Pennsylvania Perspective for Thursday, March 12, 2026

March 12, 2026

Pennsylvania

PA Budget Hearings Update

The House Appropriations Committee continued and wrapped up its Budget Hearings to examine the Governor’s proposed budget in detail this week. The House Appropriations Committee heard from Department of Aging Secretary Jason Kavulich on the state’s oversight of agencies investigating elder abuse and neglect and Department of Revenue Secretary Pat Browne on the 52% tax rate proposed on skill games. The House Appropriations Committee also met with the leaders of Pennsylvania’s four state-related universities, the University of Pittsburgh, Penn State, Temple, and Lincoln Universities, where administrators warned that the Governor’s proposal for flat state funding would likely necessitate tuition hikes unless the General Assembly approves requested subsidy increases. The full list of completed hearings are available through the House Appropriations Committee and Senate Appropriations Committee.

House Committee Advances LGBTQ+ Protections, Hate Crime Reform

The House Judiciary Committee approved a package of eight bills designed to modernize state law by enshrining same-sex marriage, expanding hate-crime penalties, and easing the legal name-change process for transgender individuals. The legislation also includes the Fairness Act, prohibiting discrimination in housing and education, and measures to ban the “LGBTQ panic” criminal defense. While Democrats argue these state-level codifications are necessary due to shifting federal policies, the bills are unlikely to become law. The Republican-controlled Senate has historically declined to take up similar measures, and conservative committee members voiced strong opposition to most of the proposals.

2026 PA Election Update

The nomination petition filing deadline for the 2026 primary election has officially passed as of Tuesday. According to the Department of State database, candidates for the U.S. Congress, Pennsylvania Senate, and Pennsylvania House have now submitted their petitions to secure a spot on the ballot for the upcoming primary on May 19. Click here to see the list of registered candidates.

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Philadelphia

Mayor Parker Unveils $7B Budget

Mayor Cherelle Parker announced a $7 billion “One Philly, One Future” budget proposal for the upcoming fiscal year. The budget proposal introduces new “gig economy” fees, including a 20-cent-per-ride fee for rideshare services dedicated to the School District of Philadelphia and a 25-cent fee on retail delivery orders dedicated to the city’s Transportation Fund. The budget proposal also includes $900 million in SEPTA funding over five years and funding for transit affordability initiatives. The Mayor is also seeking a 2% hotel tax increase to fund 1,000 new shelter beds to address a 20% spike in homelessness. The plan also pledges an additional $200 million over five years for the Riverview Wellness Village addiction recovery facility, utilizing opioid settlement funds. Click here for more details on tax adjustment, workforce development and education, SEPTA, public safety and recovery, and housing and parks proposals.

Pittsburgh

Allegheny County Restricts Employee Cooperation with ICE

Allegheny County Council approved an ordinance on Tuesday limiting information sharing between the county’s 6,000 employees and federal immigration authorities. The measure, introduced by Councilmember Bethany Hallam, prohibits row offices, agencies, and government employees from using county resources or funds to assist Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) without a court order. County Executive Sara Innamorato has indicated she will sign the bill into law, though she cautioned that local government cannot entirely prevent ICE’s presence in the region.

Western PA Candidates for Midterm Elections

Ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, the candidate field for the May 19 primary is officially taking shape following the March 10 petition filing deadline. All four regional U.S. House districts are positioned for competitive general election matchups between both major parties and two state Senate seats in Allegheny County are up for grabs. While several state House incumbents remain unopposed, high-profile open seats and battleground districts have drawn crowded fields.

Federal

Senator Fetterman Dismisses SAVE America Act

Senator John Fetterman (D-PA) announced his opposition to the Trump-supported SAVE America Act, specifically criticizing Republican efforts to include an amendment banning mail-in voting. While Senator Fetterman noted his support of government-issued photo ID requirements, he argued the current bill is “unworkable” and destined to fail due to the Senate filibuster.

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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