State Budget Update: Pennsylvania lawmakers advanced a $50.8 billion budget that boosts funding for the poorest schools and adds a pension bump for retirees, while also requiring data centers to report annual energy and water use—yet it leaves major questions like skill games regulation unresolved. SNAP Fallout: A year after the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” Pennsylvania saw SNAP participation drop by about 98,000 people, with the state attributing less than half of the losses to the law’s changes. Data Center Politics: In the governor’s race, Stacy Garrity and Josh Shapiro clash over how to manage data centers, with both sides accusing the other of flip-flopping and neither offering detailed regulation plans. Consumer/Tech Policy: Pennsylvania AG Anne Lopez joined a multistate push urging the FCC to strengthen rules that block scammers from using legitimate phone numbers. Local Government & Housing: Northeast PA Land Bank’s Mod-Home Initiative won an ICMA Local Government Excellence Award, highlighting rent-to-own modular homes aimed at easing the region’s affordable housing crunch. Business & Workforce: A report warns the U.S. faces its biggest projected worker shortage, even as AI reshapes entry-level tech hiring. PennDOT Surplus Sales: The Department of General Services will open an online auction for surplus PennDOT equipment, including dump trucks and heavy machinery, starting July 14. Manufacturing Launch: Golden Technologies announced a new lightweight carbon power wheelchair, the Cricket LT GP309, targeting portable mobility demand.