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Government shutdown looms after Trump-backed bill fails; Environmental groups sue CA Air Resources Board over biogas credits; NY elected officials work to electrify municipal buildings; Need a mental health boost? Talking hot dog is here.

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President-elect Trump repeats his threats to jail Jan. 6th committee members, while also putting a stop-gap spending plan in jeopardy. A court removes Fani Willis from Trump's Georgia election interference case. The FAA restricts drones in New Jersey, and a Federal Reserve rate cut shakes markets.

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Rural folks could soon be shut out of loans for natural disasters if Project 2025 has its way, Taos, New Mexico weighs options for its housing shortage, and the top states providing America's Christmas trees revealed.

Hearing Date Set for PA School Funding Suit

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Monday, February 5, 2018   

HARRISBURG, Pa. — A lawsuit claiming that Pennsylvania public schools are chronically underfunded is one step closer to going to trial.

The Commonwealth Court set a hearing for March 7 to address preliminary objections filed by state legislators opposing the lawsuit. According to Maura McInerney, legal director at the Education Law Center, Sen. Joe Scarnati shifted responsibility to communities and school districts in his court filing, because in his words, they "have broad discretion in deciding how to spend the funds they receive."

"That local-rule argument was squarely foreclosed by the Supreme Court, who acknowledged that the chronic underfunding of school districts is not a matter of local rule, but a matter of state requirement under the Education Clause of our Constitution,” McInerney said.

She said Scarnati also argued that the low level of state funding for public schools does no harm to the plaintiffs in the case.

McInerney pointed out that in late January, Gov. Tom Wolf filed a response to the lawsuit acknowledging that the state Supreme Court has ruled against previous motions to dismiss it.

"In addition, he has urged the court to enter an order setting a deadline, so that the parties may 'swiftly undertake discovery and move the matter toward resolution,’” McInerney said.

In her view, every delay is depriving children who won't get a second chance to receive the educational opportunities they deserve.

McInerney said she is optimistic that, following the March 7 hearing, the legislators' objections will be dismissed and the case, originally filed in 2014, will finally go to trial.

"We welcome the opportunity to present the case on behalf of students at underfunded school districts across this Commonwealth, who have languished far too long in these underfunded schools,” she said.


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