Is there nothing that can happen in Harrisburg without division?

On Tuesday, we wrote about two bills wending their way through the Legislature. In the Senate, Republicans passed a bill banning transgender athletes in K-12 or collegiate sports within the state. In the House, Democrats passed a bill supporting legalization of recreational marijuana sold through a controlled system like Pennsylvania’s alcohol stores.

We lauded the fact either house was getting anything done. And then we predicted neither measure was likely to go anywhere because the other chamber would smother it.

Within hours of that editorial being published, our prognostications came to pass. A panel of the GOP-led Senate rejected the House marijuana bill. Imagine our surprise.

It didn’t take the Oracle at Delphi to come up with that bit of foresight. It didn’t even take a Magic 8 Ball. It was a simple acknowledgement that Pennsylvania — in the halls of power and outside them — is so partisan that no one needs a crystal ball to guess what will happen in most situations.

The issues with the transgender athletes bill and the marijuana legalization are issues with real-world impact. You may or may not agree with either party’s take on the question, but it is undeniable there could be positive and negative consequences from passing either.

The sad thing is the deep divide doesn’t have to be about what is important and what isn’t. It can be as inconsequential as candy.

The House just passed a bill in what amounts to a landslide (150 to 53) in a chamber where Democrats have a one-seat majority. The bill would make Hershey Kisses the official state candy.

Now that can’t possibly have a flip side, right? We can’t be in a position where a beloved all-American treat made by the U.S.’s largest chocolate company in a town named for it doesn’t have support.

Except this is the second go at getting a bill that has no real impact passed. In 2024, it died amid bickering over whether it was smart to pick out one candy as king. And now there is a competing bill in the Senate, pushing the sugar-coated marshmallow Peep made in Bethlehem as the state’s official sweet treat.

On a regular basis, state representatives and state senators introduce bills that would tackle real issues that affect the lives of actual people every day. Hershey Kisses are not in any danger of disappearing. Peeps will continue to show up in holiday snack aisles if they don’t get Pennsylvania’s official candy stamp of approval.

Imagine if as much energy was put into advancing important bills out of the committees where they are slowly starving for attention. Imagine if they came to a vote.

But the tug-of-war over partisan issues that will not pass will continue. So will the junk food of bills that actually pass.

And you don’t have to be a fortune teller to see that.

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