Pennsylvania Bill Book

The bill would give developers a tax break for building on the water, shifting money from taxpayers to those projects.

Citizens should watch this bill because it could reduce state revenue and give an advantage to waterfront developers, while ordinary people see no direct benefit.

Waterfront Development

• Accountability (hurts) — Reduces oversight of developer benefits. Tax credit is granted without added reporting requirements
• Rights & Protections (neutral) — No direct impact on personal rights. Bill does not change individual legal protections
• Who Bears the Cost (hurts) — Shifts cost to taxpayers. State revenue is reduced to fund the credit
• Process Transparency (neutral) — No new transparency measures. Bill does not require public disclosure beyond standard
• Funding Tilt (hurts) — Favors developers over general budget. Provides financial advantage to waterfront projects

Pushing for it: Developers
Bearing the cost: Taxpayers

• Official text (PA HB2127)https://www.palegis.us/legislation/bills/2025/hb2127
• LegiScan — HB2127https://legiscan.com/PA/bill/HB2127/2025

The bill would let trucking companies claim a tax credit for building parking spots, lowering their taxes and costing the state money.

Tax credits help big trucking firms save money, but taxpayers will foot the bill, so everyday Pennsylvanians may see less funding for services.

Motor carriers

• Accountability (hurts) — Tax credit reduces oversight of spending. Provides a benefit without clear accountability measures.
• Rights & Protections (neutral) — No impact on personal rights. The bill does not affect individual legal protections.
• Who Bears the Cost (hurts) — Shifts cost to taxpayers. State revenue is reduced while carriers save money.
• Process Transparency (neutral) — Standard legislative process. No special secrecy or hidden procedures indicated.
• Funding Tilt (hurts) — Tax credit favors carriers. Provides fiscal benefit to industry at expense of general budget.

Pushing for it: Trucking companies
Bearing the cost: State taxpayers

• Official text (PA HB709)https://www.palegis.us/legislation/bills/2025/hb709
• LegiScan — HB709https://legiscan.com/PA/bill/HB709/2025

The bill would let the state set up special dairy zones and give farms tax cuts, while shifting the cost of those cuts to taxpayers.

If passed, dairy farms could keep more money and expand, but ordinary Pennsylvanians may see higher taxes or fewer services because the state will pay for the incentives.

Dairy industry

• Accountability (neutral) — Penalties add some accountability for agencies. Penalties are included but do not affect public accountability directly
• Rights & Protections (neutral) — No impact on personal rights. The bill does not change individual legal protections
• Who Bears the Cost (hurts) — Tax breaks shift cost to taxpayers. Revenue loss from exemptions and credits is funded by the state budget
• Process Transparency (hurts) — Bill is only introduced, limited public detail. Early stage with few specifics disclosed
• Funding Tilt (hurts) — Funding favors dairy industry. Expenditures and tax incentives are directed to dairy businesses

Pushing for it: Dairy industry
Bearing the cost: Taxpayers

• Official text (PA SB384)https://www.palegis.us/legislation/bills/2025/sb384
• LegiScan — SB384https://legiscan.com/PA/bill/SB384/2025

The bill would give tax breaks to waterfront development projects, lowering their taxes and encouraging more building.

Citizens could see more waterfront construction, but the tax breaks mean less money for state services, and developers gain a financial edge.

Real Estate Development

• Accountability (hurts) — Limited oversight of how credits are awarded. No new reporting or audit requirements are added.
• Rights & Protections (neutral) — No direct impact on personal rights. The bill deals with tax policy, not individual legal rights.
• Who Bears the Cost (hurts) — Tax credits reduce state revenue. The cost of the credits is paid by taxpayers.
• Funding Tilt (hurts) — Favors developers over general public. Credits are targeted to waterfront developers, shifting benefits to them.

• Official text (PA SB898)https://www.palegis.us/legislation/bills/2025/sb898
• LegiScan — SB898https://legiscan.com/PA/bill/SB898/2025

The bill would let data center owners claim sales tax refunds and exemptions on their equipment, reducing their costs while the state loses tax revenue.

Tax breaks could attract data centers to Pennsylvania, creating jobs and tech growth, but everyday Pennsylvanians will pay for the lost revenue through higher taxes or reduced services.

Data center industry

• Accountability (hurts) — Tax incentive reduces oversight of data center spending. The bill adds a tax break without strong reporting requirements.
• Rights & Protections (neutral) — No direct impact on personal rights. The bill deals with tax policy, not civil rights.
• Who Bears the Cost (helps) — State loses tax revenue, taxpayers may pay more. Refunds and exemptions lower state collections.
• Process Transparency (hurts) — Eligibility and certification process may be opaque. Requires notification but details unclear.
• Funding Tilt (hurts) — Favors data center industry over general public. Provides tax benefits specifically to data center equipment owners.

