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Yesterday, Speaker of the House Sam Smith (R-Jefferson), Majority Leader Mike Turzai (R-Allegheny) and House Majority Appropriations Committee Chairman William Adolph (R-Delaware), unveiled a $28.3 billion spending plan for FY 2013-2014. HB 1437 is a 2.1%, or $578 million, overall increase from the prior fiscal year.
HB 1437 also provides a general 1.5% increase in the general government operation lines for some state offices - the General Assembly and the Judiciary. The plan includes funding for 300 more state troopers, $100 million increase in basic education spending, $20 million to reduce the waiting list for intellectual disability services, restores various health line items and assumes no impact from various legislative proposals - such as liquor privatization, pension reform, or transportation.
Responding to several questions as to the timely passage of the budget, the Chairman as well as Speaker Smith and Leader Turzai proclaimed the priority of the House is to pass, once again, an on-time budget. HB 1437 is scheduled for consideration by the House Appropriations Committee on Monday, June 3 at 11:00 a.m.
The Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center created a spreadsheet that compares the House budget proposal released today to the Governor's budget proposal, at the level of overall department spending. Click here to view. | 
