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In this Update:
Pro-Growth 2025-26 State Budget Now Complete
Last week, the Senate approved a bipartisan state budget plan, now signed into law, that will help revitalize Pennsylvania’s economy and make key improvements to the unsustainable spending plan Gov. Josh Shapiro proposed earlier this year. In the video above, I reaffirm the commitment I’ve made to The People who elected me, an overwhelming majority of whom want state government to live within its means, just like they do in their personal and business lives. I also want to give a big shoutout to Representatives Mike Tobash (former), Seth Grove and several others, along with now Senators Kristin Phillips-Hill and Dawn Keefer from the 2017 Common Sense Caucus (pictured with me above) in the PA House! In spite of the Wolf administration and House leadership in both parties telling us we didn’t know what we were talking about when we identified hundreds of millions of dollars socked away in unused “Special Funds”—We stuck to our guns! This year, Senate Appropriations Chairman Scott Martin, Majority Leader Joe Pittman and Senate President Pro Tempore Kim Ward all came alongside us and enforced accountability for these lapsed funds with the Shapiro administration! Once again, we proved the money was there and not being used for the purposes for which it was appropriated! That, ladies and gentlemen, is how we came up with an additional $3 billion to prevent the Shapiro administration from irresponsibly raiding Pennsylvania’s Rainy Day fund! Moving forward, we simply can no longer afford billions of dollars in reckless overspending without experiencing massive tax increases and an unprecedented reduction in government programs and services for our most vulnerable citizens. Although I could not in good conscience vote for putting taxpayers further on the hook for an additional $2.5 billion in excessive spending, which is 5 percent higher than last year’s budget, there are far greater economic priorities contained throughout this year’s final state budget that I unquestionably support. All totaled, this year’s $50.1 billion budget cuts nearly $1.4 billion in excessive spending from Shapiro’s original proposal, utilizes billions in lapsed funding in state agencies and special funds in the best interests of taxpayers, protects Pennsylvanians from the devastating consequences of Shapiro’s RGGI electricity tax and incentivizes job growth across the commonwealth by implementing key reforms to the permitting process and maintaining important tax cuts. In fact, implementation of this year’s final state budget is expected to reduce the risk of further inflation after Pennsylvania families were severely impacted by across-the-board price hikes during four years of the Biden administration. There is much more to come. Find more details about the final 2025-26 state budget plan here. RGGI Electricity Taxes Eliminated from State Budget
As part of the budget agreement, the illegal regulation mandating Pennsylvania’s participation in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) – a multi-state pact that would have added more than a billion dollars in new electricity taxes on Pennsylvania families and job creators – was eliminated. Preventing Pennsylvania from entering RGGI and stopping this tax protects consumers from dealing with even more severe consequences, including the closure of Pennsylvania power plants, job losses and the threat of rolling blackouts in the years ahead. Stopping the RGGI electricity tax is a huge win for every consumer of electricity in this commonwealth. At a time when families continue to feel the strain of inflationary pressure, we must look for ways to decrease, not increase, the cost of electricity. Budget Makes PA Competitive Through Sweeping Permitting Reform
The new budget includes new permitting reforms that will continue the significant progress we’ve made in recent years to cut red tape and prevent endless layers of bureaucracy from limiting business and job growth statewide. The reforms will require a wide variety of environmental permits to be deemed approved after a certain period of time, ensuring applicants will know the time frame for consideration of their application and can appeal any permits that are denied. This provides certainty to the process and ends the current practice of dragging out the permitting process for months without resolution. In addition, the reforms will require permit tracking for applicants across all state agencies, adding transparency to the process. Keystone Scholars Offers November Incentive to Start Saving for College
State Treasurer Stacy Garrity announced a statewide incentive for Keystone Scholars this month which will give children a head start on education savings. Families who claim their child’s $100 scholarship from Keystone Scholars in November and open and link their own companion PA 529 College and Career Savings Program account will get an additional $50. Keystone Scholars provides a $100 scholarship for every child born in Pennsylvania since 2019. This money grows alongside the child and will be available to use after their 18th birthday to help pay for costs associated with four-year degrees, community college, technical training, apprenticeships and credential programs. To learn more, visit pa529.com/keystone. State Police Will Help Ensure Your Child Car Seat is Properly Installed
Throughout November, certified Pennsylvania State Police technicians are setting aside dates to help ensure child car seats are safe, secure and properly installed. Caregivers will receive instruction on the proper installation and have seats installed, learn how to properly harness a child in a seat and check seats for recalls. Find the nearest free car seat check here. If none are scheduled locally or you can’t make it, check your local state police station for free monthly child seat fittings. Oh Say, Can You Sing? The PA Farm Show National Anthem Contest
Think you’ve got what it takes to sing the National Anthem at the Farm Show? The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture is looking for singers to kick off each day of the 2026 edition of the nation’s largest indoor agricultural exposition. Submit your original video entry by Nov. 24 to be considered. Winners will be selected by fan voting on Facebook. You must be available at least one day of the Farm Show, which runs from Jan. 10 through Jan. 17. You can find details about eligibility, video requirements, voting and how to apply here.
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