HARRISBURG, Pa. — Pennsylvania’s House on Monday passed legislation that would address the funding crisis faced by the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority and other state agencies, but the bill’s future in the state Senate remains uncertain.
The bill passed Monday by the House would provide $292 million from state sales tax, public radio station WITF reports. SEPTA would receive $167 million, while Pittsburgh Regional Transit, which is also facing service cuts, would receive $40 million. The rest would go to other agencies across the state.
SEPTA has said it needs funding by Aug. 14 to avoid enacting 20% service cuts on Aug. 24-25. Those cuts would include 20% cuts on all Metro rail lines, reduced frequencies across the Regional Rail network, and an end to all rail service after 9 p.m., as well as special service for special events. Full details are here. The SEPTA bus system would see 32 routes eliminated and 16 others shortened.
Additional cuts to rail and bus would come in January 2026.
The bill passed the Democrat-controlled House on a 108-95 vote, the fifth time that chamber has passed a transit bill. The latest version includes more oversight of SEPTA, as well as $600 million in bonds for roads and bridges, as sought by Republicans.
The Senate has not said whether it will act on the bill; WITF reports Senate Majority Leader Joe Pittman (R-Indiana, Pa.), when asked, said only that the Senate would return to Harrisburg today for a 4 p.m. voting session.
The legislature is now 42 days past its mandated July 1 deadline to pass a new state budget, but that requirement includes no penalty for missing the date. Spotlight PA reports that the state has already begun to miss payments, with officials in the administration of Gov. Josh Shapiro saying it will have to delay at least $2.5 billion for schools, county agencies, and other service providers.
