(The Center Square) – As budget negotiations continue for the Pennsylvania General Assembly, Gov. Josh Shapiro provided an update on Thursday hinting that a deal may be close.
“I think you’re going to see a lot of activity in the Capitol this weekend,” Shapiro told reporters at an event in Altoona. “I’ll be in the Capitol. I’m heading back there today.”
“I’ll be there throughout the weekend, and I think we’ve been working hard, really hard, to bring both sides together, bring Democrats and Republicans together,” he continued. “And I think you’re going to see a result that benefits the good people of Pennsylvania really soon.”
The Senate will return Friday for two committee meetings, though multiple sources have told The Center Square that voting session is planned for Saturday and Sunday, as well. The House, meanwhile, announced it will reconvene Sunday at noon.
For the fifth consecutive year, state lawmakers have failed to reach a budget agreement by the June 30 deadline.
Last year, lawmakers agreed to spend $50.09 billion on Nov. 12, 135 days after the deadline.
While last year’s impasse lasted multiple months, which impacted a number of services waiting on state funding, lawmakers in recent weeks have shared a much more optimistic tone that this year would be different.
Senate Republican Leader Joe Pittman, according to KYW Newsradio, said he was highly confident that lawmakers have been on track to reach, in his words, “a responsible budget that will recognize our unique status as a divided government.”
In April, the state House passed Shapiro’s $53.3 billion budget proposal by a 107-94 vote. Every Democrat and five Republicans voted in support of this spending proposal. The Republicans were Reps. Joe Hogan, Shelby Labs, and Kathleen Tomlinson, all of Bucks County; Rep. Tom Mehaffie of Dauphin County; and Rep. Craig Williams of Delaware County.
However, Senate Republican leaders said they had “profound concerns about the level of spending” in the House-passed bill.
