HARRISBURG, Pa. — Pennsylvania’s Capitol saw a flurry of legislation over the weekend, including the passage of a budget.
Gov. Tom Wolf signed a $45 billion budget on Friday, a week past its deadline. The main sticking point between parties was how to spend the state’s historic $6.22 billion tax revenue surplus.
The budget includes a $525 million spending increase for education from pre-k through college. Pennsylvania schools can expect to see an 8% average increase in funding, with a $225 million increase to provide support to the 100 most “in need” school districts.
The funding plan also resolved a push by House Republicans to bar funding from four state-related universities unless the University of Pittsburgh promised to stop all fetal tissue research. The allocations for those universities did end up getting approved without restrictions, and will now go to fund tuition discounts for in-state students.
Lawmakers also agreed on a plan to spend the state’s remaining $2.9 billion in federal stimulus funds, which includes $660 million on environmental projects and $375 million on housing.
Meanwhile the governor struck down several proposals that made their way to his desk, including a measure that would restrict participation of transgender student athletes on certain teams. He also vetoed a “poll watchers” bill that would have let any registered voter serve as a poll watcher anywhere in the state.
The issue of abortion advanced one step further to getting decided by voters. Over the weekend both the state House and Senate passed a bill to amend the Pennsylvania Constitution to clarify that the state does not guarantee the right to abortion and that state funds can’t be used to fund elective abortions.
Constitutional amendments must be passed in two consecutive legislative sessions, then approved by voters via referendum. If both chambers pass the bill again in the next session, voters could see the question on ballots as soon as the spring primaries in 2023.