A Senate committee advanced Tuesday several significant pieces of a key election reform package, although at least one prominent piece of legislation faces an uncertain future in the House.

The Senate State Government Committee gave broad support to virtually all of the nine bills it considered, which come as part of a push by Chairman Mike Folmer (R-Lebanon), Sen. Judy Schwank (D-Berks) and others to modernize and streamline the state’s election process.

A Senate panel voted Tuesday to approve the latest run at creating an independent redistricting commission, despite acknowledgements from the bill’s authors that it would require alteration before going before the full body.

Spearheaded by Sen. Lisa Boscola (D-Lehigh) and Sen. Mike Folmer (R-Lebanon), the proposal would create a constitutional amendment empowering an 11-person commission to draw the state’s Congressional and General Assembly maps.

Between a clouded windshield, nervous drivers and slick conditions, driving in winter has enough hazards without someone who left a hat of snow and ice on their vehicle.

Pennsylvania already has laws that make it a fine if the frozen debris falls on another driver and leads to death or serious injury, passed in 2006.

Sen. Lisa Boscola (D-Northampton) was a champion of the legislation then, and “icy missiles” coming off of trucks on I-78 or I-80 have cost her a side mirror. More than that, snow falling off a truck even cost a constituent of Boscola’s their life over a decade ago on Christmas Eve.

Hundreds of people bused into Harrisburg from across the state Tuesday in hopes of seeing the beginning of the end for life without parole in Pennsylvania.

But by the end of the day, they were marching around the Capitol in defiance, chanting, “Let our people go, or next election you will go.”

The advocates, many from Philadelphia or Pittsburgh, had gathered to watch a scheduled Senate Judiciary Committee vote on SB 942 from Sen. Sharif Street (D-Philadelphia), which makes life sentence recipients eligible for parole after 15 years.

Legislative leaders have, after months of stalled efforts and with fifty days to the election, started pushing big changes to state government.

Speaking to the Philadelphia Daily News’ John Baer, Speaker of the House Mike Turzai (R-Allegheny) said that during the run-up to sine die, he wants to prioritize congressional redistricting reform and shrinking the size of the state legislature before the November general election, perhaps even adding session days.

This follows up on Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati (R-Jefferson) officially releasing his bill to open primaries last week.