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????️ Headlines. Senate Approves Funding for TSA. Pennsylvania Supreme Court Overturns Life Without Parole for Second Degree Murder. Philly’s Resign-To-Run Rule Will Remain. A Map For PA Foodies.

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???? What We’re Listening To. The latest episode of the PoliticsPA podcast, Voices of Reason, talks with Rep. Jesse Topper and Amy Widestrom of the League of Women Voters about the SAVE America Act. 

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Top Story

1.  Senate Approves Funding For TSA and Most of Homeland Security, But Not Immigration Enforcement

“The Senate early Friday morning approved Homeland Security funds to pay Transportation Security Administration agents and most other agencies, but not the immigration enforcement operations at the heart of the budget impasse that has jammed airports, disrupted travel and imposed financial hardship on workers. 

The deal, which the Senate approved unanimously without a roll call, next goes to the House, which is expected to consider it Friday.” | AP

Elsewhere

Casey Bashes President Trump’s Criticism of Judges As “Almost Criminal”. “Never mentioning President Donald Trump by name, former U.S. Sen. Bob Casey accused him Thursday of pushing destruction of the nation’s judicial system, press freedom and voting rights.” | WVIA

Knives Out For Fetterman As Democrats Turn On One-Time Progressive Star. “The criticism reflects growing friction between Sen. John Fetterman and his progressive political base as he breaks with Democrats on key issues, including his support for Israel, backing of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, and openness to voter ID. Once a darling of the political left who exchanged endorsements with socialist Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, Fetterman now finds himself a target of attacks from his own party.” | Fox News

Senate Democrats Defeat Amendment to Require Photo ID to Vote. “Senate Democrats on Thursday defeated an amendment sponsored by Sen. Jon Husted (R), Ohio’s former secretary of state, to require voters to show photo ID when casting ballots in person or voting by mail, despite previous statements by Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (N.Y.) that Democrats support photo ID requirements for elections.” | The Hill

State

2.   Pennsylvania Supreme Court Overturns Life Without Parole for Second Degree Murder

“In a landmark ruling on Thursday, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court found that sentencing people convicted of second degree murder to life without parole is unconstitutional. The court ruled that the sentence conflicts with the Pennsylvania Constitution’s ban on cruel punishment.

The court’s ruling came in the case of Derek Lee from Allegheny County. Lee was involved in a robbery in Pittsburgh in 2014 with another man. While Lee was upstairs, another man involved in the robbery killed a man in the basement. A person can be convicted of second degree murder if they are involved in committing a felony and someone is killed during the act, even if the person did not intend to kill anyone and was not involved in the action that led to a death.” | PoliticsPA

Elsewhere

Philly DA Says Ruling Corrects Unconstitutional Life Sentences Imposed In PA For Decades. “District Attorney Larry Krasner, whose office joined 16 advocacy organizations in filing an amicus brief supporting the challenge, said Thursday that the ruling upends decades of sentencing practice” | Philadelphia Tribune

Pennsylvania House Speaker Anticipates On-Time Budget After Years of Delays. “Pennsylvania House Speaker Joanna McClinton says the move to pass a state budget out of committee this week is a sign that House Democrats want an on-time budget. It’s something Pennsylvania lawmakers have not accomplished in years, with last year’s budget fight stretching into November.” | abc27

The True Story of Pennsylvania’s Amish Vote. “In the lead-up to the 2024 presidential election, viral social media posts claimed that record numbers of Amish registered to vote. For example, one post that received national attention claimed that as many as 180,000 Amish registered to vote in Pennsylvania’s Lancaster County. But to what extent did members of the Old Order Amish community in Lancaster County vote in the 2024 election? And for those who did vote, could they have swayed the outcome of Pennsylvania’s 19 Electoral College votes?” | RealClear Pennsylvania

Around The Commonwealth

3.   Philly’s Resign-To-Run Rule Will Remain As City Council Does About-Face

“Resign-to-run lives, after all. 

Philadelphia’s longstanding rule requiring elected officials to quit their job in order to run for higher office will likely remain in place after a City Council member on Thursday moved to repeal legislation that lawmakers overwhelmingly passed just one month ago.” | Philadelphia Inquirer

Elsewhere

Three Cities Will Become ‘FIFA World Cup Fan Zones’. “As Philadelphia is now less than three months away from hosting its first World Cup match, Gov. Josh Shapiro announced that three other Pennsylvania cities will also provide fan experiences for the biggest sporting event in the world.” | The Center Square

Embattled Chester County Election Director Karen Barsoum To Resign After Primary. “The election director in Chester County, under fire for a series of administrative errors and accusations of a hostile work environment, is resigning from her role.” | Votebeat Pennsylvania

Philly Courts Will Ban All Smart Eyeglasses Starting Next Week. “Philly courtrooms are remaining friendly to the Luddites. At least with eyewear. The Philadelphia court system is implementing a ban on all forms of smart or AI-integrated eyewear, the First Judicial District of Pennsylvania announced this week.” | Philadelphia Inquirer

Pittsburgh Metro Population Dips Again. “We’re returning to Pittsburgh normalcy: population decline. Census estimates released Thursday show the eight-county Pittsburgh metro region is losing population again, continuing a well-trodden trend.” | Axios Pittsburgh

Editorial

4.  What Do You Think?

• SAVE America Act is GOP’s Latest Attempt At Voter Suppression | Philadelphia Inquirer 
• Pennsylvania May Decide Who Runs the House of Representatives | Hunter DeRensis
• Pittsburgh’s Post‑Steel Economy Is A Success – And A Warning For Other Cities | Christopher Briem
• Election Deniers Shouldn’t Run Elections. In Fulton County, They Came Close | Dana Barrett and Mo Ivory
• ‘No Kings’: Politics as Bad Group Therapy | Jonathan Alpert
• Oh, We Have to Pay for That? | Keith Rothfus
• ICE Out? Think Again | Broad + Liberty

1 Thing

5.   Meet the Voracious Food Mappers Trying To Make It It Easier To Find PA’s Best Eats

“Pennsylvania boasts some incredible and unique foods, but finding them isn’t always as easy as devouring them.

Expert food reviewers don’t make it to most parts of the state, and can’t cover every local fave even when they come to town. Public review pages are liable to be targeted with dishonest or straight-up fake reviews. Meanwhile, social media is overrun with influencers, some of whom may be promoting restaurants just to get a free meal.

What’s a hungry foodie to do?” | Spotlight PA

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