Pushing for it: Data center operators
Bearing the cost: Pennsylvania taxpayers

• Official text (PA HB2359)https://www.palegis.us/legislation/bills/2025/hb2359
• LegiScan — HB2359https://legiscan.com/PA/bill/HB2359/2025

The bill would cancel state rules that make insurers follow federal health care laws, letting them ignore those requirements.

Citizens could lose protections that keep insurance companies honest about coverage, while insurers gain freedom to skip federal rules, possibly raising costs or reducing benefits.

Insurers

• Accountability (hurts) — Removing compliance cuts oversight. State rules that hold insurers to federal standards would be gone
• Rights & Protections (hurts) — Consumer protections weakened. People lose guarantees that insurers follow federal health rules
• Who Bears the Cost (hurts) — Costs may shift to consumers. If insurers drop requirements, they could raise premiums or limit benefits
• Process Transparency (neutral) — No new transparency measures. Bill does not add reporting or public notice
• Funding Tilt (neutral) — No funding changes. Bill does not affect state budget or grant money

• Official text (PA HB917)https://www.palegis.us/legislation/bills/2025/hb917
• LegiScan — HB917https://legiscan.com/PA/bill/HB917/2025

The bill would let companies that build clean energy, chips, and biotech get tax breaks, which could lower state tax revenue and shift costs to taxpayers.

The bill could help the state attract high‑tech factories and create jobs, but it also reduces the money the state can collect for schools and roads. Citizens should watch the debate because the tax credits could mean higher taxes or fewer services later.

Manufacturing

• Accountability (hurts) — Tax credits given with limited oversight. Companies receive credits without clear reporting
• Rights & Protections (neutral) — No direct impact on personal rights. Bill does not change suing or privacy
• Who Bears the Cost (hurts) — Reduces state tax revenue, shifting cost to taxpayers. Credits lower tax collections
• Process Transparency (hurts) — Bill just introduced, limited public input. Early stage, not yet debated publicly
• Funding Tilt (neutral) — Tax credit is a fiscal incentive, not direct spending. Uses existing tax base

• Official text (PA SB500)https://www.palegis.us/legislation/bills/2025/sb500
• LegiScan — SB500https://legiscan.com/PA/bill/SB500/2025

This bill would change taxes, helping some businesses while possibly costing regular people more.

Citizens should pay attention to this bill because it could shift tax costs onto them while giving benefits to businesses. Now is the time to speak up.

Big Business

• Who Bears the Cost (hurts) — Shifts tax burden. The bill may shift tax costs away from businesses to consumers.
• Process Transparency (neutral) — Limited public input. The process lacks clear opportunities for public feedback.

• Official text (PA HB1667)https://www.palegis.us/legislation/bills/2025/hb1667
• LegiScan — HB1667https://legiscan.com/PA/bill/HB1667/2025

This bill would change many rules for gaming in Pennsylvania, affecting how casinos operate and how people can play games.

If this bill passes, it could help casinos but might not protect everyday players. Now is the time to speak up about how it could affect your gaming experience.

Big Business

• Accountability (neutral) — Changes to enforcement and penalties. The bill includes provisions for investigations and enforcement.
• Rights & Protections (hurts) — Potentially less protection for players. The bill may favor big businesses over individual player rights.
• Who Bears the Cost (neutral) — Costs related to new fees. The bill introduces new fees for gaming licenses.
• Process Transparency (neutral) — Public input hearings included. The bill provides for public input hearings on gaming licenses.

• Official text (PA SB756)https://www.palegis.us/legislation/bills/2025/sb756
• LegiScan — SB756https://legiscan.com/PA/bill/SB756/2025

The bill would let pharmacies give out cancer drugs and protect them from being sued, while the state tracks the program.

Citizens could get faster access to life‑saving cancer meds, but they may lose the chance to sue a pharmacy if something goes wrong, so they should watch the debate now.

Pharmacies

• Accountability (hurts) — Immunity reduces pharmacy accountability. Pharmacies would be shielded from many lawsuits.
• Rights & Protections (hurts) — Right to sue is limited. Patients may lose ability to sue pharmacies over drug issues.
• Who Bears the Cost (hurts) — Fees may shift cost to patients. Program fees could be passed to consumers.
• Process Transparency (helps) — Annual report and pharmacy list increase transparency. State must publish reports and approved pharmacy lists.
• Funding Tilt (neutral) — Funding effects unclear. No specific funding changes identified.

