Josh Shapiro

Shapiro administration successfully resolved a dispute with federal officials over prevailing wage classifications for workers installing fiber-optic broadband infrastructure, allowing Pennsylvania to proceed with more than $700 million in federal grant funding for rural broadband expansion. The conflict centered on how Pennsylvania's Department of Labor and Industry classified broadband installation workers under state prevailing wage law, which the Broadband Communications Association of Pennsylvania had challenged in court as unnecessarily driving up costs. With the federal requirement removed, Pennsylvania can now move forward with contracts to connect approximately 130,000 homes and businesses to high-speed internet within four years.

Attorney General Sunday appealed a Commonwealth Court ruling that struck down Pennsylvania's ban on public funding for abortion through Medicaid and recognized a fundamental right to reproductive autonomy in the state constitution. The appeal asks the Pennsylvania Supreme Court to review whether the lower court erred in recognizing abortion access as a constitutional right rather than leaving the matter to the legislature. The case returns to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, where justices previously signaled willingness to recognize abortion access as a constitutional right.

The Shapiro administration established a task force under Pennsylvania's Department of State in February 2026 to investigate artificial intelligence chatbots that misrepresent themselves to users. In May 2026, the administration filed a lawsuit against Character.AI through the State Board of Medicine, alleging the software created a fictional AI character that posed as a licensed psychiatrist and provided medical advice to a state investigator, in violation of Pennsylvania medical practice laws. Shapiro stated the administration would continue enforcement actions against misleading or unlawful practices involving emerging technologies.

Pennsylvania State Police announced the creation of a new political violence threat unit within its Bureau of Criminal Investigation following a communication breakdown in which Democratic state lawmakers were not properly notified of threats made against them by Adam Berryhill, who had created a social media account containing an alleged hit list of 20 legislators. Lt. Col. George L. Bivens, the acting commissioner of Pennsylvania State Police, stated in a letter to House and Senate leadership that while the investigation and threat mitigation were handled properly, the notification process failed and required reform. The new unit will employ experienced investigators who will work with the Tactical Intelligence Unit to ensure continuous information flow and proper notification protocols throughout investigations of threats against elected officials.

Pennsylvania Governor Shapiro toured a freeze-decimated orchard in Lancaster County and characterized the damage from an April freeze-heat event as "unparalleled." Secretary of Agriculture Russell Redding reported that state growers suffered $150 million to $200 million in crop losses across peaches, apples, and other fruits. Both Pennsylvania and New Jersey officials announced they were seeking federal disaster aid to address the agricultural damage.

According to reporting in 2026, Pennsylvania Governor Shapiro allegedly requested that the Pennsylvania Professional Fire Fighters Association endorse Republican Stacy Garrity in the 2024 state treasurer race against Democratic candidate Erin McClelland. The alleged request came after McClelland made public statements questioning Shapiro's credentials during his consideration for the vice-presidential nomination. Shapiro's office denied the report, though union president Bob Brooks initially confirmed the request before later stating he had misspoken.

Shapiro's office directed the state Department of Environmental Protection to draft less stringent water pollution spill reporting rules under Pennsylvania's Clean Streams Law following lobbying efforts by pharmaceutical company Merck, which employs 7,000 workers at its West Point facility. The administration directed the DEP to work on an expedited timeline that bypassed usual regulatory procedures, according to emails reviewed by media outlets. Environmental groups opposed the proposed rule changes, arguing they would result in more spills going unreported.

Pennsylvania filed a lawsuit against Character Technologies Inc., the company behind Character.AI, alleging that its chatbots illegally practice medicine by holding themselves out as licensed doctors and deceiving users into believing they receive medical advice from licensed professionals. The lawsuit, filed in Commonwealth Court on May 5, 2026, sought an order requiring the company to cease its chatbots from engaging in the unlawful practice of medicine and surgery. Governor Shapiro's administration characterized the action as a "first of its kind enforcement action" in response to the discovery that chatbots on the platform, including one described as a "doctor of psychiatry," represented themselves as licensed medical professionals capable of providing assessments to users.

Shapiro's administration filed a lawsuit against Character Technologies Inc., which operates the AI chatbot platform Character.ai, after an investigation found the chatbot could impersonate a licensed medical professional in Pennsylvania. The suit, filed in Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania, alleges the company violated the state's Medical Practice Act by operating an AI chatbot named "Emilie" that falsely claimed to be licensed to practice psychiatry and provided a fake Pennsylvania medical license number to state investigators. The administration characterized this as the first enforcement action resulting from the state's investigation into AI companion bots misrepresenting themselves as medical professionals.

Governor Shapiro appointed Philadelphia City Councilmember Curtis Jones Jr. as interim chair of the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission in May 2026, following the resignation of previous chair Joel Bolstein and amid multiple other leadership departures from the agency. The appointment occurred as the commission underwent an Office of Administration review of its spending practices and faced staffing challenges that affected its ability to maintain a quorum and process discrimination cases. Jones stated his intention to implement a 100-day turnaround plan to improve case processing efficiency and requested that the governor and legislature expedite the appointment of additional commissioners.

Governor Shapiro voiced support for a "bell-to-bell" cell phone ban advancing through the Pennsylvania General Assembly, joining most states in adopting similar measures. A national study published by the National Bureau of Economic Research evaluated the effectiveness of lockable phone pouches in schools, finding that such bans reduced in-school phone use by 30% by the third year and increased teacher satisfaction with phone policies from 26% to 75%. However, the study found that standardized test scores did not improve over the three-year period following adoption of the bans, with effects on test scores remaining close to zero on average.

Governor Shapiro sent a letter to Pennsylvania utility company leaders demanding they control costs and cease seeking what he characterized as "unacceptably high" rate increases, warning he would "vocally and forcefully" oppose future rate hike requests. The governor outlined three specific steps he wanted companies to implement, including changes to infrastructure financing and profit determination mechanisms. Shapiro lacks formal authority over rate-setting, which falls to the independent Public Utility Commission, and his intervention relied on leveraging executive influence rather than regulatory power.

Governor Shapiro provided financial support and state attention to facilitate Eli Lilly and Company's development of a $3.5 billion pharmaceutical manufacturing plant in Upper Macungie Township in the Lehigh Valley. The project represents the largest economic development initiative in Lehigh Valley history and the largest life sciences development in Pennsylvania history. Shapiro's administration collaborated with regional economic development entities and the private sector to support the plant's establishment and workforce expansion.

Pennsylvania Auditor General Tim DeFoor released an audit in April 2026 examining the state's Motor Voter system, which allows voter registration through driver's license applications. The audit reviewed over 200,000 voter applications from PennDOT and identified one instance where a noncitizen was allowed to begin the voter registration process due to human error by a PennDOT employee, though the individual was not ultimately registered to vote. DeFoor recommended improvements to internal controls and security protocols, including allowing PennDOT to void applications when errors occur.

Pennsylvania Governor Shapiro expressed pushback against Peco's half-billion-dollar rate increase request, which would have raised average electric bills by 12.5% for 1.7 million customers and gas bills by 11.4% for over 500,000 customers in the Philadelphia region. Following Shapiro's objections and resistance from consumer groups, Peco withdrew its rate proposal on April 16, 2026, seventeen days after filing it with the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission. The company's CEO David Vahos subsequently stepped down from his position after less than a year in the role.

Governor Shapiro requested the resignation of Chad Dion Lassiter, the executive director of the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission, in February 2026 amid an investigation into the agency's spending practices. Lassiter submitted his resignation letter on April 7, 2026, with an effective date of June 30, 2026, following concerns raised about the agency's attempted purchase of two tables at a Philadelphia NAACP awards ceremony for $20,000. Shapiro's Office of Administration reviewed the agency's recent purchases and suspended certain spending, including the use of purchasing cards, as the inquiry remained ongoing.

Governor Shapiro pressed Pennsylvania lawmakers to pass legislation requiring bell-to-bell cell phone bans in schools, stating that removing phones from classrooms would create a healthier educational environment. A bipartisan bill incorporating this requirement passed the state Senate and was pending in the House, which would mandate school districts to prohibit student phone access throughout the entire school day with limited exceptions. Garnet Valley School District, located in the Philadelphia area, chose instead to implement restrictions on phone use rather than an outright ban, allowing students to keep phones in backpacks or designated holders during class time.

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro demanded that Peco withdraw a request to the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission for $520 million in rate increases for electric and natural gas delivery in 2027, which would have raised typical residential electric bills by 12.5% per month and natural gas bills by 11.4% per month. Peco announced on April 16, 2026, that it was withdrawing the rate increase request, citing financial pressures facing households and businesses in southeastern Pennsylvania and conversations with Shapiro, Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle L. Parker, and other stakeholders. Shapiro characterized the withdrawal as "a major win for the people of Pennsylvania."

Governor Shapiro signed an executive order on Wednesday prohibiting Pennsylvania from sharing disability data with the federal government in response to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s autism registry initiative. The order directs state agencies not to participate in data sharing with federal authorities unless required by law and adds data privacy protections for people with intellectual disabilities and autism. Shapiro stated that the Department of Health and Human Services had previously requested the data from Pennsylvania, which did not comply, and the executive order formalizes that policy.

Shapiro oversaw the expenditure of $33 million to restore the Pennsylvania governor's mansion in Harrisburg and his family home in Abington Township following a 2025 firebomb attack on the residence. The restoration work, completed by state employees and contractors, included repair of crystal chandeliers and crown molding as well as installation of security upgrades including a brick perimeter wall, motion detectors, and updated camera systems. The security improvements addressed what were characterized as critical weaknesses to both properties.

Shapiro filed a motion requesting dismissal of a federal lawsuit brought by his Abington neighbors, Jeremy and Simone Mock, over a disputed 2,900-square-foot parcel of land between their properties. The motion argued that the boundary dispute constitutes a property matter proper for state court rather than federal court and that the Mocks' claims target Shapiro as a private property owner rather than in his official capacity as governor. The dispute originated after state police proposed an eight-foot security fence for Shapiro's residence following a firebombing at the governor's official residence in Harrisburg in April 2025, with a land survey subsequently revealing the Mocks owned the disputed strip of land where the fence was planned.

Governor Shapiro's fiscal 2027 budget proposal included $84 million to backfill a reduction in pharmacy rebates resulting from Pennsylvania's December decision to discontinue Medicaid coverage of GLP-1 injections for obesity treatment. The state's Medicaid spending on GLP-1 drugs had risen to $1.3 billion in 2025 from $233 million in 2022, representing an increase from 5 percent to 22 percent of overall drug spending. Pennsylvania's Human Services Department projected that eliminating obesity-related GLP-1 coverage would reduce spending by $836 million in the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2026, though the rebate reduction partially offset those savings.

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro appeared in a television advertisement on behalf of Bob Brooks, a firefighter and Democrat running for Congress in Pennsylvania's 7th Congressional District during the May 2026 primary election. The ad, backed by a six-figure media buy, began airing in April 2026 and showed Shapiro standing with Brooks at a fire station, stating his support for Brooks's candidacy against incumbent Republican U.S. Rep. Ryan Mackenzie. Shapiro's endorsement and ad placement represented part of a broader effort by the governor to support Democratic candidates in competitive Pennsylvania districts ahead of the November 2026 general election.

Pennsylvania Governor Shapiro joined a multistate lawsuit filed in United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts on April 3, 2026, challenging President Trump's executive order restricting mail voting and directing federal agencies to create a national eligible voter list. The lawsuit, filed by Democratic officials from 23 states, argued that the president lacks constitutional authority to restrict voter eligibility or mail voting procedures, which are powers reserved to the states. Shapiro contended that the executive order would inflict significant harm on Pennsylvania's election administration and represented an attempt to interfere with states' constitutional authority to conduct elections.

Shapiro issued statements on social media on March 31, 2026, rejecting President Trump's executive order directing the Department of Homeland Security and Social Security Administration to create a national eligible voter list and restrict mail voting. Shapiro stated that the Constitution grants states authority to set election rules and that he would protect Pennsylvania residents' right to vote by mail as governor. Pennsylvania Secretary of State Al Schmidt, appointed by Shapiro, similarly stated that the state's elections are secure and that the Constitution gives states responsibility for administering elections.

The Pennsylvania House approved House Bill 1834 on March 24, 2026, with a vote of 104-95 and bipartisan support, establishing the state's first regulations on data center development. The legislation requires data centers to pay for increased costs associated with their energy demands, mandates that at least 10 percent of their energy usage come from renewable sources, and requires developers to contribute additional funds to the state's low-income energy assistance programs. The bill advanced to the GOP-controlled Senate for consideration.

Governor Shapiro hosted a roundtable discussion in West Chester on March 19, 2026, with parents of Radnor High School students who had been victimized by AI-generated deepfakes, along with Attorney General Dave Sunday, to discuss artificial intelligence in schools. The parents requested state action on school protocols, student training, and accountability measures for students who create such images. Shapiro stated he would direct the Pennsylvania Department of Education to investigate creating standards for how schools respond to deepfake incidents.

Governor Shapiro announced on Tuesday that TerraPower Isotopes plans to invest $450 million to build a 250,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Philadelphia's Bellwether District to produce actinium-225, a radioactive isotope used in cancer research and treatment. The facility is expected to employ 225 people when fully operational, and Pennsylvania government is supporting the project with $10 million in grants. TerraPower Isotopes will benefit from tax incentives available through the Keystone Opportunity Zone, though the company remains responsible for city wage taxes.

Shapiro has not yet decided whether Pennsylvania will participate in a federal school choice tax credit program established through the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which allows taxpayers to receive up to $1,700 in tax credits for donations to scholarship organizations. Shapiro's office stated the governor is awaiting federal guidance on implementation details including student eligibility, program interactions with existing initiatives, and conditions states may place on participating schools. The governor has until January 1 to opt into the program, which 27 states have already joined.

Governor Shapiro established the Governor's Responsible Infrastructure Development standards, or GRID, to incentivize data center developers to meet stricter environmental and transparency requirements in Pennsylvania. Under this initiative announced in his budget address, developers who adhere to the highest available standards gain access to the Fast Track permitting program, which Shapiro created via executive order in 2024 to expedite state review and permitting for projects of particular significance. The standards require developers to provide their own power generation, commit to strict transparency and community engagement, hire local workers, and meet elevated environmental protection standards including water conservation.

Governor Shapiro spoke at a news conference following the fatal shooting of Pennsylvania State Police Corporal Timothy O'Connor during a traffic stop in Chester County on March 8, 2026. Shapiro ordered flags to be flown at half-staff across Pennsylvania in O'Connor's honor, a 16-year veteran of the state police. The shooting occurred when a motorist pulled over for erratic driving opened fire on O'Connor before taking his own life.

Shapiro signed an executive order streamlining the hiring process for former federal workers to obtain positions in Pennsylvania state government. Over 800 former federal employees were hired by the state in the year following the executive order's implementation, filling vacancies across law enforcement, public safety, human services, healthcare, and other agencies. The state partnered with Civic Match, a job-seeking platform managed by the nonprofit Work for America, to facilitate the hiring of displaced federal workers.

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro joined Democratic leaders from nearly two dozen states in filing a lawsuit Thursday challenging President Donald Trump's plan to impose 15% global tariffs under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974. The suit argues that Trump's tariff authority under Section 122 was intended only for specific, limited circumstances and that the tariffs will drive up costs for states, businesses, and consumers. This marks the 21st legal action Shapiro has filed or joined against the Trump administration during its second term.

Montgomery County commissioners passed a resolution on March 5, 2026, restricting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement from using county property or resources for civil immigration operations, including as staging areas, processing locations, or operations bases. The resolution also codifies that the county will not enter into a 287(g) agreement with ICE and requires county employees to obtain a judicial warrant or subpoena before complying with civil immigration enforcement requests. Governor Shapiro separately criticized ICE's practice of purchasing warehouses in other counties for detention centers and indicated he would pursue avenues to block such purchases.

Governor Shapiro wrote to the Democratic National Committee stating that Philadelphia "would see substantial economic benefits" from hosting the 2028 Democratic National Convention, as the city competed for selection among five finalist cities including Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, and Denver. The letter was submitted as part of the formal bid process after the Democratic National Committee named Philadelphia as one of five finalists for the convention. Shapiro's statement emphasized potential economic gains from convention attendees' spending on hotels, restaurants, and local attractions.

The Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, an independent agency whose board members are appointed by Shapiro, received letters from the Department of Homeland Security on January 9 and January 21 outlining plans to convert warehouses in Berks and Schuylkill Counties into Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention and processing facilities. Shapiro's office was made aware of the letters shortly before property deeds were signed on January 15 and January 26, according to a source close to the administration, though Shapiro publicly criticized the Trump administration in late February for purchasing the facilities without notice to the state. The Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission has not completed its review of the proposed modifications and has requested additional information from ICE to evaluate the projects' potential effects on historic properties.

Shapiro has the opportunity to support Lifeline Scholarships for Pennsylvania and opt the state into the federal Educational Choice for Children Act (ECCA), programs that would allow education funding to follow students to schools of their choice, including charter schools, private schools, and faith-based institutions. The author argues these programs would provide families with alternatives when public schools close due to budget constraints and declining enrollment. The opinion piece cites Texas and Florida as states where similar scholarship programs have generated substantial applications from families seeking educational options.

Governor Shapiro vetoed the Lifeline Scholarships program, which would have awarded $100 million in scholarships to students attending Pennsylvania's lowest-achieving schools, with 35 percent of beneficiaries projected to be Philadelphia students. Shapiro has not committed to participating in the Education Freedom Tax Credit program, a federal initiative that would enable donors to provide tax-deductible scholarships up to $1,700 per student. The governor's budget address also proposed redirecting $250 million away from cyber charter schools, a popular educational alternative in the state.

