More than a week after the deadline, state budget negotiations appear to be taking place

After a relatively quiet week in Harrisburg, state lawmakers appear poised to return to the Capitol for budget negotiations over the weekend. 

Republican senators stated they would not return to the capital until “final budgetary language is ready to advance,” and hadn’t yet posted a schedule on the General Assembly’s calendar as of Thursday afternoon. But senators did set an “Off the Floor” Appropriations Committee meeting for Friday, meaning they’ll have to convene as a chamber to make it official. 

Neither Republicans nor Democrats have publicly shared their weekend plans or whether they intended to finish the delayed budget. 

The House approved Gov. Josh Shapiro’s $53.2 billion spending plan on a bipartisan vote in April, though Republicans in both chambers criticized the proposal for financial commitments beyond the state’s means. 

To fund increases, Shapiro proposed $2 billion in taxes on skill games — which have now been declared unlawful by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court — and recreational marijuana. The latter is a non-starter for conservative budget makers, but the court’s ruling means legislators must act within the next three months to legalize the gaming devices. 

Once the final package clears the Senate — which, according to Senate rules, can’t occur before Saturday — it heads back to the House for further approval. It must make it through that body’s Appropriations Committee, which is scheduled to meet at 7 p.m. on Saturday. 

The full House is scheduled to convene at noon on Sunday, July 12. 

The budget was due June 30, making this the fifth consecutive late budget. Last year’s $50.1 billion budget negotiations were finalized 135 days late.