Joint State Government Commission

08/31/2026

New report of the Decedents' Estates Advisory Committee just released: "Probate, Estates and Fiduciaries Law: Proposed Statutory Amendments to 20 Pa.C.S."

The report addresses proposed statutory amendments covering aspects of probate, estates, and fiduciaries law. The advisory committee made five recommendations for the General Assembly's consideration: on the disposition remains, in matters of small estates, to harmonize parts of Title 20 with each other, to grant standing in challenges to agents’ actions, and to correct a drafting error in existing statute.

The full report is available at

08/19/2026

We are pleased to release "Underground Power Lines in Pennsylvania," as directed by House Resolution 254.

HR254 noted the importance of reliable electric service in the Commonwealth considering that the distribution system, or “grid,” is subject to increasingly severe weather. The resolution directed the Joint State Government Commission to conduct a study on the efficacy of undertaking a statewide project to “underground,” i.e. to bury, electric utility lines. The resolution asked that cost, viability, geographic and topographic limitations, right-of-way considerations, and land use issues associated with underground electrical lines be included in the analysis. Among the resources consulted for this report was the Public Utility Commission (PUC) for its expertise on power line reliability and knowledge of electric distribution company operations.

The chief recommendation is that Pennsylvania should not seek to categorically underground all power lines and should instead encourage a strategic approach focusing on the power lines most vulnerable to disruption from inclement weather. The sizeable investment to underground power lines should be embraced in
locations where it offers the lowest lifecycle cost compared to alternative reliability solutions, such as hardening overhead lines. A pilot program based on Virigina’s undergrounding practices should be considered by the General Assembly.

The full report is found on our website https://jsg.legis.state.pa.us

07/13/2026

We are pleased to release the report, "Sports Betting and Related Interactive Gambling in Pennsylvania." House Resolution No. 60 directed the
Joint State Government Commission to study
sports betting and related interactive gambling
in the Commonwealth. The study contains
information relating to marketing strategies,
including advertising and promotions. It also
details some litigation over marketing practices.
Recommendations are included to further
regulate sports betting and interactive gambling
to reduce problematic gambling behaviors and
resultant debt.

The report concludes with
recommendations that are divided into more
deliberate and more immediate options. The
more deliberate option would require the
disclosure of anonymized transactional data
from licensees for independent analysis to
determine further regulation that would be the
most effective reducing compulsive and
problem gambling while preserving the
economic benefits of this commercial sector.
The more immediate options would focus on
recognized indicators of problematic gambling.

The report is available at https://jsg.legis.state.pa.us

06/30/2026

A brand new podcast just hit the airwaves:
In this episode the JSGC podcast crew sits down to with Jennifer Berrier, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission to learn about the many duties of this agency. Topics discussed include which utilities are regulated by the PUC, how rates are determined, and the role public feedback and complaints have in shaping the agency's decisions. We also discuss how the organization has changed to adapt to new technologies and challenges since its inception.
https://www.buzzsprout.com/1400200/episodes/19424881
Learn more at https://www.puc.pa.gov/

In this episode the JSGC podcast crew sits down to with Jennifer Berrier, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission to learn about the many duties of this agency. Topics discussed include which utilities are regulated by the...

06/23/2026

We are pleased to release "Recruitment and Retention Challenges for Pennsylvania Police, Corrections, and Prosecutors," as directed by Senate Resolution 94 of 2025.

The resolution directed the Commission to establish a Task Force consisting of the Attorney General, who served as chairman, and representatives of the State Police, the State Department of Corrections, the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency, the Fraternal Order of Police, State Troopers Association, the Chiefs of Police Association, the Sheriffs’ Association, the Fraternal Order of Transit Police, the State Corrections Officers Association, state and county corrections officers and labor representatives, the Pennsylvania Bar Association, the Pennsylvania District Attorneys Association, and district attorneys from various areas of the Commonwealth.

The Task Force presented 24 recommendations to the General Assembly for its consideration. The report is available on our website, https://jsg.legis.state.pa.us.

05/29/2026

NEW PODCAST:
In our final episode in this series on AI, Bryan sits down with former COPA-STEP Fellow Dr. Jae Wan Ahn to discuss AI's impact on cybersecurity, the emerging field of AI Agents, and hypothetical concepts that could one day shape the future of Artificial Intelligence.