The Shapiro administration stated that proposed Department of Homeland Security and ICE detention centers planned for Berks and Schuylkill Counties would violate the rights of Pennsylvanians, increase utility costs, and harm the economy, and announced it would "aggressively pursue every option to prevent these facilities from opening." The administration did not directly confirm whether it would file a lawsuit similar to the one Maryland's attorney general filed against the federal government, citing violations of the National Environmental Policy Act and federal administrative procedure requirements. Shapiro indicated the Commonwealth Attorneys Act provides him legal authority to pursue litigation on behalf of his office and state agencies without requiring approval from the Republican attorney general.

Governor Shapiro pledged to block the Trump administration's plan to convert two Pennsylvania warehouses into ICE detention centers, meeting with leaders in Berks and Schuylkill Counties in February 2026 to address community concerns about the facilities. Shapiro stated he would pursue legal and regulatory action to prevent the detention centers from opening, citing impacts on local economies, water resources, and residents' quality of life. The governor had previously written to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem promising to "aggressively pursue every option" available to block the conversions.

Shapiro joined a multistate lawsuit filed in February 2026 challenging the Trump administration's rollback of childhood vaccine recommendations issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The lawsuit, led by Arizona and joined by Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware, contested the administration's decision to limit recommendations for vaccines against flu, rotavirus, hepatitis A and B, certain forms of meningitis, and RSV to only high-risk groups or cases of shared decision-making between doctors and parents. Shapiro stated that accurate healthcare information guided by science rather than politics should inform Pennsylvanians' medical decisions made in consultation with their doctors.

Davenport announced on her first official day as New Jersey Attorney General that the state was joining a multi-state lawsuit against the Department of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention challenging a January CDC memo that revised childhood vaccination recommendations, removing universal recommendations for vaccines including rotavirus, meningitis, hepatitis A and B, influenza, COVID-19, and RSV. On the same day, the Trump administration's Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against New Jersey challenging Governor Sherrill's executive order that prohibits Immigration and Customs Enforcement from conducting civil immigration enforcement without a judicial warrant in non-public areas of state-owned property. Davenport stated that the federal government's lawsuit against the state was a waste of resources and that her office looked forward to defending the executive order in court.

Governor Shapiro's proposed budget maintains funding for Pennsylvania's rape crisis centers at existing levels rather than increasing it, according to advocacy organizations that sought a $12.5 million increase to the state appropriation. Rape crisis centers have received flat-funding for six of the past ten budget cycles and report that staffing shortages and service reductions have resulted from stagnant budgets combined with inflation, reduced federal funding, and effects from the previous year's budget impasse. The Department of Human Services stated that Shapiro and his administration would continue to work with the legislature to support the state's rape crisis centers.

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro stated that he opposes the Trump administration's plans to establish a new immigration detention center in his state, saying he did not want the facility in Pennsylvania and was exploring available options. Shapiro's statement came as Senators Jeanne Shaheen and Maggie Hassan introduced legislation that would prohibit the Department of Homeland Security from opening new immigration detention centers without approval from state and local officials. The proposed bill reflected broader concerns from some lawmakers in both parties about the administration's plan to convert warehouses into detention facilities across multiple states.

Governor Shapiro proposed a $53.2 billion state budget that included spending $4.3 billion more than projected revenue for the upcoming fiscal year. In response to budget shortfalls projected by the state's Independent Fiscal Office, Shapiro convened early negotiations with top legislative leaders from both chambers to begin discussions on addressing the gap before the June 30 deadline. Legislative leaders acknowledged the fiscal challenges but disagreed on solutions, with Senate Majority Leader Pittman stating that the proposed budget spent too much and would require broad-based tax increases to close the deficit.

Gov. Shapiro's administration stated that proposed Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention centers planned for warehouses in Berks and Schuylkill Counties would violate Pennsylvania's legal requirements for public drinking water, sewage, and water pollution control. In a letter to U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, Shapiro and state agency officials said the facilities would overburden water and sewer resources in Upper Bern and Tremont Townships and declared that state authorities would not issue required permits if the projects violated these legal requirements. The position contradicted ICE's claims in internal communications that the proposed facilities, including a processing center for approximately 1,500 individuals and a detention center for up to 7,500 people, would have no detrimental effect on local infrastructure.

Shapiro attended a White House breakfast hosted by President Trump on Friday with Trump's cabinet and other governors, following weeks of uncertainty about whether Democratic governors would be included in the traditionally bipartisan National Governors Association event. Shapiro stated he decided to attend once Maryland Governor Wes Moore and Colorado Governor Jared Polis were invited after Trump initially rescinded their invitations. During the closed-door meeting, Shapiro said he raised issues important to Pennsylvania, including discussing avian flu with the U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary.

Governor Shapiro announced a new housing plan for Pennsylvania that includes protections for renters, $1 billion in infrastructure funding, and homebuyer support programs. The plan was presented as addressing housing challenges across the state through a combination of rental protections and financial assistance mechanisms. Shapiro's housing initiative represents a comprehensive approach to residential affordability and development in Pennsylvania.

The Shapiro administration's budget estimates indicate that Pennsylvania could lose approximately $2 billion in revenue by mid-2031 due to a sales tax exemption for data center equipment and construction. Under the exemption program, data center developers can avoid the state's 6% sales tax on purchases related to building and maintaining facilities, with eligibility limited to companies meeting certain financial benchmarks. The Department of Revenue acknowledged that the actual cost to the commonwealth is unknown due to the lack of a reporting requirement at the time of purchase, though the governor's budget proposal estimated the exemption cost $41 million in the previous fiscal year and projected losses to reach $517 million by fiscal year 2031.

Shapiro sent a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem in February 2026 requesting that the federal government reconsider converting warehouses in Berks and Schuylkill counties into Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention centers with a combined capacity of up to 9,000 people. Shapiro's administration questioned the legality of the facilities and stated it would "aggressively pursue every option to prevent these facilities from opening," hinting at potential legal action. The governor cited concerns about community harm, excessive force by immigration enforcement agents, negative health and safety impacts, tax revenue depletion, and strain on local emergency services.

Shapiro announced on February 12, 2026, that he would not attend any White House event during the National Governors Association conference that excluded fellow governors, specifically referencing President Trump's stated intention to exclude the Democratic governors of Colorado and Maryland from a White House dinner. Shapiro joined other Democratic governors in signing a statement pledging to boycott the dinner if all governors were not included. Shapiro stated that governors traditionally work together across party lines and expressed hope that the tradition of including all governors in such meetings would be maintained.

Agencies under Governor Shapiro's control continue to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement authorities through multiple mechanisms, including a State Police policy that restricts immigration enforcement but permits information sharing with ICE, provision of personal identification data from driver's licenses to federal authorities, and state prison officials' compliance with ICE requests to temporarily hold individuals convicted of crimes. These policies, which predate Shapiro's administration, remain in effect despite the governor's public criticism of ICE operations in Pennsylvania and Minnesota. Shapiro stated that his administration does not perform ICE enforcement work and does not share immigration status information, though legal experts characterize the written State Police policy as permitting assistance with federal immigration operations.

Shapiro unveiled Pennsylvania's Housing Action Plan in February 2026, a comprehensive strategy developed following an executive order he signed in September 2024 directing state officials to create the plan. The plan includes recommendations for expanding housing access, preserving the housing supply, reducing construction costs and timelines, and improving coordination across government agencies, with proposals embedded in Shapiro's proposed budget that include a $1 billion infrastructure fund supported by bond issuance. Shapiro stated that implementation requires action from the state legislature, local governments, and other stakeholders, noting that while his administration can take some actions through executive orders, legislative cooperation is necessary to achieve the plan's goals.

Governor Shapiro announced a billion-dollar state fund in his budget address designed to encourage housing production in local communities. The initiative relies on financial incentives rather than statewide building standards to address housing supply constraints. State House bills introduced by legislators including Sharif Street, Tarik Khan, Greg Scott, and John Inglis III propose complementary measures such as revised stairwell construction standards, elimination of restrictions on unrelated cohabitants, removal of parking minimums, and increased allowances for duplex and triplex construction.

Governor Shapiro nominated John S. O'Brien II, a psychiatrist and attorney with three decades of experience as an expert witness in criminal cases, to the Board of Pardons. The Pennsylvania Senate confirmed O'Brien's nomination on a 38-10 vote on February 5, 2026, with only Democratic senators voting against the appointment despite opposition from public defenders and clemency advocacy groups. O'Brien committed during his confirmation hearing to recusing himself from cases involving conflicts of interest and stated he provides unbiased analysis regardless of which party requests his services.

Gov. Shapiro proposed a $53.2 billion state budget for fiscal year 2026-27, representing a 6.2 percent increase over the previous year's budget. The proposal included $1 billion for housing and infrastructure development and raised the state's minimum wage to $15 an hour, with affordability and revenue generation as stated priorities. The budget projected a $4.6 billion shortfall that would require drawing from Pennsylvania's Rainy Day Fund to cover the difference.

During his budget address on February 3, 2026, Governor Shapiro called on Pennsylvania Senate Republicans to advance a proposed constitutional amendment creating a civil window allowing older survivors of childhood sexual abuse to file lawsuits despite expired statutes of limitations. Shapiro stated that the House had passed a clean bill on the measure six times over three years, but that Senate Republicans had refused to act, instead conditioning the abuse relief measure on passage of an expanded voter ID requirement. Shapiro urged Senate Republicans to "stop tying justice for abused kids to your pet political projects" and to advance standalone legislation without additional conditions.

Shapiro called on Pennsylvania lawmakers to pass legislation requiring schools to ban cell phone use during the entire school day, from the start of classes until students leave for home. The governor made this statement in February 2026 as support for Senate Bill 1014, which had been unanimously approved by the Senate Education Committee in December 2025 and would require school districts to adopt bell-to-bell cell phone policies with exceptions for students with special needs. Twenty-three states have already implemented similar bell-to-bell bans on cell phone use during the school day.

In September 2024, Shapiro signed an executive order directing the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development to create a statewide plan to increase housing supply and review existing programs. The order was issued as Pennsylvania faced a significant housing shortage, with the state ranked 44th out of 50 on the rate of housing construction between 2017 and 2023, creating affordability challenges across multiple regions. Administration officials spent the following months gathering feedback from advocates, developers, and local officials to inform the planned housing policy initiative.

Eli Lilly announced plans to construct a $3.5 billion pharmaceutical manufacturing facility in Upper Macungie Township in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, to expand production capacity for weight-loss medications including Zepbound and retatrutide. Shapiro's administration provided financial incentives totaling approximately $105 million in tax credits, grants, and workforce training funding to support the project selection. The facility is projected to employ 850 workers upon its completion in 2031, with average annual salaries of $100,000 per position.

Garrity, Pennsylvania's state treasurer and Republican gubernatorial candidate, stated that residents should cooperate with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement during its operations in Minneapolis and praised Trump administration border czar Tom Homan's calls for de-escalation and compliance. Garrity made these remarks during an appearance at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia on January 29, 2026, citing her background as a U.S. Army military police officer as informing her perspective. Her statement contrasted with Governor Josh Shapiro's concurrent calls for ICE and Border Patrol to cease operations in Minneapolis.

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro filed an amicus brief supporting Philadelphia's federal lawsuit against the Trump administration and the National Park Service after exhibits documenting slavery at the President's House were dismantled in January 2026. Shapiro's filing stated that the removal of the slavery exhibits undermined the commitment to acknowledging historical facts and denied residents the opportunity to learn about a significant part of American history. The lawsuit was filed against the Department of Interior, the National Park Service, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, and acting National Park Service Director Jessica Bowron, challenging the removal of exhibits that had been part of a 2006 cooperative agreement between the City of Philadelphia and the federal government.

Shapiro stated on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert on January 27, 2026, that he is preparing Pennsylvania to respond should federal troops be deployed to the state as part of the Trump administration's immigration enforcement operations. The governor said Pennsylvania has conducted "hours and hours and hours" of tabletop exercises in preparation for potential federal incursions in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, or Lancaster, and pledged that the state would "do everything in our power to protect" citizens from what he characterized as federal overreach. Shapiro also criticized the Trump administration's immigration enforcement actions in Minneapolis, specifically citing fatalities involving ICE agents and calling for termination of that operation.

Governor Shapiro's Student Teacher Support Program, which provides $10,000 stipends to qualifying student teachers who commit to teaching in Pennsylvania for three years, expanded in its second year with $30 million in funding compared to $10 million in its first year. Payments for the 2025-26 school year were delayed due to Pennsylvania's budget impasse that lasted over four months, leaving student teachers without their stipends during their required unpaid teaching placements. The Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency began disbursing the delayed payments in January 2026.

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro removed college degree requirements for most state jobs in 2023, a change that was separately being pursued by Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle L. Parker for certain city positions. The action was part of a broader trend among major companies including IBM, Delta, and Google that eliminated degree requirements in recent years. Shapiro's policy change occurred as vocational training enrollment increased and workforce development organizations in the Philadelphia region worked to expand pathways to six-figure careers without four-year degrees.

Shapiro stated at a book tour event in Philadelphia on January 24, 2026, that he expected the Trump administration to attempt to disrupt the 2026 election and pledged that his administration would protect voting rights. Responding to an Immigration and Customs Enforcement enforcement action in Minneapolis, Shapiro characterized the federal agents' conduct as lawlessness and said he was prepared to handle similar ICE actions in Pennsylvania. Shapiro also condemned a shooting by a U.S. Border Patrol agent in Minneapolis as an atrocity.

Shapiro expanded Pennsylvania's Property Tax/Rent Rebate program during his first year in office, increasing the maximum rebate from $650 to $1,000 for eligible seniors, widows, widowers, and people with disabilities. The expansion also raised income eligibility limits, allowing individuals earning up to $48,110 annually to receive between $380 and $1,000 in rebates. In 2025, the state distributed $314 million through the program to over half a million Pennsylvanians who applied.

Shapiro joined President Trump and other governors in calling on PJM Interconnection to increase electricity supply and reform its pricing mechanisms in response to rising demand from data centers in the mid-Atlantic region. The group proposed that PJM hold a power auction allowing tech companies to bid on 15-year contracts to build power plants and that data center operators fund new generation rather than passing costs to other customers. Shapiro also supported proposed Pennsylvania legislation that would enable regulated utilities to build and own new generation through long-term contracts with independent power producers.

Shapiro's administration filed suit in Dauphin County Court against Capitol Presort Services, a mail presort vendor, for failing to deliver 3.4 million pieces of state agency mail to residents between November and December 2025. The lawsuit seeks damages exceeding $220,000 and alleges that the vendor's owner Phil Gray systematically concealed the mail delivery failures while continuing to collect payment. The state subsequently terminated the contract with Capitol Presort Services and entered an emergency contract with Pitney Bowes for $1 million to resume mail delivery operations.

Shapiro joined a bipartisan group of governors and Trump administration officials in pressuring PJM Interconnection, the operator of the Mid-Atlantic power grid, to increase electricity supply and control consumer costs amid growing demand from artificial intelligence data centers. The group proposed that PJM conduct a power auction allowing tech companies to bid on contracts to build new power plants, shifting infrastructure costs from consumers to data center operators, and requested an extension of a wholesale electricity price cap that was set to expire in mid-2028. Shapiro stated that the agreement could save the 65 million Americans in the region $27 billion over several years and warned that Pennsylvania would leave the PJM market if the grid operator did not align with the proposal.

Bucks County Sheriff Danny Ceisler terminated the office's 287(g) partnership with Immigration and Customs Enforcement on January 10, 2026, citing negative impacts on public safety and immigrants' trust in law enforcement. Ceisler signed two executive orders, one revoking the 287(g) agreement that had authorized 16 sheriff deputies to conduct immigration enforcement and another prohibiting deputies from inquiring about immigration status of crime victims, witnesses, and court observers. Ceisler stated that the county would maintain cooperation with ICE on cases involving dangerous criminals but would not operate as a sanctuary jurisdiction.

Governor Shapiro signed legislation sponsored by state Senator Jarett Coleman that requires school districts to notify parents and school employees within 24 hours of any weapon possession incidents on school property. The law applies to knives, guns, and other weapons brought to schools, school-sponsored events, or school transportation. The notification requirement was implemented following an incident at Emmaus High School in which a student discharged pepper spray in the cafeteria.

Governor Shapiro commuted the life sentence of Marie Scott in June 2025, resulting in her release from State Correctional Institutional Muncy in January 2026 after serving more than 52 years for felony murder. Scott had been incarcerated since 1973 for her role in a 1973 robbery in which her boyfriend fatally shot the cashier, though Scott maintained she was acting as a lookout and did not anticipate the shooting. Shapiro has previously stated that Pennsylvania's felony murder law, which automatically imposes life sentences regardless of intent or direct participation in the killing, is unjust and unconstitutional.

Governor Shapiro agreed to withdraw Pennsylvania from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative as part of a $50.1 billion budget deal that resolved a four-month legislative impasse, with the Democratic governor and state House members accepting this major Republican legislative goal. Following the removal of this policy obstacle, Shapiro stated his expectation that the state Senate would advance substantive energy legislation and called on lawmakers to consider his energy package, known as the "Lightning Plan," which includes provisions to streamline permitting for energy projects, adjust tax credits for clean energy production, and require electric companies to purchase increased amounts of renewable energy. Shapiro's plan also proposes creating a Pennsylvania-specific carbon cap-and-trade program to replace the regional program from which the state had withdrawn.

On the fifth anniversary of the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot, Shapiro issued a statement criticizing President Trump's decision to pardon nearly all defendants charged in connection with the attack and commute sentences for violent offenders. Shapiro stated that Trump's pardons of individuals convicted of assaulting police officers contradicted respect for law enforcement who were injured during the riot. Shapiro noted that as Pennsylvania's attorney general, he had defended the 2020 election results in the state in the period preceding the Capitol attack.

