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| The Capitol Report |
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The latest news from the State Capitol |
Pennsylvania Budget
Governor Shapiro proposed his fiscal year 2026-27 budget last week increasing annual spending by 6.3% to $53.26 billion. The Governor continues his spending spree completely depleting the General Reserve Fund which had $8.1 billion in it at the start of his term and now seeks to drain the Rainy Day Fund of $4.6 billion or 61% of its capacity which now stands at $7.57 billion. Under the Governor's fiscal policies, the Rainy Day Fund will be totally spent by the end of the 2027-28 fiscal year. Pennsylvania will then rank dead last in reserved funds which will greatly affect our credit rating, result in the loss of approximately $800 million in annual interest earnings from the two reserve accounts and leave nothing to address state emergencies such as natural disasters, pandemics or economic downturns.
Following the Governor's budget speech to the Pennsylvania General Assembly, I gave remarks in response.
In the coming weeks, I will cover in greater detail what we should consider to address an annual state deficit now exceeding a $6 billion gap between annual state spending and annual tax revenue collection. We cannot continue down this path of deficit spending as our reserves will soon be totally depleted and we will then face a huge tax increase now projected at $2,000 per family unit to cover the deficit once the reserves are exhausted. With an aging population that needs greater governmental services and a younger population moving out of state to lower taxing states, we must implement alternative and innovative economic policies that stimulate growth and investment and which do not fiscally and morally bankrupt our citizens with tax and spend deficit policies comparable to the federal government. The path Pennsylvania is now taking is dangerous and irresponsible. We must do better!
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Nursing Home Help
House Bill 348, of which I am the prime sponsor, recently passed unanimously in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. This is the second legislative session in which the bill has been unanimously approved by the House. The legislation will require nursing homes to advise prospective patients that they should consult an attorney as part of the admission process into the nursing home as significant financial savings from nursing home costs can occur for the family through proper estate planning.
Seventy percent of all adults over the age of 65 will spend some time in a nursing home during their life. The average cost per year for skilled care in a nursing home is $130,000. Families are not required under law to spend all their life savings on nursing home care prior to Medicaid incurring some of the costs for care.
Few people entering a nursing home are aware of their rights to protect some family assets before receiving Medicaid assistance. Many people spend all their assets on nursing home costs without ever being aware of their rights to protect some of their assets. House Bill 348 will require nursing homes to advise patients that they may want to talk with an attorney in order to protect some assets from nursing home costs. The Medicaid law does not require a family to go bankrupt before becoming eligible for Medicaid assistance.
We read suspected criminals their rights at the time of arrest. We can certainly advise families that they have rights to protect assets as part of the stressful process of being admitted to a nursing home.
The legislation now proceeds to the Pennsylvania Senate for further consideration.
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Heating Assistance Program Available
If bitter cold temperatures have left you struggling with your home heating bills, help may be available through the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP).
LIHEAP is a federally funded program that helps individuals and families pay their heating bills through home heating energy assistance grants. It also provides crisis grants to help in the event of an emergency or if a resident is in danger of losing his or her heat due to broken equipment, lack of fuel or termination of utility service.
To qualify for LIHEAP in Pennsylvania, you must meet income requirements, which are set based on your household size. For example, the maximum annual income for an individual is $23,475 and for a family of four it is $48,225. For each additional person, add $8,250 to the income limit.
Residents may apply for LIHEAP online at www.dhs.pa.gov/COMPASS, by phone at 1-866-857-7095 or by contacting the following offices:
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Mercer County Assistance Office - 724-983-5000. |
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Butler County Assistance Office - 724-284-8844. |
Click here for additional information. The program runs through April 10.
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Students Invited to Enter Financial Literacy Scholarship Competition
Pennsylvania students in grades 9-12 are being invited to enter the 13th annual Student Financial Literacy Scholarship Competition.
Participants are encouraged to submit a short essay, poem or video that fits this year’s theme: “What Does Financial Literacy Mean to Me?” Student winners will be announced and publicly honored during Financial Literacy Month, which occurs every year in April. Competition prizes will be offered as follows:
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One First Place ($1,500) award for each grade level (9–12).
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One Honorable Mention ($500) award for each grade level (9–12).
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One Grand Prize ($2,500) for the best overall entry.
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Additionally, Harrisburg University will award a one-time, $1,000 scholarship to each student who submits a competition entry and then applies to and is accepted as a full-time student at the university. Harrisburg University hosts the competition in partnership with Pennsylvania Office of Auditor General and Members 1st Federal Credit Union.
The deadline for competition submissions is March 20. Students must submit their entry online here.
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Construction-Related Scholarship Program Accepting Applications
The Keystone Contractors Association (KCA) is encouraging Pennsylvania students with an interest in the construction industry to apply for its scholarship program.
Applicants must be Pennsylvania residents; attend a Pennsylvania college, university or trade school with focus on a construction-oriented degree; and pursue education and careers with the goal of building and strengthening Pennsylvania's communities, economy and infrastructure.
This scholarship program is open to graduating high school seniors, as well as current college students who plan to work in the construction industry. The one-year scholarship of up to $10,000 is renewable for up to three years for a student in good standing.
