School rules key to GOP agenda
From rural representatives to their candidate for governor, Pennsylvania Republicans are carrying out a full culture war over matters of gender identity and sexual orientation.
Bills and campaign ads in recent months have focused on purported threats to children, especially in the form of sexual education and expanded recognition of gender identities. The push comes as fellow GOP officials in other states have moved to restrict teachers无毛视频� abilities to discuss the topics with students.
In a planned bill he introduced recently, gubernatorial hopeful Sen. Doug Mastriano, R-Adams, said he无毛视频檒l seek a ban on 无毛视频済ender transition surgeries无毛视频� in those under 18 years old.
The practice that advocates call gender-affirming surgery 无毛视频� cosmetic surgeries sometimes sought by transgender people 无毛视频� is exceedingly uncommon among teenagers and is typically delayed until adulthood. Still, Republicans across the country have led a charge to ban the practice, with Mastriano describing gender-affirming care as an 无毛视频渆xperiment无毛视频� and part of a 无毛视频渇ringe progressive ideology.无毛视频�
Mastriano无毛视频檚 colleagues in the General Assembly have sought to restrict other areas of transgender life, as well: One bill, vetoed by Gov. Tom Wolf in July, would have banned transgender girls and young women from playing school sports.
Schools have become a key battleground for the conservative culture war 无毛视频� just months after a similar concerted effort to restrict teaching on racial issues and history.
Last month, state Rep. Stephanie Borowicz, R-Clinton, proposed a bill to enshrine 无毛视频減arents无毛视频� rights in education.无毛视频� The bill would ban any instruction on gender identity or sexual orientation through sixth grade and ensure parental access to children无毛视频檚 full health records.
While the bill无毛视频檚 text is vague, similar laws in other states have prompted political clashes 无毛视频� and even student walkouts 无毛视频� when administrators imposed restrictions.
Several states have established laws to limit gender and sexual discussion in schools. Recently, students in Virginia protested a state proposal to require parental approval before students can use the names and pronouns with which they identify.
Comparable efforts in Pennsylvania haven无毛视频檛 progressed as far: Borowicz无毛视频檚 bill is awaiting attention in a House committee, and Wolf无毛视频檚 veto remains as a barrier until a new governor takes office next year.
Wolf challenges amendments
Wolf has renewed his fight against a slate of reforms that could enshrine GOP policy preferences in the state constitution, with a new court filing last week intended to stop them.
Republican lawmakers passed a package of changes in July intended to rewrite the state无毛视频檚 highest document. The bill 无毛视频� a combination of several earlier proposals 无毛视频� would deny a right to abortion, ban state funding of any abortions and allow lawmakers to more easily roll back regulations, among other changes.
By passing the plans as amendments, lawmakers would send them for a vote by the public and bypass Wolf无毛视频檚 veto.
Wolf has fought a legal battle against the combined amendment since its passage, arguing that the decision to combine them into one sprawling bill violates an existing constitutional rule that requires legislation to cover one topic at a time.
Wolf无毛视频檚 lawsuit to stop the amendment is awaiting a hearing in the state无毛视频檚 Commonwealth Court.
Polls show solid Dem lead
With elections just over a month away, the latest polls show a continuing edge for Democrats seeking statewide offices.
In a Marist poll conducted in late September, Pennsylvanians who said they无毛视频檙e certain to vote next month favored Democratic Senate candidate Lt. Gov. John Fetterman over physician Mehmet Oz by 51 to 44%.
The same poll found voters overwhelmingly backing Democratic Attorney General Josh Shapiro for governor, with a 12% lead over Mastriano.
Several other polls released in late September show similar results: a consistent lead for Fetterman and a solid lead 无毛视频� sometimes in the double digits 无毛视频� for Shapiro.
New push to ease abortion access
New bans in nearby states have created surging abortion demand in Pennsylvania 无毛视频� and in response, a few lawmakers are launching a far-fetched effort to expand access.
A proposal last week by several Democratic representatives would enable more medical workers to provide abortions, opening the procedure to registered nurse practitioners, nurse-midwives, and physician assistants.
无毛视频淧ennsylvania has only 17 freestanding abortion clinics, and 87% of our counties do not have a single health-care clinic that provides abortion care,无毛视频� the lawmakers said in a memo. 无毛视频淏ans in neighboring states have forced patients to travel to get abortion care, making it more difficult than ever for our health-care providers to meet the demand.无毛视频�
If a bill is submitted, it will have effectively no chance of passage in a GOP-dominated Legislature. But the proposal 无毛视频� along with similar efforts to expand access 无毛视频� shows that some pro-abortion lawmakers are pushing back in the face of new bans.
Democratic lawmakers have sought support for related efforts, including one to remove a testing requirement that can delay abortions.
In the wake of the Supreme Court无毛视频檚 overturn of abortion rights, many states have put total bans into effect. That has prompted efforts in Democratic-led states to expand access, and in some cases enshrine the right in state constitutions.
Ryan Brown covers statewide politics for Ogden Newspapers. He can be reached at rbrown@altoonamirror.com.