• Official text (PA HB69)https://www.palegis.us/legislation/bills/2025/hb69
• LegiScan — HB69https://legiscan.com/PA/bill/HB69/2025

This bill would let cities in Pennsylvania set their own minimum wage, which could mean more money for workers.

This bill would change the rules for how much workers get paid, letting local towns and cities decide their own minimum wage. If it passes, your city could vote to pay workers more than the state minimum. This could help people earn enough to live, but some businesses might say it makes things harder for them to manage different pay rules in different places. It is important to know about this bill now because it is just starting, and your voice can still be heard.

Everyday People

• Accountability (helps) — Empowers local governments to set wages. The bill repeals parts of the law that stop local governments from setting their own minimum wages, giving them more power to respond to local needs.
• Rights & Protections (helps) — Could lead to higher pay for workers. By changing minimum wage rules and allowing local control, this bill could help workers earn more money.
• Who Bears the Cost (helps) — Businesses may see higher labor costs. If local governments raise minimum wages, businesses in those areas would likely pay more to their workers.
• Process Transparency (neutral) — No change to transparency. The bill does not directly address how transparent the law-making process is.
• Funding Tilt (helps) — Favors workers over businesses. The changes to minimum wage and preemption would generally benefit workers by potentially increasing their pay.

Pushing for it: Workers
Bearing the cost: Businesses

• Official text (PA HB23)https://www.palegis.us/legislation/bills/2025/hb23
• LegiScan — HB23https://legiscan.com/PA/bill/HB23/2025

This bill would raise the minimum wage in Pennsylvania and let towns set their own higher wages, helping workers earn more money.

This bill would help many workers by raising the lowest amount they can be paid. It also gives local towns the power to set their own minimum wages, which means some areas could have even higher pay. This could mean more money in people's pockets, making it easier to pay for food and rent. Some businesses might say paying more would be hard for them, but supporters believe it helps the economy by giving people more money to spend. This bill is still new, so now is the time to tell your lawmakers what you think about workers earning more.

Workers

• Accountability (helps) — More enforcement and penalties for wage violations.. The bill would further provide for enforcement and rules and regulations, for penalties and for civil actions.
• Rights & Protections (helps) — Raises minimum wage and allows local control.. The bill would further provide for minimum wages and for exemptions, and provide for local option.
• Who Bears the Cost (helps) — Higher wages for workers, with a claim of taxpayer savings.. The bill would further provide for minimum wages and for gratuities, and provide for taxpayer savings and reinvestment.
• Process Transparency (neutral) — No specific transparency changes mentioned in the title.. The official text does not mention changes to process transparency.
• Funding Tilt (helps) — Tilts funding towards workers through higher wages.. The bill would further provide for minimum wages and for gratuities, directly benefiting workers.

Pushing for it: Workers
Bearing the cost: Businesses

• Official text (PA SB19)https://www.palegis.us/legislation/bills/2025/sb19
• LegiScan — SB19https://legiscan.com/PA/bill/SB19/2025

This bill would give people money back on taxes to help pay for learning a trade, making it cheaper to get a good job.

This bill would make it easier and cheaper for people to learn a skilled trade, like plumbing or electrical work. It would give them a tax credit, which means they would pay less in taxes if they are paying for apprentice schooling. This could help more people get good jobs without a lot of student debt. Supporters would say this is a good way to help the economy and fill important jobs. Others might worry about the cost to the state budget, as tax credits mean less money for other state programs.

Everyday People

• Accountability (neutral) — No direct impact on accountability.. The bill does not directly change how accountable government or businesses are to the public.
• Rights & Protections (helps) — Helps people access job training.. The bill would create a tax credit program to help people pay for education expenses related to apprenticeships, making it easier to access job training.
• Who Bears the Cost (helps) — Shifts education costs from individuals to the state.. The bill would shift some of the financial burden of apprentice education from individuals to the state government through tax credits.
• Process Transparency (neutral) — No direct impact on transparency.. The bill does not change how transparent government processes are to the public.
• Funding Tilt (helps) — Provides financial benefit to individuals.. The bill would provide a financial benefit to individuals by reducing their tax liability for apprentice education expenses.

Pushing for it: People paying for apprentice education
Bearing the cost: Pennsylvania state budget

• Official text (PA HB963)https://www.palegis.us/legislation/bills/2025/hb963
• LegiScan — HB963https://legiscan.com/PA/bill/HB963/2025

This bill would make hospitals create plans and report violence to keep their workers safe, so fewer people get hurt at work.

