HARRISBURG, PA − September 29, 2026 − Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa’s Discharge Petition on HB 2189, a Representative Dawkins Bill to raise Pennsylvania’s minimum wage from $7.25/hour to $15/hour by 2029, has reached its tenth day on the Senate’s calendar with no action from the Senate Republicans, who control the calendar. As a result, the discharge petition simply falls off the calendar.
The Senate Republicans’ continued inaction means that the non-tipped minimum wage in PA will remain at a paltry $7.25/hour, even as Pennsylvanians weather an unprecedented affordability crisis impacting the cost of groceries, gasoline, utilities, home repairs, and school supplies.
“Senate Democrats have been sounding the alarm for years and years that Pennsylvania’s minimum wage is indefensible and must be raised to guarantee that individuals who work for a living can earn a living,” said Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa. “There is one clear impediment to the minimum wage being raised in Pennsylvania, and that is the leadership of the Senate Republicans. Pennsylvania is an island among our neighboring states for our pitiful minimum wage, and it’s long past time to make the changes necessary to raise the wage. Let’s get it done.”
In a bipartisan vote in March 2026, the Pennsylvania House of Representatives sent House Bill 2189 to the Pennsylvania Senate. That bill, along with three Senate bills that would raise the minimum wage, has languished in committee without a hearing or a vote.
“Enough is enough. Pennsylvania workers have waited more than 20 years for a meaningful increase in the minimum wage, and they cannot afford to wait any longer,” said Senator Tina Tartaglione, Senate Democratic Whip. “House Bill 2189 passed the House with bipartisan support, yet Senate Republicans allowed the discharge petition to expire without action. At $7.25 an hour, the lowest allowable wage in the country, workers are falling further behind as the cost of everything from groceries to gas continues to rise. More than a million Pennsylvania workers would benefit from a minimum wage increase to $15, including the many who earn just above the current minimum. We know what needs to be done. It’s time to stop the wait and raise the minimum wage.”
On June 10, 2026, Senator Costa filed a discharge petition to force HB 2189 out of the Senate Labor & Industry Committee, calling Pennsylvania’s minimum wage “a disgrace.”
Subsequently, on June 30, House and Senate Democrats held a rally to mark the 20thanniversary of the last time the PA legislature voted to raise the minimum wage (changes to federal law resulted in an increase in Pennsylvania’s minimum wage in 2009).
Senator Costa made a motion during session that day to force the Senate to vote on whether to take up his June 10 discharge petition to force HB 2189 out of committee and onto the full Senate calendar. Senate Democrats unanimously voted up this motion, while Senate Republicans unanimously voted the motion down. As a result, the discharge petition was not brought up for a vote, and HB 2189 remained in committee.
Raising the minimum wage is a key pillar of the Senate Democrats’ Affordability Action Plan, a series of bills and legislative initiatives to improve wages and reduce costs for Pennsylvanians.
Learn more about the Senate Democrats’ Affordability Action Plan here.
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PITTSBURGH, PA – September 15, 2026 −Today, Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa joins State Representatives from Allegheny County to announce Local Share Account (LSA) grants approved by the Commonwealth Financing Authority (CFA).
“I am very pleased today to announce LSA funding to benefit the people who call the 43rd Senatorial District home,” said Senator Costa. “From repairing roads to fighting blight to building homes to improving critical infrastructure, this funding is an important investment in improving the quality of life for Allegheny County residents. I look forward to seeing these projects get underway.”
Senator Costa announces the following awards:
- Edgewood Borough was awarded $200,000 to install concrete sidewalks, stairs, concrete curbs, lawn restoration, and replace the landscaping wall and concrete pavers to renovate Memorial Park.
- Forest Hills Borough was awarded $317,604 to enhance the stormwater management system, including the construction of an extended detention basin with integrated rain gardens and an underground stormwater detention facility. The project will mitigate flooding, reduce sediment and nutrient loading, and improve overall watershed health by treating stormwater prior to discharge.
- Wilkins Township was awarded $250,000 for the Baker Street Bridge Replacement Project.
- Wilkinsburg Borough was awarded $300,000 for a demolition project.
- Wilkinsburg Borough was also awarded $150,063 for upgrading the traffic signals at four intersections. In addition to the upgrade/replacement of the traffic signal equipment, the signals will be upgraded to include missing pedestrian crossing equipment and the construction of ADA-compliant curb ramps.
