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For us at Spotlight PA, 2023 went by in the blink of an eye — yet so much happened in our state. Hundreds of stories told by our reporters, causing real and lasting change that would have never happened if not for Spotlight PA.
That's journalism that gets results.
Below we recap the biggest stories from 2023. But first, we really need your help. We're in the final 5 days of our year-end member drive, the most important of the year to ensure our unique and vital work can continue.
We need to raise $15,000 more to hit our goal. Make a tax-deductible, year-end gift now so this work can continue. Your contribution now will also lock in a special DOUBLE match, but hurry, it expires at midnight Sunday. |
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Shapiro’s first year
Democrat Josh Shapiro took control of Pennsylvania’s executive branch in January, promising to reach across the aisle.
In 2023, he won praise as a literal bridge builder, signed a state spending plan that included long-sought Democratic priorities, and helped expand a relief program for older homeowners.
But he also struggled at times to navigate Pennsylvania’s divided legislature, earning the ire of state Senate Republicans after he vetoed a private school voucher program he supports to appease members of his party.
His first year was also marked by scandal when one of his top aides was accused of sexual harassment. Shapiro’s office quietly paid $295,000 to settle the allegation and required both sides to sign confidentiality clauses.
Read more about Shapiro’s first year in office.
Democrats take control of state House
For the first time in more than a decade, Democrats were in control of the state House and its agenda. The party’s one-seat majority was almost immediately compromised because of several vacancies. This led to a rocky start to the session and a surprise (and very temporary) compromise speaker.
The Democratic caucus advanced several of its priorities including stricter gun regulations, a minimum wage increase, and LGBTQ nondiscrimination protections — though none of these bills were taken up by the Republican-controlled state Senate.
But it also experienced the resignation of a Democratic lawmaker accused of sexual harassment.
Read more about the Pennsylvania legislature’s 2023.
Major court rulings on education, the environment
In February, Commonwealth Court ruled that Pennsylvania’s formula for funding public education is unconstitutional and harms poorer school districts. The long-awaited ruling did not prescribe a solution for the issue, but some stakeholders believe the state may need to invest billions more to close the gap.
State lawmakers are holding hearings to explore what to do next. The hard work will begin in early 2024 when a committee studying the issue releases a report.
Commonwealth Court made another major ruling in November when it struck down a key climate change program. The Shapiro administration is fighting that ruling — not because it supports the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, but to defend executive power.
Abortion proves a winning issue in November
Democrats swept the November elections for appellate court positions, apparently buoyed by voter fears that abortion access will be curtailed in the commonwealth.
Groups that support abortion access backed the Democratic candidate for state Supreme Court and framed the race as a must-win in a post-Roe v. Wade world. Political observers also called the race a litmus test for how this issue will drive voters in 2024.
The high court race also broke spending records, with at least $22 million spent to influence the race’s outcome.
>> More major stories from 2023: |
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Unscramble and send your answer to scrambler@spotlightpa.org. We'll shout out winners here, and one each week will get some Spotlight PA swag. Answers submitted by 5:30 p.m. on issue date will be counted. C I L E I R P T T A
Friday's answer: Melismatic
Congrats to our daily winners: Don H., Susan N.-Z., Richard A., Jon W., Kimberly D., Barbara F., Elaine C., Stacy S., Bob C., Alan B., Tracy S., Dennis M., Kimberly S., Daniel A., Wendy A., Jeffrey F., Kim C., Craig E., and Tom M.
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