This bill directs the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture to receive a minimum of $19 million in state funding for the 2026-2027 fiscal year. The money is designated for the Agriculture Innovation Grant Program, which supports projects aimed at advancing agricultural practices and technologies. By amending the state's Fiscal Code, the legislation ensures this specific funding source is established and available to the department.
This bill creates a grant program to help Pennsylvania school districts and career and technical schools update their educational materials. Eligible schools can apply for funding to buy digital platforms or printed curricula that include lesson plans, multimedia content, and tools for tracking student progress. The amount each school receives is calculated based on its student enrollment and the total state funding available for the program. To qualify, schools must receive a recommendation from their local occupational advisory committee and certify that the funds will be used for approved curriculum modernization.
This Pennsylvania bill creates a limited tax credit program for manufacturers of malt or brewed beverages who make specific capital investments in their production facilities. Under the new rules, eligible companies can receive a tax credit for up to $200,000 in qualifying equipment purchases made during designated time periods, with the credit potentially usable over five years. The legislation also allows these tax credits to be sold to other taxpayers, who can then apply the credit against up to 50% of their own tax liability for that year. The Department of Revenue will oversee the program, including verifying taxpayer compliance before approving credit sales and setting guidelines for the process.
HB 2169 amends Pennsylvania's Fiscal Code to update terminology in funding provisions for special education schools. It replaces references to "approved private school" with "approved special education school" in Section 1923(5), which governs how funds from the Public School Code (Section 2509.8) are allocated. The bill directly affects approved special education schools with day tuition under $32,000, requiring funding to be no less than 175% of the 2015-2016 allocation. This is a technical correction to align statutory language with current educational terminology, with no change to the underlying funding mechanism or eligibility criteria.
HB 1129 amends Pennsylvania's corporate tax code to establish a new program allowing businesses to transfer unused net operating losses to other corporations, directly affecting companies with tax losses they previously couldn't utilize. The bill repeals outdated penalty provisions and a repealer clause from the 1971 tax code while adding new penalties for non-compliance. Key provisions include creating a formal mechanism for loss transfers and updating tax enforcement rules. This bill is pending in the legislature (last reported as committed on 2025-09-10) and would change how corporations manage tax liabilities under Pennsylvania law.
HB 1304 requires Pennsylvania to conduct annual stress tests on state pension systems for both education and state government sectors. The bill mandates that relevant boards submit test results - including scenario and sensitivity analyses - to the Governor, General Assembly, and Independent Fiscal Office by April 1 (education) or October 1 (state government). The Independent Fiscal Office must then produce a summary report by June 1 (education) or December 1 (state government), including a calculation of projected pension contributions relative to state revenues. This directly affects state pension systems, covering public employees and retirees, by establishing regular, transparent assessments of pension fund financial health.
HB 1768 establishes four new grant programs to support Pennsylvania's local food system. It provides incentives for schools and institutions to purchase local food (Local Food Purchasing Incentive Grant), offers financial assistance to farmers for production improvements (Keystone Producer Grant), supports food distribution networks (Keystone Assistance Grant), and funds school meal programs sourcing from local farms (Keystone Fresh Farm to School Account). The Department of Agriculture and Department of Education would administer these programs and manage the grant allocations. The bill directly affects Pennsylvania farmers, schools, food distributors, and local food businesses by creating new funding mechanisms to strengthen regional food systems.
HB 1359 amends Pennsylvania's entertainment tax incentive program by updating its definitions, procedures, and limitations, directly affecting entertainment businesses seeking tax benefits. It also adds new regulatory requirements for self-service storage facilities, including operational standards. The bill clarifies how the entertainment program operates while creating a new framework for overseeing storage facility safety and business practices. These changes became law on November 24, 2025, after approval by the governor. The legislation focuses on administrative updates and new oversight without altering tax rates or funding levels.
HB 923 amends the State Lottery Law to redirect lottery revenue toward providing pharmaceutical assistance for elderly residents. It directly affects seniors who qualify for prescription drug aid under state programs by modifying eligibility determination procedures. The key provision updates how income and asset thresholds are calculated to determine who qualifies for this assistance. The bill became law on November 24, 2025, after approval by both legislative chambers and the governor.
HB 1528 establishes the Grand-family Assistance Program to provide financial support to grandparents and other relatives raising grandchildren. It creates a dedicated fund to make regular payments to local area agencies on aging, which will administer the program and assist eligible families. The bill requires the Department of Aging to manage the program and oversee fund distribution, ensuring direct support reaches affected relatives caring for children. This policy change directly affects grandfamilies and local aging services agencies through structured financial aid and administrative responsibilities.
