Post Tagged with: "pennsylvania"

Post-Coal America and Zoning Law: Taking a Closer Look at Springdale, Pennsylvania

Post-Coal America and Zoning Law: Taking a Closer Look at Springdale, Pennsylvania

By Simon Jaronski, Staff Writer Photo Courtesy of Pixabay In April 2022, the Cheswick Generating Station permanently shut down operations.[1] It was the last coal-fired power plant operating in Allegheny County.[2] The former plant, which is technically located in Springdale Borough – less than 20 miles from Pittsburgh – will leave behind […]

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Pennsylvania Adopts Automatic Voter Registration

Pennsylvania Adopts Automatic Voter Registration

Photo courtesy of Unsplash.com By Emily Migdal, Staff Writer On September 19th, 2023, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro announced that he was implementing automatic voter registration in the commonwealth.[1] Under this policy, Pennsylvania residents will automatically be registered to vote when obtaining or renewing a driver’s license or state ID, streamlining […]

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State and Federal Bodies Address the Teacher Shortage

State and Federal Bodies Address the Teacher Shortage

By Jacob Schramm, Feature Editor Photo courtesy of unsplash.com Celebrities, athletes, scientists, and politicians, including former President Barack Obama, have commented on the impact that teachers have made on their lives.[1] Bill Gates credited his fourth-grade English teacher with stoking his passion for learning at a pivotal time in his life, […]

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PWFA Gives Birth to Extended Workplace Protections for Pregnant Workers

PWFA Gives Birth to Extended Workplace Protections for Pregnant Workers

by Casey Seaman, Staff Writer Photo courtesy of unsplash.com Women account for nearly 60 percent of the workforce, most of whom work during their pregnancies.[1] For years, pregnant workers, especially women in low wage and physically demanding jobs, were punished for being pregnant.[2] Employers routinely denied pregnant workers temporary job accommodations needed […]

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Pennsylvania State Representative Introduces Bill for Wrongful Conviction Compensation

Pennsylvania State Representative Introduces Bill for Wrongful Conviction Compensation

Photo courtesy of istockphoto.com by Chloe Clifford, Staff Writer Individuals who have been wrongfully convicted and proven to be innocent through post-conviction DNA testing spend, on average, over 14 years incarcerated.[1] For many who are wrongfully convicted, their nightmare does not end when they are proven innocent and released from prison.[2] Unlike […]

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Pennsylvania Court Deems Education Funding System Unconstitutional

Pennsylvania Court Deems Education Funding System Unconstitutional

By Mia Hoetzlein-Sirman, Staff Writer On February 7, 2023, the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania returned a monumental decision on an ongoing school funding lawsuit almost a year after the trial ended. The court determined that the funding mechanisms for Pennsylvania’s public schools are unconstitutional and must be remedied immediately. This […]

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Free Speech Concerns Amidst the Adoption of the Anti-Bias Rule

Free Speech Concerns Amidst the Adoption of the Anti-Bias Rule

By Riley Frank, Staff Writer The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has hopes of adopting Rule 8.4(g), which states that biased decision-making by attorneys constitutes professional misconduct and enshrines this into the Pennsylvania Code. [1] Though this rule seems relatively straightforward and ethical, judges and attorneys alike have taken issue with its adoption. […]

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Should Pennsylvania Courts Allow False Confession Expert Testimony?

Should Pennsylvania Courts Allow False Confession Expert Testimony?

By Felicia Dusha, Features Editor Photo courtesy of pixabay.com To date, 375 people convicted of crimes in the United States have been exonerated by DNA testing.[1] Of the 375 people, about 30 percent confessed to crimes they did not commit.[2] Experts on false confessions have studied these cases and compiled data on […]

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