Dear Friends,
Each year, one of the most important responsibilities of the General Assembly is to pass a state budget. This process determines how Pennsylvania invests in our schools, roads, public safety, health care, and the many services families rely on every day. In many ways, our final budget is a statement of our values. While resources are finite, how we allocate those resources speaks to what we find most important and most impactful.
Because the budget affects nearly every aspect of life in our Commonwealth, it follows a structured, public process designed to provide transparency, accountability, and opportunities for oversight.
The process begins in early February, when the Governor delivers the annual budget address to a joint session of the House and Senate. As I’ve discussed over the last weekly emails, the Governor’s proposal outlines spending priorities, revenue projections, and policy goals for the upcoming fiscal year, which begins on July 1. The Governor’s proposal is not the final budget. Instead, it serves as the starting point for discussion and negotiation in the legislature.
After the Governor’s annual budget address, the House and Senate Appropriations Committees hold several weeks of public budget hearings, typically from mid-February through early March. During these hearings, cabinet officials and agency leaders appear before lawmakers to answer detailed questions about their budgets. Legislators review spending levels, evaluate program performance, and raise concerns they have heard from constituents.
These hearings cover all major areas of state government, including pre-K through higher education, human services and health programs, transportation and infrastructure, public safety and corrections, environmental protection, agriculture, and the state’s financial offices among others. This stage of the process is critical because it provides a public forum for accountability and careful review of how taxpayer dollars are spent.
Once the hearings conclude, negotiations begin among the House, Senate, and the Governor’s office. Lawmakers work to reconcile differences between the Governor’s proposal and legislative priorities. These negotiations take place throughout the spring and early summer and often involve difficult decisions about competing priorities, projected revenues, and long-term fiscal stability. Typically, the various leadership groups in the House and Senate trade “tracks” which are line-by-line break downs of their budget proposal as a negotiation starting point.
The core of the state budget is the General Appropriations bill, which sets funding levels for the major functions of state government. The bill must pass both the House and Senate before it can be sent to the Governor for signature. Additional code bills are also passed to implement specific policy or funding changes connected to the budget. For instance, my tax credit bill for employers who cover the cost of employees’ childcare passed as a part of the Tax Code a few years ago.
Pennsylvania’s fiscal year begins on July 1, so the General Assembly aims to complete the budget by June 30 each year. When the budget is finished on time, it provides certainty for schools, local governments, and service providers that depend on state funding. Delays can create uncertainty for those who rely on these resources and can increase their costs if they rely on borrowing to meet their needs.
Throughout the budget season, I will continue to review proposals, participate in hearings, and advocate for the needs of our community. The budget is more than a set of numbers; it is a statement of our values and our priorities as a Commonwealth.
I encourage you to stay engaged, share your perspectives, and follow updates as the process moves forward. If you have questions about the budget or would like to share your priorities, please don’t hesitate to contact my office.