A $46.5 million increase in funding to provide universal free breakfast to Pennsylvania’s 1.7 million public school students regardless of income and free lunch to all 22,000 Pennsylvania students who are eligible for reduced-price lunches through the National School Lunch Program.

As a result of this expansion – nearly 175,000 more Pennsylvanians will qualify, and many of the 400,000 seniors who already qualify will see their rebates nearly double. This is the first time the program has been expanded since 2006 and the rebate amounts and income limits will increase with inflation, so no senior becomes ineligible just because their Social Security payment increased. 

Sustainable funding for the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) through the General Fund, reducing PSP’s reliance on the Motor License Fund (MLF) by $125 million annually over the next four years, putting those dollars directly into road and bridge projects. This was a key campaign promise for the Governor, guaranteeing PSP has a stable, sustainable funding source for the long-term while freeing up more state funds for key infrastructure projects.  

$20 million to increase base funding for counties to provide critical mental health services and address deepening workforce shortages.

$100 million for school-based mental health counselors and resources for students.

$10 million to provide Pennsylvania’s student teachers with stipends so the Commonwealth can get more well-trained teachers into our classrooms.

Building off the Governor’s Executive Order announcing that 92 percent of state government jobs are open to Pennsylvanians without college degrees, this budget would ensure more Pennsylvanians have the freedom to chart their own course by expanding our workforce, investing in vo-tech, and supporting apprenticeship programs, including:

A $23.5 million investment in workforce training and vo-tech programs.

$3.5 million in funding for the Schools-to-Work Program through the Department of Labor & Industry to develop and expand career pathways for high school students via partnerships between schools, employers, organizations, and the Commonwealth.

$112 million to improve our parks and forests and create a new Office of Outdoor Recreation to help connect our natural resources and parks with local businesses and put Pennsylvania on the map as a leader in outdoor recreation.

$567 million increase in basic education funding for Pennsylvania school districts to be distributed through the Basic Education Funding (BEF) Formula, enabling all school districts to have the basic resources they need to provide a high-quality education for Pennsylvania students.  This is the largest BEF increase in history.

$100 million for school-based mental health counselors and resources for students.

$100 million for Level Up to ensure more resources go to Pennsylvania’s most underfunded schools.

$50 million increase in special education funding, reinforcing Pennsylvania’s commitment to equitable education for all students.

$7 million to support dual enrollment opportunities for high school students allowing high school students to take advanced courses for college credit and chart their own course.

Previously, Pennsylvania was one of only two states in the country that did not allocate state funding for indigent defense, but that changes with this budget. This budget invests:

$7.5 million to fund indigent defense for the first time in Pennsylvania history to ensure public defenders have the resources they need to provide legal representation to defendants who cannot pay for it on their own.

A $50 million investment in the Whole-Home Repairs program to take the  burden  off the shoulders of those living paycheck to paycheck while ensuring they can afford to maintain their homes.

A $20 million investment to fund the Historically Disadvantaged Business Program to invest in small minority-, women-, and veteran-owned businesses in the Commonwealth and provide sustainable

A $23.5 million investment in workforce training and vo-tech programs.

A $6 million investment in apprenticeship and pre-apprentice programming that will lead to family-sustaining wages.

$3.5 million in funding for the Schools-to-Work Program through the Department of Labor & Industry to develop and expand career pathways for high school students via partnerships between schools, employers, organizations, and the Commonwealth.

$16.4 million in new funding for four trooper cadet classes in 2023-24, to train 384 new troopers, fill staffing gaps, provide more coverage, and ensure that Pennsylvania State Police are well-funded and well-trained.

$2.3 million to expand maternal health programming to allow for implementation of prevention strategies to reduce maternal mortality and morbidity.

$34 million to help poultry farmers impacted by the hi-path avian influenza crisis pay for testing and get reimbursed for losses to their flocks.

$1 million to create a new Organic Center of Excellence, one of the first-of-its kind, to empower and support organic farmers and businesses and create new markets for them.