On Tuesday, January 7, state legislators will gather in Harrisburg to be sworn into office for the 2025-26 legislative session. To date, the House Republicans are the only caucus to have announced their committee chair positions for the new two-year session. The House Democratic Caucus, the Senate Democratic Caucus and the Senate Republican Caucus have not yet announced their legislative committee chairs. Neither chamber has finalized committee membership for rank-and-file members for the legislative standing committees.

 

Back in November, Stacy Garrity was re-elected for a second term as PA Treasurer, Tim DeFoor was re-elected for a second term as PA Auditor General, and Dave Sunday was elected to his first term as PA Attorney General. All three of these “Row Office” officials will be sworn into office on Tuesday, January 21, 2025.

 

The state Senate will start the new term with one vacancy as Senator Ryan Aument (R-Lancaster) resigned from the Senate on December 31, 2024, to begin a new position as State Director for US Senator-elect Dave McCormick (R-PA). Lieutenant Governor Austin Davis has until January 10, 2025, to announce a date for the special election to fill the 26^th Senatorial District seat. That seat is expected to remain with the Republican Party and will not impact the majority control of the Senate Chamber. With Aument’s resignation, the Senate Republican Caucus will need to hold an internal leadership election to replace Aument in the Caucus Whip position.

 

While legislators have not yet been sworn in, they have been able to circulate co-sponsorship memos about the legislation they plan to introduce in the new term. Of note for PAFIA are two co-sponsorship memos: Senator Camera Bartolotta’s memo regarding her plan to reintroduce legislation that would increase the cap on the Film Production Tax Credit Program from $100 million to $125 million and Senator Maria Collett’s memo regarding legislation that would require Film Production Tax Credit Program recipients to ensure cast and crew pass child abuse background checks if minors are part of the production.

 

Bills and resolutions can officially be introduced in each Chamber once legislative standing committees are formed. The Cozen team will keep you posted as legislative items of interest are introduced.

Important dates for your calendar:

• Tuesday, February 4 – Governor Shapiro’s Budget Address
• Monday, June 9 from 5pm-7pm – Film Industry Reception at the state Capitol in Harrisburg