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| Today: SLAPP law, rodeo rule, funeral plans, SCOTUS fallout, tuition freeze, and reading curricula. This is PA Post. Thanks for checking in. |
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Pennsylvanians have new protections against lawsuits meant to silence public expression under a bill Gov. Josh Shapiro signed into law this week.
Strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs) are often filed against people or groups who criticize corporations or governments. The goal is intimidation or draining the defendant’s funds with legal fees.
Previously, Pennsylvania’s anti-SLAPP law only safeguarded free speech on environmental issues.
The new measure expands protections to all First Amendment expression, allows defendants to file an anti-SLAPP motion early in the case, and mandates compensation to parties forced to fight suits deemed frivolous.
Read Spotlight PA's full report: Pennsylvania expands protections against frivolous suits aimed at curtailing free speech |
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| NOTABLE / QUOTABLE
“We’re all looking to our leaders to help unify, not just Pennsylvania but America. I think this is a huge opportunity for somebody like Gov. Shapiro to go past partisanship.”
—State Rep. Natalie Mihalek (R., Allegheny) on Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro’s ability to encourage bipartisanship in Pennsylvania. |
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Berks County residents are extremely frustrated with the diminished capacity of the local newspaper and they are concerned about a lack of access to trustworthy information in their community, according to a groundbreaking study by Spotlight PA.
In response to the findings, Spotlight PA is planning to launch a new regional reporting bureau in Berks County to be supported primarily by people living and working in the region. Read the full story, and then support the effort »
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| A Japanese lily in bloom at Morris Arboretum in Philadelphia, via Don N. Send us your photos by email, use #PAGems on Instagram, or tag us @spotlightpennsylvania. |
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 RODEO RETURN: Pennsylvania municipalities will be forced to allow rodeos under a provision in the new state budget even if local lawmakers have restricted them, Spotlight PA reports. The provision appears to target Pittsburgh’s more than 30-year-old ban on using tools like electric prods and spurs to control animals.    TUITION SAVINGS: The board of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education voted this week to freeze in-state tuition for the 10 state universities for the seventh consecutive year, the Capital-Star reports. The vote comes after state lawmakers approved a 6% increase in funding for PASSHE in the budget.  READING MEASURE: The Pennsylvania budget deal doesn't require schools to adopt the “science of reading,” The Inquirer (paywall) reports. State Rep. Jason Ortitay (R., Washington), who supports such a change, told the news outlet that “it wasn’t just high enough on the priority list.” Parents and advocates have pushed for school districts to mandate “evidence-based” reading curricula. |
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CHUGGING ALONG: A Lehigh Valley committee is moving forward with a study on bringing passenger rail back to the area in the face of questions including, “Is this thing real?” the Morning Call (paywall) reports. ATHLETICS POLICY: The Dover Area School District board has approved a gender-based athletic policy, the York Daily Record (paywall) reports. In part, the policy says that sports for “girls” won’t be open to “boys,” and vice versa. SWIM RULES: Swimmers younger than 16 will now need a chaperone to get into the pools run by Allegheny County. TribLIVE reports it's an effort to “increase safety and create a more enjoyable experience.” ‘JAW-DROPPING HOUSE’: An art collector’s Delaware County retreat is on the market for $1.6 million, via Realtor.com. The three-bedroom home is situated on 3 acres that include a Japanese garden with a koi pond. |
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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. Please include your first name and last initial. E N L E Z B U I
Yesterday's answer: Yesteryear
Congrats to our daily winners: Stacy S., Eric F., Vicki U., Barbara F., Jane R., Bob C., Elaine C., Don H., Jon W., Ted W., Amelia M., Susan N., Stanley J., George C., Perry H., Cynthia B., William Z., Kim C., Tish M., Annette I., Richard P., Tom M., Timothy A., Helen D., and Jeffrey F.
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