Budget & Taxes

in committee · Pennsylvania · House Jan 17, 2025

HB 204: An Act amending the act of June 3, 1937 (P.L.1333, No.320), known as the Pennsylvania Election Code, in electronic voting systems, further providing for returns.

HB 204 amends Pennsylvania's Election Code to require temporary workers processing ballots at central tabulation centers to take an oath promising faithful performance of their duties. It also specifies that compensation paid to these temporary workers is not considered taxable income under Pennsylvania's Tax Reform Code. The bill directly affects county election boards and temporary election workers handling ballot processing. This change modifies administrative procedures for election tabulation centers without altering voting methods or election results.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesExempts temporary election workers' compensation from PA taxes, providing tax relief per Tax Reform Code provision80% confidence

Tags Elections

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in committee · Pennsylvania · Senate Feb 26, 2025

SB 283: An Act making appropriations from the Professional Licensure Augmentation Account and from restricted revenue accounts within the General Fund to the Department of State for use by the Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs in support of the professional licensure boards assigned thereto.

SB 283 allocates $73 million from the Professional Licensure Augmentation Account and specific funds to Pennsylvania's professional licensing boards for the 2025-2026 fiscal year. It provides operational funding for the State Boards of Medicine, Osteopathic Medicine, Podiatry, and the State Athletic Commission, using designated state revenue accounts. The appropriations are strictly for the boards' operations and must be accounted for separately, not as general government funds. This is a routine budget measure, not a policy change.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAllocates $73M from designated accounts to fund professional licensing boards' operations, ensuring fiscal accountability for essential regulatory services without tax changes.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Appropriations Revenue State Budget

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in committee · Pennsylvania · House Jan 22, 2025

HB 271: An Act establishing the Distressed Hospital Grant Program to award grants to distressed hospitals to prevent the reduction of services or cessation of operations; and making an appropriation.

HB 271 establishes a grant program to help financially struggling or geographically isolated hospitals in Pennsylvania avoid closing or cutting services. Hospitals must meet specific criteria (e.g., three consecutive years of financial losses or being over 25 miles from another hospital) and apply through the Department of Health to receive funds. Grants must be used solely to maintain operations - prohibiting executive pay - and applicants must certify they’ve explored partnerships with other providers. The Department of Health will review applications within 60 days and award funds until December 31, 2029, or until the allocated budget is exhausted.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill allocates state funds via grants to maintain essential hospital services, directly increasing public sector funding for critical infrastructure.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill provides grants to distressed hospitals to prevent service cuts or closures, directly maintaining healthcare access and operations per its purpose.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Hospitals

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in committee · Pennsylvania · House Jan 22, 2025

HB 225: An Act providing for the establishment of first-time home buyer savings accounts for first-time home buyers in this Commonwealth.

HB 225 establishes tax-advantaged savings accounts in Pennsylvania for first-time home buyers. It allows individuals who haven’t owned a home in the past three years to open accounts with financial institutions, designating themselves or another person as the "qualified beneficiary" for down payments and closing costs on a single-family residence. Account holders can deduct up to $5,000 annually (or $10,000 for joint filers) from their taxable income, with a lifetime cap of $150,000 total contributions across all accounts. The bill directly affects eligible Pennsylvania residents seeking to purchase their first home, providing a state-level tax incentive to save for homeownership.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesProvides tax deduction ($5k/$10k annually) for first-time homebuyers, reducing taxable income and offering tax relief to middle-income residents.90% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingCreates tax-advantaged savings accounts to lower down payment barriers for first-time home buyers, directly advancing affordable housing access through financial incentives.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Tax Incentives Homeownership

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in committee · Pennsylvania · Senate Feb 25, 2025

SB 304: An Act amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, providing for military education scholarship account; and imposing penalties.

SB 304 creates a new "Military Education Scholarship Account" program under Pennsylvania's Public School Code, designed to provide financial support for education expenses for children of active-duty military members (including National Guard and reserve members on active duty) or children of service members killed in action. Parents of eligible school-age children can apply for a state-controlled account holding funds that may be used for approved education costs at private schools, colleges, or approved tutoring programs. The program prohibits use of these funds alongside other state scholarship programs like the Educational Improvement Tax Credit. If a child moves out of state or the agreement ends, remaining funds revert to the child's local school district.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesCreates new state-funded scholarship program, increasing government spending on military education support through dedicated budget allocation.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationCreates scholarship program funding education expenses for military children's K-12 and higher education, expanding access via state-controlled funds.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Tax Credits School Choice Student Financial Aid

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in committee · Pennsylvania · Senate Feb 28, 2025

SB 328: An Act authorizing the Department of General Services, with the approval of the Governor, to grant and convey to Susquehanna Regional Transportation Authority certain lands and buildings situate in the City of Harrisburg, Dauphin County.

