As of 5:30 p.m., east time, Wednesday, June 29, there is no court order in Constitution Party of Pennsylvania v Cortes, setting out what the ballot access rules are this year.

Although the Pennsylvania House Rules Committee met on June 29, it did not take up HB 342. That bill sets ballot access rules, and is still sitting in that Committee. Therefore it seems virtually impossible that the bill will move on June 29. UPDATE: the House as adjourned for the day but will meet Thursday, June 30, at 11 a.m.

On June 27, Philip Pidot filed a federal lawsuit over New York’s failure to put him on the Republican primary ballot, for the primary being held on June 28. He is running for U.S. House, 3rd district. Only one other Republican filed to be on that primary ballot. Pidot was originally kept off the ballot because it was believed he did not have the needed 1,250 signatures. Later a court determined that he did have enough, but said it was too late to do anything about it. Pidot will ask for a special primary in the near future. U.S. District Court Judge Joseph F. Bianco will hear this case on Wednesday, June 29, at 10:45 a.m. in Islip, on Long Island.

The case is Pidot v New York State Board of Elections, e.d., 2:16cv-3527.

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.