House passes $50.6 billion General Appropriations bill after partisan debate

The Pennsylvania House of Representatives voted 105 to 97 on July 14, 2025, to pass House Bill 1330, the General Appropriations Bill for fiscal year 2025–26, and the clerk will return the measure to the Senate for concurrence.

The bill, moved on the floor as the next step in the budget process, reduces the governor’s initial proposal from $51.5 billion to $50.6 billion, a change highlighted repeatedly in floor debate as the chamber weighed spending priorities against concerns about revenue and long‑term fiscal sustainability.

Representative Struzzi, chair of the Appropriations Committee (Indiana County), told colleagues the amended bill still “spends too much money that we don’t have” and said the House Republican caucus has pressed for additional revenue‑generating steps, permitting and regulatory changes, and workforce development measures to grow the tax base. Struzzi urged members to vote no, saying the document lacked a clear plan to pay for the proposed level of spending.

Representative Harris (Appropriations Committee, Philadelphia County) countered that hundreds of local officials, nonprofit leaders and service providers had been awaiting a spending plan since June 30 and argued the House must act to provide stability for schools, senior services and human services. Harris said passing the bill was a necessary step to move budget negotiations forward and to preserve programs serving vulnerable Pennsylvanians.

Representative Bradford (chair of the House Rules Committee) said the amended bill reflects bipartisan compromise, including $10 billion in reserves that he said will help the Commonwealth weather anticipated federal funding cuts. Bradford described the measure as “progress” toward a full, balanced plan, and urged support to continue negotiations with the Senate and the governor’s office.

Opponents repeatedly raised the same themes: the spending level remained too high without accompanying revenue measures, and demographic and federal funding pressures require structural reforms. Supporters said the reductions from the governor’s original proposal and the inclusion of reserves made the bill a pragmatic step toward a final budget.

The House recorded the final vote as 105 yeas and 97 nays. The bill’s next procedural step is return to the Senate for concurrence; enactment will require any further actions by that chamber and the governor’s approval.

Implementation and timeline: the House recorded its approval and the clerk will transmit the bill to the Senate for concurrence. The final budget's details, including any fiscal code or tax provisions, were not resolved on the floor and were described repeatedly as subject to continued negotiation.