This bill would help keep nurses and other hospital workers safer from violence. It would make hospitals set up groups to stop violence and tell the state when bad things happen. This means hospitals would have to work harder to protect their staff. Some might say these new rules cost too much money or are too much work for hospitals. But supporters believe worker safety is very important. Since this bill is still moving, now is the time to tell your lawmakers if you think hospitals should do more to protect their workers.

Workers

• Accountability (helps) — Increases accountability for health facilities.. Health facilities would be held more responsible for preventing violence against their workers.
• Rights & Protections (helps) — Boosts worker safety protections.. Workers in health facilities would have stronger protections against workplace violence.
• Who Bears the Cost (hurts) — Facilities bear costs for safety measures.. Health facilities would pay for setting up committees and reporting violence, and could face fines.
• Process Transparency (neutral) — Not directly addressed by the bill.. The bill does not directly address how transparent the legislative process is.
• Funding Tilt (neutral) — No specific funding mentioned.. The bill does not mention specific funding amounts or how money would be tilted.

Pushing for it: Healthcare workers
Bearing the cost: Health facilities

• Official text (PA HB926)https://www.palegis.us/legislation/bills/2025/hb926
• LegiScan — HB926https://legiscan.com/PA/bill/HB926/2025

Helps people learn a trade with tax credits

If you want to learn a new skill or support workers, now is the time to speak up and help this bill become a law, which could create more apprenticeship opportunities and help people get jobs

Big Business

• Accountability (neutral) — No direct impact on accountability. The bill focuses on tax credits for apprenticeships
• Rights & Protections (helps) — Positive impact on workers' rights. The bill aims to support workers by providing tax credits for apprenticeships
• Who Bears the Cost (helps) — Cost is borne by the state through tax credits. The state would provide tax credits to support apprenticeships
• Process Transparency (neutral) — No direct impact on process transparency. The bill does not directly address process transparency
• Funding Tilt (helps) — Positive funding tilt towards workers. The bill provides funding for apprenticeships through tax credits

Pushing for it: Apprentices and employers
Bearing the cost: None stated

• Official text (PA HB891)https://www.palegis.us/legislation/bills/2025/hb891
• LegiScan — HB891https://legiscan.com/PA/bill/HB891/2025

This bill would create programs and tax breaks to help students learn job skills and find work, making it easier to start a career.

This bill would help young people in Pennsylvania get ready for jobs by creating special programs and giving tax breaks to businesses that hire them. It could mean more chances for students to learn real-world skills and find good work after school. Supporters say it will make the state's workforce stronger, while others might worry about the cost of the tax breaks for taxpayers. It's a chance to help shape how students get job training.

Everyday People

• Accountability (neutral) — Neutral impact. The bill creates new programs and duties for state departments but does not directly change accountability for harm or wrongdoing.
• Rights & Protections (neutral) — Neutral impact. The bill does not remove or add specific rights or protections for ordinary people.
• Who Bears the Cost (hurts) — Costs shifted to taxpayers. The 'CareerBound Tax Credit Program' would mean the state collects less tax money, which is a cost borne by taxpayers, while benefiting businesses.
• Process Transparency (neutral) — Neutral impact. The bill does not contain details about changes to process transparency.
• Funding Tilt (helps) — Benefits businesses. The 'CareerBound Tax Credit Program' would give financial benefits to businesses that participate in school-to-work programs.

Pushing for it: Businesses that hire students through the program
Bearing the cost: Pennsylvania taxpayers

• Official text (PA HB904)https://www.palegis.us/legislation/bills/2025/hb904
• LegiScan — HB904https://legiscan.com/PA/bill/HB904/2025

This bill would let some companies try a four-day workweek and get tax money back, which could give workers more free time without losing pay.

This bill could be a big win for regular people, giving them an extra day off each week to spend with family, run errands, or just relax. It would help companies try out this new way of working by giving them tax credits, which means the state would help pay for it. If this pilot program works well, it could lead to more companies offering four-day workweeks across Pennsylvania, making life better for many workers. It is important to pay attention now while it is still being discussed, so people can share their thoughts on making work better.

Workers

• Accountability (helps) — Could create data on workweek impact.. The pilot program would be overseen by state departments, potentially leading to data on its effectiveness and showing how it impacts businesses and workers.
• Rights & Protections (helps) — Could improve worker well-being.. Workers in participating companies would gain an extra day off each week, potentially improving their work-life balance and overall well-being without a loss in pay.
• Who Bears the Cost (neutral) — State funds tax credits.. The state would provide tax credits to employers, meaning taxpayers would fund the program, but it is an investment in a pilot that could benefit many.
• Process Transparency (neutral) — Early stage, no transparency issues yet.. The bill is newly introduced and is following the standard legislative process, with no apparent transparency issues at this early stage.
• Funding Tilt (helps) — Funds a program to benefit workers and businesses.. The tax credits would help businesses afford the transition to a four-day workweek, which could lead to better conditions for their employees and potentially boost productivity.