Governor Shapiro signed a $50.1 billion state budget in December 2025 that included permitting reforms designed to accelerate the Department of Environmental Protection's review process for development projects. The reforms establish automatic approval timelines for certain permits, including 60-day deadlines for stormwater and groundwater permits and 30-day deadlines for air quality permits if the department has not completed its review or requested an extension. The budget also expanded an existing program called SPEED that allows companies to hire third-party inspectors for certain permits and required the state to create a database for tracking permit application progress.

Governor Shapiro did not reappoint John Williams to the Pennsylvania Board of Pardons after Williams's six-year term expired in November 2025. Williams, a child psychiatrist who had served on the board since 2013, had been the subject of criticism from clemency advocacy groups regarding his voting record against commutations and pardons and his questioning of applicants and victims during public hearings. Shapiro's office stated that no final decision regarding a nominee has been made and that the governor is working with state Senate leadership to restore the board to its full complement.

Pennsylvania Department of Aging Secretary Jason Kavulich testified before a legislative committee in November 2025 regarding his department's oversight of 52 county-based Area Agencies on Aging, asserting that the department had implemented modernized quality assessment systems and increased transparency by placing unprecedented amounts of data on its website about county compliance with state requirements for investigating abuse and neglect. An 18-month Spotlight PA investigation revealed persistent flaws in Pennsylvania's protective services system for older adults, including delays, secrecy, and government inaction that left vulnerable seniors exposed to abuse and neglect. Critics, including former department staff members, contended that Kavulich's changes had relaxed oversight of county agencies and weakened enforcement of safety requirements.

President Donald Trump signed an executive order in December 2025 to reclassify marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III under the federal Controlled Substances Act, stating the action was intended to facilitate medical research and did not constitute legalization of recreational use. In Pennsylvania, where recreational marijuana remains illegal despite medical marijuana being legal, the reclassification prompted statements from Democratic Representative Dan Frankel, who chairs the House Health Committee and called the change "thrilling" while reiterating the need for state legalization, and Republican Representative Kathy Rapp, the committee's ranking member, who stated her opposition to recreational legalization. Governor Josh Shapiro has previously supported legalization efforts in the state, including in a 2025 budget proposal that projected over $500 million in revenue from legalization, though a recreational legalization bill approved by the Democratic-controlled House in 2025 was rejected by the Republican-controlled Senate.

Pennsylvania Department of Aging Secretary Jason Kavulich, appointed by Governor Josh Shapiro in 2023, testified before a legislative committee in November 2025 that his department had modernized its oversight system for 52 county-based Area Agencies on Aging and increased transparency by publishing performance data online. Kavulich replaced the previous monitoring system with a new framework called the Comprehensive Agency Performance Evaluation, or CAPE, which assesses counties in five main categories and provides real-time feedback on their performance. Critics, including former department employees, contend that the changes have reduced oversight of county agencies and weakened enforcement of rules designed to protect older adults from abuse and neglect.

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro joined 20 other states' attorneys general and governors in filing a lawsuit against the Trump administration's Department of Housing and Urban Development over changes to the Continuum of Care program announced in November 2025. The HUD policy shift reduced funding available for permanent housing by two-thirds and would reroute $3.9 billion in federal grants away from long-term housing programs serving people experiencing homelessness. County officials in Bucks and Montgomery Counties stated the funding changes could result in hundreds of people, including families, veterans, and people with disabilities, losing access to housing.

Pennsylvania State Police Commissioner Col. Christopher Paris, who was appointed by Governor Shapiro in 2023, announced his retirement effective January 2, 2026, after 26 years with the state police to accept a position with the FBI. Paris oversaw the state police agency during a period of expansion that added approximately 550 new troopers since January 2023 and managed a budget exceeding $1.5 billion across more than 6,500 employees. Lt. Col. George L. Bivens, the deputy commissioner of operations, was designated as acting commissioner effective December 31, 2025.

Governor Shapiro's administration discovered in early December 2025 that state-contracted mail vendor Capitol Presort Services had failed to send approximately 3.4 million letters over the course of a month, including 1.7 million from the Department of Human Services concerning SNAP benefits and Medicaid eligibility. Shapiro's administration terminated the contract with Capitol Presort Services and hired a replacement vendor on a $1 million emergency contract to process the backlog. The Department of Human Services announced it would extend deadlines for affected residents, notify those impacted by the mail failure, and reopen cases where services had been terminated due to missed notifications.

Governor Shapiro allocated an additional $60 million to Pennsylvania's mental health system in recent years as part of efforts to address funding gaps in community mental health care services. The infusion was intended to restore cuts made in 2013 that had remained unrestored for a decade and to help offset the effects of inflation on provider budgets. Despite this funding increase, mental health providers such as Scranton Counseling Center continued to report insufficient resources relative to demand for services across the state.

A Pennsylvania Senate panel voted along party lines to subpoena the Shapiro administration for records detailing over $1 million in publicly-funded security upgrades to Governor Shapiro's private home in Montgomery County. The GOP-led state Senate Intergovernmental Operations Committee sought information about how and why taxpayer funds were allocated for the upgrades, which the administration stated were recommended by Pennsylvania State Police following an arson attack on the state-owned governor's mansion in Harrisburg. The committee chair stated that the administration had provided only partial or incomplete records despite multiple requests over two months, prompting the decision to issue subpoenas to State Police and Abington Township.

Shapiro's administration discovered that a state-contracted vendor, Capitol Presort Services LLC, failed to deliver approximately 2.7 million pieces of mail from state agencies including the Department of Human Services and Department of Transportation between November 3 and December 3, 2025. Following the discovery, Shapiro's administration terminated the vendor's contract and hired Pitney Bowes under a $1 million emergency contract to process the backlog and deliver the unsent mail to residents. The delayed correspondence included routine items such as driver's license renewal invitations, vehicle registration cards, and other state agency communications, though critical services such as Electronic Benefit Transfer cards and benefit suspension notices were not affected.

Governor Shapiro's administration awarded DrinkPAK, a West Coast canned beverage manufacturer, a $2 million economic development grant to establish its first Northeastern United States factory at Philadelphia's Bellwether District. The facility, scheduled to open in 2027, will occupy 1.4 million square feet and employ 174 workers, representing a $195 million company investment. Shapiro stated that Pennsylvania competed against New Jersey and other neighboring states to secure the project.

Shapiro's administration terminated its contract with an unidentified vendor that had failed to deliver state agency mail to the U.S. Postal Service for distribution to Pennsylvania residents. The Department of General Services discovered the mail delivery failure within a 48-hour period and immediately hired Pitney Bowes under an emergency contract valued at $1 million to sort and deliver the backlog, with mailings expected to resume by early the following week. The unsent mail potentially included critical communications regarding state services such as health benefits and food assistance, though the administration did not immediately disclose which agencies were affected or the full scope of undelivered correspondence.

In 2023, Shapiro vetoed a school voucher measure from the state budget after the proposal failed to pass the Democratic-controlled state House. The voucher program had been a focal point of Pennsylvania's state budget negotiations, with billionaire donor Jeffrey Yass contributing significantly to efforts to advance the legislation. Shapiro's position on school vouchers has evolved over time, as he has both embraced and subsequently softened his support for such programs.

Shapiro appointed Uri Monson, his budget secretary, as executive director of the Pennsylvania School Employees' Retirement System (PSERS), an $80 billion pension fund serving half a million current and retired school employees. Monson, who previously served as budget secretary and top finance officer for Philadelphia schools and Montgomery County government, will lead a staff of 350 at the agency responsible for managing retirement payments and investments. Zachary Reber, a deputy secretary with 30 years of state government experience, was appointed as Monson's successor in the budget secretary position.

Governor Shapiro coordinated with the Public Utility Commission and utility providers to advance the winter shutoff moratorium to November 1, 2025, one month earlier than the typical December start date, in response to a federal government shutdown that delayed the opening of Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) applications. The moratorium prevented utility disconnections for households unable to access LIHEAP assistance in November due to the federal shutdown. LIHEAP applications opened on December 3, 2025, for the 2025-26 season, offering eligible Pennsylvania households cash grants ranging from $200 to $1,000 and crisis grants ranging from $25 to $1,000 to pay heating bills.

Shapiro signed Pennsylvania's $50.1 billion state budget following a four-month legislative impasse, which maintains state funding for rural and critical access hospitals and increases Medicaid spending by more than $775 million collectively. The budget preserves $7.9 million in support for critical access hospitals and $10.6 million for obstetric and neonatal services while allocating $10 million in one-time payments to rural hospitals that will draw a $25.1 million federal match. The increased Medicaid funding is designed to offset anticipated losses from federal cuts totaling approximately $1 trillion over the next decade.

Shapiro signed the CROWN Act into law on November 25, 2025, prohibiting discrimination based on hair type, texture, or style in Pennsylvania. The legislation amends the Human Relations Act to clarify that the term "race" includes traits such as hair texture and protective styles. Pennsylvania became the 28th state to enact anti-hair discrimination protections, with incidents of discrimination reportable to the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission.

The Trump administration threatened to withhold approximately $75 million in federal transportation funding from Pennsylvania unless the state revoked commercial driver's licenses issued to immigrants, according to a letter from U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy in November 2025. Shapiro's administration responded that the federal government had not identified a single commercial driver's license issued to an ineligible person, though a federal audit cited two cases out of 150 reviewed where licenses exceeded lawful presence in the country. The administration demanded that Pennsylvania cease issuing new, renewed, and transferred commercial driver's licenses to noncitizens and conduct a comprehensive audit of existing licenses.

Shapiro signed the Working Pennsylvanians Tax Credit into law as part of a $50.1 billion state budget deal approved in November 2025, ending a four-month budget impasse. The tax credit provides eligible low- and moderate-income workers with a state tax credit equal to 10% of their federal Earned Income Tax Credit, with a maximum credit of $805 and an average credit of approximately $240. The policy is expected to benefit approximately 940,000 Pennsylvanians statewide and provide $193 million in total tax relief, with eligibility based on federal EITC guidelines for workers earning up to $61,555 individually or $68,675 for joint filers.

A GOP-led Pennsylvania Senate committee moved to subpoena the Shapiro administration for records related to approximately $1 million in taxpayer-funded security upgrades at Governor Shapiro's private home in Montgomery County, following a brazen arson attack at the governor's official residence in Harrisburg. The subpoenas, drafted by the state Senate Intergovernmental Operations Committee, sought documents from the Pennsylvania State Police describing construction, landscaping, equipment, and other security work, along with communications detailing how upgrade decisions were made. Committee Chair Jarrett Coleman initially scheduled a vote on the subpoenas but subsequently granted the administration a two-week extension to provide the requested information before the Senate reconvened in December.

Governor Shapiro is expected to sign the Pennsylvania CROWN Act into law in the coming months following the State Senate's passage of the legislation on a vote of 44-3. The CROWN Act amends the Human Relations Act to clarify that the term "race" includes hair texture and protective hairstyles such as box braids, twists, locs, and cornrows, prohibiting employers and school officials from barring individuals from employment or education based on natural hair or these styles. The legislation makes Pennsylvania the 28th state to enact anti-hair discrimination protections.

The U.S. Department of Energy announced a $1 billion loan to Constellation Energy Corp. to finance the reopening of Three Mile Island, a nuclear power plant in Pennsylvania that has been shuttered since 2019 and is being renamed the Crane Clean Energy Center. Governor Shapiro had publicly supported the plant's reopening during the summer of 2025 and advocated for grid operator PJM to approve an early interconnection request for the site. The federal loan reduces Constellation's financing burden for a project the company had estimated would cost $1.6 billion and has accelerated the anticipated reopening timeline to as early as 2027.

Shapiro signed Pennsylvania's 2025-26 state budget on November 18, 2025, after a 135-day impasse with legislative leaders. The $50.1 billion budget included compromises that resulted in no new funding for mass transit despite Shapiro's earlier designation of transit funding as "unfinished business." Shapiro characterized the budget agreement as evidence of his ability to negotiate through divided government, noting that Pennsylvania was the last state to pass a spending plan for the fiscal year.

Shapiro signed a $50.1 billion state budget that increased funding for anti-hunger programs by 38 percent, bringing the total allocation to more than $40 million. The budget included $30.6 million for the State Food Purchase Program, $6.5 million for the Pennsylvania Agricultural Surplus System, and $9.5 million for farmers' market food coupons and the State Food Bucks program. These allocations were designed to support food banks and provide nutrition assistance to Pennsylvanians following disruptions to federal SNAP benefits.

Governor Shapiro signed the 2025-26 Pennsylvania state budget on November 12, 2025, which included sweeping reforms to cyber charter school funding and operations. The budget reduces per-student payments to cyber charter schools by $175 million by adjusting reimbursement rates to account for costs that virtual schools do not incur, such as transportation and building maintenance, while also implementing new attendance and residency verification requirements. The legislation also restricts enrollment of truant students to those approved by a judge and mandates camera activation for synchronous classes and wellness checks for all students.

Shapiro agreed to a $50.1 billion state budget after four months of negotiations with the Pennsylvania General Assembly. As part of the budget agreement, Shapiro consented to withdraw Pennsylvania from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, a multistate program established through an executive order by former Governor Tom Wolf in 2019 that required the energy industry to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. The withdrawal from the initiative was requested by state senators from Western Pennsylvania concerned about the program's effects on the natural gas industry.

Pennsylvania Governor Shapiro signed into law a bill included in the state's fiscal year 2026 budget that requires increased transparency and state review of certain operations by PJM Interconnection, the independent organization managing the electrical grid across 13 states. The legislation mandates state oversight of requests submitted by data centers and other large electricity users seeking to connect to the grid, addressing concerns that PJM's current process lacks transparency for policymakers and regulators. Shapiro had previously hosted a conference of governors and PJM officials at the National Constitution Center to address complaints about the organization's procedures.

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro signed budget bills on November 12, 2025, approving a $50.1 billion spending plan that ended a four-month budget impasse affecting public schools and social services. The budget included approximately $2.4 billion in new authorized spending and directed substantial sums to public schools and earned income tax credits for lower earners. Democrats agreed to Republican demands to undo the carbon dioxide cap-and-trade regulation on power plants, a measure that had been intended to make Pennsylvania the only major fossil fuel-producing state to participate in a carbon cap-and-trade program.

Governor Shapiro and Democratic legislative leaders considered a budget deal that would withdraw Pennsylvania from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, a multistate program that charges power plant operators for carbon emissions, according to sources involved in negotiations to resolve a four-month budget impasse. The exact details of such a withdrawal plan remained unconfirmed, though environmental groups and some Democratic lawmakers publicly expressed concern about the proposal during a November 2025 news conference. Pennsylvania's participation in RGGI had been a contested issue in state politics since former Governor Tom Wolf established the state's membership through executive order in 2019, with Republican legislators and business interests seeking withdrawal while environmental advocates supported continued participation.

Shapiro signed the fiscal year 2025-26 state budget totaling $50.1 billion on November 12, 2025, ending a four-month impasse that had delayed Pennsylvania's budget beyond the July 1 deadline. The bipartisan compromise included significant energy and permitting changes favored by Senate Republicans and an expanded earned-income tax credit and cyber charter funding revisions sought by House Democrats, along with $665 million in new public school funding. The budget represented a 4.7 percent spending increase over the prior fiscal year with no new tax increases, utilizing the state's surplus and special funds to address projected budget shortfalls.

Shapiro reached a budget agreement with the state legislature that included an amendment withdrawing Pennsylvania from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, a multi-state program designed to reduce carbon emissions through a cap-and-trade system for power plant emissions. The withdrawal ended the state's participation in RGGI, which former Governor Tom Wolf had initiated through executive order in 2022. Environmental groups characterized the withdrawal as a reversal of climate protections, while supporters of the move cited concerns about impacts on the state's natural gas and coal industries.

Governor Shapiro signed the Pennsylvania state budget on Wednesday, ending a four-month impasse after the $50.1 billion spending package passed the House with a 156-47 vote and the Senate with a 40-9 vote. The budget represents a 4.7 percent increase in spending from the previous fiscal year and includes over $665 million in new funding for public schools, as well as Pennsylvania's withdrawal from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. Shapiro served as a lead negotiator in securing the deal, which fell short of his initial $51.5 billion budget proposal.

Shapiro's administration released $100 million in SNAP benefits to recipients on Friday following a federal appeals court ruling against the Trump administration's freeze of the program during the government shutdown. The distribution occurred after Pennsylvania's Department of Human Services Secretary Val Arkoosh acted to begin dispersing the funds before the Trump administration appealed the ruling to the U.S. Supreme Court. The resumption of benefits led to increased customer traffic at Philadelphia businesses that depend on SNAP redemptions, including Reading Terminal Market and vendors at the Italian Market.

Governor Shapiro and Democratic leaders considered withdrawing Pennsylvania from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), an interstate program that charges power plant operators for carbon emissions, as part of negotiations to resolve a four-month state budget impasse that began in June 2025. The potential exit from RGGI, which the state entered through executive order under former Governor Tom Wolf in 2019, faced opposition from environmental groups and some Democratic lawmakers who sought assurances of an alternative clean energy program. State House Majority Leader Matt Bradford stated that any agreement to exit RGGI would need to include environmental protections, while legislative Republicans indicated that resolving the RGGI question could facilitate progress on other budget matters.

During his first year in office, Shapiro appealed a Commonwealth Court decision that had struck down Pennsylvania's participation in RGGI, a regional greenhouse gas emissions cap-and-trade program that former Governor Tom Wolf had established through executive order. The state Supreme Court consolidated two separate lawsuits challenging RGGI—one filed by power producers arguing the program constitutes a tax, and another by Republican lawmakers making the same assertion—and held oral arguments in May 2024. As of November 2025, the Supreme Court had not yet issued a ruling on whether Pennsylvania's participation in RGGI will be allowed to continue.

