Every year, Pennsylvania lawmakers are supposed to pass a state budget by June 30; which allocates how the state’s general fund (~$49 billion right now) is spent for the next fiscal year.

Most year’s, Pennsylvania lawmakers are late.

This year, some Pennsylvania senators are saying “… what if we wait?"

Senate President Kim Ward, a Republican from Westmoreland county, recently floated the idea of a 6 month stop-gap budget. A spokesperson from Ward’s office said a stop-gap budget could let lawmakers respond to any drastic changes to federal policy… and give more time to deliberate on state revenue concerns.

Gov. Josh Shapiro proposed a $51.1 billion state budget for the 2025/26 fiscal year, which spends $4.1 billion more than what the state makes in revenue. Pennsylvania does have around $10 billion in savings that would fill the gap.

Last year— Senate Republicans, House Democrats, and Shapiro signed off on a 2024/25 budget that spent $3.3 billion more than what the state makes in revenue (state savings also filling that gap).

Sen. Ward says this is the most challenging budget she’s experienced in 17 years as a state senator.

A stop-gap budget could look like passing the 2024/25 budget, but with minor changes and only enough appropriation to last six months. In turn, debates over policy and final spend numbers could be delayed until December. 

Sen. Scott Martin, the Republican appropriations chair, is supportive of the idea. A spokesperson from his office said if the state passes a budget now, they could end up reacting to policy changes in the Trump administration’s Big Beautiful Bill. A stop gap could avoid hind sight 20/20 regrets in how much money lawmakers allocate to different departments. 

Leadership in the House Democratic Caucus have opposed the idea.

“Senate Republicans promote and approve of the chaos that’s happening in Washington, knowing full well of the impact it would have on Pennsylvania,” said Rep. Ryan Bizzarro, an Erie Democrat who chairs the House Majority Policy Committee.

"Now they’ve decided doing half the job they were elected to do is somehow good enough,” Bizzarro said in a written statement. “In this budget cycle, it is irresponsible to give our communities anything less than a complete budget”

Democratic Rep. Jordan Harris, the House Appropriations Chair, said a 6 month budget harms the planning potential of organizations that rely on state funding. 

"A six month budget doesn't give them certainty,” Harris said. "And in the times that we're in right now, I think what's most important for many of those county governments, nonprofits, school districts— is certainty."