2023-24-budget

Fight over tax money for private school tuition snags education funding bill again

BY: and - November 16, 2023

A months-long stalemate over public education funding appeared likely to continue on Wednesday as state House lawmakers stripped GOP-backed school choice funding from a spending bill. The state Senate passed the legislation on Wednesday authorizing hundreds of millions in new funding for K-12 schools, community colleges, educational support units and public libraries with a 45-5 […]

Pennsylvania House passes state-related university funding and requires schools to freeze tuition

BY: - October 31, 2023

The state House passed legislation to pass tuition aid that has been stalled since June on the condition that state-related universities freeze tuition.

The ceiling of the main Rotunda inside Pennsylvania’s Capitol building. May 24, 2022. Harrisburg, Pa. (Photo by Amanda Berg, for the Capital-Star).

Here’s what’s still outstanding in Pennsylvania’s budget

BY: - October 20, 2023

When Gov. Josh Shapiro signs legislation to unlock state funding for hospitals, emergency medical services, and nursing homes, it will mark the first progress since August in clearing Pennsylvania’s budget impasse. However, the Republican-controlled Senate and Democratic-controlled House must still agree on the largest outstanding part of the $45.5 billion budget and several budget priorities […]

Pennsylvania Capitol Building. May 24, 2022. Harrisburg, Pa. (Photo by Amanda Berg, for the Capital-Star).

Democratic changes to Pa. budget bill that boost tax cuts, film credits anger House GOP

BY: - October 4, 2023

A tax reform bill that would hasten cuts to Pennsylvania’s corporate tax rate and allow businesses to deduct a greater share of their losses drew the ire of House Republicans after it passed Tuesday night.  Although the legislation includes policies with bipartisan support, GOP leaders criticized Democrats, who control the state House, for amending the […]

Pa. House Democrats renew call for end to blockade on state-related university aid

BY: - September 26, 2023

Nearly three months after House Republican leaders blocked tuition aid for Pennsylvania’s state-related universities, Democratic lawmakers have renewed pressure on the GOP to stop keeping college students in limbo over “culture war” issues. “Republicans are allowing their party’s extremists to legislate away the futures of Pennsylvania students based on the fabrication that Pitt is engaged […]

COMMENTARY

Opinion: The value of life-saving emergency services is worth the price tag

BY: - September 13, 2023

By Lisa Schaefer We live in a world of monthly subscriptions. Whether it’s your two or three favorite movie streaming services, an online TV package or a gaming product, it’s likely that you receive a number of autopay notifications between $6 to $15 every month. And it’s no secret; those rates are climbing at a […]

Pennsylvania Capitol Building. May 24, 2022. Harrisburg, Pa. (Photo by Amanda Berg, for the Capital-Star).

Pa. Senate to return to session Aug. 30

BY: - August 21, 2023

The Pennsylvania Senate will return for a voting session next week, nearly three weeks ahead of schedule, to work on finalizing the 2023-24 budget.   “Our work to complete the necessary budgetary implementation legislation continues at this time and the Senate will reconvene on Wednesday, August 30, 2023 at 1:00 p.m. to finalize the 2023-2024 state […]

A view of the floor of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives (Photo by Amanda Mustard for the Pennsylvania Capital-Star).

Pa. Legislature’s unfinished budget business leaves uncertainty for schools, human services

BY: - August 4, 2023

Gov. Josh Shapiro’s signature on Pennsylvania’s $45.5 billion budget brought relief Thursday across the commonwealth as the new school year approaches and quarterly payments come due. But his administration’s decision to hold back hundreds of millions in funds for a handful of programs leaves uncertainty for some as school districts work to reconcile their budgets […]

Pa. Gov Shapiro signs $45.5B budget but lawmakers have more work to do

BY: - August 3, 2023

Several bipartisan priorities will remain unfunded because Shapiro's office says lawmakers must first pass enabling legislation.

Ward calls state Senate back into session to ‘finalize’ Pa. budget

BY: - August 2, 2023

Pennsylvania Senate President Pro Tempore Kim Ward, R-Westmoreland, said in a statement late Wednesday that she was calling the Senate back into session Thursday at 1 p.m. “to finalize the General Appropriations Budget.” Signing the legislation “will provide the necessary funding to schools, counties, and organizations completing 75% of the budget,” Ward said. She added […]

Pennsylvania Capitol Building. May 24, 2022. Harrisburg, Pa. (Photo by Amanda Berg, for the Capital-Star).

How Pennsylvania’s budget impasse has affected tuition rates at state-related universities

BY: - July 25, 2023

Pennsylvania lawmakers likely won’t solve the budget impasse before schools return this fall, forcing the state’s four state-related universities to consider, and in some cases already approved, tuition increases for the upcoming year.

Amid state budget impasse, PASSHE board approves tuition freeze for fifth consecutive year

BY: - July 20, 2023

For the fifth consecutive year, tuition at schools within the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education, typically $7,716 for in-state students, remains unchanged.