Shapiro's administration paused the distribution of approximately $295 million in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits to Pennsylvania residents after the U.S. Supreme Court temporarily blocked a lower court ruling that had required full payment of November SNAP benefits. The administration had begun distributing roughly $100 million in SNAP funds on Friday following a federal judge's order, but the Supreme Court's emergency action in response to an appeal from the Trump administration halted further payments. Shapiro's administration stated it would resume distribution of benefits once receiving further direction from the courts.

Governor Shapiro announced on Friday that his administration was immediately issuing November Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits to Pennsylvania recipients who had missed payments, following a federal court ruling requiring the Trump administration to release full SNAP funding nationwide. As of Friday afternoon, approximately $100 million in benefits were being processed and loaded onto recipients' electronic benefits transfer cards for nearly 2 million families, seniors, and children in the state. Shapiro stated his administration would continue working to ensure stability of food assistance benefits for December and beyond.

Pennsylvania began distributing approximately $100 million in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits to residents on Friday following a federal court order requiring the Trump administration to pay November benefits in full. Governor Shapiro's Department of Human Services Secretary Val Arkoosh coordinated with vendors distributing the federal funds to immediately process the benefits after the court ruling. The distribution occurred amid ongoing litigation between a coalition of 25 Democratic attorneys general and governors and the Trump administration over the remaining $266 million in Pennsylvania SNAP benefits withheld during a federal government shutdown.

Shapiro directed the Department of Human Services Secretary Val Arkoosh to begin distributing approximately $100 million in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits to Pennsylvanians on Friday, November 7, 2025, following a federal court order requiring the Trump administration to provide full federal food benefits. The action came after a U.S. District Judge ordered the Trump administration to pay November SNAP benefits in full, and Shapiro's administration moved immediately to process the funds through vendors before the administration could seek a stay. Shapiro stated at a news conference that the Trump administration should "give up" its legal challenge to the SNAP funding, noting that the administration would "lose again in court."

Shapiro's administration reached out to Pennsylvania utilities to request they avoid disconnecting low-income customers during November 2025, when the federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) faced delays in opening due to a federal government shutdown. The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission, working with Shapiro's administration, secured commitments from major electric and natural gas utilities to refrain from service terminations for non-payment during the period between November 1 and December 1, 2025. This action addressed a gap in assistance for LIHEAP-eligible households that would have otherwise lacked protection until the state's winter utility moratorium began on December 1.

Shapiro visited the Weinberg Northeast Regional Food Bank in Luzerne County on November 6, 2025, to address cuts to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits resulting from a federal government shutdown. Shapiro joined a multistate lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Agriculture challenging the agency's decision to withhold November SNAP distributions, arguing the USDA was obligated to use its $6 billion contingency fund. A U.S. District Court in Massachusetts ruled in Shapiro's favor on Tuesday, requiring the USDA to fund SNAP at 50% of normal levels, with the figure subsequently raised to 65% on Wednesday.

Danny Ceisler, an Army veteran who held a public safety role in Governor Josh Shapiro's administration, won election as Bucks County sheriff in November 2025, defeating incumbent Republican Sheriff Fred Harran by 12 percentage points. The sheriff's race centered on Harran's decision to establish a partnership between the sheriff's office and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Ceisler's election resulted in the dissolution of the ICE partnership that had been implemented by the outgoing sheriff.

Sheriff-elect Danny Ceisler pledged to end the 287(g) agreement signed by incumbent Sheriff Fred Harran that authorized Bucks County sheriff's deputies to cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Ceisler announced that he would issue a moratorium barring deputies' cooperation with ICE on his first day in office and would subsequently work to dissolve the partnership entirely. The agreement had been legally implemented and recently became active after months of planning, but faced opposition from immigration advocates, the ACLU, and the Democratic-led Bucks County Board of Commissioners.

Pennsylvania voters decided in a November 2025 retention election whether to keep three Democratic state Supreme Court justices — Christine Donohue, Kevin Dougherty, and David Wecht — on the bench for additional ten-year terms. Governor Josh Shapiro supported the reelection campaign for the three justices and responded to President Donald Trump's social media calls to reject them by posting that Trump lacked credibility on rule of law matters. The outcome of the retention election would determine whether Pennsylvania's Supreme Court maintained its Democratic 5-2 majority or faced potential partisan deadlock on the bench.

Shapiro convened the first in-person meeting since June 30, 2025 that included himself and the majority and minority leaders from both the Pennsylvania House and Senate to address a four-month budget impasse that had prevented the distribution of billions of dollars to contractors, counties, nonprofits, and schools. The meetings occurred in early November 2025, approximately 120 days after the constitutionally mandated June 30 budget deadline had passed without a final spending plan. Key disagreements among the negotiating parties centered on education funding levels for low-income school districts and Pennsylvania's participation in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, an interstate cap-and-trade climate program.

Shapiro authorized $5 million in state funding for Pennsylvania food banks through Feeding Pennsylvania in response to an anticipated suspension of federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program payments during a government shutdown. The allocation was announced on October 31, 2025, as the U.S. Department of Agriculture prepared to freeze SNAP payments on November 1, 2025, due to the federal government shutdown. The funds were made available to address food security needs for approximately 2 million Pennsylvanians who rely on SNAP benefits monthly.

Shapiro convened in-person meetings at the state Capitol with the majority and minority leaders from both the Pennsylvania House and Senate to address a four-month budget impasse that began when the June 30 spending deadline passed without agreement. The meetings, which marked the first time all five parties had gathered in person since the impasse began, occurred as negotiations over a final state budget proposal continued, with education funding and energy policy identified as key areas of disagreement between Democratic and Republican lawmakers. Without an enacted budget, Pennsylvania has been unable to distribute billions of dollars to schools, counties, nonprofits, and contractors for essential services.

Shapiro signed a disaster declaration on October 31, 2025, that redirected $5 million from other state accounts to Feeding Pennsylvania in response to a freeze on Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits affecting approximately 2 million Pennsylvania residents. The declaration allowed Shapiro to bypass standard administrative procedures to expedite delivery of emergency food assistance funds to food pantries across all counties. Shapiro simultaneously announced a private sector fundraising effort that secured $1 million in donations from individuals including 76ers co-owner David Adelman and Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban to further support food assistance organizations.

Shapiro filed an amicus curiae brief in federal court in Philadelphia on behalf of himself and the attorneys general of 14 other states and the District of Columbia opposing a Department of Justice subpoena seeking medical records of transgender youth treated at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. The brief argued that states, rather than the federal government, hold the legal authority to regulate medical practice and license physicians, and that permitting the DOJ to obtain the confidential health information would undermine the doctor-patient relationship and state regulatory efforts. The subpoena, issued as part of the Trump administration's scrutiny of gender-affirming care for minors, seeks patient identifying information and medical communications dating back to January 2020.

Pennsylvania Governor Shapiro joined a lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island challenging the Department of Homeland Security's cuts to the Homeland Security Grant Program and Emergency Management Performance Grant. The state's administration stated that the Philadelphia region could lose $18 million in emergency preparedness funding and characterized the timing of the cuts ahead of the 250th anniversary celebrations of America's founding as irresponsible. The lawsuit was filed alongside eleven other states and Washington, D.C., naming Secretary Kristi Noem and FEMA Administrator David Richardson as defendants.

Following a security review conducted by State Police after an arson attack on his official residence in April 2025, Shapiro's administration allocated approximately $1 million in taxpayer funds for security upgrades to his private home in Montgomery County, including physical barriers and enhanced security technology. The administration also disclosed $32.3 million in safety improvements to the governor's official residence in Harrisburg, including $8 million for bullet- and shatterproof windows. Administration officials stated they consulted the Ethics Commission before implementing the improvements to ensure no improper private benefit resulted from the security enhancements.

The administration of Governor Shapiro disclosed that approximately $1 million in taxpayer funds would be used for security upgrades to his private residence in Montgomery County, including physical barriers, enhanced security technology, and other improvements following an arson attack on the official governor's residence in April 2025. The administration also disclosed $32.3 million in safety upgrades to the official residence in Harrisburg, including $8 million for bullet- and shatterproof windows. State Police Commissioner Christopher Paris and Department of General Services Secretary Reggie McNeill stated in a letter to legislative leaders that the improvements were necessary to protect the governor and his family and ensure continued operation of the executive branch.

The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services announced in October 2025 that the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) would delay its opening from November 3 to December 3 due to a federal government shutdown preventing allocation of federal funds to the state. The program, which distributes heating assistance benefits to over 300,000 Pennsylvanians annually, requires federal funding of more than $200 million each year to operate. Governor Shapiro's administration stated that the delay would occur once the federal shutdown ended and DHS received federal funding, at which point the department would begin accepting applications.

Gov. Shapiro signed an executive order directing Pennsylvania to follow vaccine recommendations from national medical groups, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, rather than federal guidance. The order also requires the state Department of Health to maintain children's access to no-cost immunizations through the federal Vaccines for Children program even if the federal government removes vaccines from the program. Shapiro issued the order in response to changes at the federal Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices and shifts in CDC vaccine guidance under the Trump administration.

Senate Bill 246, sponsored by state Senator Jarrett Coleman, requires Pennsylvania school districts to notify parents and school employees within 24 hours of any incident involving a weapon on school property, school-sponsored events, or school transportation. The legislation expands previous reporting requirements that mandated districts report only expulsion incidents to the Pennsylvania Department of Education. The bill passed the Pennsylvania Senate 48-2 on Wednesday and is heading to Governor Shapiro's desk for consideration.

Shapiro publicly stated that PJM Interconnection, the regional power grid operator serving Pennsylvania and twelve other states, must implement changes within months or Pennsylvania would consider leaving the grid. Shapiro called for PJM's nine-member board to accept additional state representation and the ability for governors to directly propose policy to federal regulators. These statements came at a September 2025 summit of the thirteen states served by PJM and followed a lawsuit Shapiro filed against the grid operator in the previous winter alleging it caused unnecessarily high energy prices through slow approval of new energy generators.

Shapiro's administration approved LANTA's request to redirect capital project funds toward operating expenses to maintain bus and van services during a state budget stalemate, following similar approvals granted to SEPTA and Pittsburgh Rapid Transit in September 2025. LANTA Executive Director Owen O'Neil requested approximately $11 million in redirected funds, comprising $8 million for bus service and $3 million for shared ride services. The approval allowed the Lehigh Valley transit agency to avoid immediate service cuts and fare increases that had been planned for January 2026 if state funding remained unavailable.

Mayor Parker avoided public criticism of President Trump's proposal to deploy military troops to American cities for training purposes, instead deflecting questions about the matter at a news conference in October 2025. Parker's administration removed the term "sanctuary city" from its official descriptions of Philadelphia, replacing it with "welcoming city" as federal authorities increased enforcement actions against jurisdictions with similar immigration policies. Unlike Democratic mayors in Chicago, Los Angeles, and other cities who openly opposed Trump administration actions, Parker maintained a strategy of avoiding confrontation with the federal government and preserving relationships with Washington officials.

During Pennsylvania's 100-day budget impasse, the state House passed a spending plan totaling approximately $50.3 billion with a 5 percent increase directed primarily toward K-12 education and Medicaid, which Shapiro characterized as representing real compromise after his initial proposal of $51.6 billion. The state Senate, led by Republicans, rejected the House proposal and maintained its position of funding state government at its current $47.6 billion level, arguing that additional spending endangered the state's fiscal future without corresponding cuts or new revenue. Shapiro stated that the Senate's failure to pass a budget was unjustifiable and called for legislative action to resolve the impasse.

Governor Shapiro joined a multistate lawsuit as a friend of the court seeking to block the Trump administration from deploying National Guard soldiers to U.S. cities, signing on in support of legal action initiated by Oregon and joined by California and multiple other states. The lawsuit contends that the deployment of National Guard troops to Portland and other cities is unconstitutional and violates principles of federalism and states' rights. Shapiro announced his support on October 9, 2025, as a federal appeals court prepared to rule on whether the administration could send National Guard troops to cities over the objections of their governors.

Governor Shapiro appeared in an advertisement paid for by Vote Yes for Fair Courts, a super PAC supporting the retention of Pennsylvania Supreme Court Justices Christine Donohue, Kevin Dougherty, and David Wecht, in which he stated the justices have "proven we can count on them to protect a woman's access to abortion and birth control." The advertisement was part of a broader retention campaign where nearly all ads supporting the three justices prioritized abortion rights as the central reason for voters to retain them in the November election. The justices, originally elected in 2015, face a retention vote that has become one of Pennsylvania's most contentious judicial races, with Democrats seeking to maintain the court's 5-2 liberal majority and Republicans working to oust the justices.

Governor Shapiro initially proposed a $51.6 billion state budget, which the state House Democrats subsequently reduced to $50.3 billion in a spending plan passed on October 8, 2025, after 100 days of budget impasse. The proposal, which included increases primarily targeted at K-12 education and Medicaid, passed the state House 105-98 with support from all Democrats and three Republicans. Shapiro characterized the House action as representing real compromise and criticized the state Senate Republicans for their unwillingness to pass a budget beyond the current $47.6 billion spending level.

Governor Shapiro made a $250,000 donation to the Pennsylvania Democratic Party in October 2025 to support party infrastructure and voter outreach efforts. Concurrent with this donation, Shapiro's administration saw the appointment of Larry Hailsham Jr., a longtime Shapiro political aide who previously served as the governor's political director during his 2022 campaign and as executive deputy chief of staff, to the position of executive director of the Pennsylvania Democratic Party. The donation and appointment occurred as Shapiro prepared for his 2026 gubernatorial reelection campaign against Republican State Treasurer Stacy Garrity.

On October 1, 2025, Governor Shapiro signed an executive order at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia establishing a state-based vaccine program to provide free vaccines to eligible children, modeled on the federal Vaccines for Children program. The executive order additionally requires health insurers to cover FDA-approved vaccines endorsed by leading medical organizations without cost-sharing barriers, with insurers committing to coverage through at least the end of 2026. Shapiro stated the action was taken in response to recent federal policy changes that restricted COVID-19 vaccine recommendations and revoked emergency use authorization for certain vaccines, which created confusion and delays in vaccine availability.

Mayor Parker signed an executive order on September 30, 2025, directing Philadelphia city agencies to consider enacting Project Labor Agreements for publicly funded construction projects. Project Labor Agreements, or PLAs, are collectively bargained pacts that typically establish pay standards, require local hiring, and specify procedures for resolving labor disputes. The executive order follows similar orders signed by Parker's predecessors and includes language affirming that contractors retain the right to select nonunion bidders.

Pennsylvania faced an ongoing state budget impasse as of September 2025, with funding nearly three months overdue due to partisan disagreements between the GOP-controlled state Senate, the Democratic-controlled House, and Democratic Governor Shapiro. The delayed budget prevented the distribution of billions of dollars in state payments for critical services including public schools and county behavioral health programs, forcing school districts to take out loans and counties to furlough staff. Shapiro stated at a news conference that he had proposed the budget 238 days prior and could sign legislation once passed, but could not vote on it himself, attributing responsibility for the impasse to lawmakers who he said rarely met in Harrisburg.

Pennsylvania Treasurer Stacy Garrity announced an unprecedented program on Wednesday to offer counties and early education programs $500 million in low-interest loans at 4.5% interest to provide funding during the state budget impasse that had extended into a third month without resolution. The loans would support county human service departments and Head Start programs serving approximately 35,000 children across the state, which had been operating without state appropriations since July 1. Garrity's action allowed the state Treasury to bypass the General Assembly and Governor Shapiro's involvement in securing budget passage between the divided legislature.

Governor Shapiro stated during a taping for NBC News' Meet the Press that the Trump administration was "trying to stifle dissent" through Federal Communications Commission pressure on Disney-owned ABC to suspend late-night host Jimmy Kimmel's show following his comments about conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Shapiro characterized the FCC's decision and the administration's actions as undermining freedom of expression and described the federal government's involvement as "extremely dangerous." Shapiro noted that removing someone from broadcast for making jokes critical of the president represented a threat to foundational American principles of free speech.

Gov. Josh Shapiro used executive authority to flex long-term capital funding to cover daily operations for the next two years at Pennsylvania's two largest transit agencies, the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) and Pittsburgh Regional Transit (PRT), after transit funding failed to be included in the state budget due to political impasse. Shapiro stated that he expected the final budget deal would not include recurring funding for mass transit, noting that Senate Republicans had declined to provide such funding. The 33 smaller fixed-route public transit systems across Pennsylvania remained uncertain whether they could utilize the same funding flexibility and began preparing for service cuts, fare increases, and hiring freezes.

Governor Shapiro directed his administration to use infrastructure funding to cover operating expenses for SEPTA, the Philadelphia-area transit system, for two years, removing what he characterized as a major obstacle to completing the state budget. Despite this action, the Pennsylvania budget remained unsigned more than a week later as the governor, the Democratic-controlled state House, and the Republican-controlled state Senate disagreed on spending levels and policy priorities. Shapiro's office stated that the governor was working to bring legislative leaders together while calling on lawmakers to complete their work and deliver a budget to his desk.

Shapiro announced that Chester experienced a 15% reduction in violent crime between 2020 and 2024, with shootings down 50% during that five-year period, following a joint crime-reduction initiative involving his administration, Pennsylvania State Police, Delaware County law enforcement, and Chester officials. The governor stated that Chester had no gun-related homicides during the summer of 2025, describing it as the safest period in decades for the city. Shapiro also reiterated that he maintains command authority over Pennsylvania's National Guard and stated his administration was prepared should the federal government attempt to deploy National Guard troops within the state.

Shapiro delivered a speech at the Eradicate Hate Global Summit in Pittsburgh on September 16, 2025, in which he stated that President Trump should learn from Pennsylvania's approach to managing political violence. Shapiro referenced multiple instances of political violence including the 2018 Tree of Life synagogue shooting in Pittsburgh, an attempted assassination of Trump in Butler, the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, and an arson attack on the Pennsylvania governor's mansion in April 2025 in which his family was present. Shapiro argued that political violence from any ideological direction is harmful to public safety and called for leaders across party lines to commit to upholding foundational values against such violence.

