September 2026 Pennsylvania GRAC Update

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The Pennsylvania State House will convene in Philadelphia on September 7th for a non-voting session celebrating America 250, before returning to Harrisburg with the Senate the week of September 28th. Meanwhile, in mid-August, Democrat Brandon Dukes won a close special election in Butler County by fewer than 100 votes against Republican Scott Timko, flipping the 12th district seat previously held by former Rep. Stephanie Scialabba (R). Marking the first time the GOP has lost this seat in nearly 30 years, the victory expands the Democratic majority in the House to 103-100. Both Dukes and Timko will face off again in November, alongside elections for one half (25) state Senate seats and all 203 House seats. The August special election may be a harbinger of things to come this election season. Democrats smell blood and with a fundraising advantage believe they have a chance to flip the Republican controlled Senate for the first time in over 30 years. This would give the Democrats a trifecta with control of the Governor’s office, and both chambers of the legislature.

New legislative topics continue to spark conversation in the gubernatorial race between Governor Josh Shapiro (D) and State Treasurer Stacy Garrity (R) has brought significant attention to the future of Medicaid in Pennsylvania. As both candidates navigate the campaign trail, they offer starkly different visions for managing the state's massive health care program, particularly in light of recent federal budget changes. While Governor Shapiro has vocally criticized federal cuts to Medicaid and joined legal challenges to protect current eligibility, Treasurer Garrity has embraced the federal law's new anti-fraud protections, advocating for independent performance audits and increased scrutiny to prevent waste, fraud, and improper enrollment.

Other hot topics for the limited fall session include the taxation and regulation of so-called skill games (slot machines) located in bars, taverns and retail establishments across the state, regulation of data centers and changes to sentencing guidelines of second degree murder convictions. For the remainder of this year’s legislative session we do not expect any action on issues impacting NESPA members.