Health Care

Breaking Down Barriers Following COVID-19

  • Tirzah Duren
  • May 1, 2020

COVID-19 has kept many Pennsylvanians from frequenting the neighborhood coffee shops, nail salons, or retailers they once took for granted. But that’s not the real tragedy—even after stay at home…

Fact Sheet

Read More: Breaking Down Barriers Following COVID-19

Health Care

Top 10 Corona Virus FAQ’s for Pennsylvanians

  • April 30, 2020

Since the COVID-19 pandemic spread to Pennsylvania, we’ve been deluged with questions about what state government is doing. Below are the top 10 questions we’ve been asked with our quick…

Fact Sheet

Read More: Top 10 Corona Virus FAQ’s for Pennsylvanians

Government Accountability

Persistent Leadership will Safely Reopen Pa.

  • Elizabeth Stelle, Tirzah Duren
  • April 24, 2020

Governor Wolf continues to take positive steps toward a safe and gradual opening of the Pennsylvania economy because lawmakers continue to advance good policy that protects lives and livelihoods.

Memo

Read More: Persistent Leadership will Safely Reopen Pa.

Education

Emergency Education Scholarship Accounts

  • Colleen Hroncich
  • April 23, 2020

Educational impacts from COVID-19 will reverberate for years—particularly for students who are already struggling. Emergency ESAs can help stem learning losses and keep kids on a path to success.

Memo

Read More: Emergency Education Scholarship Accounts

Criminal Justice Reform

How Pa. Can Keep Prisons and Communities Safe During Coronavirus

  • April 6, 2020

Pennsylvania’s prisons and jails are particularly vulnerable to the quick spread of COVID-19. Here are several recommendations for mitigating the risk in our corrections system while protecting public safety.  …

Fact Sheet

Read More: How Pa. Can Keep Prisons and Communities Safe During Coronavirus

Education

Understanding Cyber Charter Schools

  • Colleen Hroncich
  • April 2, 2020

Misconceptions abound when it comes to cyber charter schools—and opponents use that confusion to attack this important option. In the current era of school shutdowns, it's more important than ever…

Fact Sheet

Read More: Understanding Cyber Charter Schools

Health Care

Policy Recommendations to Fight COVID-19 in Pennsylvania

  • March 24, 2020

As Pennsylvania faces its greatest crisis in decades, it is imperative that legislators take the lead and enact key heath care, education, and budget reforms to help Pennsylvania families and small…

Fact Sheet

Read More: Policy Recommendations to Fight COVID-19 in Pennsylvania

Education

Tuition Scholarships for Harrisburg

  • Elizabeth Stelle, Marc LeBlond
  • November 14, 2019

With HB 1800, Speaker Mike Turzai (R-Allegheny) wants to give parents the ability to escape Harrisburg schools without a permission slip from local officials.

Fact Sheet

Read More: Tuition Scholarships for Harrisburg

Health Care

The Administrative Cost of Community Engagement Requirements in Medicaid

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • October 30, 2019

This is the first in a series of policy briefs looking at the common objections to implementing community engagement requirements, or work expectations, for healthy adults receiving benefits under Medicaid…

Fact Sheet

Read More: The Administrative Cost of Community Engagement Requirements in Medicaid

State Budget

Slicing Pennsylvania’s Finances, Part 2

  • Andrew Abramczyk
  • October 28, 2019

The state legislature controls less than half of all state revenue. The rest is on autopilot, flowing automatically through a maze of accounts and undermining the constituional plan for accountabilty…

Fact Sheet

Read More: Slicing Pennsylvania’s Finances, Part 2

Education

Fact Sheet: HB 1897 Eliminating Cyber Charter Schools

  • Marc LeBlond
  • October 16, 2019

Today 34,000 Pennsylvania kids choose cyber charter schools. HB 1897 would eliminate all Pa. cyber charter schools by fall 2021. It also issues a top-down mandate that each school district…

Fact Sheet

Read More: Fact Sheet: HB 1897 Eliminating Cyber Charter Schools

Education

A Fair, Accountable, and Transparent Education

  • Colleen Hroncich, Marc LeBlond
  • September 16, 2019

What are the facts on fairness, accountability, and transparency in the Commonwealth’s education system?…

Fact Sheet

Read More: A Fair, Accountable, and Transparent Education

Regulation

The Broken Promise of Flexible Liquor Pricing

  • Andrew Abramczyk
  • September 11, 2019

The Liquor Control Board told the public it would use its expanded pricing powers for consumer benefit.  Instead it has used them to benefit only itself.

Memo

Read More: The Broken Promise of Flexible Liquor Pricing

Government Accountability

Worker Freedom in the States

  • Jessica Barnett
  • August 30, 2019

Unprecedented labor issue activity has followed the 2018 Janus v. AFSCME ruling. Read our summary here.

Fact Sheet

Read More: Worker Freedom in the States

Government Accountability

The Janus Impact and Grading of State Public Sector Labor Laws

  • Priya Brannick
  • August 28, 2019

In the Janus aftermath, pro-union forces make legislative headway counteracting the court decision, while workers push back in the courts. This report details the trends, and grades each state according to…

Report

Read More: The Janus Impact and Grading of State Public Sector Labor Laws

State Budget

Slicing Pennsylvania’s Finances, Part 1

  • Andrew Abramczyk
  • August 21, 2019

Pennsylvania's largest budget items are growing unsustainably fast. The budget can only be brought under control only if these cost drivers are addressed.

Fact Sheet

Read More: Slicing Pennsylvania’s Finances, Part 1

Public Union Democracy

Government Unions One Year after Janus v. AFSCME

  • Jessica Barnett
  • August 2, 2019

One year after Janus unions lost significant fee-based revenue, fee-payers largely remain non-union, and existing members—frequently unaware of the ruling or restricted from resigning—often maintain membership…

Memo

Read More: Government Unions One Year after Janus v. AFSCME