House Passes Responsible Budget Amid Extraordinary Times

November 20, 2020

Rare fall budget session completes fiscal plan for 2020-21

HARRISBURG – Facing historic challenges as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and economic shutdown in response, House Speaker Bryan Cutler (R-Lancaster) joined a widespread bipartisan majority of the House in passing a completed state budget for the current fiscal year.

“Every Pennsylvanian has had to make sacrifices this year, and state government should be no different,” Cutler said. “This budget doesn’t just hold the line on spending but reduces total spending by hundreds of millions of dollars. It also avoids any tax increases and does not rely on borrowing.”

A rare fall budget session was necessary after the Legislature and Gov. Tom Wolf agreed to a five-month budget in May 2020.

The completed budget proposal would appropriate $32.1 billion in state funds and $3.4 billion in federal stimulus dollars. Total spending would decrease by more than $760 million, roughly 2.1% less than the 2019-20 fiscal year.

The budget would continue to fully fund public education at all levels, public health and community safety. Savings were found by reducing operating costs across state government and in transfers from special funds with longstanding surpluses.

Finally, the plan allocates $1.3 billion in remaining CARES Act funding to continue to assist public health and safety for frontline workers and law enforcement helping Pennsylvanians through this pandemic.

The spending plan, Senate Bill 1350, returns to the Senate for consideration.


Speaker Bryan Cutler
100th Legislative District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives