What you need to know about Pa.’s state budget

HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHTM) — Governor Tom Wolf signed the budget bills into law this week.

House Bill 2536 and Senate Bill 1350 provide funding for the state services and programs for the rest of the legislative year, which goes through June of 2021.

Lawmakers passed an $11 billion dollar budget package, to round out the nearly $26 billion package that runs out at the end of November.

That was what was called a stop-gap budget, which covered health care and education, but only lasted five months as state leaders assessed the impacts of the pandemic.

The Wolf Administration says this new budget prioritizes public education and protects more than $1.2 billion it has invested in public education during the Governor’s time in office.

The deal has no layoffs, no major cuts and no tax increases.

But it also does not increase funding for programs, some of which are experiencing growth.

The state was facing a more than a $4 billion deficit.

$1.3 billion dollars of federal CARES Act money is being used to balance the budget.

Some lawmakers weren’t happy with that decision, as they believe that funding was meant to be pandemic specific-aid for essential workers

Last week we told you how Early Intervention workers and advocates were worried about the program’s future, as the clock ticked and funding almost ran out.

That program will continue to be funded.