Bucks County Sheriff Fred Harran signed an agreement with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in spring 2025 to participate in the 287(g) program, which would authorize his deputies to enforce immigration laws. In response, the ACLU and other civil rights organizations filed a lawsuit in June 2025 seeking a court injunction to block the partnership, citing concerns about racial profiling and its effects on immigrant communities. Harran testified in September 2025 that his department would only check immigration status for individuals already in custody facing criminal charges or arrest warrants, though the department had not yet received the technical capabilities from federal authorities to implement the program.

Shapiro informed the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority that the state legislature would not reach a long-term funding agreement for mass transit during the 2025 legislative session. Instead of securing recurring revenue for SEPTA's operating budget, Shapiro approved a third short-term funding plan during his tenure. Shapiro instructed SEPTA to request that the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation redirect capital funds toward operating expenses for a two-year period.

The Shapiro administration spent more than $6 million in public funds over four months to repair extensive damage to the governor's residence following an arson attack on April 13, 2025. State officials withheld details on approximately $1.5 million of the expenses, redacting contractor names and descriptions of goods provided from records released through a public records request, citing physical security and safety concerns. Administration officials declined to disclose the total estimated cost of the renovation, its completion timeline, or the identities of private donors contributing to a separately managed restoration fund.

Shapiro joined a multistate lawsuit in response to FEMA's cancellation of approximately 3.6 billion dollars in hazard mitigation projects in April 2025. The lawsuit challenged the federal agency's decision to defund hazard mitigation initiatives, including Scranton's preliminary approval for 2.5 million dollars under FEMA's Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities program. Shapiro's legal action was undertaken as Pennsylvania and other states sought to restore federal funding for disaster preparedness and infrastructure resilience projects.

The Shapiro administration approved SEPTA's request to redirect approximately $394 million in capital assistance funds toward daily operations and service restoration without requiring legislative approval. This decision allowed SEPTA to reverse major service cuts to bus and metro lines that had been enacted the previous month and were subject to a court order for restoration. The fund transfer represented an alternative approach to addressing SEPTA's fiscal pressures after legislative negotiations over long-term transit funding stalled during budget discussions.

Governor Shapiro's administration approved a one-time $394 million allocation from state capital funds to allow SEPTA to reverse service cuts imposed in August 2025, with the funds to be used for operating expenses over two years. The approval, granted by state Department of Transportation Secretary Mike Carroll on behalf of Shapiro's administration, responded to SEPTA's formal request and addressed a $213 million operating budget deficit that had necessitated a 20% reduction in service. Shapiro stated that a more permanent funding solution had not been achieved due to disagreement between House Democrats, his administration, and Senate Republicans over how to fund public transportation sustainably.

Governor Shapiro's administration approved the reallocation of approximately $394 million in state capital project funding to the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority to restore bus, trolley, and rail services that had been eliminated due to the agency's budget deficit. The approval came in response to SEPTA's request to comply with a court order requiring the agency to undo service cuts it had implemented two weeks prior. Shapiro's transportation secretary noted that the request came after the governor and Democratic lawmakers had been unable to secure additional transit funding from Republican lawmakers over the previous two years.

Shapiro's administration created a new website to help Pennsylvania residents navigate Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) changes that went into effect in September 2025 following passage of federal budget legislation. The new requirements mandate that certain SNAP recipients between ages 18 and 54 report at least 20 hours per week of work, training, or volunteering to maintain benefits, with expanded age ranges and additional users subject to the requirement beginning November 1, 2025. Shapiro's Department of Human Services established the website and customer service resources to help users understand eligibility, report work hours, and identify available exemptions.

In September 2025, Shapiro called for the Pennsylvania Board of Pharmacy to expand the list of organizations that could serve as "competent authorities" for vaccine recommendations in response to federal delays in COVID vaccine distribution and changes at the CDC under new leadership. The board subsequently designated leading professional medical organizations as competent authorities, allowing state pharmacies to begin administering updated COVID vaccines without waiting for federal approval. Shapiro stated that healthcare decisions should remain with individuals rather than the federal government and committed his administration to protecting healthcare access for Pennsylvanians.

Shapiro visited Dobbins High School in September 2025 alongside Mayor Cherelle Parker to highlight career and technical education programs. Shapiro's budget proposal, announced in February 2025, included a $5.5 million increase in funding for CTE programs amid ongoing state budget negotiations. The visit took place as the state legislature remained divided over budget passage and schools awaited millions in funding during the budget impasse.

Governor Josh Shapiro stated in August 2025 that Pennsylvania would not pursue mid-decade congressional redistricting, telling reporters "We're not doing that here in Pennsylvania" and that such action was "not on the table." Shapiro's position effectively blocks any such effort in the state, as Pennsylvania law requires gubernatorial signature for congressional maps to pass the legislature. The governor's refusal to participate in mid-decade redistricting prevented Pennsylvania from joining other states considering similar redraws following President Donald Trump's summer 2025 call for Republican-led states to redraw districts.

Shapiro announced in fall 2025 that he would temporarily redirect $153 million in federal highway funds to SEPTA to provide the Pennsylvania General Assembly additional time to reach consensus on permanent transit funding. The agency subsequently implemented a 20 percent service reduction and planned a 21.5 percent fare increase after the temporary funding measure proved insufficient. Shapiro engaged in mediation between House Democrats and Senate Republicans over SEPTA funding as part of broader state budget negotiations that remained unresolved months later.

Governor Shapiro's office submitted a $49.9 billion budget proposal to Pennsylvania lawmakers in August 2025 as a compromise measure to resolve a two-month state budget impasse. The proposal represented a reduction from Shapiro's original spring budget pitch, which had called for approximately 8% spending increases, compared to the roughly 5% increase in the new proposal. The state Senate, which controls budget negotiations, indicated that spending levels alone would not determine agreement and that discussions on a comprehensive budget package remained ongoing.

A federal appeals court ruled in August 2025 that Pennsylvania's practice of discarding mail-in ballots due to date errors on return envelopes was unconstitutional, ordering the state to cease the practice. Governor Shapiro's administration had supported the lawsuit challenging the provision, with his lawyers arguing that minor errors should not result in ballot disqualification. Shapiro stated in response to the ruling that discarding ballots over handwritten dates constitutes disenfranchisement and is unconstitutional.

Governor Shapiro appointed Robert Fox, a Philadelphia lawyer and close ally, to serve as his representative on the University of Pennsylvania Board of Trustees in early November 2023, utilizing an archaic state statute that granted the governor a nonvoting observer seat on the private institution's board. Fox joined Penn's antisemitism task force and, in consultation with Shapiro's office, pressed the university to ban a pro-Palestinian student group in early 2024. During subsequent campus protests, Penn administrators shared details including protester identities and internal negotiations with Shapiro's administration while the governor remained publicly silent on the matter.

Governor Shapiro's office announced an $8.8 million investment in farmland preservation across 16 Pennsylvania counties, protecting 2,017 acres on 33 farms from residential or commercial development. Nine Lehigh Valley farms totaling 333 acres were included in the program, with five farms in Northampton County receiving $1.9 million in combined state and county funding and four farms in Lehigh County receiving $977,722 in state, county, and township funds. The preserved farms include crop operations, fruit and vegetable farms, and equine facilities across townships in both counties.

Governor Shapiro responded to a swatting incident at Villanova University on August 21, 2025, in which an anonymous caller reported a false active shooter threat at the Charles Widger School of Law. Shapiro directed the Pennsylvania State Police to work with local law enforcement to identify and prosecute the person or people responsible for the fake threat. Shapiro characterized swatting as illegal and stated that law enforcement would use all available tools to hold the perpetrators accountable.

Governor Shapiro remained at an impasse with the Pennsylvania legislature over funding for the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) as service cuts were set to take effect in August 2025. Shapiro had initially proposed increasing mass transit's share of the sales tax by 1.75 percentage points as part of his annual budget proposal, a plan supported by House Democrats but rejected by Senate Republicans. With no compromise reached between the governor, House Democrats, and Senate Republicans over how to fund mass transit, the disagreement persisted as the deadline for SEPTA cuts approached.

Governor Shapiro stated that President Trump's announced effort to eliminate mail-in voting through executive order would have no effect on Pennsylvania's voting procedures. Trump posted on social media that he would lead a movement to ban mail-in ballots and voting machines, claiming states must follow federal direction on election administration. Shapiro indicated that Trump's executive orders would not alter Pennsylvania's election policies, regardless of their issuance.

Governor Shapiro's administration, in collaboration with the Commonwealth Office of Digital Experience, launched an online application system for Pennsylvania pardons, replacing the previous paper-based process. The digitization effort, which had begun under former Lt. Gov. John Fetterman but stalled, includes features such as a Spanish-language form and artificial intelligence to process handwritten applications that staff previously retyped manually. More than 240 people have applied for a pardon through the online system since its launch.

Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro joined attorneys general from more than 20 states and Washington, D.C., in filing a federal lawsuit challenging billions of dollars in funding cuts made by the Trump administration. The lawsuit, which was recently amended to include an $830,862 grant for a bike trail project in Easton, challenged the Interior Department's termination of the award on the grounds that it no longer effectuates agency priorities. The grant was designated for acquiring land parcels and a trestle bridge to extend the Two Rivers Trailway and connect downtown Easton to the Delaware and Lehigh National Historic Corridor.

Governor Josh Shapiro backed a bill that would grant the state attorney general authority to review and block acquisitions of health care facilities when transactions are deemed against the public interest, with the legislation passing the state House in June after supporters agreed to exclude nonprofit health care transactions and raise the review threshold to $10 million. The Pennsylvania Health Care Association, representing over 400 nursing home providers, sought to exclude nursing homes from the bill's scope, arguing that existing Pennsylvania Department of Health regulations adopted under former Governor Tom Wolf already monitor changes of ownership in the industry. The proposal remained pending in the state Senate committee as of August 2025, with negotiations ongoing between industry representatives and lawmakers.

The U.S. Department of Education reinstated over $230 million in federal education funding to Pennsylvania that had been withheld during a review earlier in summer 2025, including grants for migrant education, teacher instruction support, English language acquisition, student support programs, community learning centers, and adult education. Governor Shapiro had joined a multistate lawsuit against the Trump administration in mid-July challenging the withholding of these funds, and stated that the reinstatement returned all dollars unlawfully withheld from Pennsylvania schools. The restored funding will support school district budgets, teacher training, afterschool programs, and services to over 110,000 students across the state, though education organizations noted that new conditions have been attached to the reinstated grants.

Shapiro, along with the state House and state Senate, did not reach agreement on Pennsylvania's fiscal year 2026 budget as of early August 2025, resulting in a delay in releasing approximately $1.4 billion in basic education funding and $255 million in special education funding owed to school districts for July and August. The School District of Philadelphia, serving nearly 200,000 students, was withheld approximately $311 million in state funds during this period. Uri Monson, Shapiro's budget secretary, notified education institutions that the state could not release these funds until the budget was finalized and instructed districts to secure their own financing to cover expenses during the impasse.

Governor Shapiro raised Pennsylvania's mental health base funding by $40 million during his first two years in office and proposed an additional $20 million in his 2026 budget. These increases were made in response to findings that state funding for mental health services had been cut in 2013 and not restored, resulting in counties spending approximately $150 million less on mental health services between 2017 and 2023. However, even with the proposed additional funding, the total infusions would not fully restore the 2013 cuts or account for inflation losses over the preceding decade.

Shapiro visited the Community Education Center in Philadelphia to promote the Beyond the Bars violence prevention program, which received $285,000 in state funding to expand its music-based intervention initiative to 56 locations across the city. The governor stated that his administration invested $85 million in Violence Intervention and Prevention grants to more than 130 projects statewide, including 64 in Philadelphia, and that his proposed state budget included a $10 million increase for the VIP program. During the visit, Shapiro characterized violence prevention as requiring a multipronged approach beyond law enforcement while declining to discuss details of ongoing state budget negotiations.

Governor Shapiro joined 22 other states in filing a lawsuit against the Trump administration challenging the "Defund Provision" in the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act," which withheld federal Medicaid funding from Planned Parenthood health centers. The lawsuit argued that the provision excluded Planned Parenthood from federal funding in retribution for the organization's abortion advocacy. A federal judge subsequently ruled that Planned Parenthood could continue billing Medicaid for non-abortion services, though the Trump administration indicated it would likely appeal the decision.

Shapiro administration officials issued letters warning of delays to at least $2.5 billion in state payments to schools, counties, and service providers due to an ongoing budget impasse in Pennsylvania. The administration delayed $2 billion in education funding to school districts and $542 million in health and human services funding to county child welfare offices over a six-week period. The delays occurred as lawmakers failed to reach agreement on Shapiro's proposed $51.4 billion budget, which included increased Medicaid funding, school aid, and mass transit support.

Shapiro proposed $50 million in funding for a home-repair grant program modeled on Pennsylvania's Whole-Home Repairs policy during state budget negotiations in 2025. The proposal would expand an existing program that provides grants to income-qualifying homeowners and small landlords for property repairs. As of the time of reporting, it remained uncertain whether the funding would be included in the state budget.

Shapiro issued a statement in July 2025 responding to reporting that the Trump administration was reviewing exhibits about slavery at Independence National Historical Park, with potential removal planned by fall as part of an executive order directing the Interior Department to ensure national park content does not "inappropriately disparage Americans past or living." Shapiro stated that "protecting our history is about telling the truth, even when it is uncomfortable" and that failing to reckon with the past prevents learning and moving forward. The flagged exhibits, primarily located at the President's House Site where George Washington and John Adams lived, document the enslavement of individuals and the historical paradox between American founding ideals and the institution of slavery.

Shapiro filed a lawsuit against PJM, the regional power grid operator, arguing that its slow process for approving new energy producers contributed to record-high prices utilities paid for electricity in a recent auction, with costs rising 800% over the previous year. Shapiro argued that PJM should set a lower price cap to prevent these high costs from being passed to consumers experiencing rising summer electric bills. Shapiro and PJM ultimately reached a settlement on a lower price cap, which regulators approved.

Shapiro filed a lawsuit on Tuesday alongside 22 other states challenging a provision in the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" that blocks Planned Parenthood clinics from receiving Medicaid funding. The provision prevents healthcare nonprofits that offer abortion and received more than $800,000 in Medicaid funding in 2023 from continuing to bill Medicaid. Shapiro stated the policy threatens to close vital healthcare centers and deny Pennsylvanians access to cancer screening, family planning services, and prenatal and postpartum care.

Shapiro joined a lawsuit challenging the Trump administration's decision to freeze federal education funding that Congress had appropriated. The administration released more than $5 billion in frozen education funds, with Pennsylvania receiving $230 million and the Philadelphia School District receiving $25 million designated for English language instruction, staff professional development, and instruction for economically disadvantaged students. The funds had been withheld while federal officials reviewed whether the programs aligned with White House priorities.

Shapiro criticized Democratic mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani for not sufficiently condemning antisemitic statements made by supporters during Mamdani's New York City campaign. Shapiro stated that Mamdani "left open far too much space for extremists" and that leaders have a responsibility to speak with moral clarity when supporters make antisemitic remarks. Shapiro emphasized that condemnation of such statements should occur regardless of political party or office sought.

State Senator Katie Muth proposed legislation requiring vehicles in Pennsylvania to display front license plates, a requirement already in effect in 29 other states including New York, New Jersey, and Maryland. The bill was submitted for consideration by the General Assembly and for the support of Governor Shapiro. The proposal aimed to improve law enforcement's ability to identify vehicles involved in crimes, increase toll collection accuracy on the Pennsylvania Turnpike, and support traffic safety initiatives including Philadelphia's Vision Zero plan.

Shapiro visited the White Pine Country Store, Cafe & Lodge in Germania, Potter County on July 10, 2025 to announce a $162,461 Department of Community and Economic Development grant to the business. The grant was awarded to help replace underground storage tanks for the store's gas pump, which serves customers using the nearby Northcentral Regional ATV Trail. Shapiro stated the investment would support the local business and the outdoor recreation economy in Potter County.

Shapiro joined a coalition of 20 states in filing a lawsuit Wednesday against the Trump administration's decision to terminate the Federal Emergency Management Agency's Building Resilient Infrastructure Communities program, which provided grants for disaster preparedness projects. The program, which had operated for nearly thirty years across five presidential administrations, allocated approximately 4.5 billion dollars in grants to nearly 2,000 projects over the previous four years, including over 25 million dollars to Philadelphia for flood prevention measures. The states alleged in their lawsuit that the program's elimination, conducted without Congressional approval, would increase costs to taxpayers by removing preventive infrastructure funding that had historically saved over 150 billion dollars in post-disaster recovery expenses.

The Pennsylvania House of Representatives unanimously passed House Bill 811 in June 2025, legislation that would require campaign advertisements using artificial intelligence deepfakes to include clear disclosures that the content is not authentic when disseminated within 90 days of an election. The bill establishes civil penalties and daily fines for violations, ranging up to $15,000 per day for municipal races and $250,000 per day for presidential or congressional races. The legislation now proceeds to the state Senate for consideration.

Shapiro filed a lawsuit in federal court on July 14, 2025, joining 23 other states and the District of Columbia to challenge the Trump administration's withholding of more than $6 billion in education funding nationwide. Pennsylvania stands to lose $230 million in federal education grants for teacher training, afterschool programs, and English language learner support that Congress had appropriated and schools expected to receive by July 1, 2025. The lawsuit names Education Secretary Linda McMahon, Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought, and President Trump as defendants and argues that the administration exceeded its authority in freezing the funding.

