2025/26 Budget Summary - Senate Bill 160, Printer's Number 1309

By House Appropriations Committee Staff , | 1 day ago

Big Picture

• The total state General Fund spend is $50.09 billion, which is a $2.27 billion or 4.7% increase over 2024/25 (revised).
• No new revenue sources.
• The projected 2025/26 General Fund ending balance is $200 million.
  • This budget does not dip into the Rainy Day Fund, which has a current balance of $7.5 billion.

Invests in Education at Every Level

• K-12 Education
  • Fully funds the second installment ($565 million increase) of adequacy and tax equity payments to meet our constitutional obligation to public schools.
  • $105 million or 1.3% increase for Basic Education Funding.
  • $40 million or 2.7% increase for Special Education Funding.
  • $28.5 million or 6.7% increase for Early Intervention (3–5 year olds).
  • $178 million or 14.6% in estimated savings to school districts from cyber charter funding reform.
    • $100 million in cyber charter transition is eliminated.
  • $125 million for school facilities, with no less than $25 million set aside for Solar for Schools.
  • $100 million for school safety and mental health grants.
  • $9.5 million more for Pre-K Counts, which will be used to increase the per-student reimbursement rate for full-time students from $10,500 to $10,748, or 2.36%.
  • $5 million or 7.1% increase for the Public Library Subsidy.
  • $50 million increase in the Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) program, which is all directed toward the supplemental scholarship for students attending economically disadvantaged schools.
• Higher Education
  • PHEAA – maintains the $5,750 maximum state grant amount.
  • Student teacher stipend is level-funded at $30 million (for the first year of implementation, the mid-year 2023/24 allocation was added to the 2024/25 amount).
  • Level funding for PASSHE and community colleges.
  • Level funding for Penn State, Pitt, and Temple.
    • 5% increase for Thaddeus Stevens, Pennsylvania College of Technology, and Lincoln University.
  • $57.5 million total between 24/25 and 25/26 for the Grow PA scholarships launched this year.

Helps More Pennsylvanians Access Quality, Affordable Health Care

• Health and Human Services
  • $747 million or 8% increase for the MA Managed Care program.        
    • Includes $21 million for Direct Care Workers (DCW) that provide personal care services in the participant-directed model.
    • Includes increased funding for the rate increases for participating managed care plans in the MA managed care program. 
    • Makes no changes to the current program.
  • $154.4 million or 6.1% increase for Intellectual Disabilities – Community Waiver Program.
    • Maintains 2024/25 rate increases and waiver spots that were added.
  • $10.7 million or 3.7% increase in PENNCARE which provides funding for the Local Area Agencies on Aging.
  • $13.2 million or 7.1% increase for Early Intervention program (children 0 to 3 years old).
    • Includes $10 million to increase provider rates.
  • $25 million for Child Care Worker Retention and Recruitment. [NEW]
    • This funding is for the Child Care Retention and Recruitment initiative proposed by the Governor which will provide support for our child care workforce.  
  • $5 million for Neurodegenerative Disease Research to provide grants to qualifying institutions researching neurodegenerative diseases. [NEW]
  • $470,000 or 2.1% increase for the Domestic Violence program.
  • $250,000 or 2.1% increase for the Rape Crisis program.

Creates a Safe and Healthy Environment for All Pennsylvanians

• Conservation and Natural Resources
  • Agency’s main appropriations receive funding from the General Fund and Oil Gas Lease Fund:
    • $56.8 million ($3.05 million or 5.6% increase) for General Government Operations.
    • $103.3 million ($3.3 million 3.1% decrease) for State Park Operations.
    • $77.7 million ($665,000 or 0.85% decrease) for State Forest Operations.
• Environmental Protection
  • $31.9 million ($1.8 million or 6% increase) for General Government Operations.
  • $45.4 million ($2.97 million or 7% increase) for Environmental Program Management.
  • $5.8 million ($2.1 million or 59.7% increase) for Chesapeake Bay Agricultural Source Abatement.
  • $134.6 million ($8.8 million 7% increase) for Environmental Protection Operations.
  • Water Commissions are level funded.
• Transportation
  • $650 million ($20 million or 3.2% increase) for Highway Safety and Improvement.
  • $1.18 billion ($41.2 million or 3.6% increase) for Highway Maintenance.
  • $274.5 million ($43.48 million or 18.8% increase) for Safety Administration and Licensing.
  • $45 million ($5 million or 12.5% increase) for Municipal Traffic Signals.

