Budget & Taxes (Debt & Bonds)

HB 1331 allocates state funding for specific public projects - including roads, bridges, flood control, and Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission initiatives - during the 2025-2026 fiscal year. It authorizes Pennsylvania to borrow money without voter approval and use current state revenue to finance these projects, while requiring agencies to state each project’s estimated lifespan. The bill directly affects state agencies like the Department of General Services, which manage these capital improvements. It does not change public policy but outlines budgetary mechanisms for infrastructure spending.

SB 292 is Pennsylvania's capital budget for fiscal year 2025-2026, authorizing $21.48 billion in debt financing for specific public projects across state agencies. It directly affects state agencies like the Department of Agriculture (funding a $30 million Penn State plant science facility) and the Department of Conservation (allocating $14 million for Point State Park improvements), as well as taxpayers who will fund the debt. The bill itemizes all projects with estimated costs, authorizes borrowing without voter approval for most projects, and specifies that some projects may use current revenue instead of debt. It does not create new policy but formally allocates funds for existing infrastructure and improvement plans.

HB 310 proposes a constitutional amendment to end Pennsylvania school districts' authority to levy property taxes after June 30, 2029. It requires the state to fund school districts annually with amounts equal to their 2029 property tax revenue (minus debt service) through new state and local taxes on retail sales, income, and earned income. These new tax revenues would be deposited into a dedicated "Stabilization of Education Fund" exclusively for school support, prohibiting any future property taxes on school districts. The amendment would replace property tax reliance with a statewide funding mechanism for school district budgets.

SB 1040 allows the State Treasurer to stop charging interest on loans taken by the state during a budget disagreement (budgetary impasse). It directly affects the State Treasurer's office, which would have the authority to waive interest on these specific investment loans. The key provision is the Treasurer's ability to eliminate interest charges on funds borrowed to maintain state operations when a budget isn't approved on time. This bill creates a concrete administrative change to how the state handles short-term borrowing costs during budget standoffs.