With several weeks behind the signing of Act 5 of 2017, some leaders of public employee labor unions are reflecting on their role in the process and what they did differently from other pension-reform attempts that eventually led to the enactment of this legislation.

At the beginning of June, the Senate-advanced Senate Bill 1—a pension reform plan that overhauled the current pension system that was used in the commonwealth—was created after six or seven drafts from ongoing negotiations.

The bi-partisan legislation was created through agreement from all four legislative caucuses as well as Gov. Tom Wolf and his administration. 

The PLS Reporter joined Sen. Judy Schwank (D-Berks) to talk about her new bill Senate Bill 678. This bill would protect patients from surprise bills from health care providers.

Work to balance the FY 2016-2017 and FY 2017-2018 spending plans entered uncertain territory Saturday after House Republicans—the majority in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives—failed to cobble enough votes to lift the latest revenue proposal crafted in large part by House Speaker Mike Turzai (R-Allegheny) and sent members home to once again remain on six-hour call.

Gov. Tom Wolf on Friday afternoon announced his intention to nominate Pennsylvania State Education Association president Jerry Oleksiak to take over for departing Secretary of Labor and Industry Kathy Manderino.