Various rumblings at the state level

• The cold war between PA and NJ over dredging in the Delaware River continues, with the governors planning no meetings, the Pennsylvania contingent continuing to boycott meetings of the Delaware River Port Authority commission, and general beating of chests on both sides. eesh.
  
  
• The state legislature passed a compromise voter-ID bill (it requires some form of ID from voters every time, and restricts the placement of polling sites, but no longer prohibits voting by parolees), which Rendell has expressed reservations about but not sworn to veto. Stay tuned.
  
  
• Apparently Rendell is also at odds with the legislature over restrictions on automobile emissions, with the governor wanting strict requirements (comparable to those of California) to take effect a year from now, while the Republican Senate would like the option to wait until 2014.
  
  
• Daily News columnist John Baer applauds Rendell's budget item establishing a medical research matching fund, which aims to increase the amount of such activity taking place in the state, and castigates legislative Republicans for dismissing these efforts out of hand.
  
  
• Finally, a letter to the Daily News suggests that Philadelphia shouldn't be fighting to pass a local smoking ban, but should be turning to the state to establish uniform guidelines across the commonwealth.