- Wilkinsburg Borough was further awarded $78,000 for reconstructing a portion of Hay Street.
With Representative La’Tasha D. Mayes, Senator Costa announces the following awards:
- On behalf of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Western Pennsylvania, the Urban Redevelopment Authority Of Pittsburgh was awarded $400,000 for upgrades to the Shadyside Clubhouse, including the replacement of flooring on the first floor of the facility, abatement of asbestos base under first-level flooring, complete reconstruction of roofing system, replacement of all windows, the replacement of entire HVAC system, and the milling and paving of the parking lot and access entrances surrounding the facility.
- On behalf of Carlow University, the Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh was awarded $243,038 for the purchase of laboratory instruments and equipment to modernize Carlow University’s Biochemistry lab. This upgraded equipment will help address healthcare worker shortages in the region and improve the educational experience of university, College in High School, and Neighborhood Learning Alliance students.
- Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh was awarded $100,000 for the rehabilitation of the Alma Speed Fox Building. The building will be used to serve up to eight minority-owned businesses and community-based organizations. It will also be a space providing voter-education and voter-protection for residents and host workforce development workshops.
- On behalf of Rising Tide Partners in cooperation with the East Hills 1 Homeowners Association, Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh was awarded $149,987 for improvements to the East Hills 1 affordable housing complex.
With Representative Joe McAndrew, Senator Costa announces the following awards:
- Oakmont Borough was awarded $400,000 to make sanitary sewer system repairs,
- Penn Hills Township in cooperation with Penn Hills Library was awarded $750,000 for an infrastructure upgrade project at the public library.
- Verona Borough was awarded $175,660 to improve accessibility, safety, and the overall usability at Riverbank Park by replacing outdated infrastructure with modern, ADA-compliant facilities.
With Representative Aerion Abney, Senator Costa announces that, on behalf of the Neighborhood Resilience Project, Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh was awarded $500,000 to construct a three-story ADA-compliant elevator and shaft as part of its 20,000-square-foot facility expansion at 2038 Bedford Avenue in Pittsburgh’s Hill District.
Learn more about Senate Democrats’ commitment to every Pennsylvanian here.
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PITTSBURGH, PA – September 9, 2026 − Today, Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa announces $4,894,790 in funding from the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD) benefiting the 43rddistrict, encompassing parts of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County.
“I am proud to have secured funding that supports Pennsylvanians and ensures they have resources in the aftermath of a crime,” said Senator Costa. “When tragedy strikes, it’s so important that a helping hand, financial support, medical care, and legal representation are available, regardless of the victim’s background. I look forward to these dollars making a real, tangible difference in the lives of my constituents as they do the hard work of putting their lives back together.”
Awardees allotted dollars from the Federal Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) Funds are as follows:
- The Allegheny County Chief Executive Officer was awarded $201,186
- CASA of Allegheny County was awarded $5,303 to train CASA volunteers
- Center for Victims was awarded $1,219,231
- Crisis Center North, Inc. was awarded $452,307 for core and mobile counseling services
- Pittsburgh Action Against Rape was awarded $956,074 for service to sexual assault and trafficked victims
- Women’s Center & Shelter of Greater Pittsburgh was awarded $1,144,319 for maintaining comprehensive services for DV victims
- Neighborhood Legal Services Association was awarded $567,502 for legal services for victims of domestic violence and crime.
- A Child’s Place PA was awarded $154,571
From State Act 80 Funds, the Allegheny Chief Executive Officer was awarded $194,297 for quality, training, and efficiency enhancements.
Learn more about the PA Senate Democrats’ commitment to safe communities for every Pennsylvanian here.
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HARRISBURG, PA − August 18, 2026 − Today, Governor Josh Shapiro unveiled an executive order to implement the Governor’s Responsible Infrastructure Development (GRID) Plan to establish best practices for data center development, including provisions for community engagement, local hiring, environmental protections, and ratepayer protections.
In support, Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa (D-Allegheny) offers the following statement:
“I am pleased that Governor Shapiro is taking executive action to hold data center developers accountable for the impacts they have on Pennsylvania’s communities. Senate Republicans have abdicated their responsibility to protect ratepayers, deliver local control, safeguard the environment, or listen to Pennsylvanians of every county demanding the legislature’s attention. Governor Shapiro is stepping up and demonstrating real, commonsense leadership as Senate Republicans fail to engage in this critical conversation.”
