With the June 30 budget deadline long gone, both chambers were in session briefly this week.
The House of Representatives passed their fifth version of a mass transit funding plan, which comes as Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) announced service cuts effective August 14 without additional state funding.
The Senate passed their budget proposal, which comes nearly one month after the House passed their own proposal.
Even with all the legislative activity, there is no agreement on either issue between the House, Senate, and Administration. When a compromise is reached, it’s likely to be somewhere in between the plans discussed below.
Budget
House plan
On July 15, HB 1330 (Harris, D-Philadelphia) passed in the House of Representatives by a vote Y:105/N:97. Rep. Tom Mehaffie (R-Dauphin), Rep. KC Tomlinson (R-Bucks), and Rep. Craig Wiliams (R-Chester) joined the Democrats in voting yes. The $50.6 billion budget was nearly $1 billion less than the Governor’s original proposal of $51.5 billion.
On July 16, the bill was reported as amended from the Senate Appropriations Committee. The Senate Republicans’ gut and replace amendment removed the House Democrats’ budget and now only includes funding for rape crisis programs. The bill currently sits in the Senate Appropriations Committee.
Senate plan
On August 13, SB 160 (Martin, R-Lancaster) passed in the Senate by a party-line vote of Y:27/N:22. The $47.6 billion budget is $3 billion less than what the House Democrats passed last month. The bill currently sits in the House Appropriations Committee.
Mass Transit
House plan
On August 11, HB 1788 (Dougherty, D-Philadelphia) passed in the House by a vote of Y:108/N:95. The bill now goes to the Senate for consideration.
Rep. Frank Burns (D-Cambria) was the only Democrat to vote in the negative. The Republicans that voted for the bill were: Rep. Joe Hogan (R-Bucks), Rep. Shelby Labs (R-Bucks), Rep. Tom Mehaffie (R-Dauphin), Rep. KC Tomlinson (R-Bucks), Rep. Dane Watro (R-Luzerne), Rep. Martina White (R-Philadelphia), and Rep. Craig Williams (R-Chester).
A summary of the bill can be found below:
- Increases the current sales and use tax transfer to the Public Transportation Trust Fund from 4.4% to 6.15%, which will provide $292.5 million annually to fund public passenger transportation programs.
- Authorizes the Commonwealth Financing Agency (CFA) to issue bonds, notes, or other financial obligations, up to $325 million, with bond proceeds funding construction, reconstruction, rehabilitation, maintenance, or repair of roads and bridges.
- Provides transfers of unrestricted Motor License Fund revenues of $150 million in FY 2025-2026 and $125 million in FY 2026-2027 to fund construction, reconstruction, or resurfacing of a highway or bridge on the three and four digit (non-federal aid) highway system.
- Requires PennDOT to establish additional minimum performance criteria for Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) and Pittsburgh Regional Transit (PRT).
- Provides for supplemental performance reporting by SEPTA and PRT.
- Requires SEPTA and PRT to submit one or more transportation projects to the Public-Private Partnership (P3) Board within 90 days.
- Allows public transportation vehicles to have illuminated signs on the rear or side of the vehicle.
Senate plan
On August 12, HB 257 (Neilson, D-Philadelphia) passed in the Senate by a party-line vote of Y:27/N:22. The bill now goes to the House for a concurrence vote.
A summary of the bill can be found below:
- Provides for the use of a portion of revenue from the tax on interacting gaming for a one-time transfer of $87.5 million in FY 2025-2026 in addition to an annual transfer of $43 million starting in FY 2025-2026 to the Public Transportation Fund, which will fund public passenger transportation programs.
- Provides for the use of a portion of revenue from the tax on interactive gaming for supplemental funding for three and four digit (non-federal aid) highway construction, reconstruction or resurfacing; a one-time transfer of $87.5 million in FY 2025-2026 in addition to an annual transfer of $43 million starting in FY 2025-2026.
- Requires SEPTA and PRT to go through an initial performance review as well as an annual performance review.
- Requires local transportation organizations to increase fares by the percentage increase in the consumer price index for all urban consumers.
- Requires PennDOT to establish additional minimum performance criteria for SEPTA and PRT.
- Requires SEPTA to submit one or more transportation projects to the Public-Private Partnership (P3) Board within 90 days and then one annually in the following years.
- Establishes the offense of “operating a controlled substance injection site near infrastructure of a local transportation organization”.
- Establishes the offense of “interference with operation or movement of a public transit vehicle”.
- Provides for sentencing enhancement for drug delivery on transit.
- Provides for qualifications of a special prosecutor for mass transit in the City of Philadelphia, removes the sunset date for new action or proceedings to be initiated, provides that compensation be provided by the state rather than the City, and allows the special prosecutor to apply for federal funds.
- Allows public transportation vehicles to have illuminated signs on the rear or side of the vehicle.