Sens. Dan Laughlin and Sharif Street introduced Senate Bill 120 in July 2025 to legalize recreational marijuana in Pennsylvania through a system relying on existing medical marijuana retailers and 15 licenses for small businesses. The bill would allow adults 21 and older to possess, consume, purchase, and transport cannabis, while establishing a new Cannabis Control Board to oversee the market and permitting the expungement of nonviolent marijuana offenses from criminal records. According to Street, the legislation has bipartisan support in both the state House and Senate, with a companion bill expected to be introduced in the House in the coming weeks.

Shapiro, as Pennsylvania Attorney General, launched a statewide grand jury investigation into sexual abuse within Jehovah's Witnesses congregations across the state. The investigation, which began in 2019 and examined internal files documenting abuse dating to 1990, resulted in 16 arrests and 11 convictions by 2025, with additional cases pending trial. The probe became the nation's largest investigation into sexual abuse within the Jehovah's Witnesses organization, uncovering allegations that had not been previously reported to law enforcement.

Governor Shapiro included $21 million in his budget proposal to raise wages for approximately 8,500 home care workers employed directly by patients through a Medicaid-funded state program. The wage increase, which would affect workers earning an average of $13.50 per hour with no benefits, is estimated to provide approximately $1 to $2 per hour in additional pay. As of July 2025, the inclusion of this funding in the final state budget remained uncertain pending negotiations between Democratic and Republican legislative leaders.

Governor Shapiro warned that President Trump's domestic policy bill, which Congress approved and sent to Trump's desk, would require Pennsylvania to allocate a minimum of $125 million in its next fiscal year budget to maintain Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, with potential costs reaching nearly $800 million in worst-case scenarios. The bill restructures federal and state cost-sharing for SNAP administration and benefits, shifting more financial responsibility to states. Shapiro stated that Pennsylvania's existing structural deficit made it unclear whether the state could sustain SNAP operations under the new financial arrangement without significant fiscal measures.

Governor Josh Shapiro issued statements warning that President Donald Trump's domestic policy bill, which Congress approved and sent to Trump's desk, would substantially increase Pennsylvania's costs for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Under the legislation, Pennsylvania would be required to cover an additional $125 million starting in summer 2026 to pay 75% of SNAP administrative costs instead of the current 50%, and could face up to $650 million in additional costs beginning in fiscal year 2027-28 if the state is required to cover a portion of benefit payments based on its error rate. Shapiro stated that Pennsylvania lacked sufficient revenue to backfill the cuts and questioned whether the state would be able to continue operating SNAP without major fiscal policy changes.

Trump signed into law a reconciliation bill on July 4, 2025, that included reductions to Medicaid funding. The legislation passed the House 218-214 on Thursday, with all but one of Pennsylvania's Republican House members voting in favor. Pennsylvania Democrats have criticized the bill's Medicaid cuts, along with reductions to SNAP and elimination of energy tax credits, characterizing these provisions as potentially damaging to state residents.

Shapiro's office released estimates indicating that approximately 300,000 Pennsylvania residents could lose Medicaid coverage under federal legislation that imposes new reporting and cost-sharing requirements on individuals eligible through the Affordable Care Act's Medicaid expansion rules. The bill, approved by congressional Republicans and expected to be signed into law by President Donald Trump, allocates $900 billion in Medicaid cuts over the next decade, with implementation beginning at the end of 2026. Philadelphia alone would be affected, with approximately 183,000 residents currently covered through Medicaid expansion rules potentially facing coverage loss.

Shapiro stated that Pennsylvania would not use state funds to offset reductions in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) federal funding proposed in President Trump's budget and tax package. According to the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services' analysis, Shapiro estimated that 140,000 of the state's 2 million SNAP recipients would lose benefits under the House version of the bill. Shapiro indicated the state lacked the financial capacity to compensate for the federal cuts to the program.

Governor Shapiro signed Act 27 of 2025 in June, legislation that modifies Pennsylvania's certified public accountant licensing requirements. The law allows candidates with 120 college credit hours and two years of professional work experience to become a CPA upon passing the examination, rather than requiring the previous threshold of 150 credit hours and one year of experience. The legislation also extends the time limit for candidates to complete all four sections of the CPA exam from 18 months to 30 months and codifies the ability of CPAs licensed in other states to practice across state lines in Pennsylvania.

Governor Shapiro announced a $20 billion investment by Amazon to build two data centers in Pennsylvania, one in Salem Township in Luzerne County and another in Falls Township in Bucks County, with state officials projecting the development would generate at least 1,250 permanent jobs and thousands of construction positions. As part of Pennsylvania's data center incentive law, the state approved a sales tax exemption for Amazon on key equipment, the full cost of which to the state treasury remained unspecified at the time of announcement. The article noted that several material details about the project, including the total impact on electricity supply and prices and the amount of tax revenue the state would forfeit, had not been fully determined.

Shapiro's administration announced plans to unilaterally modify Pennsylvania's Medicaid program guidelines to restrict coverage of GLP-1 weight-loss drugs, limiting access to patients above a certain body mass index or those with weight-related chronic conditions, with implementation targeted for summer 2025. The proposed change responds to significant cost increases in the program, which spent $650 million covering 70,000 recipients in 2024 and projects $1.3 billion in spending for 2025. The administration's approach differs from a bipartisan group of state House lawmakers who instead favor negotiating lower drug prices while preserving Medicaid recipients' access to the medications.

Shapiro's administration awarded a $1.45 million state grant to Bethlehem for the construction of the Lehigh Valley's first non-congregate emergency family shelter at 232-234 W. Packer Ave. The funding, part of a $27 million statewide investment to address homelessness across 38 Pennsylvania counties, closed the city's gap after it had already allocated $1.4 million in American Rescue Plan dollars toward the project. The shelter will contain 11 private rooms with individual bathroom facilities to house families experiencing homelessness while they pursue permanent housing.

Shapiro's office announced a $9.9 million investment in state, county, and local funds to preserve 2,672 acres across 35 farms in 18 Pennsylvania counties, including six farms totaling 206 acres in the Lehigh Valley. The preservation program works by having property owners sell development rights, which legally restricts their land from residential or commercial development while allowing continued agricultural use. Since 1988, Pennsylvania has protected 6,564 farms and 654,551 acres statewide through this program, investing more than $1.7 billion in combined state, county, and local funds.

Shapiro's administration announced plans to modify Pennsylvania's Medicaid program guidelines to restrict coverage of GLP-1 weight-loss drugs by implementing body mass index thresholds and limiting coverage to patients with certain chronic conditions, with an implementation date targeted for summer 2025. The proposed change would eliminate coverage for weight-loss-related use of drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy for patients below the new BMI threshold, though the Department of Human Services stated a final implementation date would be announced with at least one month's notice. The administration cited rising costs as justification, noting Medicaid spending on GLP-1s increased from $222 million in 2022 to a projected $1.3 billion in 2025.

The Pennsylvania legislature developed a performance-based funding formula for distributing new state funding to Pennsylvania State University, Temple University, and the University of Pittsburgh, with implementation set to begin the following summer. The formula, created by a bipartisan council of legislative leaders and the acting secretary of education, would evaluate schools based on graduation rates, affordability, enrollment of low-income students, and enrollment in degree programs deemed critical to the state's workforce needs. Shapiro had previously proposed funding increases for the three universities, and the new performance-based criteria would apply only to additional funding rather than existing state appropriations.

Governor Shapiro announced that Amazon plans to invest at least $20 billion to construct multiple data center complexes in Pennsylvania, with initial centers to be built in Falls Township, Bucks County, and Salem Township, Luzerne County. The project, which Shapiro described as the largest private-sector investment in the state's history, is expected to create at least 1,250 permanent jobs and thousands of construction jobs. Shapiro stated that the investment followed approximately 20 months of negotiations and that discussions continue regarding potential additional data center locations.

Gov. Shapiro announced at a news conference in Berwick that Amazon will invest $20 billion in two data center complexes in Pennsylvania, one adjacent to the Susquehanna nuclear power plant and another in Fairless Hills at the site of a former U.S. Steel mill. Shapiro characterized the investment as the largest private sector investment in Pennsylvania's history and stated his administration is working with Amazon on additional data center projects. The state committed $10 million in funding for training programs at schools, community colleges, and union halls, and Amazon will benefit from Pennsylvania's existing sales tax exemption on data center equipment purchases.

Shapiro joined state and local officials at an event in Lower Nazareth Township on June 5, 2025, to call for increased public transit funding across Pennsylvania. Shapiro stated that temporary funding measures implemented the previous year would expire on June 30, 2025, and characterized the situation as requiring legislative action rather than additional interim solutions. Shapiro called on the Pennsylvania legislature and Senate specifically to enact permanent funding for mass transit agencies in the state.

A federal judge ordered the Trump administration to pause cuts to AmeriCorps programs in Pennsylvania and 23 other states that filed a lawsuit challenging the reductions implemented by the Department of Government Efficiency in April 2025. Judge Deborah L. Boardman ruled that the cuts were undertaken without proper notice-and-comment rulemaking procedures required by law and ordered that affected programs be restored and grants reinstated. Shapiro, serving as a plaintiff in the lawsuit alongside attorneys general from New Jersey and Delaware, stated that the court decision stopped what he characterized as an unlawful decision to cut AmeriCorps programs.

Shapiro held a public event on June 5, 2025, at Lehigh Valley Hospital-Hecktown Oaks in Lower Nazareth Township alongside state and local officials to call for increased public transit funding across Pennsylvania. Shapiro stated that he had redirected existing funding to allow mass transit agencies to continue operations through June 30, 2025, but characterized this as a temporary measure. Shapiro called on the Pennsylvania legislature, particularly the state Senate, to enact permanent funding for mass transit services.

On March 5, 2025, Governor Shapiro signed an executive order to streamline the hiring process for former federal workers applying to Pennsylvania state agencies. Since the order's implementation, 22 state agencies across human services, transportation, corrections, and other departments hired 119 former federal employees from approximately 7,300 applications received through early June 2025. The initiative continued despite a hiring freeze on federally funded positions that took effect April 10, with exemptions maintained for roles providing direct care or deemed mission critical.

Shapiro announced a lawsuit filed in federal court in Harrisburg against the U.S. Department of Agriculture, challenging the agency's termination of a reimbursement program that provided Pennsylvania $13 million over three years to purchase food from farms for schools, child care centers, and food banks. Shapiro's administration argued in the lawsuit that the USDA's decision to end the pandemic-era assistance program was illegal because the agency failed to explain why the program no longer reflected its priorities and the contract did not expressly permit termination on those grounds. The lawsuit seeks a court order reversing the USDA's decision to discontinue the program.

The Pennsylvania House passed legislation on June 4, 2025, that would cap tuition payments public school districts make to cyber charter schools at a base rate of $8,000 per student, with adjustments for students with disabilities, mirroring a proposal Governor Shapiro included in his last two budget proposals. The bill would also require cyber charters to return surplus dollars from the 2024-25 fiscal year to the state for public school facility improvements and establish an enrollment cap for low-performing cyber charters. The measure advanced with support from both parties but faces uncertain prospects in the state Senate, where Republicans control the chamber and have historically favored charter school funding alternatives.

Pennsylvania Department of Human Services Secretary Valerie Arkoosh, appointed by Governor Josh Shapiro, stated that a federal budget proposal cutting more than $800 million from Medicaid and Affordable Care Act marketplaces over 10 years would leave approximately half a million Pennsylvania residents uninsured. Arkoosh testified during a virtual town hall that the proposal's requirement for adults under 64 to prove monthly employment eligibility would create an "unprecedented and unfunded increase in administrative load," necessitating the addition of 400 to 500 state workers. The legislation, approved by the House of Representatives, would also require the state to verify Medicaid eligibility twice annually instead of annually and would impose approximately $25 million in IT system costs on Pennsylvania.

Governor Shapiro signed "Paul Miller's Law" in 2024, which prohibits drivers from using handheld devices while operating a vehicle in Pennsylvania, with limited exceptions for emergency calls, hands-free GPS, and hands-free music. Enforcement of the law began June 5, 2026, with police issuing warnings initially and summary citations beginning June 6, 2026, with fines of $50 for violations. The law is named after Paul Miller, a 21-year-old killed in 2010 by a distracted driver reaching for a phone, and was enacted in response to distracted driving crashes that caused thousands of injuries and dozens of deaths annually in the state.

Governor Shapiro signed "Paul Miller's Law," a bipartisan measure banning handheld cellphone use while driving in Pennsylvania, which took effect on June 5, 2025. The law prohibits drivers from using handheld devices for any purpose, including calling, texting, social media, and gaming, while operating a vehicle or stopped in traffic, though hands-free options remain permitted. Beginning June 6, 2026, drivers can be fined fifty dollars for violations, though law enforcement issued written warnings during an initial grace period.

Shapiro proposed an additional $25 million for the Solar for Schools program in the fiscal 2026 budget. The Solar for Schools program, originally championed by State Rep. Elizabeth Fiedler and passed into law in 2024, provides grants to schools for the purchase and installation of solar panels to reduce utility costs. The first round of funding allocated $22.6 million in state money across 25 solar-panel projects in schools located in Philadelphia, Bucks, Chester, and Delaware Counties.

Governor Shapiro criticized House Republicans for proposing legislation that would reduce Medicaid and SNAP benefits, stating that Pennsylvania would be unable to replace the resulting lost federal funding. According to Shapiro's estimates, 310,000 of Pennsylvania's 3 million Medicaid recipients and 140,000 of its 2 million SNAP recipients would lose benefits if the bill became law. Shapiro stated that the reductions would also severely impact rural hospitals, many of which already operate at a deficit, and that he would not use state funds to backfill the federal cuts.

Governor Shapiro proposed increasing transit's share of sales tax from 4.4% to 6.15% in both the 2024 and 2025 state budgets. The proposal could provide the Lehigh Valley Transit Authority (LANTA) an additional $7 million annually, which would be sufficient to close the fixed route funding gap in the agency's 2026 fiscal year budget. The fate of the proposal in the Legislature remained uncertain at the time of reporting.

Governor Shapiro announced his administration's support for legislation that would grant Pennsylvania's Attorney General Dave Sunday authority to review and intervene in healthcare system transactions involving for-profit entities. The proposed bill also would prohibit sale-leaseback arrangements that Shapiro stated had been used to extract funds from hospital systems. Shapiro made these statements during a May 15, 2025 event at Crozer-Chester Medical Center in Delaware County, which had been closed by private-equity firm Prospect Medical Holdings.

Shapiro called on the Pennsylvania General Assembly to pass legislation that would grant the state attorney general authority to block healthcare sales and mergers deemed harmful to the public interest, as well as prevent firms from selling hospital real estate and leasing it back. The announcement followed the closure of Crozer-Chester Medical Center in Delaware County by owner Prospect Medical Holdings, which filed for bankruptcy earlier in 2025. Shapiro also announced $1 million in funding to support emergency medical services in communities affected by the hospital closures.

Shapiro warned that proposed congressional cuts to Medicaid would result in billions of dollars in lost federal aid to Pennsylvania, with hundreds of thousands of residents losing health insurance coverage and rural hospitals facing closure. Shapiro stated during a radio interview that Pennsylvania lacks sufficient state-level funding to compensate for federal Medicaid reductions. The governor's remarks addressed a Republican-controlled House bill package that includes approximately $800 billion in Medicaid cuts over the next decade.

Governor Shapiro proposed legalizing recreational marijuana through a state-store model as part of his fiscal year budget proposal to help address Pennsylvania's $4.5 billion budget gap. House Democrats passed House Bill 1200, which would have legalized recreational marijuana for adults 21 and older, established a state-store sales system, and expunged certain marijuana-related criminal convictions. The state Senate's Law and Justice Committee rejected the bill in a 3-7 vote, with committee chair Senator Dan Laughlin stating that a state-store model would not receive support in the GOP-controlled chamber.

Democratic Governor Josh Shapiro expressed support in his February 2025 budget address for legislation that would require nonprofit and for-profit hospital operators to report major proposed mergers and acquisitions to the Pennsylvania attorney general for review before transactions are completed. Shapiro specifically emphasized the need for oversight of private equity transactions in the health care system, stating at a news conference that the legislature should pass "private equity reforms" in response to recent hospital closures in Delaware County and elsewhere. The proposed legislation, championed by state Representative Lisa Borowski, would empower the attorney general to take legal action if a transaction is determined not to be in the public's best interest, addressing a gap in current law that has allowed hospital closures to proceed before state intervention becomes possible.

Governor Shapiro requested an additional $500 million in adequacy funding for underfunded school districts in his February 2025 budget proposal, building on nearly $500 million in supplemental funding distributed to poor districts the previous year following a court ruling that Pennsylvania's school funding system was unconstitutionally inequitable. The Democratic-controlled state House supports Shapiro's proposal, while the Republican-controlled state Senate has raised concerns about the distribution formula, with Senate Majority Leader Joe Pittman stating that the proposed allocation raises questions of fairness. Scranton School District, which received $8.4 million in the initial adequacy funding round, used the money to expand its STEMM Academy, establish a mental health staffing position, restore cut art electives, and sustain its online Cyber Academy at a cost of $5.2 million.

Pennsylvania's Board of Pardons voted unanimously on May 9, 2025, to recommend commuting the life sentence of Marie Scott, a 71-year-old incarcerated since 1973 for felony murder committed during a 1973 gas station robbery. The board recommended reducing Scott's sentence to time served, with the condition that if approved, she serve an additional six months as a penalty for three prison escapes in the 1970s and 1980s. The recommendation now requires final approval from Governor Shapiro, with no specified timeline for his decision.

