b'PACEP Advocacy UpdateBy Bigley and Blikle, LLC STATE BUDGET UPDATEPACEP CAPITOL HILL DAYIts finally done. The nearly five-monthWhat do you get when you add 23 delay in enacting the 2025-2026 stateEmergency Physicians, residents, and budget is over. In a whirlwind legislativemedical students to the Secretary session that started with the state Senateof Health and her senior staff; three convening on Veterans Day and endedlegislative leaders; four important with Governor Josh Shapiro signingcommittee chairs; and twelve rank-and-the $50.1 billion spending plan late infile senators, House members, and their the afternoon of November 12, budgetstaff? A successful PACEP Capitol Hill Day! negotiators did in approximately 24The two-day event started with a hours what they could not accomplishMonday, October 27 dinner featuring in the preceding four months. TheySenate Health and Human Services Jonathan P. Bigley compromised, made a deal, and passed aCommittee Majority Chair Michele Partner, Bigley & Blikle bipartisan budget.Brooks (R, Crawford, Lawrence, Mercer), Democratic and Republican leadersHouse Health Committee Majority Chair 2025 SESSION DAYS gained and lost issues in the longDan Frankel (D, Allegheny), and House Senate House process, and in the end, each side hadHuman Services Committee Republican talking points to crow about. For countyChair Doyle Heffley (R, Carbon). Policy Dec 8, 9, 10 Dec 8, 9, 10, 15, 16, 17 governments, school districts, and statediscussions abounded among these contractors, their long wait for muchpowerful chairs and PACEPs leadership. needed cash is over. State funds areThe bipartisan affair proved to be as expected to begin flowing to them useful for the legislators as it was for the within 30 days.Emergency Physicians. Tuesday, October 28 started with an early briefing breakfast, then the four intrepid advocacy groups took the Hill by storm advancing PACEPs policy and legislative agenda in every meeting. Senate MajorityTuesdays highlights included meetings Leader Joe Pittmanwith Health Secretary Debra Bogen, MD, House Speaker Joanna McClinton, House Majority Leader Matt Bradford, House Majority Appropriations Committee Chair Jordan Harris (with Speaker McClinton as a surprise attendee), and a special opportunity for a photo in the Hall of the House with former PACEP President House Majorityand current State Representative Arvind Leader MattVenkat, MD. Great progress was made Bradfordon several legislative initiatives with commitments from legislators to sponsor or co-sponsor PACEP bills. 8 PACEP News | Fall 2025'