Learn more about the PA Senate Democrats’ commitment to every Pennsylvanian here.
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Contact: Sav Thorpe Capizzi
717-344-2295 | savannah.thorpe@pasenate.com
PITTSBURGH, PA − July 31, 2026 − Senate Democratic Policy Committee Chair Nick Miller (D-14) held a policy hearing on lowering consumer grocery costs, alongside co-host Senate Democratic Leader Senator Costa (D-43). This hearing examined the status of grocery affordability for Pennsylvanians and food production-related pressures including rising input costs (such as fuel, fertilizer), cost of climate impacts, and safeguarding from pathogens or other hazards.
“Every week I hear from families across my district that every trip to the grocery store is putting more strain on their pockets, while our farmers are facing growing challenges from unpredictable weather, rising production costs, and other pressures beyond their control,” said Senator Miller. “As Chair of the Senate Democratic Policy Committee, I convened this hearing to better understand what’s driving these costs and identify practical solutions to help develop policies that strengthen Pennsylvania agriculture, protect our food supply, and help make groceries more affordable for working families.”
“Senate Democrats have been laser focused on delivering real affordability for Pennsylvania’s families, ensuring that costs stay down while pay goes up,” said Senate Democratic leader Senator Costa. “Today’s hearing provided incredible insights into the myriad factors driving up costs at the grocery stores and making it hard for families to make ends meet. I look forward to taking today’s feedback to Harrisburg so that we can continue the work of improving the lives of every Pennsylvanian.”
Wendell Young IV, President of UFCW Local 1776, representing nearly 30,000 workers across about 100 contracts, explained how tariffs are harming members firsthand. The Trump tariffs have led to plant closures, job losses, reduced hours, wage stagnation, and hiring freezes. At JBS Souderton, a major beef processing plant set to close on August 14th where they represent 1,400 members, increased transportation costs, inconsistent federal trade policies, and chaotic immigration policies have created severe uncertainty for hundreds of workers. Similarly, at Post Consumer Brands’ pet food facility in Bloomsburg, PA, more than 100 members in wet food production were laid off due to rising can costs driven by federal tariff policies.
“Consumers will feel this price impact immediately, workers will be left in the dust, and taxpayers will shoulder the burden with increased public assistance costs,” said Young. “In conclusion, this is the story that needs to be told about how our federal government is creating chaos and increasing costs for working families in Pennsylvania and our country.”
In written testimony, the Pennsylvania Food Merchants Association emphasized that rising costs of living are stretching family budgets across the state, and that the affordability of everyday essentials, especially food, remains a major concern for Pennsylvania residents.
Pennsylvania Secretary of Agriculture Russell Redding emphasized in his written testimony that farmers are facing unprecedented pressures from rising production costs, labor shortages, unpredictable weather, and emerging plant and animal diseases. Additionally, global supply chain disruptions, international conflicts, tariffs, and market consolidation have contributed to higher grocery prices for Pennsylvania’s consumers. Despite strong state investments and efforts to build a resilient food system, many producers operate with narrowing margins and have limited control over commodity prices, while elevated costs for fertilizer, feed, fuel, and equipment continue to strain farm viability.
“Affordability doesn’t begin in the checkout lane. It begins with building food systems that are resilient competitive and work for everyone,” said Secretary Redding. “That means recognizing a simple truth: we cannot have affordable food without successful farms. We cannot have food security without resilient supply chains. We can’t build a stronger Commonwealth unless everyone, from the producer to the consumer, has a place at the table.”
Representing the charitable food network, Julie Bancroft of Feeding Pennsylvania, Colleen Young of the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank, and Jordan Golin of Jewish Family and Community Services of Pittsburgh drew attention to the increased traffic to food banks, even as the costs of purchasing and transporting food has gone up for the charitable food systems. Between increased operational costs and increased needs, charitable food networks are doing more with less to address food insecurity across Pennsylvania.
