👋 Tuesday. Goodbye to June.
Headlines. The Supreme Court will issue final decisions. The state budget is slow again. The tech community recommends waiting for data center policies. When Independence Hall was almost demolished.
🎶 Your morning, pick me up. Hot Hot Hot. Buster Poindexter and his Blue Banshee
Weather in Pennsylvania
☀️ Glenshaw | Mostly sunlit, 93
🌤️ Say | Rising Clouds, 93
☀️ Drexel Hill | Mostly sunlit, 91
Sports PA
⚾ Phillies (47-38) | Pittsburgh 7-11 | Tuesday vs. Pittsburgh
⚾ Pirates (43-42) | Philadelphia 11-7 | Tuesday in Philadelphia
⚽ USMNT (2-1) | Wednesday – Bosnia and Herzegovina
What’s happening today. The Supreme Court will publish its opinions at 10 a.m. The House and Senate meet at 11 a.m.
What are we watching?. In this episode of Voices of Reason entitled AI data centers are the hottest topic in the Commonwealth. Should we rush to win the AI race with China or snail-paced down our efforts? PoliticsPA Steve Ulrich talks to Pennsylvania State Senator Rosemary Brown AND Michael Helbingdirector of the Center for Energy Law and Policy at Penn State.
Tips. PoliticsPA is Pennsylvania’s leading source of unbiased political news and analysis. Tips and press releases can be submitted [email protected].
PoliticsPA Guide was developed by Steve Ulrich. To read in your browser click here.
The most essential story
1. The Supreme Court Will Issue Final Decisions: Here’s What’s Left
“The Supreme Court will deliver all remaining opinions from this term on Tuesday, setting the stage for an extremely emotional day with expected decisions on birthright citizenship, bans on transgender athletes and campaign finance.
Here’s what the court will rule on Tuesday at 10 a.m. ET. | Hill
Elsewhere
Signs indicate that the U.S. Supreme Court will take up the dispute over Pennsylvania’s mail-in voting date. “You knew this would happen. The United States Supreme Court signals that it will take up the dispute over the date of mail-in voting in Pennsylvania in the next term. ” | PoliticsPA
McCormick and Fetterman tout ‘Trump accounts’ for children during stop in Philadelphia. “Pennsylvania’s U.S. senators visited the Philadelphia youth basketball program on Monday to present federal savings accounts for children scheduled to open on July 4. ” | City and state
Boyle says Pennsylvania Democrats should consider redistricting. “Pennsylvania Democratic Rep. Brendan Boyle said his party should consider changing congressional lines if it wins control of the state government in the November election.” | Bloomberg
Democratic Candidates Form ‘Blue Collar Brigade’ to Boost Fundraising. “Five House candidates with ties to organized labor, including Bob Brooks of PA-07, are launching a joint fundraising effort on Tuesday to help finance their campaigns and amplify a populist, progressive message they believe can win back working-class voters frustrated by high costs.” | POLICY
Country
2. It looks like another slow state budget is in jeopardy
“State lawmakers have just over 24 hours until the deadline to pass a spending plan for the next fiscal year on Tuesday at 11:59 p.m.
But as of Monday afternoon, few details had emerged from negotiations between Gov. Josh Shapiro and the majority leaders of Senate Republicans and House Democrats. And because Senate rules require that the bill that will ultimately contain the budget be read on three separate days, the earliest the budget can be passed is Wednesday.’ | Penn Capital Star
Elsewhere
Will education divide the PA Legislature again this budget cycle? There are signs of smoother sailing. “Although a dispute over education funding contributed to a months-long budget impasse several years ago, one key lawmaker doesn’t think the issue will be much of a sticking point, in part because lawmakers in a divided state Legislature are pursuing a less ambitious agenda.” | PA reflector
The Supreme Court allows states to count absentee ballots that arrive after Election Day. “In a 5-4 vote, the justices rejected the Republican National Committee’s challenge and found that the Mississippi statute did not unlawfully conflict with federal law that sets Election Day in early November.” | PoliticsPA
Defense attorneys want to block AG’s appeal to overturn murder convictions. “Lawyers for three Philadelphia men whose murder convictions were overturned in May are asking a judge to block the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office from intervening in the case to reverse the outcome.” | Questioner from Philadelphia
Happy birthday, America? The nation of 250 may be too divided to celebrate as one. “Betsy Halsey, 63, still has memorabilia from America’s 1976 bicentennial in her childhood bedroom at her parents’ house. But the retired Doylestown teacher is so outraged by President Donald Trump that she refuses to celebrate the country’s 250th birthday.” | Reuters
Around the Republic of Poland
3. Tech Community to Shapiro and Pennsylvania Legislators: Wait for Data Center Rules
“Governments at the local, state and federal levels are still figuring out how to legislate the development of AI-powered data centers. The Pittsburgh Technology Council has a suggestion for Governor Josh Shapiro and the Pennsylvania General Assembly: wait.
“The request is simple,” he said Audrey Russopresident and CEO of the Council, in a statement on Monday. “Take a short pause. Invite producers, labor leaders, local communities and decision-makers to the table. Let’s make sure we get it right before decisions are finalized. ” | Pittsburgh Postal Newspaper
Elsewhere
Student loan changes coming July 1: here’s what you need to know. “Borrowers will face significant student loan changes starting next month, including fewer repayment options under President Trump’s Tax and Spending Act and a final fatal blow to the dismantled SAVE plan.” | Axles
Republicans hit record lows for in-person town halls. “Republican members of Congress have continued a years-long decline in the number of in-person town halls, reaching record lows in the first half of 2026.” | PoliticsPA
Meuser says two proposed ICE detention centers will not be built in Pennsylvania. “My office has been directly informed that DHS, under the leadership of Secretary Markwayne Mullin, has developed advanced immigration enforcement plans that will not include proposed detention or processing facilities in Berks or Schuylkill counties,” said U.S. Rep. Dan Meuser (R-09).” | Central Square
Small town USA’s 4th of July fireworks dreams are going up in smoke. “America’s 250th birthday is shaping up to be a celebration of red, white and blue fireworks — for cities that can afford them. As cities compete for bigger and brighter anniversary displays, smaller municipalities are getting more expensive — or finding out they simply don’t have enough crews and equipment to go around.” | Axles
Editorial
4. What do you think about it?
1 item
5. When Independence Hall was almost demolished
“Few buildings have played a greater role in the founding of the United States than Independence Hall in Philadelphia. As the site where the Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776 and where the United States Constitution was drafted and signed in 1787, Independence Hall is considered the cradle of America. Today it welcomes 3 to 5 million visitors each year.”
But less than 50 years after its hallowed halls welcomed the nation’s founders, Independence Hall was on the verge of demolition. Here’s how the building miraculously escaped destruction and was ultimately saved by the city of Philadelphia. | History.com
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Keep tranquil. See you tomorrow.