The Shapiro administration proposed doubling funding for Pennsylvania's Agricultural Innovation Grant program from $10 million to $23 million in the state budget. The program, established in the previous fiscal year, reimburses farmers and agricultural businesses that implement new technologies and conservation projects to improve efficiency and environmental outcomes. The initial $10 million was fully distributed among 88 businesses and farms across 45 counties, with the administration citing over $68 million in unfunded grant requests from 159 applicants as justification for the expansion.

Governor Shapiro's proposed budget for the next fiscal year includes the second installment of a nine-year plan to increase school funding by $4.5 billion to districts deemed inadequately funded, following a 2023 Commonwealth Court ruling that Pennsylvania had unconstitutionally deprived poor school districts of necessary educational resources. Despite the new funding formula and increased state aid, underfunded districts including William Penn and Pottstown continue to face significant budget deficits and are implementing or considering program cuts. Republican lawmakers in the state Senate have questioned the fairness of the new formula to all 500 of Pennsylvania's districts, requiring negotiation between Shapiro and the Democrat-led House over the funding plan.

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro proposed legalizing recreational marijuana in his budget proposal, projecting over $500 million in revenue during the first year primarily through licensing fees. The proposal would direct sales management through the state-owned liquor store system via other retail outlets, with the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board setting prices and regulating production, testing, transportation, and sales. Tax revenue from the proposal would be allocated to assist historically disadvantaged communities, combat substance abuse, support minority business development, and fund expungement of marijuana-related convictions.

Governor Shapiro proposed legalizing recreational marijuana as part of his annual budget pitch in February 2025, following similar proposals each year since taking office in 2023. The Pennsylvania state House approved House Bill 1200 on May 7, 2025, in a 102-101 vote, which would legalize, tax, and regulate recreational marijuana for adults ages 21 and older under a state-owned-store model and would expunge certain marijuana-related convictions. The bill, which Shapiro indicated support for as a revenue measure to address a projected budget shortfall, is expected to face significant obstacles in the Republican-controlled state Senate.

Shapiro's administration awarded a $30 million grant to Ensemble Real Estate Investments and Mosaic Development Partners for infrastructure development in the Navy Yard's Greenway District in South Philadelphia. The funds will support roadway construction, utilities installation, soil excavation, grading, and stormwater management to enable up to 700,000 square feet of new life sciences and manufacturing facilities. The Navy Yard project was one of eleven Pennsylvania sites selected in the first funding round of Shapiro's PA SITES program, which distributed a total of $64 million in grants and loans to support shovel-ready business development sites statewide.

Governor Josh Shapiro stated that he is open to expanding voter identification requirements in Pennsylvania's election law provided such changes do not make voting more difficult for citizens. Shapiro's position aligns with that of House Speaker Joanna McClinton, a Democrat and longtime opponent of stricter voter ID rules who similarly indicated openness to the measure with the same conditions. Despite this Democratic support for a traditionally Republican-backed priority, legislative progress on updating Pennsylvania's election code remains uncertain due to conflicting party goals and other contentious policy disagreements within the divided state legislature.

Shapiro announced on May 1, 2025, that Pennsylvania would streamline its consumer complaint process by consolidating reporting channels into a single website at pa.gov/consumer, a phone line at 1-866-722-6675, and an email address at consumer@pa.gov. The streamlined process directs complaints about insurance, banking, and lending issues to existing staff within the state's insurance and banking departments without requiring additional hiring or state funding. Shapiro stated the initiative was designed to address gaps in consumer protection following actions by the Trump administration to reduce the federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's operations.

Shapiro joined a coalition of state attorneys general in filing a lawsuit against the Trump administration challenging its cuts to the federal AmeriCorps community service program. The suit contested the administration's decision to eliminate funding for the initiative. Shapiro's action represented Pennsylvania's state-level legal response to the federal policy change.

Shapiro joined a coalition of 23 states' attorneys general in filing a lawsuit in Maryland federal court against the Trump administration over cuts to AmeriCorps, a federal community service program. The lawsuit contends that the administration lacked constitutional authority to dismantle the agency, which was established by an act of Congress, and that the administration's actions violated a federal contract with Pennsylvania. The Trump administration's Department of Government Efficiency had recalled AmeriCorps volunteers from their posts, placed 85% of the agency's federal employees on administrative leave, and ordered the termination of $400 million in grants to more than 1,000 community service programs.

Following an arson attack on the Pennsylvania governor's residence, Shapiro published an opinion piece in the New York Times stating that "this level of violence has to stop" and calling on society to reject political violence. Shapiro wrote that elected officials have an "additional responsibility to speak and act with moral clarity" and that there is a "shared responsibility to do better" in bringing people together to find common ground. The governor declined to characterize the motive behind the attack and stated he trusts prosecutors to make determinations regarding the suspect's intentions.

Shapiro visited the Bethlehem Fire Department on April 18, 2025, to announce a new $30 million grant program for Pennsylvania fire companies. The program allocates funds to help fire departments purchase life-saving equipment, recruit firefighters, and retain personnel while addressing their specific operational needs. Shapiro's visit followed a destructive arson incident at the Pennsylvania governor's mansion and focused on demonstrating the administration's commitment to supporting first responders.

Shapiro signed "Paul Miller's Law" in the previous year, legislation that prohibits the use of handheld devices while operating a motor vehicle. The law takes effect on June 5 and extends the restriction to instances where a vehicle is stopped due to traffic, red lights, or other delays. According to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, the measure bans handheld device usage across all such driving conditions.

Following an arson attack on Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro's official residence in April 2025, state police announced that an independent expert would conduct a risk and vulnerability assessment of the governor's residence. The review was ordered after authorities alleged that Cody Balmer scaled the security fence, broke windows, and set fires using Molotov cocktails, causing extensive damage and forcing Shapiro and his family to evacuate. State police indicated the assessment would examine security protocols and potential vulnerabilities at the official residence.

Shapiro announced on April 11, 2025, that Pennsylvania joined 16 other states and the District of Columbia in suing the Trump administration over the revocation of COVID relief funding extensions for schools. The U.S. Department of Education rescinded spending deadline extensions on March 28, 2025, leaving Pennsylvania school districts with $185 million in unspent federal funds designated for mental health resources, internet access, and HVAC installation. Shapiro stated that school districts had begun construction and made commitments based on the federal government's extension of the funding deadline.

The Shapiro administration did not hire a replacement for the Child Advocate position after Maryann McEvoy departed in January, citing the role's lack of statutory authority and funding. According to reporting, Shapiro was no longer firmly committed to maintaining the office, though Human Services Secretary Val Arkoosh stated the administration supported legislation to codify an Office of Child Advocate with independent investigative powers. A bill that would have created such an empowered office died in the GOP-controlled state Senate in the previous year after opposition from county commissioners and children-and-youth agencies.

Education Secretary Linda McMahon announced a revised deadline for schools to spend COVID relief funds originally approved under the American Rescue Plan in 2021, revoking previously granted extensions that had moved the deadline to March 28, 2026. New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy notified 20 school districts that they would lose a combined $85 million in federal funding as a result of the deadline revision. Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro's administration stated it was considering options to ensure Pennsylvania schools retained promised reimbursements under the revised deadline.

State Senators Frank Farry and Joe Picozzi proposed legislation to create a special prosecutor position to investigate and prosecute crimes committed against Philadelphia police officers, firefighters, and paramedics, with oversight by the state attorney general. The proposal represents an effort by Republican legislators to establish a second special prosecutorial unit in Philadelphia, following the creation of a SEPTA special prosecutor in 2023 that was signed into law by Governor Shapiro during budget negotiations. Farry indicated he plans to introduce the bill in coming weeks, citing cases such as a Philadelphia fire medic stabbed in October 2024.

The Shapiro administration discontinued a process in 2023 that tracked the cause of death for older adults who died during active abuse and neglect investigations in Pennsylvania. The Department of Aging had established the tracking system in 2021 to document deaths and cross-reference them with health records, then review protective services case files to identify potential investigative failures by county agencies. Secretary of Aging Jason Kavulich implemented a policy that halted the centralized review process and transferred responsibility for death reviews to individual county aging agencies.

Shapiro joined Democrats in 21 other states and the District of Columbia in filing a lawsuit against the Trump administration over the cancellation of $11 billion in pandemic-era contracts. The lawsuit challenged the federal government's decision to terminate these agreements without going through standard legal procedures. Shapiro's participation represented Pennsylvania's formal legal challenge to the contract cancellations.

The Shapiro administration proposed a $25 million cut to Pennsylvania's state bird flu recovery program in its budget proposal. The administration stated that the program's existing $61.5 million reserve would be sufficient to support farmers affected by avian influenza. Republican lawmakers expressed concern that the reduction could leave the state inadequately prepared for a potential surge in bird flu cases.

Shapiro visited Bethlehem Brew Works on April 2, 2025, to meet with local craft brewery owners about the effects of Trump administration tariffs, specifically a 25% tariff on imported canned beer and aluminum cans announced that day. During the visit, Shapiro characterized the tariffs as a tax that would increase prices for consumers and businesses. The governor's appearance came as the Trump administration announced a broader set of tariffs while craft brewers in Pennsylvania expressed concerns about rising costs for supplies and potential impacts on their operations.

Governor Shapiro joined 21 other states and Washington, D.C., in filing a lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Rhode Island on April 1, 2025, challenging the Trump administration's cancellation of $11 billion in pandemic-era federal public health grant programs. Shapiro estimated that Pennsylvania would lose approximately $500 million in federal grant funding that supported vaccine tracking systems, infectious disease monitoring, and other public health infrastructure expansions. The multistate suit sought an emergency restraining order against the federal cuts, arguing that the federal government had breached contracts with states by terminating programs that Congress had already approved.

On March 5, 2025, Governor Shapiro issued an executive order that paved the way for increased hiring within Pennsylvania state government. Following the order, at least 700 federal employees applied for positions with the state in subsequent weeks, according to union representatives. The executive order was enacted as federal workforce reductions occurred across the country under new federal administration policies.

Governor Shapiro proposed $21 million in his $51.5 billion budget to increase wages and cover vacation time for non-agency home care workers, a group representing approximately 6 percent of Pennsylvania's home care workforce. The proposal did not include a rate increase for agency home care workers, who comprise the majority of the state's more than 270,000 home care workers. Shapiro's Department of Human Services released a rate study indicating that Pennsylvania's home care agencies require a 23 percent reimbursement increase to $25.42 per hour to offer competitive wages above the current $16.50 average.

Gov. Josh Shapiro announced that his administration would request the U.S. Department of Agriculture reconsider its decision to cancel $13 million in federal funding for Pennsylvania food banks under the Local Food Purchase Agreement Program. Pennsylvania's Secretary of Agriculture Russell Redding filed an internal appeal with USDA challenging the cancellation, which Shapiro characterized as illegal. Shapiro stated that if USDA did not restore the funds, Pennsylvania would consider pursuing legal action against the federal government.

Shapiro's administration included a $10 million increase to Pennsylvania's special fund for financially distressed municipalities in its proposed 2025-26 state budget, representing approximately 2.3% of the $430 million funding pitch for the Department of Community and Economic Development. The proposed increase was intended to prepare for potential financial strain on local governments as federal stimulus funding authorized by the American Rescue Plan Act expires at the end of 2026, with municipalities having until that deadline to spend remaining allocations. Under the Municipalities Financial Recovery Act, also known as Act 47, municipalities experiencing severe economic hardship can access the state fund to develop recovery plans, receive grants, and obtain emergency loans.

Shapiro's administration filed a lawsuit challenging the Trump administration's freeze on federal funding for plugging abandoned oil and gas wells in Pennsylvania, claiming the commonwealth was unable to access $1.2 billion in well-related funds appropriated under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The state alleged that an additional $900 million required undefined review by federal agencies before it could be drawn down. Pennsylvania's frozen funds were subsequently unfrozen, though Shapiro's lawsuit remained ongoing as of February 2025 to secure a final judgment requiring the Trump administration to comply with its legal obligations regarding the federal funding.

Shapiro stated he would monitor the Trump administration's implementation of an executive order to eliminate the U.S. Department of Education and consider legal action if Pennsylvania loses federal education funding as a result. Shapiro noted that the Trump administration indicated it would not reduce federal dollars to Pennsylvania and said he would await evidence of impact on Pennsylvania students before pursuing litigation. Shapiro referenced his previous lawsuit that led to the restoration of frozen federal environmental and energy funds, stating he would take action if the administration attempted to reduce resources available to Pennsylvania students.

Shapiro's administration worked with the Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office to negotiate the sale of Crozer Health's Delaware County hospitals to an unnamed nonprofit organization as part of bankruptcy proceedings for owner Prospect Medical Holdings. The state provided $20 million in emergency funding alongside $7 million from the Foundation for Delaware County to maintain operations while negotiations continued. A federal bankruptcy hearing was scheduled to determine whether the sale would be approved or the hospitals would close.

On March 5, 2025, Governor Shapiro signed an executive order providing hiring preference for Pennsylvania state government jobs to former federal workers laid off by the Trump administration's Department of Government Efficiency. The order designated these workers as "pre-qualified" applicants for open positions within the commonwealth. Approximately 700 former federal workers applied for state jobs within two weeks of the executive order's announcement.

Governor Shapiro attended a White House luncheon on February 21, 2025, with cabinet members including Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr., where he requested the release of $2.1 billion in federal funds that had been frozen under a Trump administration funding review. The frozen funds were primarily allocated to Pennsylvania for environment and energy projects. The White House disputed Shapiro's characterization of his role in unfreezing the funds, stating that agency reviews of funds proceeded independently of gubernatorial pressure.

On March 5, 2025, Governor Shapiro signed an executive order directing state agencies to give preferential hiring treatment to former federal workers who had been laid off or fired by the federal government. The executive order established a "pre-qualified" hiring process for individuals with experience in equivalent federal positions, allowing them to move more quickly through Pennsylvania's state job application process. As of March 17, 2025, the state had received approximately 1,100 applications from roughly 700 people with prior federal workforce experience for various state government positions.

Shapiro directed Pennsylvania state government to offer assistance to federal workers who were laid off or accepted buyouts as part of the Trump administration's workforce reduction efforts and created a website describing approximately 5,600 state job openings tailored to federal employees seeking positions. The initiative was undertaken as Shapiro stated that Pennsylvania could benefit from the experience and expertise of displaced federal workers. Pennsylvania joined other states including Maryland, New York, and Virginia in recruiting federal employees to fill state government vacancies amid the federal workforce reductions.

In his 2025 budget proposal, Governor Shapiro proposed allocating an additional $494 million to Pennsylvania school districts deemed chronically underfunded and $32 million to districts with high property tax burdens, continuing funding levels agreed upon in the previous year's budget. This allocation was designed to address an "adequacy gap" identified by Commonwealth Court in 2023, which found that Pennsylvania's public education spending was inequitable and violated the state constitution. The proposal faced skepticism from Republican state lawmakers, including Senate Majority Leader Joe Pittman, who questioned the fairness of directing funding to 348 of the state's 500 school districts under the adequacy formula.

Governor Shapiro urged the Foundation for Delaware County to provide emergency funding to prevent the closure of Crozer-Chester Medical Center and Taylor Hospital, which Prospect Medical Holdings had announced it would close due to inability to pay staff. The foundation agreed Sunday to provide an undisclosed amount of short-term funding to keep the hospitals operating while a permanent restructuring plan was developed. The funding represented the second emergency infusion of cash in recent weeks to prevent closure of Delaware County's largest health system.

Shapiro's administration proposed funding for a new home repairs program with $50 million in state dollars to help Pennsylvania homeowners cover major repair costs. The proposal follows two unsuccessful prior attempts to continue the Whole-Home Repairs Program, which was created in 2022 with $125 million in federal pandemic aid and generated overwhelming demand. Rick Siger, secretary of the Department of Community and Economic Development, stated the new program would build on lessons from the earlier effort while starting fresh, with capacity to serve approximately 2,500 households per year.

Governor Shapiro's administration announced the expansion of the "Little Scandinavia" program, a pilot initiative at State Correctional Institution-Chester modeled after Scandinavian restorative justice practices, to three additional state prisons including a maximum-security facility. The pilot program, which features 64 single-person rooms, inmate-managed meal preparation, and collaborative common areas, has recorded only one physical altercation since becoming fully operational in 2022, compared to higher violence rates in the general prison population. The Department of Corrections Secretary Laurel Harry stated the expansion is expected to occur in 2026, with initial reconfiguration costs of approximately $310,000 per facility.

Shapiro's administration worked toward transferring Crozer Health to a new independent nonprofit entity backed by local health systems after eight years of ownership by Prospect Medical Holdings. The effort faced obstacles as local nonprofit health systems were reluctant to assume control of the hospital system due to its significant financial losses and liabilities. Shapiro's administration coordinated with Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday and other stakeholders in attempting to preserve healthcare services and employment in Delaware County.

Shapiro announced that his administration would prioritize recruiting federal workers displaced by workforce reductions in the Trump administration to fill approximately 6,000 open positions in Pennsylvania's state workforce. The governor stated that the state would elevate its consideration of federal job experience during hiring and created online materials to help federal workers understand how their credentials transfer to state positions, citing examples including nurses, civil engineers, accountants, and emergency response professionals. Shapiro noted that Pennsylvania's workforce of nearly 82,000 employees had vacancies available for which displaced federal workers could immediately apply.

The Pennsylvania Department of Aging, under Secretary Jason Kavulich, who was appointed by Governor Shapiro in 2023, announced plans to publish compliance data on its website regarding county protective services agencies' adherence to state regulations, with information on overall compliance beginning in April 2025 and details about investigation timelines beginning in March 2025. When the state renews contracts with the 52 county Area Agencies on Aging later in 2025, the department intends to add contractual language that would allow for penalty or de-designation of agencies that fail to correct deficiencies in protective services after receiving support to improve. This action follows reporting that documented how some county agencies have repeatedly failed to complete investigations within the required 20-day timeframe and have not been subject to punitive measures despite documented cases of abuse and neglect.

