State Senate Holds Unusual August Session

August 31, 2023 4:49 am

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Pennsylvania’s Republican-controlled Senate returned for an unusual August session mired in a two-month budget stalemate with the Democratic-controlled House. Two budget-related bills passed Wednesday, primarily on party lines, as Senate Republicans advanced provisions that have bipartisan support and others that do not. Neither bill has the agreement of House Democratic leaders. The House is not scheduled to reconvene until after a Sept. 19 special election that is expected to restore the chamber’s one-seat Democratic majority. Some programs were left without legislation on how to distribute funds after a fight over creating a $100 million program to send students to private schools.