House Passes Governor Shapiro’s Budget; Senate Moves Democratic Bills The state House of Representatives has taken the lead in holding more late winter and early spring session days and moving more legislation. Just 79 days after Governor Josh Shapiro delivered his Fiscal Year 2026-2027 budget proposal and 69 days before the June 30 budget deadline, the House passed the Shapiro spending plan on a bipartisan vote of 107-94 on April 23. In addition, the House has passed numerous data center regulatory bills, as well as a host of legislation dealing with issues ranging from criminal justice to housing and affordability. Most of the House- passed legislation has received bipartisan votes. Clearly, House Majority Leader Matthew Bradford (D, Montgomery) is keeping House members very busy governing. The state Senate has logged less session days and passed fewer bills. The Senate Republican Majority, however, is breaking with its prior tradition of primarily moving Republican bills. In the past, the Senate GOP leadership rarely advanced Democrat- sponsored legislation unless a specific deal was in place between with the House Democrats to swap Republican bills for Democratic legislation. In the early spring and summer session, the Senate GOP leadership is voting on Democrat-sponsored Senate and House bills, some of which were on last year’s “trade list”, but other bills are moving without a specific deal. Senate Majority Leader Joe Pittman’s 2026 game plan is causing confusion, but happiness in the Democratic caucuses. With the 2026 gubernatorial and legislative elections looming large, most observers believe the Senate and House leaders want to quickly adopt a state budget, finish priority issues such as data center regulation, and get their members home to campaign. The late US House Speaker Tip O’Neill famously said that all politics is local. That may have been true a generation ago, but trends over the past few election cycles demonstrate a nationalization of elections with state and local races either following or setting a national trend. Current national and state polling data also shows that voters are currently trending away from Republican budgetary, healthcare, economic, and national defense policies. The less time spent in Harrisburg may be better for the Republican caucuses. Physician-led EDs Introduced and Moving HB 2265 PN 3090, legislation to require that every hospital emergency department in Pennsylvania be staffed at all times by an on-site, emergency physician, was introduced by Representative Paul Takac (D, Centre) on March 5, 2026. On March 25, 2026, the House Health Committee unanimously amended the bill to grandfather in Kane Hospital and allow hospital medical staff to determine appropriate training and certification for PACEP Advocacy Update Jonathan P. Bigley Partner, Bigley & Blikle House Majority Leader Matthew Bradford Senate Majority Leader Joe Pittman 8 PACEP News
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