The noon U.S. District Court hearing in the Pennsylvania ballot access case only lasted ten minutes, and did not resolve what the ballot access rules will be in Pennsylvania this year. But attorneys for the state told the judge that the House Rules Committee is working on HB 342, and the bill will probably pass today. But it is likely it will be amended. That is probably why it was sent to Rules Committee, to consider amendments. UPDATE: the House Rules Committee met but did not take up HB 342.
The judge said regardless of what the legislature does, he will issue an order by 5 p.m. today. So if the bill passes, whatever is in the bill will probably take effect. If no bill passes, by the end of today, the judge will say what the rules will be this year.
Do we have good indications that the governor will *sign* the bill immediately?
He has indicated he will sign it.
As my update says, the bill won’t move today or for some time. Since I wrote the update, a Representative e-mailed me that the legislature is too busy with the budget to work on ballot access for some weeks.
Thanks to you both for the follow-up info. Looking forward to hearing what the judge says at 5pm. (And I’ll bet it’ll be here that I “hear” it.)
1. Every election is NEW.
2. When will SCOTUS say that the lower courts MUST automatically stop or redo elections that do NOT have EQUAL ballot access for all candidates for the same office in the same area ???
Can’t say I’m shocked to hear about the budget. It took months past the deadline for PA to pass a budget last year. Hopefully the judge rules favorably towards the Parties, and ballot access is achieved or easier to achieve.
Hope the Judge tells them to put the Greens and Libertarians on the ballot without the bill
Any word?
But, they had time to recently pass an abortion bill that the governor had already pledged to veto.
I hope the Judge decides to lower the signature amount tremendously. Fingers crossed!
The judge did not issue any order today (Tuesday).
Darn. Well, so much for that judge setting deadlines for the Legislature to act.