HB 1096 creates the Pennsylvania Food Bucks Program, which provides financial assistance to low-income residents for purchasing fresh fruits and vegetables at participating retailers. The bill establishes a dedicated "Pennsylvania Food Bucks Program Account" within the state treasury to fund the program and requires the state to conduct research on the program's effectiveness. It directly affects eligible low-income Pennsylvanians and participating farmers and retailers by expanding access to healthy food options. The law, which passed on June 3, 2025, focuses on concrete policy changes: creating the program structure, securing funding through the new account, and mandating program evaluation.
HB 1062 creates a statewide system for tracking neighborhood blight by requiring municipalities to collect data on property maintenance violations. It establishes a Property Maintenance Code Serious Violations Registry to list properties with repeated severe maintenance issues and a dedicated funding account to support blight remediation efforts. The bill directly affects Pennsylvania municipalities, property owners, and landlords in areas designated as blighted, providing local governments with standardized data to target enforcement. Key provisions include mandatory data collection by cities/towns, a centralized registry for serious violations, and dedicated funding through the new account to aid property rehabilitation. If enacted, this would standardize blight reporting and funding across Pennsylvania communities.
HB 393 amends Pennsylvania's Second Class Township Code to increase annual tax limits for fire and ambulance services. It raises the maximum fire tax rate from 3 mills to 10 mills and ambulance tax from 0.5 mills to 5 mills, allowing townships to fund equipment, training, and emergency services. Townships can use up to half the revenue for staff salaries (with board approval) and must seek voter approval if rates exceed these new limits. This directly affects second-class townships needing to finance local fire and ambulance operations under the code.
HB 818 creates a program allowing first-time homebuyers in the Commonwealth to open state-backed savings accounts for down payments and closing costs. It establishes a dedicated First-time Homebuyer Savings Account Fund and requires the Treasury Department to manage the program and allocate funds. The bill directly affects eligible first-time homebuyers by providing a new savings mechanism for housing costs. Key provisions include the fund's creation, Treasury's administrative duties, and the structure for account access.
HB 820 creates Pennsylvania's "Working Pennsylvanians Tax Credit," which provides a state tax credit equal to 30% of a taxpayer's federal Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) for the same year. This credit directly affects low-to-moderate income Pennsylvania residents who qualify for the federal EITC, applying it against their state tax bill. The credit is refundable, meaning taxpayers receive a cash refund if the credit exceeds their state tax liability. The bill takes effect for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2024.
HB 32 amends Pennsylvania's Taxpayer Relief Act to clarify income definitions for senior citizens' property tax and rent rebate programs. It specifically adds a temporary exception: seniors who were already eligible for rebates as of December 31, 2012, may retain eligibility if their household income limit is exceeded solely due to Social Security cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs). This exception applies only to income increases from Social Security COLAs, not other income sources, and expires on December 31, 2016. The change directly affects seniors whose rebate eligibility was previously jeopardized by automatic Social Security payment increases.
HB 325 amends Pennsylvania's Taxpayer Relief Act to clarify how school districts must present tax relief information to property owners. It adds a definition of "conspicuous" requiring notices to use larger text, contrasting colors, or special formatting that a reasonable person would notice. The bill mandates that school districts include a specific, conspicuous notice with tax bills for homestead and farmstead property owners, explaining that their tax reduction comes from casino gaming revenue (State Gaming Fund) under state law, not from the school district's actions. This affects all Pennsylvania property owners eligible for homestead/farmstead exclusions and the school districts that issue their tax bills, effective for taxable years after December 31, 2025.
HB 1126 amends Pennsylvania's tax code to create two new provisions: (1) a tax deduction for fitness facilities that provide free or discounted memberships to active-duty military personnel, National Guard members, or reservists, limited to the regular membership fee and not reducing taxable income below zero; and (2) a personal health investment tax credit of up to $600 per year for eligible military members to cover qualified fitness expenses like gym memberships or exercise equipment. The deduction for facilities is only available if they did not claim the same expense for federal taxes. The credit applies to Pennsylvania resident individuals who qualify as active-duty military, National Guard, or reserve members under state definitions. These changes directly affect fitness businesses and military-affiliated taxpayers in Pennsylvania.
HB 1001 exempts compensation received from the Federal or State Government or Jet Rescue Air Ambulance (or its agent) related to the Med Jets Flight 056 crash (January 31, 2025, in Philadelphia) from Pennsylvania personal income tax. This bill directly affects individuals who received such payments due to the crash, making that compensation non-taxable under the state's tax code. The key provision adds a specific exception to the Tax Reform Code of 1971, removing this income from taxable categories. The exemption applies only to payments tied to this single, specific incident.
HB 422 creates a new tax deduction for Pennsylvania residents who donate human organs. It allows taxpayers to deduct up to $12,000 annually for unreimbursed expenses directly related to organ donation, including travel, lodging, lost wages, and medical costs. The deduction applies only to the year the transplantation occurred, may be claimed just once in a lifetime, and cannot reduce taxable income below zero. This provision affects organ donors who incur qualifying out-of-pocket costs while living. The change takes effect for tax years beginning after December 31, 2025.