Pushing for it: Qualifying employers
Bearing the cost: Pennsylvania taxpayers

• Official text (PA HB884)https://www.palegis.us/legislation/bills/2025/hb884
• LegiScan — HB884https://legiscan.com/PA/bill/HB884/2025

The bill would require the health department to set air quality rules for shelters and nursing homes, give tax credits, and run education programs.

People in nursing homes, group homes, and shelters could breathe cleaner air, which may lower illness rates; the state would spend money on certifications and education, but taxpayers would fund the tax credits.

Everyday People

• Accountability (helps) — Adds health dept duties. Dept of Health must monitor indoor air quality
• Rights & Protections (helps) — Raises health protections. Sets air quality standards for facilities
• Who Bears the Cost (hurts) — Tax credits cost taxpayers. State forgoes revenue to incentivize compliance
• Process Transparency (helps) — Requires data collection. Collects indoor air quality data from facilities
• Funding Tilt (hurts) — Tax credits favor facilities. Incentivizes compliance for facilities rather than direct public benefit

Pushing for it: Facilities
Bearing the cost: Taxpayers

• Official text (PA HB1656)https://www.palegis.us/legislation/bills/2025/hb1656
• LegiScan — HB1656https://legiscan.com/PA/bill/HB1656/2025

This bill would give money back to bosses who let their workers be volunteer firefighters, making it easier for people to serve their community.

This bill would help communities keep enough volunteer firefighters. It would do this in two ways. First, it would stop bosses from punishing workers who leave their jobs to help in an emergency. This means volunteer firefighters would not have to worry about losing their job or getting in trouble for helping out. Second, it would give bosses a tax break if they hire volunteer emergency responders. This could make it easier for bosses to support their workers who volunteer. Some might say this bill costs taxpayers money because of the tax breaks. But supporters believe it is worth it to make sure we have enough people ready to help in a crisis.

Big Business

• Accountability (helps) — Protects volunteers from employer penalties.. The bill would remove employment sanctions, which protects volunteer responders from being penalized by employers for their service.
• Rights & Protections (helps) — Enhances job security for volunteers.. Removes rules that could punish volunteer firefighters at their jobs, protecting their right to serve without fear of job loss.
• Who Bears the Cost (hurts) — Taxpayers cover employer tax credits.. The state would give tax credits to employers, meaning taxpayers would cover some costs for businesses that support volunteers.
• Process Transparency (neutral) — Standard legislative process.. The bill is newly introduced and referred to committee, indicating a standard legislative process so far.
• Funding Tilt (helps) — Direct financial benefit to businesses.. Provides a tax credit to employers, which is a direct financial benefit to businesses.

Pushing for it: Employers of volunteer emergency responders
Bearing the cost: Pennsylvania taxpayers

• Official text (PA HB1758)https://www.palegis.us/legislation/bills/2025/hb1758
• LegiScan — HB1758https://legiscan.com/PA/bill/HB1758/2025

This bill would give money back to small businesses in Pennsylvania that pay their workers more, helping workers earn better wages.

This bill would help small businesses afford to pay their workers more money. It would give them a tax credit, which is like getting some money back from the government. This means workers could get a raise, and businesses would not have to pay the full cost of that raise themselves. Some people might worry that this money comes from taxpayers, but others believe it helps both workers and small businesses thrive. It is still new, so now is the time to tell your lawmakers what you think.

Small businesses

• Accountability (neutral) — Neutral. The bill creates a tax credit, not directly impacting accountability for actions.
• Rights & Protections (helps) — Helps workers. It encourages higher wages for workers, which can improve their financial well-being and basic protections.
• Who Bears the Cost (hurts) — Taxpayers pay. The state's general fund, meaning taxpayers, would cover the cost of the tax credits given to businesses.
• Process Transparency (neutral) — Neutral. The bill has just been introduced, so there is no information on its transparency yet.
• Funding Tilt (helps) — Supports businesses and workers. It provides financial support to small businesses to help them afford higher wages for their employees, tilting funding towards them.

Pushing for it: Small businesses and their workers
Bearing the cost: State taxpayers

• Official text (PA SB853)https://www.palegis.us/legislation/bills/2025/sb853
• LegiScan — SB853https://legiscan.com/PA/bill/SB853/2025