As Pennsylvania’s Legislature Wraps Up Its Session, Many Bipartisan Bills Are Poised To Fail
As state lawmakers wrap up their legislative session, a long list of proposals with bipartisan support and keen public interest is on track to fail, forcing those issues back to the starting line next year.
Some, like a deal on regulating skill games, have sunk under pressure from warring and monied special interests. Others, like a long-sought measure to let child sexual abuse survivors file related lawsuits beyond the statute of limitations, became partisan bargaining chips. In a contentious election year with legislative control at stake, each party is also hesitant to give the other a win.
Every stalled proposal has its own group of frustrated backers — from business owners to parents to Pennsylvanians concerned about surveillance technology or energy costs. Some have already waited decades for legislative changes.
There were a few successes during the final week of the session. Lawmakers sent bills to Gov. Josh Shapiro’s desk that would ban K-12 students from using cellphones during the school day, strengthen the state’s rules around animal testing in scientific research, and create a fund for organizations providing support for child victims of abuse or neglect. Shapiro signed the latter two bills Thursday, along with 56 other measures. He plans to sign the cell phone ban next week at a public event.
But as it stands, the General Assembly is on track to pass fewer individual pieces of legislation than in any other two-year legislative session since at least 1973-74, according to a Spotlight PA analysis.
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