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In this Update:
With State Budget Deadline Approaching, I Join the Senate Appropriations Committee
With the constitutionally mandated June 30 state budget deadline approaching, I was appointed this week by Senate President Pro Tempore Kim Ward (R-39) to serve on the Senate Appropriations Committee, which plays a key role in crafting the annual spending plan. We have some very important decisions to make as a commonwealth in this year’s state budget that could affect the trajectory of Pennsylvania and impact our taxpayers for years to come. We face a fundamental choice between returning money to the hard-working taxpayers who earned it or giving huge sums of additional money to Harrisburg bureaucrats and drastically growing the size of state government. A bipartisan majority of my Senate colleagues and I recently approved legislation containing what would be the largest tax cut for working families in Pennsylvania history, saving taxpayers more than $13 billion during the next five years. Senate Bill 269 would reduce the state personal income tax (PIT) rate from 3.07% to 2.8%, enabling working Pennsylvanians to keep more of the money in their paychecks. The bill also would eliminate the gross receipts tax on energy effective Jan. 1, 2025. This would provide critical relief to Pennsylvanians struggling to pay high energy costs. Learn more about the historic tax cut bill, my other committee assignments, and what Ward and Senate Majority Leader Joe Pittman (R-41) said about my new assignment by reading the rest of this article on my website. Respecting Taxpayers Remains a Top Priority in State Budget Negotiations
In Pennsylvania, the state budget is to be completed by June 30 of each year. As we work to reach consensus, Senate Republicans are continuing to fight for a budget that respects taxpayers and makes the best use of the state’s resources. In February, Gov. Josh Shapiro proposed a massive $3.2 billion increase in state spending. Last month, Senate Republicans unveiled an alternative approach that would reduce taxes by approximately $3 billion annually. Instead of growing government bureaucracy and picking winners and losers, our plan would allow Pennsylvanians to decide how their money should be spent. These historic tax cuts would provide relief to every Pennsylvanian who earns a paycheck by reducing the personal income tax rate from 3.07% to 2.8%, and every person paying an electric bill by eliminating the Gross Receipts Tax on energy. Learn more about the process of enacting the 2024-25 state budget and watch the Senate in session here. Senate Approves Bills to Reverse Nursing Home Worker Shortage
With the number of older Pennsylvanians rising and nursing homes struggling to find qualified workers, the Senate passed two bills this week to reverse the worker shortage. Both bills now head to the House of Representatives for consideration. Senate Bill 1102 would increase the number of nursing home workers by streamlining the training and certification process and removing barriers that prevent people from entering the health care workforce in Pennsylvania. Senate Bill 1104 would further increase the nursing home workforce by enabling high school juniors and seniors to earn up to two elective credits for working or volunteering at a nursing home, personal care home or assisted living facility. Schools would establish program guidelines and procedures to allow students to earn one elective credit for each 250 hours of paid or volunteer work at a qualifying facility. Legislation Giving Disabled Veterans Financial Relief Receives Senate Support
To provide financial relief to more disabled veterans, the Senate passed Senate Bill 194 to exclude U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and Attendance benefits as income when calculating eligibility for Pennsylvania’s 100% Disabled Veterans’ Property Tax Exemption. Federal Aid and Attendance benefits provide monthly payments to disabled veterans who are housebound or need help with daily activities. Without the exclusion of this federal benefit, some disabled veterans are prevented from qualifying for property tax reductions. The bill now moves to the House of Representatives for consideration. Senate Acts to Modernize Rules for Electronic Commerce
The Senate passed legislation to modernize the Uniform Commercial Code (UCC), updating rules that govern digital asset transactions to ensure security, consistency and confidence. It now advances to the House of Representatives for consideration. The UCC has provided consistency for commercial law and interstate commerce since 1954, when Pennsylvania led the initiative to adopt it. Since then, it has been adopted by all states and gives Americans legal confidence when transacting business across state lines. The last major revisions to the UCC took effect in 2001. In the two decades since, electronic property, or digital assets, have become much more prevalent in commercial transactions. Senate Bill 1084 would bring the law into the 21st century by establishing guidelines to cover digital asset transactions involving virtual currencies, non-fungible tokens, electronic accounts and other forms of electronic commerce. It would also make other needed technical updates to the UCC. Celebrating the Contributions of PA Dairy Farmers
Agriculture is Pennsylvania’s top industry, and dairy products play a significant role by generating $11.8 billion in economic revenue and supporting 47,000 jobs statewide. Of the nearly 5,000 dairy farms in the state, 99% are family-owned with many being handed down generation after generation. Our dairy farmers work tirelessly each day to provide families everywhere with nutrient-rich foods. Dairy products contain nine essential nutrients that help to manage weight and reduce the risk of high blood pressure, osteoporosis and certain cancers. The nutrient powerhouse also helps build and repair muscle tissue and maintain healthy skin. Celebrate National Dairy Month by raising a glass of milk or enjoying some delicious ice cream. Pennsylvania has an Ice Cream Trail that boasts great creameries all across the state.
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