SB 328 authorizes Pennsylvania’s Department of General Services, with Governor approval, to sell approximately 2.857 acres of land and buildings in Harrisburg to the Susquehanna Regional Transportation Authority (SRTA) for fair market value, as determined by appraisal. The property, located in Harrisburg’s City Center district, must be conveyed via special warranty deed, with proceeds deposited into the state General Fund. A key restriction prohibits the SRTA from using the land for licensed facilities (e.g., nursing homes) under Pennsylvania law, or ownership reverts to the state. This is a straightforward property transfer bill with no new policy mandates.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesProceeds from property sale deposited into state General Fund, increasing budget revenue without tax changes or program defunding.85% confidence ✓ TransportationSupports TransportationBill authorizes land transfer to SRTA (transportation authority) for infrastructure use, directly advancing public transit infrastructure development.90% confidence

Sub-Topics State Budget

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in committee · Pennsylvania · House Mar 11, 2025

HB 884: An Act establishing the Four-Day Workweek Pilot Program; providing for tax credits to qualifying employers; and imposing duties on the Department of Labor and Industry and the Department of Revenue.

HB 884 establishes Pennsylvania's Four-Day Workweek Pilot Program, allowing private and public employers to test a four-day workweek for at least 30 employees without pay or benefit cuts. Employers participating must apply to the Department of Labor and Industry, submit a transition plan, and allow the department to study impacts through surveys. Qualifying employers receive tax credits of either $250,000 per business or $5,000 per participating employee, capped at $15 million total annually. The program requires the Department of Labor and Revenue to coordinate administration, study outcomes, and encourage public-sector adoption, with the pilot set to expire after its initial implementation period.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesProvides tax credits to qualifying employers ($250k/business or $5k/employee), reducing tax burden as state-funded incentive for pilot program.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentEnsures no pay/benefit cuts for four-day workweek pilot, provides tax credits to incentivize adoption, directly protects worker compensation and supports flexible work standards.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Gig Economy Labor Standards

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in committee · Pennsylvania · House Jun 11, 2025

HB 1596: An Act amending the act of March 4, 1971 (P.L.6, No.2), known as the Tax Reform Code of 1971, in sales and use tax, further providing for exclusions from tax.

HB 1596 exempts certain personal electronics and school supplies from Pennsylvania's sales tax during a specific annual August period. It excludes from tax the purchase of personal computers, tablets, or related devices under $1,500 for individual nonbusiness use, and school supplies like notebooks, art materials, or calculators priced at $50 or less per item. The exemption applies only to individual purchases made during the "exclusion period" (the first Saturday to the third Saturday in August), not to business purchases or items like servers, video game consoles, or music discs. This bill directly affects consumers buying eligible items during the defined August sales tax holiday.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesExempts personal electronics and school supplies from sales tax, providing direct tax relief for middle/lower income families during back-to-school season.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationExempts school supplies and electronics from sales tax, reducing costs for families and improving access to educational materials during back-to-school season.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Sales Tax

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in committee · Pennsylvania · House Mar 24, 2025

HB 995: An Act amending Title 35 (Health and Safety) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in miscellaneous provisions relating to emergency management services, providing for emergency preparedness for owned animals.

HB 995 amends Pennsylvania law to require the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA) to include provisions for protecting owned animals in the state's emergency management plan. The bill creates new funding for approved animal response teams to develop and maintain rescue capabilities, with PEMA allocating annual funds based on agency standards. It defines "owned animals" as pets, agricultural animals, or those under a Game Commission permit (excluding wildlife) and mandates that teams receiving funds maintain records for audit. The law takes effect 60 days after enactment.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill creates new annual funding for animal response teams under PEMA, directly allocating government resources to support emergency management services as part of state budget spending.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Audits & Accountability Tags Emergency Management

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in committee · Pennsylvania · Senate May 13, 2025

SB 163: An Act making an appropriation from a restricted revenue account within the General Fund to the Office of Small Business Advocate in the Department of Community and Economic Development.

Senate Bill 163 proposes to appropriate funds for the operation of the Office of Small Business Advocate within the Department of Community and Economic Development. It allocates $2,262,000 from a restricted revenue account within the General Fund. This funding is specifically designated to support the office's operations for the fiscal year from July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026, enabling it to continue its work assisting small businesses.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAppropriates $2.26M from General Fund to fund small business advocate office operations, directly supporting public service fiscal management and essential program funding.95% confidence

Sub-Topics State Budget Tags Small Business

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