2021-22 State Budget
Proposed Budget Highlights
Basic Education:
- Full funding of public schools through the Fair Funding Formula
- $1.35 billion increase to basic education funding
- $1 billion in Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program (RACP) grants to address school infrastructure needs in PA
- $200 million for special education
- Releases up to $36 million for additional scholarship to students under the Education Improvement Tax Credit and Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit Programs)
- $25 million for Pre-K Counts
- $11 million increase for Early intervention programs
- $5 million for the Head Start Supplemental Program
- Charter School reform for $229 million in savings to school districts
- Sets cyber charter tuition rates at $9,500 per student
- Push for $45,000 minimum salary per year for teachers
Higher Education:
- $199 million for free and affordable college through the Nellie Bly Tuition Program
- Level funding for higher education
Workforce Development:
- Proposes minimum wage increase to $12 per hour on July 1, 2021, with a path to $15 per hour
- Tax deductions for low- and middle-income families
- Provide $3 billion to workers and businesses to stabilize the economy and recover from the COVID-19 pandemic through the Back to Work PA plan
- Improves food security and supports farmers by investing $1 million in the Pennsylvania Agriculture Surplus System (PASS)
Human Services:
- Directs $87 million in federal funding to Child Care Works base rates and create a more stable business environment for child care facilities while improving equal access to child care services
- $8.3 million to help county and municipal health departments fight COVID-19
- 13.8 million to provide home and community-based services to 100 individuals with disabilities on waiting list and provide services through the Community Living Waiver to 732 individuals on waiting list
- Additional $1 million to fund legal services for low-income individuals and families, an issue the caucus has pushed for and will continue to fight for in future budgets
- $1.25 million for 20 Community Hospital Integration Projects Program (CHIPP) to help reduce state hospital populations
- $1 million to reduce the number of children and youth in out-of-home placements triggered by homelessness, housing instability, or inadequate housing
2021-22 Budget Hearings
Monday, March 8, 2021
10:00 am – Independent Fiscal Office
2:00 pm – Department of Revenue/Lottery
3:00 pm – Department of Drug & Alcohol Programs
Tuesday, March 9, 2021
10:00 am – Department of Conservation & Natural Resources
2:00 pm – Department of Transportation
3:00 pm – Pennsylvania Treasury Department
Wednesday, March 10, 2021
10:00 am – Department of Human Services
1:30 pm – Department of Human Services (Continued)
Thursday, March 11, 2021
10:00 am – Department of Environmental Protection
1:30 pm – Department of State
Thursday, March 18, 2021
10:00 am – Department of Education
1:30 pm – Department of Education (Continued)
3:00 pm – PA State System of Higher Education
Monday, March 22, 2021
10:00 am – Department of Corrections / Board of Probation & Parole
2:00 pm – Department of Community & Economic Development
Tuesday, April 6, 2021
10:00 am – State-Related Universities
1:00 pm – Department of Military & Veterans Affairs
3:00 pm – Pennsylvania Treasury Department
Wednesday, April 7, 2021
10:00 am – PA Liquor Control Board
1:00 pm – Office of Attorney General
3:00 pm – Office of Auditor General
Thursday, April 8, 2021
10:00 am – Department of Labor & Industry
2:00 pm – Department of Agriculture
Thursday, April 22, 2021
10:00 am – Department of Health
2:00 pm – Budget Secretary / Governor’s Executive Office & Department of General Services
Budget Address
Watch Gov. Tom Wolf deliver his 2021-22 budget address.
Budget Documents
2021-22 Proposed Budget (Introduced by Governor Tom Wolf, February 3, 2021)
2021-22 Governor’s Executive Budget (PDF)
2021-22 Proposed Budget Line-Item Appropriation (PDF)
Budget News
Senator Hughes says Gov. Wolf’s budget prioritizes critical issues important to Pa. residents
Sens. Costa, Hughes Respond to Gov. Wolf’s 2021-22 Budget Proposal
HARRISBURG — February 3, 2021 — Pennsylvania Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa (D-Allegheny) and Democratic Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee Vincent Hughes (D-Philadelphia/Montgomery) jointly responded to Gov. Tom Wolf’s 2021-22 Budget Address with a...
Senator Hughes responds to Gov. Wolf’s 2021 agenda, plan to address broken and toxic schools
PHILADELPHIA – January 27, 2021 – State Senator Vincent Hughes (D-Philadelphia/Montgomery) issued the following statement in response to Gov. Tom Wolf’s plan to get Pennsylvania back on track after the COVID-19 pandemic: “I am grateful to Gov. Tom Wolf for this...