State officials may be taking another swing at drafting rules designed to make it easier for people with criminal records to earn professional licenses in
A Harrisburg lobbying firm has formed a business affiliation with a Philadelphia-area law firm.Under the arrangement, lobbying shop The DT Firm and law firm Lamb McErlane will refer clients to each other, said Joel Frank, chairman and managing partner of Lamb McErlane. While many law firms have created in-house lobbying divisions over the last few years, Lamb McErlane has […]
In a series of bipartisan votes yesterday, a state House panel approved a package of four bills designed to tweak the process for selling public water and sewer systems to private companies.The tweaks would amend a state law known as Act 12, which paved the way for greater consolidation of local water and sewer systems. Advocates note […]
Business groups are decrying a recent directive from Gov. Josh Shapiro designed to increase the state’s use of project labor agreements, deals that generally require the use of union labor on public projects.Issued last week, the directive calls on state agencies to review contract solicitations for capital projects to determine which ones would be good fits for […]
A state House panel has passed bills on party-line votes that would strengthen protections against workplace discrimination.One bill would lower the threshold for state anti-discrimination enforcement to businesses with as few as two employees, down from the current threshold of four.Another bill would tweak provisions covering gender-based wage discrimination. It would, for example, bar disparate […]
Disgruntled taxpayers in Pennsylvania would have a new option for disputing their tax bills under legislation approved yesterday by a state Senate panel.Sponsored by GOP state Sen. Tim Hutchinson, the bill would create an independent settlement process, potentially avoiding protracted court battles over tax bills, according to its supporters, which include the Pennsylvania Institute of CPAs and Pennsylvania […]
Appearing March 13 at a Scranton union hall, Gov. Josh Shapiro laid out plans for speeding up Pennsylvania’s shift to cleaner forms of electricity while creating jobs and capping carbon emissions from the power sector.The plans aim to bridge differences that have long divided environmentalists, labor groups, lawmakers and others with a stake in state […]
Earlier this year, Gov. Josh Shapiro rolled out a plan for economic development in Pennsylvania that is expected to unfold over the next decade. Progress is likely to be measured in shorter increments of time.State lawmakers, who are being asked to fund parts of the plan, could start asking for results by next year.And therein […]
Efforts to redevelop the former Red Lion Country Club in York County have taken a second hit.At a meeting on Feb. 27, zoning officials in York Township voted 3-2 to deny a developer’s request for a special exception to allow age-restricted housing under the property’s current zoning, which is for commercial office. “I don’t think […]
State regulators have tweaked regulations that modify the professional licensing process for people with criminal backgrounds, following stiff pushback from critics of the original proposal.The rules implement a 2020 state law making it easier for people with criminal convictions to become accountants, barbers, nurses and real estate agents, among the many other professions that require a state […]
Central PA’s Source for Business News Online.