Pennsylvania Perspective for Thursday, April 16, 2026

April 16, 2026

Pennsylvania

PA House Passes Governor Shapiro’s Budget Proposal, Unlikely to Pass Senate

The Pennsylvania House of Representatives passed a mirror of Governor Shapiro’s $53.3 billion budget proposal, but will likely face challenges as it is sent to the Republican-controlled Senate. HB2400 passed by a 107-94 vote with all 102 Democrats and five Republicans voting in favor of the legislation. House Appropriations Committee Chair Jordan Harris (D-186-Philadelphia) stated that the passage of this budget proposal reflects a “shared commitment” to passing the budget before the June 30 deadline. Senate Republican leaders issued a statement stating that they have “profound concerns” with the budget proposal and the structural deficit. Click here for an overview of key highlights from the governor’s budget proposal, and click here for City & State’s budget tracker.

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PA House Passes Data Center Regulations, Pushes Energy Bill Package

The Pennsylvania House of Representatives approved two bills that regulate data centers. HB2150 would require centers to report yearly water and electricity use and estimate future use, and HB2151 would produce a model ordinance that municipalities can adopt with state-drafted recommendations for cloud-computing and artificial-intelligence campuses. The House recently also passed HB1834, a bill that intends to protect utility customers from price hikes driven by the energy demand from data centers. The bills now await consideration from the Republican-controlled Senate, where odds of passage are unlikely. Pennsylvania House Democrats are also pushing a legislative package aimed at lowering utility rates by preventing data centers from shifting infrastructure costs to residents, protecting ratepayers from predatory billing, and upgrading existing energy infrastructure.

Philadelphia

PA-3 Campaign Updates, Mayor Parker Endorses State Senator Street

Mayor Cherelle Parker officially endorsed State Senator Sharif Street (D-3-Philadelphia) in the 3rd Congressional District race to replace U.S. Representative Dwight Evans (D-PA-3). Mayor Parker praised Senator Street as a “reliable partner” capable of leveraging federal resources for Philadelphia’s schools and infrastructure. The front-runners of the race include Senator Street, Dr. Ala Stanford, and State Representative Chris Rabb (D-200-Philadelphia) ahead of the May 19 primary election.

Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh City Council Advances 2026 Budget Changes

Pittsburgh City Council preliminarily approved Mayor Corey O’Connor’s 2026 budget modifications, including changes that would offer more support to police and create a new office focused on families. The budget modifications adjust for rising healthcare premiums while increasing allocations for legal settlements, winter maintenance, and fuel costs. The budget also includes an additional $8 million in revenue from the city payroll tax and will require a withdrawal of an additional $6.5 million from savings to cover expenses. The Council is set to hold a final vote on the changes next week.

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette to Continue Publishing

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette will continue operations after Baltimore-based Venetoulis Institute for Local Journalism agreed to acquire its assets from Block Communications, effective May 4. The deal ends nearly a century of Block family ownership and prevents the Post-Gazette from shuttering on May 3 as previously planned. The new owners plan to restructure for long-term sustainability while addressing outstanding labor issues following a three-year strike that concluded last November.

Federal

Republicans and Senator Fetterman Vote Against an Iran War Powers Resolution

U.S. Senators John Fetterman (D-PA) and Dave McCormick (R-PA) joined a Republican majority in a 52-47 vote to defeat a war powers resolution aimed at restricting President Trump’s military actions in the Middle East. The vote, forced by Senate Democrats for the fourth time since the conflict began, followed the president’s increasingly sharp rhetoric and the implementation of a U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports. This is also the fourth time Senator Fetterman has broken with the Democratic party on the Iran war, creating rumors about a potential party switch ahead of the 2028 Senate race.

Authors

About Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies

Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies, an affiliate of the international law firm Cozen O’Connor, is a bipartisan government relations practice representing clients before the federal government and in cities and states throughout the country. With offices in Washington D.C., Richmond, Albany, New York City, Philadelphia, Harrisburg, Chicago, and Santa Monica, the firm’s public strategies professionals offer a full complement of government affairs services, including legislative and executive branch advocacy, policy analysis, assistance with government procurement and funding programs, and crisis management. Its client base spans multiple industries, including healthcare, transportation, hospitality, education, construction, energy, real estate, entertainment, financial services, and insurance.

About Cozen O’Connor

Established in 1970, Cozen O’Connor has over 775 attorneys who help clients manage risk and make better business decisions. The firm counsels clients on their most sophisticated legal matters in all areas of the law, including litigation, corporate, and regulatory law. Representing a broad array of leading global corporations and middle-market companies, Cozen O’Connor serves its clients’ needs through 31 offices across two continents.

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