Makes Pennsylvania a Leader in Economic Development, Job Creation, and Innovation

• Community and Economic Development
  • $8.856 million for BusinessPA. [NEW]
  • $1.32 million for Marketing to Attract Business.
  • $38 million for Pennsylvania First.
  • $3 million for Foundations In Industry.
  • $265,000 or 5% increase for the Center for Local Government Services.
  • $576,000 or 14.2% increase for the Office of Open Records.
  • $17 million for the Ben Franklin Technology Development Authority Fund.
  • $20 million for Main Street Matters.
  • $20 million for Historically Disadvantaged Businesses.
  • $10.88 million for Partners for Regional Economic Performance.
  • $2.5 million for American250PA.
  • $20.358 million for PA Sites Debt Services.
• Executive Offices
  • $1.18 million or 12.6% for Council on the Arts.
• Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission
  • $1.1 million or 4.7% increase for General Government Operations.
  • Cultural and Historical Support grants flat funded at $4 million.

Grows Pennsylvania’s Ag Industry by Addressing the Challenges Our Farmers Face

• $10 million continued investment for Agricultural Innovation Development.
• $11 million for Animal Health and Diagnostic Commission.

Combats Food Insecurity

• Food Insecurity
  • $9.57 million ($7 million or 271% increase) for Farmers Market Coupons.
  • $30.688 million ($4 million or 15% increase) for State Food Purchase Program.
    • $3 million for the core State Food Purchase Program.
    • $1 million for PA Agricultural Surplus System (PASS).

Supports our Veterans

• Military and Veterans’ Affairs
  • $2.4 million or 6.6% increase for General Government Operations.
  • $14.7 million or 9.1% decrease in State funding for State Veterans Homes.
    • $31.8 million or 52.9% increase in federal funding for State Veterans Homes operations and maintenance.
  • $1 million or 7.4% increase for the Educational Assistance Program Fund.
  • $402,000 or 9.6% increase for the Paralyzed Veterans Pension.

Invests in the Safety of Communities and the Public

• State Police
  • $58.4 million or 4.1% combined net increase across the General Fund and the Motor License Fund.
    • $69.3 million or 5.2% increase for General Government Operations.
  • Total State Police Motor License Fund expenditures remained at $250 million, the same as 2024/25.
• Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA)
  • $715,000 or 4.8% increase for General Government Operations.
    • $1.2 million negative supplemental appropriation for the 2024/25 fiscal year.
  • $150,000 or 3.3% increase for The Office of the State Fire Commissioner.
    • $1.2 million supplemental appropriation for the 2024/25 fiscal year.
  • $5 million for State Disaster Assistance.
  • $6 million for Urban Search and Rescue.
• Fire Protection
  • $7 million ($2 million or 40% increase) for Capitol Fire Protection within DGS.
• Corrections
  • $82.5 million or 2.6% increase for Department of Corrections.
  • $1.03 million or 2.5% increase in General Government Operations from 2024/25.
  • $1.3 million or 0.3% decrease in Medical Care from 2024/25.
  • $74.4 million or 3.0% increase for State Correctional Institutions.
  • $590,000 or 7.3% increase for the Sexual Offenders Assessment Board.
• Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD)
  • $948,000 or 3.9% increase for General Government Operations.
  • $62.2 million in State funds for Violence Intervention and Prevention.
  • $7.5 million for Indigent Defense.
  • $10 million for Nonprofit Security Grant Fund.
  • $20.7 million for School Safety and Security Fund – Targeted Grants.
• Attorney General
  • $7.4 million or 5.0% increase for the Office of Attorney General.
    • $3.9 million or 7.1% increase for General Government Operations.
    • $750,000 or 75% increase for Human Trafficking Enforcement and Prevention.
• Judiciary
  • $17.8 million or 4.1% increase for the Judiciary.