On March 5, 2025, Shapiro signed an executive order directing state agencies to give hiring preference to federal employees who had been laid off by the Trump administration. The order applied to approximately 5,600 current state job openings and included provisions for federal workers to be "prequalified" for state positions with equivalent experience, such as registered nurses from the Department of Veterans Affairs. Shapiro stated the measure was designed to benefit Pennsylvania by retaining experienced public servants within state government rather than losing their expertise to the private sector.

Shapiro criticized President Trump's 25% tariffs on imports from Mexico and Canada, stating the policy "makes no sense" and warning that it will result in higher prices for Pennsylvania residents. Shapiro noted that Canada and Mexico are Pennsylvania's top two export destinations, with the state exporting $14.5 billion to Canada and over $5 billion to Mexico in 2024, and expressed particular concern about impacts on Pennsylvania dairy farmers who sell more dairy products to Mexico than to any other country. The governor's remarks came during a job fair in Harrisburg on the same day he signed an executive order directing state agencies to give hiring preference to fired federal employees in filling the state's 5,600 open positions.

Governor Shapiro signed legislation in the previous session creating a statewide public awareness campaign about postpartum depression and enacting into statute a Pennsylvania Department of Human Services policy that provides doulas a path to seek Medicaid reimbursement. These actions were part of efforts by the Black Maternal Health Caucus to address persistent racial disparities in maternal morbidity and mortality. In the current legislative session, Democratic lawmakers have introduced additional bills including proposals to expand the Freedom to Breastfeed Act to include pumping protections and to create a program identifying counties that could benefit from increased maternal health care resources.

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro announced on Monday that the Trump administration released more than $2.1 billion in frozen federal funds designated for state environmental and energy projects. Shapiro attributed the release to his advocacy at the White House over the weekend and a legal challenge he had filed earlier in the month against the Trump administration's freeze of more than $2 billion in congressionally approved funds for Pennsylvania. The governor stated that all of Pennsylvania's frozen federal funds were now accessible again.

Shapiro announced that the Trump administration had unfrozen billions of dollars in federal grants and loans to Pennsylvania after his administration had identified the funds as frozen or held up in review. Shapiro had filed a lawsuit in federal court on February 13 challenging the Trump administration's pause on federal funding, arguing it was illegal and unconstitutional. The unfrozen funds included grants passed by Congress through signature laws including the Inflation Reduction Act and the 2021 infrastructure law, distributed through programs for energy efficiency upgrades, abandoned well remediation, mine land cleanup, water and sewer system improvements, and greenhouse gas emission reduction initiatives.

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro announced on February 24, 2025, that the Trump administration released more than $2.1 billion in federal funds that had been frozen, the majority designated for environmental and energy projects in Pennsylvania. Shapiro had filed a lawsuit earlier in the month challenging the constitutionality of the funding freeze, which had halted previously approved federal money for greenhouse gas reduction efforts, utility cost assistance for low-income residents, and remediation of abandoned oil and gas wells. Shapiro stated that he discussed the matter directly with Trump cabinet officials during a White House event following his appointment to the Council of Governors, and indicated that the funds' release resulted from both his advocacy and the legal action, though he noted the lawsuit would continue until a final judgment is obtained.

Insight Health System, a Michigan-based for-profit hospital company, was named in a bankruptcy filing as a possible purchaser of Delaware County's Crozer Health, which operates Crozer-Chester Medical Center and Taylor Hospital. The filing by investment bank Houlihan Lokey identified Insight as a potential buyer as Crozer Health remains in bankruptcy proceedings. Pennsylvania Governor Shapiro's administration and the state Attorney General's office have been seeking a buyer or operator for Crozer, which serves a vulnerable population in an underserved area of Delaware County.

President Donald Trump appointed Gov. Josh Shapiro to the Council of Governors, a bipartisan forum established in 2008 to facilitate cooperation between state governors and federal officials on national security and disaster response. Shapiro's appointment makes him the first Pennsylvania governor to serve on the council and represents one of ten new members joining the body, which maintains equal representation from both political parties. The Council of Governors serves two-year terms and includes federal officers such as the Secretary of Defense alongside the appointed governors.

Secretary of State Al Schmidt testified before the Pennsylvania Senate Appropriations Committee in February 2025 that the state's system for in-person mail ballot applications should be replaced with dedicated early voting centers similar to those operating in Maryland. Schmidt stated that the current process, which allows voters to request, complete, and submit mail ballots in person at elections offices, creates significant strain on county election staff and diverts resources from other duties. Schmidt indicated that implementing such a change would require legislative action and would place staffing responsibilities on counties rather than his department.

President Donald Trump appointed Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro to the Council of Governors on February 19, 2025, a bipartisan panel established to strengthen partnerships between states and the federal government on national security, disaster response, and National Guard matters. Shapiro was selected as one of five Democratic governors appointed to the council's two-year term, alongside five Republican governors, with Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin and North Carolina Governor Josh Stein designated as cochairs. The appointment occurred as Shapiro was simultaneously challenging the Trump administration in federal court over the freezing of previously approved federal funds to Pennsylvania.

Shapiro sued the Trump administration on February 13, 2025, challenging a freeze of more than $2 billion in federal funds previously approved by Congress for Pennsylvania environmental and energy projects. The frozen funds were designated for initiatives including industrial carbon emissions reduction, solar accessibility programs for low-income households, weatherization assistance, and remediation of abandoned oil and gas wells, with approximately $1.3 billion managed through the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. A federal judge had previously ordered the funding be restored, but state officials reported the money remained inaccessible despite the court order.

Governor Shapiro included $10 million in Medicaid spending for rural hospitals in his $51.4 billion budget proposal delivered to the state Legislature in February 2025. The proposal also allocated $15 million to expand the state's Primary Health Care Practitioner Program, with $5 million directed toward filling rural staffing gaps and $10 million toward expanding a loan repayment program for healthcare workers in underserved areas. Shapiro proposed broadening the loan repayment program's eligibility to include all areas of Pennsylvania to address behavioral health staffing shortages.

Shapiro's office announced the preservation of more than 1,837 acres across 19 farms in 16 counties through a state farmland preservation program. The initiative involved a $6.69 million investment from state, county, and local funds. The announcement was made in February 2025 as part of ongoing efforts to protect agricultural land in Pennsylvania from development.

Shapiro proposed legalizing recreational marijuana as part of his $51.5 billion budget pitch in February 2025, marking the third time he has advocated for such legalization since taking office. The proposal projects $535.6 million in first-year revenue, primarily from licensing fees, with an estimated $1.3 billion total over five years, and includes a proposed 20 percent sales tax rate. Shapiro stated during his budget address that legalizing cannabis would improve Pennsylvania's competitiveness relative to neighboring states that have already legalized adult-use sales.

Shapiro proposed a $51.4 billion state budget that includes $10 million in Medicaid spending for rural hospitals and a $15 million increase to the Primary Health Care Practitioner Program, with $5 million designated to expand staffing in rural areas and $10 million to expand a loan repayment program for healthcare workers in underserved communities. The budget proposal also allocates $25 million for expansion of an agriculture grant program that provides funding for farm equipment upgrades, facility improvements, and new technology. The proposal additionally increases funding for the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources by 13.2 percent to support outdoor recreation in rural communities.

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro proposed a $2.5 billion increase in Medicaid spending for the 2025-26 fiscal year, representing approximately 5% of overall state spending. The increase was driven by higher-than-expected per-beneficiary costs among individuals remaining on the state's Medicaid rolls after the COVID-19 pandemic, whom state budget makers determined were sicker than anticipated. Shapiro's administration attributed the increased costs partly to delayed medical treatment during the pandemic, which resulted in worsened conditions, avoided procedures, preventable hospital visits, and development of additional health complications among enrollees.

In his annual budget address, Governor Shapiro urged the Pennsylvania legislature to pass legislation that would seal eviction records for individuals who were not ultimately evicted, citing the permanent negative impact such filings have on housing prospects even when cases are dismissed or ruled in tenants' favor. Shapiro referenced Pennsylvania's existing Clean Slate Law for criminal records as a model, proposing that automatic sealing mechanisms be applied similarly to eviction records. The Governor's endorsement came as housing advocates reported that over 115,000 tenants faced eviction filings in Pennsylvania in 2024, with approximately one-quarter of cases not resulting in landlord victories.

Shapiro delivered his third budget proposal of $51.5 billion to the Pennsylvania legislature in February 2025, incorporating Republican priorities including tax reforms and agricultural funding alongside Democratic initiatives such as raising the state minimum wage and legalizing recreational marijuana. The budget proposal reflected Shapiro's positioning amid a divided state legislature, with a Republican-controlled state Senate and narrowly Democratic state House that require bipartisan agreement on legislation. Shapiro emphasized collaboration and unity in his budget address while acknowledging the fiscal constraints imposed by potential federal funding reductions under the Trump administration.

Governor Shapiro's administration provided $10.2 million in state funding as part of a $20 million public bailout approved by a bankruptcy judge to keep Crozer-Chester Medical Center and Taylor Hospital operating for at least 30 days while under temporary management by FTI Consulting. The funding was structured to ensure that no money would go to Prospect Medical Holdings, the health system's owner that filed for bankruptcy, with the state working toward a longer-term solution involving transition to nonprofit management. Shapiro's office stated that the administration planned to collaborate with regional healthcare providers and local leaders on permanent solutions for the Delaware County hospitals.

Governor Shapiro announced the "Lightning Plan" during his budget address in February 2025, proposing a comprehensive energy strategy to increase Pennsylvania's renewable energy production from 3% to 35% by 2035. The plan includes establishing a carbon cap through the Pennsylvania Climate Emissions Reduction Act, implementing tax credits up to $100 million annually for reliable energy plants, creating a streamlined permitting board for energy projects, and modernizing energy standards through the Pennsylvania Reliability Energy Sustainability Standard program to encourage solar, wind, and nuclear energy development. Shapiro stated the initiative would reduce electricity costs, create jobs, and keep electric bills low while modernizing the state's energy infrastructure.

Shapiro proposed a $60 million funding increase for Pennsylvania State University, Temple University, and the University of Pittsburgh, representing approximately a 10% boost to their current combined state funding of about $610 million. The increase would be distributed according to performance-based funding criteria to be developed by a new council, with the formula subject to approval by the General Assembly and the governor. The criteria are expected to address cost, transparency, graduation rates, career outcomes, and outcomes such as graduates remaining in Pennsylvania to work.

Shapiro unveiled a budget proposal for fiscal year 2025-2026 totaling $51.5 billion, which included $526 million in new funding for K-12 public schools as part of a multiyear response to a court decision regarding school funding equity in poor districts. The proposal also allocated $800 million toward K-12 schools and higher education institutions, while seeking additional revenue through marijuana legalization and taxes on skill games. Shapiro's budget relied on approximately $4.5 billion in state surplus cash to balance spending while maintaining existing personal income and sales tax rates.

Shapiro's administration has been working to preserve Crozer Health, Delaware County's largest health system, by pushing a plan that would place the hospitals under state control with a temporary manager known as a receiver. The state's proposal aims to financially stabilize the hospitals before transferring them to a new nonprofit operator. Negotiations between bankrupt Prospect Medical Holdings and the Pennsylvania attorney general's office encountered difficulties in early February 2025, with a bankruptcy court hearing scheduled to determine whether to extend funding or proceed with shutdown proceedings.

Patrick Cicero resigned as Pennsylvania's consumer advocate after Attorney General Dave Sunday, who took office on January 21, 2025, asked all employees in positions under his discretion to reapply or resign. In his resignation letter, Cicero stated he was the victim of a "public campaign led by various investor-owned utilities to seek my removal" and emphasized the importance of maintaining an independent Office of Consumer Advocate. Sunday stated in response that he prioritizes having "a capable, unbiased, and apolitical Consumer Advocate" to protect consumer interests.

Gov. Shapiro planned to pitch the legalization of recreational marijuana in his annual budget address, proposing a 20% tax on legal cannabis that his administration estimated would generate $14.8 million in tax revenue in its first year and $230 million by the fourth year. The GOP-controlled state Senate expressed reservations about the proposal, with Senate Majority Leader Joe Pittman citing practical concerns regarding marijuana's federal Schedule I classification and the state's capacity to regulate a recreational program. State Sens. Dan Laughlin and Sharif Street introduced a bipartisan bill in the previous legislative session to legalize and regulate adult-use marijuana with a minimum purchase age of 21, but the bill did not receive a vote.

Governor Shapiro announced a plan on January 30, 2025, to fast-track energy projects in Pennsylvania and provide hundreds of millions of dollars in tax credits to large-scale electricity generation, hydrogen production, and sustainable aviation fuel projects. The plan includes the creation of the Pennsylvania Reliable Energy Siting and Electric Transition Board to streamline permitting and support for new energy projects, addressing Pennsylvania's lack of a dedicated energy siting entity compared to 12 other states. Power plants would qualify for up to $100 million annually for three years, hydrogen producers for up to $49 million yearly, and aviation fuel producers for up to $15 million yearly under Shapiro's proposal, which requires legislative approval.

Governor Shapiro announced that access to Pennsylvania's Medicaid payment systems, which had been disrupted on Tuesday following the Trump administration's issuance of a federal funding freeze memo, were restored late Tuesday night after the administration rescinded the memo on Wednesday. Shapiro stated at a news conference that the disruption also affected the state's CareerLink workforce development database and Head Start preschool provider systems. The federal freeze memo had ordered a pause on trillions of dollars in federal disbursements, prompting legal challenges from multiple states and causing confusion about which government programs would be affected.

Shapiro stated that he had been in contact with both Democratic and Republican governors throughout the day to assess the impact of the Trump administration's federal aid freeze on state operations. Shapiro noted that governments across the country led by officials of both parties expressed concern about their ability to conduct day-to-day operations under the freeze. Shapiro indicated he spoke with Pennsylvania's Republican Attorney General Dave Sunday but did not disclose the conversation's details or comment on whether Sunday should join the multi-state lawsuit filed by New Jersey and other states.

Governor Shapiro stated that President Trump's federal funding freeze was creating "havoc" in Pennsylvania communities after the administration ordered a temporary pause on federal financial assistance. Shapiro noted that computer systems operating federally funded programs including Medicaid, CareerLink, and Head Start became inaccessible, and that more than 6,000 state workers funded by the federal government faced potential furlough depending on which programs were frozen. A federal judge blocked the funding freeze from taking effect until at least the following Monday, temporarily halting the administration's directive while Shapiro indicated he awaited further detail from the federal government.

Governor Shapiro signed the Fair Contracting for Health Care Practitioners Act into law in summer 2024, which took effect January 1, 2025. The law invalidates noncompete agreements for doctors, certified registered nurse anesthetists, certified registered nurse practitioners, and physician assistants who are dismissed from their positions, and requires employers to notify patients of a practitioner's departure within 90 days. The legislation also establishes time limits on noncompetes for these healthcare workers.

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro included a strong focus on investments in children and teens in his budget proposal. The article does not specify the particular budget bill, allocation amounts, or implementation timeline for these investments. Shapiro's budget initiative was cited alongside Mayor Cherelle Parker's public safety emergency declaration and school funding increases as efforts intended to improve child opportunity in Philadelphia.

Dave Sunday was sworn in as Pennsylvania Attorney General on January 21, 2025, becoming the first Republican elected to the position since Tom Corbett in 2005. Sunday, formerly the York County district attorney, took office alongside Republican Treasurer Stacy Garrity and Auditor General Tim DeFoor for their second terms, marking the first time Republicans held all three statewide row offices. The attorney general's office is responsible for investigating corruption, enforcing state laws, and representing Pennsylvania's interests in litigation.

Shapiro's office stated it was working to return Crozer Health back into nonprofit hands as the parent company Prospect Medical Holdings entered bankruptcy proceedings in January 2025. The governor's office indicated it had been engaged in months-long efforts to facilitate the transition, though discussions with potential local health systems had stalled over questions of state financial support. Late the previous year, the state had sought to take control of Crozer-Chester Medical Center and Taylor Hospital and to recoup $457 million in dividends paid to Prospect's owners.

Shapiro's administration released previously redacted records showing why the governor's office spent $368,000 on private law firms, after Spotlight PA appealed redactions to a state appellate court and prevailed in the dispute. The unredacted documents reveal that the Wolf administration hired private firms to represent high-ranking officials and unnamed witnesses in state and federal investigations, as well as to provide representation in a Pennsylvania State Ethics Commission investigation. Shapiro's office had initially withheld the information by asserting attorney-client privilege and work product protections, which the court determined did not apply to prevent disclosure of these particular materials.

Governor Shapiro stated his willingness to work with the Trump administration beginning in 2025 while maintaining that he would defend Pennsylvania residents' fundamental freedoms. A spokesperson for Shapiro indicated the governor would focus on delivering results through job creation, economic development, education, and public safety, while preparing for potential federal actions that could harm Pennsylvania families and communities. Shapiro's approach differed from other Democratic governors, as he emphasized finding common ground rather than taking an adversarial stance toward the incoming administration.

Governor Shapiro signed a bipartisan law in November 2024 that permits judges to include pets in protection-from-abuse orders in Pennsylvania. The legislation codifies court authority to grant temporary pet ownership and explicitly prohibit alleged abusers from contact with animals as part of PFA proceedings. The law takes effect later in January 2025 and brings Pennsylvania in line with 37 other states that include similar pet protections in domestic violence restraining orders.

President Joe Biden blocked Nippon Steel Corporation's $15 billion acquisition of U.S. Steel, citing national security concerns. Governor Shapiro responded by stating that U.S. Steel must uphold its commitments to Western Pennsylvania workers and that a long-term solution protecting steelmaking in the region remained necessary. Shapiro indicated the matter was not concluded and that he would continue working to bring parties together to protect Pennsylvania jobs and ensure the state's role in American steel production.