2023/24 Budget Summary
By House Appropriations Committee Staff , | 4 months ago
House Bill 611, Printer’s Number 1811, as amended by the Senate, provides for the General Appropriations Act for the 2023/24 fiscal year.
In total, the 2023/24 budget, including assumed flat funding for nonpreferred appropriations, reflects $45.074 billion in spending from the General Fund. This represents a $4.28 billion increase from the prior fiscal year (10.5%), after reducing state spending by $1.97 billion through supplemental appropriation adjustments within HB 611.
Year over year, $1.68 billion of increased appropriations replace enhanced federal FMAP funds that offset Medical Assistance expenditures within the Department of Human Services in 2022/23. The enhanced federal match received by states during the pandemic is phasing down and will end by December 2023.
- Highlighted funding increases compared to 2022/23:
- Basic education funding (BEF) and Level Up: $667 million increase (9.1%)
- $567 million added to the BEF fair funding formula distribution, bringing the share of fair formula-driven funds to $2 billion (25%) of the BEF total
- $100 million distributed to the 100 lowest-spending school districts (PA has 500 school districts) through the Level Up supplement
- Special education funding (SEF): $50 million increase (3.7%)
- School Food Services
- $46 million increase to provide universal free breakfast (and allow all students receiving reduced lunch prices to receive free lunch)
- Early Intervention (age 3-5): $10 million increase (3%)
- Career and Technical Education
- $14 million increase (13.3%)
- The distribution of this increase between subsidy and PA Smart is unclear
- $9.45 million increase (170.3%) for Career and Technical Education Equipment Grants
- $10 million for new Student Teacher Stipend program to support students who are doing their student teaching
- Funding maintained compared to 2022/23:
- Ready to Learn Block Grant
- Year-over-year decrease in amount reflects the transfer to the School Safety and Security Committee being discontinued
- Early childhood education:
- Flat funding for both Pre-K Counts and Head Start Supplemental Assistance
- Funding decreases compared to 2022/23:
- School Safety and Security Committee under PCCD: $150 million, which is a decrease of $50 million compared to 2022/23
- $100 million for school-based mental health grants
- Using federal ARPA funds that were originally designated for comprehensive mental health services across all populations
- Same amount as provided in 2022/23
- $50 million for physical safety grants
- $100 million was provided in 2022/23
- PA State System of Higher Education
- Education and General - $33.1 million increase (6%)
- $65.4 million supplemental appropriation for facilities transition to address PennWest debt challenges
- Community Colleges
- Operating – $5.1 million increase (2%)
- Community college capital – flat funding
- State Related Universities – assumed as flat funding
- Thaddeus Stevens College - $389,000 increase (2%)
- PHEAA Grants - $15.9 million increase
- New appropriation – Parent Pathways - $1.66 million to support students who are parents at postsecondary institutions
- State funding increases compared to 2022/23 for Medical Assistance Programs:
- The main driver for the increases for these programs is the decrease in enhanced federal funding that was available during the pandemic. This enhanced federal funding phases down starting in July and ends in December.
- Physical and Mental Health programs:
- $616 million (18%) - MA Capitation
- $167 million (28.3%) - MA Fee-for-Service
- $19.5 million (2.2%)- Mental Health Services - Maintains the additional county base funding for mental health services.
- Long-term care programs:
- $929 million (20.8%) - MA Community HealthChoices
- $ 17.7 million (13.4%) - MA Long-term Living (Nursing facilities)
- $ 19.8 million (12.9%) - Long-term Care Managed Care (LIFE)
- Intellectual Disability programs:
- $7.9 million (5.4%) - ID Base program
- $446 million (23.8%) - ID Waiver program
- Maintains funding for the waitlist initiative.
- Does not contain two initiatives proposed by the governor totaling $4 million.
- $19.8 million (13.5%) - ID Intermediate Care Facilities
- $4 million (14.7%) - Autism Intervention and Services
- Expected savings from the ID state centers totaling $10.8 million are transferred to Home and Community Based programs for individuals with Intellectual Disabilities.
- Other MA programs:
- $3 million (4.8%) - Medical Assistance Transportation
- $15.4 million (9.1%) - Early Intervention
- Funding increases compared to 2022/23 for Childcare programs:
- $90.4 million (49.8%) - Child Care Services
- $13.3 million (12.2%) - Child Care Assistance
- Combined the increase to childcare programs over the prior year totals $103.7 million.
- Maintains the same childcare rates that were in place in FY22/23.
- Funding increases compared to 2022/23:
- $8 million (6.8%) - General Government Operations
- $2 million (31.9%) – Expanded Medical Services for Women
- $10 million (0.7%) – County Child Welfare
- $15.3 million (23.7%) - Youth Development Institutions and Forestry Camps
- Funding maintained at 2022/23 levels:
- Nurse Family Partnership
- Domestic Violence
- Rape Crisis
- Legal Services
- Homeless Assistance
- Blind and Visual Services
- 211 Communications
- Human Services Development Fund
- Note - Maintains MA payments to hospitals under the Critical Access, OB/NICU, Trauma Centers, Academic Medical Centers appropriations
- General Government Operations – General Fund and Oil and Gas Lease Fund (OGLF) combined increase $4.38 million
- State Parks Operations – GF and OGLF combined increase $11.66 million
- State Forests Operations – GF and OGLF combined increase $4.73 million
- State Parks and Infrastructure Projects - $56 million increase within OGLF
- General Funds appropriated to DCNR are largely flat, while increasing support from the OGLF.
