out federal relief money to many families across the state via checks up to $2,000, but many Republicans remain wary of using the money in that fashion in a shaky economy.
Proposed changes in the way Allentown and its largely minority population would be divided into House and Senate districts came under fire at a hearing Thursday, with two Latino testifiers saying the proposals would hurt – rather than help – election chances of minority candidates.
Bethlehem is one battleground and Allentown is part of another in two legislative redistricting controversies that sprang up Thursday when a commission unveiled proposed new House and Senate district maps that could shape elections for the next decade.
J.D. Prose, USA TODAY Network - PA State Capitol Bureau
Following a sometimes heated debate on Wednesday, the Pennsylvania House passed a constitutional amendment to limit emergency declarations by the governor, after the state Senate approved a similar bill the previous night.
One of the bills needs to be passed by the other body before Feb. 18 so the constitutional amendment can go to a statewide referendum on the May primary ballot. Republicans control both the House and Senate and both bills passed mostly along party lines.
Rep. Jordan Harris, D-Philadelphia, mocked Republicans for claiming the legislation was not about politics, but returning power to the Legislature.