The deadline to apply for this year’s scholarship program is March 1. For more information, click here.
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Think Spring! Trout Stocking Schedule Available
The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) announced its 2026 trout stocking schedule is now available online and on the FishBoatPA mobile app.
The PFBC will stock approximately 3.2 million adult trout in 684 streams and 130 lakes open to public angling. Stocking is set to begin the week of Feb. 16 in advance of the statewide Mentored Youth Trout Day on Saturday, March 28, and the statewide opening day of trout season on Saturday, April 4.
The 2026 adult trout stocking schedule is searchable by county; lists the waterways in alphabetical order; and indicates stocking dates, meeting locations for volunteers and the species of trout that will be stocked at each location.
Click here for additional details about stocking and visit www.fishandboat.com for information about fishing licenses and permits.
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Community Conservation Partnerships Program Now Accepting Grant Applications
Communities across Pennsylvania can now apply for state grants to fund parks, recreation and conservation projects, as the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) opens its latest round of Community Conservation Partnerships Program funding. Applications are open now through April 30 at 4 p.m.
Eligible applicants include county and municipal governments, municipal agencies and nonprofit organizations. The grants fund projects such as park and recreation projects, conservation planning, trail planning, land and river conservation, community and streamside tree planting, and more.
Grant applications are only accepted through DCNR’s Grants Customer Service Portal.
Before starting an application, potential applicants should contact a regional advisor who serves the county where their project will be located. Contact information is available on the Regional Staff Assignment map (PDF).
Learn more here.
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Students Invited to Participate in Lyme Disease Awareness Campaign
Pennsylvania students in first through sixth grades are invited to enter the 2025 Lyme Art Contest by creating a short video or poster focusing on the theme: “Protect. Check. Remove.”
The annual contest helps students, Scout troops and community youth programs learn how to prevent Lyme disease by educating them about ticks, including where they live, how to prevent bites and how to remove ticks that do bite.
Pennsylvania has one of the highest annual counts of Lyme disease cases in the nation, which further emphasizes the importance of teaching children about tick awareness and prevention measures.
The deadline for entries is Friday, March 13. Click here for details.
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Helping to Address PA’s Declining Workforce
The Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA) is now accepting Grow PA Grant Program applications for the 2026-27 school year. Established by Act 89 of 2024, Grow PA is designed to address Pennsylvania’s declining workforce and the need to fill certain in-demand occupations.
The maximum award is $5,000 for qualified students and may be received for a maximum of four years. Here’s a link to more information including an application.
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PA House Archives Celebrates America’s 250th Anniversary
The Pennsylvania House of Representatives Archives is getting in on the nation’s semiquincentennial celebration with the opening of a new exhibit titled “Keystone of America.”
The exhibit explores the 1826, 1876, 1926, and 1976 celebrations and Pennsylvania’s role in each of the anniversaries. It specifically highlights memorabilia from the 1976 bicentennial, which was held in Philadelphia. The exhibit is open through the end of 2026.
The PA House Archives is located in Room 628 Irvis Office Building in the Capitol Complex in Harrisburg. It is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Click here to learn more.
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House Archives Internship Opportunity
The Pennsylvania House of Representatives Archives Internship Program is currently accepting applications for the summer 2026 semester.
The 13-week internship is based at the Pennsylvania State Capitol. Interns work with archivists and learn several facets of the job, including processing paper collections, crafting exhibits for display in the Capitol Complex, conducting research for inquiries and more. Interns gain a better understanding of the PA House of Representatives and its members through opportunities such as meet-and-greets with various public officials and staff, as well as tours of some of the Commonwealth’s historic public spaces.
At the time of the internship, students must be attending a college or university in Pennsylvania OR be a resident of Pennsylvania; be a second-semester junior, senior or graduate student; and have a GPA of at least 3.0.
For more information or to fill out the application, click here. Applications are due by Sunday, March 1.
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PGC Seeks Help for Winter Turkey Survey
The Pennsylvania Game Commission (PGC) is asking for the public’s help finding turkey flocks to trap for ongoing projects. Pennsylvanians are encouraged to report the location of any turkey flocks they see across the state. Information is being collected online here through March 15.
Among other things, visitors to that webpage are asked to provide the date of the sighting, the location and the type of land (public, private or unknown) where birds are seen.
Trapping turkeys during winter is part of the commission's ongoing population monitoring, and it provides information for large-scale turkey studies.
Read more here.
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PennDOT Hosts Highway Safety Survey
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) is seeking input from Pennsylvanians on traffic safety and driving behaviors through an online survey open now through Feb. 28 at www.pa.gov/dotsafety.
The voluntary survey covers several topics, including seat belt use, impaired driving, speeding and distracted driving, as well as bicycle, pedestrian and motorcycle safety. It takes approximately five minutes to complete.
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Driver License Centers Close for Presidents Day Holiday
PennDOT’s driver license and photo centers will be closed Saturday, Feb. 14, through Monday, Feb. 16, in observance of Presidents Day.
Customers may still obtain a variety of driver and vehicle products and services, including all forms, publications and driver training manuals, online through PennDOT's Driver and Vehicle Services website.
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