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Headlines. Pennsylvania Skill Games Illegal Under Gaming Control Act. Observers Hope Election Will Turn Up Heat On Budget Process. Dauphin, Lancaster County Democratic Parties Vote For Leadership Changes. Your Golden Ticket to the New Sarris Chocolate Factory Tour

🎶 Your Morning Pick Me Up. Ramblin’ Gamblin’ Man. Bob Seger

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What’s Happening Today. The House convenes at 11 AM. The Senate returns on June 22.

What We’re Hearing. Republican gubernatorial candidate Stacy Garrity will unveil her plan to give the 700,000 veterans “who call Pennsylvania home the support, resources, and opportunity they deserve.”

What We’re Also Hearing. The Commonwealth Foundation has dropped a new statewide digital ad titled, “Stop Gov. Shapiro’s Tax Hike.”

Tips. PoliticsPA is Pennsylvania’s premier source for nonpartisan political news and analysis. Tips or press releases can be sent to [email protected].

The PoliticsPA Playbook is compiled by Steve Ulrich. To read in your browser, click here. 

Top Story

1.  PA Supreme Court Rules Skill Games Illegal

“The Pennsylvania Supreme Court dropped a bombshell on Monday afternoon, ruling that Pennsylvania Skill games are illegal under the Gaming Control Act.

The state’s highest court said that the skill games are slot machines under Commonwealth law and must adhere to the state’s crime and gambling statutes.

The caveat to the ruling – law enforcement cannot begin for 120 days, providing the General Assembly time to decide on regulating the machines.” | PoliticsPA

Elsewhere

Skill Games Are Slot Machines, Must Adhere to PA’s Gambling Law, State Supreme Court Rules. “Skill games are slot machines under Pennsylvania law and must adhere to the commonwealth’s crime and gambling statutes, the state’s highest court ruled Monday. However, the ruling says that law enforcement can’t take any action for 120 days. That gives the legislature a four-month window to decide whether to regulate the machines, which have proliferated across the state in taverns, gas stations, and corner stores despite existing in a legal gray area.” | Spotlight PA

GOP Sparks Fury With Apparent Meddling In Democratic Primaries. “House Democrats are seething over what is, by all indications, a nationwide Republican effort to elevate Democratic primary candidates viewed as more beatable in November. Why it matters: This once-rare practice is becoming commonplace.” | Axios

State

2.  Observers Hope Election Will Turn Up Heat On Budget Process

“Pennsylvania counties last year lost millions of dollars and domestic violence programs in the state laid off workers, some of whom never returned to those jobs, as a result of state leaders missing the budget deadline by 135 days. 

Those who got burned last year said they hoped the fact that many lawmakers and the governor are up for reelection in 2026 will grease the skids toward an agreement.” | The Center Square

Elsewhere

Members of U.S. Congress to Hold Ceremony At Independence Hall For America250. “On July 2, members of Congress will gather at Independence Hall in Philadelphia, where both the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States were signed. ” | PoliticsPA

PA House Passes “Gas Station Heroin” Ban. “In a near-unanimous vote, the state House passed a bill Monday that would ban the sale of what’s been dubbed “gas station heroin,” or tianeptine. It is sold in gas stations and head shops across the commonwealth and produces opioid-like effects in high doses.” | Penn Capital-Star

PA House Democrats Again Delay Decision On Transgender Athlete Ban Bills. “A state House committee voted Monday to punt a series of bills on transgender girls’ participation in sports to another panel — the seventh time such a vote has been taken in the past year.” | PennLive

Around The Commonwealth

3.   Dauphin, Lancaster County Democratic Parties Vote For Leadership Changes

“With a little more than four months remaining before the 2026 general election, a number of county Democratic committees have opted to make changes in their leadership.

Dauphin and Lancaster are two counties that ousted old leadership and put new members at the top of the organization, while others saw new blood replace those who chose not to seek reelection.” | PoliticsPA

Elsewhere

Bob Brady Has Chaired Philly’s Democratic Party Since 1986. Ward Leaders Just Gave Him Four More Years. “Since 1986, Philadelphia has had six different mayors and five City Council Presidents. But over the those four decades, the city’s Democratic Party has known only one leader, Robert A. Brady. And he’s not done yet.” | Philadelphia Inquirer

Delco Election Chief Admits Mail-In Barcodes Could Link A Ballot To Its Voter. “Robert Mancini noticed something on his mail-in ballot that most voters ignore: a barcode. The Media resident and cybersecurity expert wanted to know what it contained — and his pursuit of that answer has put him on a collision course with Delaware County election officials.” | PhillyDaily

Editorial

4.  What Do You Think?

• What If Both Parties Gerrymandered to the Max? | Nathaniel Rakich
• A GOP Gift to the Cultural Left | Wall Street Journal 
• Is it Time to Return to a Two-Year State Budget Cycle? | Lowman Henry

1 Thing

5.  Your Golden Ticket to the New Chocolate Factory Tour at Sarris Candies

“Pittsburgh is synonymous with reinvention and repurposing historic structures for new ventures that are often a complete 180 from the buildings’ original intent. 

We have steel mills turned into tech hubs and a brewery in a former Nike missile site.

Now Sarris Candies shows there’s a sweeter side to industrial reutilization.” | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

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