Listen to the podcast on our Buzzsprout site https://www.buzzsprout.com/1400200/episodes/19259216 and wherever fine podcasts are heard.

The content for this episode is based on the full report Artificial Intelligence: "Advisory Committee Recommendations on the Adoption and Use of AI in Pennsylvania," available on the JSGC website.

In our final episode in this series on AI, Bryan sits down with former COPA-STEP Fellow Dr. Jae Wan Ahn to discuss AI's impact on cybersecurity, the emerging field of AI Agents, and hypothetical concepts that could one day shape the future of Arti...

05/08/2026

Our new podcast on AI:

In this episode, the JSGC podcast crew continues our exploration of topics from our AI report, this time turning our attention to data centers. Project manager of the JSGC report on AI Yvonne Hursh and former COPA-STEP AI Fellow Dr. Jae Wan Ahn return to answer questions about what data centers are, where they are sited, and the impacts they might have on local economies as well their effects on energy and water usage. For more information on data centers please visit the JSGC website to access our full report.

As a disclaimer for our listeners, this episode was recorded in March of 2026 and the development and policy discussions surrounding data centers are progressing rapidly. This episode represents the issue at a snapshot in time.

It's available on Buzzsprout
https://www.buzzsprout.com/1400200/episodes/19145709
and anywhere fine podcasts are found.

In this episode, the JSGC podcast crew continues our exploration of topics from our AI report, this time turning our attention to data centers. Project manager of the JSGC report on AI Yvonne Hursh and former COPA-STEP AI Fellow Dr. Jae Wan Ahn re...

04/17/2026

In this episode, the JSGC podcast crew interviews Mary Fox, the executive director of the Pennsylvania State Ethics Commission. In addition to learning about Mary’s background, we discuss the duties and responsibilities of the Ethics Commission, the difference between the Ethics Act and gift bans, and what type of disclosure is required of public officials, employees, and lobbyists. We also discuss what happens during the investigation process if there has been an ethical violation by public officials or employees.

For more information or to learn about upcoming training opportunities, please visit the Pennsylvania State Ethics Commission’s website. As an extra reminder to state public officials and employees, your annual statement of financial interest forms are due May 1st!

In this episode, the JSGC podcast crew interviews Mary Fox, the executive director of the Pennsylvania State Ethics Commission. In addition to learning about Mary’s background, we discuss the duties and responsibilities of the Ethics Commission, t...

03/27/2026

More from our report on AI:

In this episode, Bryan DeWalt interviews Allison Kobzowicz and Dr. Jae Wan Ahn to continue our series exploring AI. This time, we focus on its impact on education and criminal justice fields. For education, we discuss beneficial uses of generative AI in the classroom and proposed guidelines for its effective use. For criminal justice, we talk about how algorithm based tools like predictive policing and computer vision have shaped law enforcement for decades. This episode also addresses transparency and accountability measures to encourage the ethical development of generative AI. The content for this episode is based on the full report Artificial Intelligence: Advisory Committee Recommendations on the Adoption and Use of AI in Pennsylvania, available on the JSGC website.

The podcast is available on our Buzzsprout site,
https://www.buzzsprout.com/1400200/episodes/18918137
and everywhere fine podcasts are found.

In this episode, Bryan DeWalt interviews Allison Kobzowicz and Dr. Jae Wan Ahn to continue our series exploring AI. This time, we focus on its impact on education and criminal justice fields. For education, we discuss beneficial uses of generative...

03/16/2026

The latest in our series of podcasts about the new AI report has hit the airwaves.

In this episode, the JSGC podcast crew continues our exploration of AI by focusing on its impact on two of Pennsylvania’s most important industries: agriculture and transportation. For agriculture, we discuss uses of precision agriculture, and rates of farmer adoption of technology within Pennsylvania. For transportation, we talk about self-driving vehicles as well as ways in which AI is helping to make transportation safer and more efficient. The content for this episode is based on the full report "Artificial Intelligence: Advisory Committee Recommendations on the Adoption and Use of AI in Pennsylvania," available on the JSGC website. https://jsg.legis.legis.state.pa.us

It's available at https://www.buzzsprout.com/1400200/episodes/18854205 and wherever fine podcasts are found.

In this episode, the JSGC podcast crew continues our exploration of AI by focusing on its impact on two of Pennsylvania’s most important industries: agriculture and transportation. For agriculture, we discuss uses of precision agriculture, and rat...