Key Points from Senate Budget Hearings with Department of Environmental Protection, Liquor Control Board
Preventing blackouts, meeting Pennsylvania’s future energy demands and ensuring timely processing of permits were among the top issues discussed at today’s Senate Appropriations Committee hearings on the 2024-25 state budget featuring the Department of Environmental Protection and the Liquor Control Board. [Read More]
Senate Majority Leader Pittman Responds to Governor Shapiro’s Election Threats Task Force
Senate Majority Leader Joe Pittman (R-41) has issued the following statement regarding Gov. Shapiro’s announcement of the establishment of his “Pennsylvania Election Threats Task Force”: [Read More]
Key Points from Senate Budget Hearing with Department of Education
Officials from the Pennsylvania Department of Education struggled to answer questions about Gov. Josh Shapiro’s broad higher education concepts and wide discrepancies in K-12 education funding during a hearing with the Senate Appropriations Committee today. [Read More]
Key Points from Senate Budget Hearings with PA Game Commission, PA Fish and Boat Commission, Department of Agriculture
Officials from the Pennsylvania Game Commission (PGC) and the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) detailed how they plan to spend their considerable reserves to support the state’s wildlife and aquatic resources during a hearing with the Senate Appropriations Committee today. [Read More]
Law to Prevent Pennsylvania Taxpayers Dollars from Supporting Russian War Crimes Takes Effect
As the world reflects on the two years of carnage that followed Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Sen. Dave Argall (R-29) and Pennsylvania Treasurer Stacy Garrity announced today that a new law has taken effect that bans companies connected to the governments of Russia and Belarus from receiving state contracts, grants, or tax credits. [Read More]
Bipartisan Committee to Audit Allentown Tax Zone, Study Job Prep Programs Based on Coleman Resolutions
A bipartisan committee of the Pennsylvania General Assembly today agreed to produce two reports based on measures introduced by State Sen. Jarrett Coleman (R-16) – one that calls for an audit of the Allentown Neighborhood Improvement Zone (NIZ) and another analyzing the effectiveness of Pennsylvania workforce development programs. [Read More]
Key Points from Senate Budget Hearings with Department of Labor and Industry, Department of Military and Veterans Affairs
During a public hearing today, members of the Senate Appropriations Committee raised questions about the need for tens of millions of dollars in additional spending for Unemployment Compensation (UC) services when the state is experiencing a period of historically low unemployment. [Read More]
Key Points from Senate Budget Hearings with PA State System of Higher Education, Department of Community and Economic Development
No new details were made available regarding Governor Shapiro’s plans to merge the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) with the community college system and reduce tuition for some students during a Senate Appropriations Committee budget hearing with PASSHE Chancellor Dan Greenstein today. [Read More]
Key Points from Senate Budget Hearings with Independent Fiscal Office, Department of Corrections
Testimony from Pennsylvania’s non-partisan Independent Fiscal Office (IFO) validated Senate Republican concerns about the faulty revenue and expense projections in Gov. Josh Shapiro’s budget proposal and emphasized the important benefits of the state Rainy Day Fund during a budget hearing with the Senate Appropriations Committee today. [Read More]
PA Senators Honor Penn State’s THON Fundraiser in the Fight Against Pediatric Cancer
Senators Wayne Langerholc, Jr. (R-35), Cris Dush (R-25) and Scott Martin (R-13) are working to honor the annual THON fundraiser led by Penn State students to support families affected by childhood cancer. [Read More]