Shortly after it passed the State House and Senate, Governor Josh Shapiro signed the 2024-25 fiscal year budget into law.
The budget passed the house 122-80 and the Senate by a 44-5 vote. The $47.6 billion spending plan represents a 6% increase from last year, with most of the new money going towards public schools and human services to increase pay for direct care workers. K-12 public education funding has increased by $1 billion in the budget, marking one of the largest increases in Pennsylvania’s history. School districts will also see reduced cyber charter school special education costs of about $34.5 million by transitioning to a state-funded reimbursement system that will also allow families to retain their options for education.
State Representative Jim Struzzi and Senator Joe Pittman each voted in favor of the budget, while State Representative Brian Smith voted against it. In a statement, Pittman said the budget was honest about the realities and limitations of divided government and finding new ways to fund educational opportunities and helping health and human service providers. He also said the budget will empower parents to make decisions for their kids’ education, job creators through permitting reforms and improving the state tax policies and empower taxpayers with over $700 million more committed to the state’s rainy day fund.
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