Could be in place by 2013 By Eric Boehm | PA Independent HARRISBURG — Campaign finance reports in Pennsylvania finally could be entering the digital age. Candidates for all statewide offices and the General Assembly may have to submit their campaign finance reports electronically, a move that advocates say would reduce the time between filing deadlines and when the public can access the information. It also would save money. The bill heads to the House for a vote, which could come in the a few weeks. Candidates can submit their reports electronically now, but only about 30 percent do so, according to the state's Department of State. Like income tax returns, the finance reports only have to be postmarked by the end of the day ... Continue reading →

May 22, 2012 NCSL Report: Immigration Bills Plummet in 2012 WASHINGTON, D.C. – Though immigration continues to be a hot issue in state legislatures, the number of bills has dropped significantly, according to a new report from NCSL’s Immigrant Policy Project. In the first quarter of 2012, 865 bills and resolutions relating to immigrants and refugees were introduced in 45 state legislatures and the District of Columbia. This number represents a 44 percent decrease from this point last year, when 1,538 bills were introduced. As of March 31, 27 states enacted 24 laws and adopted 74 resolutions. This total of 98 is 30 percent lower than the 141 measures enacted in the first quarter of 2011. An additional five bills were awaiting governors’ signatures. "This ... Continue reading →

With @sganim and @PatriotNews friends as Columbia University sets up for #Pulitzer luncheon http://t.co/0wjwdBEu Continue reading →