Funding increases compared to 2022/23:
- General Government Operations – $1.67 million (9%)
- Environmental Program Management – $3.97 million (11.1%)
- Environmental Protection Operations – $13.73 million (13.4%)
Funding maintained compared to 2022/23:
Funding increases compared to 2022/23:
- State Food Purchase Program (SFPP) - $2 million (8.1%)
- Fresh Food Financing Initiative - $2 million (not funded in 22/23)
- Animal Health and Diagnostic Commission - $5.35 million (moves RHDF portion to GF)
- Hardwoods Research and Promotion - $251,000 (53%)
- Agricultural Excellence - $250,000 (8.2%)
- Agricultural Business and Workforce Investment - $300,000 (6.7%)
- Motor License Fund increases compared to 2022/23:
- Highway & Safety Improvements – $150 million (30%)
- Highway Maintenance – $73.41 million (7.6%)
- Welcome Centers - $317,000 (7%)
- Real ID – $1.17 million (3.9%)
- Motor License Fund decreases compared to 2022/23:
- Municipal Traffic Signals - $5 million (11%)
- Local Road Maintenance - $8.8 million (3.5%)
- $2.3 million for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, which was not included in the 2022/23 budget
- Funding increases compared to 2022/23:
- Quality Assurance – $4.0 million (15.8%)
- State Health Care Centers – $3.1 million (12.5%)
- Local Health Departments – $2.8 million (8.4%)
- Primary Health Care Practitioner Programs – $1.3 million (18.4%)
- Regional Cancer Institutes – $800,000 (66.7%)
- State Laboratory – $314,000 (6.5%)
- Achieving Better Care – $144,000 (4.8%)
- Sexually Transmitted Disease Screening and Treatment – $65,000 (3.7%)
- Maternal and Child Health – $62,000 (4.5%)
- Health Innovation – $45,000 (6.0%)
- Funding maintained at 2022/23 levels:
- Newborn Screenings
- Cancer Screening Services
- AIDS Programs and Special Pharmaceutical Services
- School District Health Services
- Tuberculosis Screening and Treatment
- Renal Dialysis
- Services for Children with Special Needs
- Adult Cystic Fibrosis and Other Chronic Respiratory Illnesses
- Cooley’s Anemia
- Hemophilia
- Lupus
- Sickle Cell
- Lyme Disease
- Regional Poison Control Centers
- Trauma Prevention
- Epilepsy Support Services
- Bio-Technology Research
- Tourette Syndrome
- Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) Support Services
- Community Based Health Care Subsidies
- $114.3 million combined increase (9.2%) across General Fund and Motor License Fund
- $100.5 million increase (8.8%) for General Government Operations
- Total State Police Motor License Fund expenditures reduced to $375 million
- $13 million increase (100%) for Patrol Vehicles
- $282,000 increase (1%) for the Statewide Public Safety Radio System
- $157.8 million or 5.8% increase for the Department of Corrections
- $3.2 million or 7.3% decrease in General Government Operations from 2022/23
- $3.5 million in funding for the Office of Victim Advocate transferred out of General Government Operations and into a separate appropriation
- $121.2 million or 5.7% increase for State Correctional Institutions
- $15.3 or 9.7% increase for State Field Supervision
- Funding maintained for Correctional Education and Training
- $6.7 million or 39.3% increase for General Government Operations
- $40 million in State funds for Violence Intervention and Prevention grants
- $7.5 million for Indigent Defense
- $3.4 million increase (11.6%) to General Government Operations
- $9.7 million increase (6.9%) to State Veterans Homes
- $500,000 increase (29.9%) for the National Guard Youth Challenge Program
- Funding increases compared to 2022/23:
- $1.79 million increase (5.8%) for General Government Operations
- $1.2 million increase (20.2%) for the Office of International business Development (World Trade PA)
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- $1.4 million increase (4.7%) for Marketing to Attract Tourists
- $48,000 increase (2.4%) for Marketing to Attract Businesses
- $13 million increase (65%) for Pennsylvania First
- $1.45 million increase (266%) for Municipal Assistance Program
- $3 million increase (60%) for workforce development
- $20 million for Historically Disadvantaged Business Assistance (new line item)
- $3 million for Foundations in Industry (new line item)
- $50 million for Hospital and Health System Emergency Relief (new line item)
- $50 million for Whole Home Repairs (new line item)
- $2.5 million for America 250 PA (new line item)
- Funding maintained compared to 2022/23:
- Tourism – Accredited Zoos
- Supercomputer Center Projects
- Infrastructure and Facilities Improvement Grants
- Partners for Regional Economic Performance
- Transfer to Ben Franklin Tech. Development Authority Fund
- Food Access Initiative
- The Invent Penn State appropriation is not renewed.
Row Offices
- Attorney General
- $1.3 million increase (2.6%) in General Government Operations
- $6.4 million increase (83.8%) for the Joint Local-State Firearm Task Force
- $32.7 million total increase for the Judiciary, a 9% increase compared to 2022/23
- Apprenticeship Training - $3 million increase
- Schools to Work program - $3.5 million
- New Choices/New Options – level funding
- Centers for Independent Living - $484,000 increase
- Assistive Technology
- Assistive Technology Financing, supporting the Pennsylvania Assistive Technology Foundation - $250,000 increase
- Assistive Technology Demonstration and Training, supporting TechOWL at Temple University - $400,000 increase
- Within the supplemental appropriations section of the bill, $100 million of federal American Rescue Plan – State Fiscal Recovery Funds are redirected from Mental Health Services to School Mental Health grants.