“Transportation costs add another layer,” said Julie Bancroft. “The mid-Atlantic regional cooperative feeding PA program that supplies produce to thirty seven food banks in 14 states along the eastern seaboard has seen delivery costs rise sharply. The cost to ship a truckload of produce from Philadelphia to the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank – last year that was $1475. That same truck of produce now costs $1775 to get across the state. Also, the average cost per pound of produce has increased from 22 cents to thirty cents. All of this leaves food banks scrambling to do more with less, just as families are doing the same.”
“Our neighborhood food pantry – our costs are going up by about $100,000 a year,” said Jordan Golin. “Why is that happening?…Rising food costs, food inflation, cuts to government support for food banks across the country, and we’re seeing the increased need of families across our region coming to us. So the numbers of people we’re serving are going up as the cost of food is also going up, and the resources to provide this food are going down.”
Testifiers for the hearing included:
- Russell Redding, Pennsylvania Secretary of Agriculture
- Wendell Young, United Food & Commercial Workers Local #1776
- Julie Bancroft, Feeding Pennsylvania
- Colleen Young, Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank
- Jordan Golin, Jewish Family and Community Services (JFCS) of Pittsburgh
Senator Nick Miller was elected Policy Chair of the Senate Democratic Caucus in December 2024.
Footage of the hearing, as well as the written testimony of the panel, is available at PASenatorMiller.com/Policy. Photographs and downloadable videos are available upon request.
Learn more about the PA Senate Democrats commitment to protecting our commonwealth’s healthcare needs and other legislative priorities at www.pasenate.com.
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Testimony
- Wendell Young IV, President, United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local #1776
- Secretary Russell Redding, Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture (virtual) 1
- Julie Bankroft, Chief Executive Officer, Feeding PA
- Colleen Young, Government Affairs Director, Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank
- Jordan Golin, Chief Executive Officer, Jewish Family & Community Services of Pittsburgh (JFCS)
Additional Testimony
Harrisburg – July 23, 2026 – The Pennsylvania Supreme Court deemed mandatory life sentences for people convicted of second-degree felony murder unconstitutional on March 26, 2026. The landmark Court ruling was then stayed, giving the Pennsylvania General Assembly 120 days to amend the unconstitutional law and provide an alternative remedy for the more than 1,100 incarcerated individuals who have been harshly or unfairly convicted.
The legislature is now out of time, with the Court’s mandated deadline approaching on Friday, July 24.
Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa (D-43, Allegheny) and Senator Amanda M. Cappelletti, Democratic Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee (D-17, Delaware/Montgomery), issued the following statement:
“The Court’s ruling in Commonwealth v. Lee gave our state legislature a historic opportunity to redress a longstanding injustice. Pennsylvania is one of only four states that mandate life-without-parole sentences for people who are convicted of second-degree felony murder. Such sentences do not consider whether the actor intended to take a life when they committed the felony. Nor do they consider their degree of involvement in the crime. At its core, the way Pennsylvania was sentencing those convicted of felony murder was often disproportionate with the crimes at hand, and found to be “cruel punishment” under the Pennsylvania Constitution.
“The legislature has known about the July 24 deadline to heed the Court’s ruling. Rather than take action to deliver a just, fair solution to incarcerated Pennsylvanians serving these sentences, Pennsylvania Senate Republicans have spent the past 120 days spewing misinformation about what this ruling means for public safety, while refusing to work collaboratively.
“Though Senate Republicans are content stoking the dishonest lie that the more than 1,100 people serving these sentences will be released from prison come July 24, the truth is that if the legislature fails to act, resentencings are the actual expected outcome. Individual resentencings will take years to process. And it is likely that many incarcerated people impacted by this ruling may still receive a life sentence. Resentencings require the full use of our court system, which will severely strain our public defenders and prosecutors, and produce inconsistent outcomes across the state.
“It is also true that Senate Republicans claimed to take action by passing Senate Bill 1400 back in June. However, not only did Senate Republicans proceed without feedback, they shirked participating in ongoing conversations among stakeholders who were working to craft a comprehensive solution. Instead of working in a bipartisan way, they circulated their proposed legislation less than 24 hours before a Senate Judiciary Committee vote, without any stakeholder or Democratic feedback, to force a perfunctory measure through the chamber. In our divided legislature, when bipartisan consensus is essential, these performative measures are unacceptable.
“A true solution to this matter would provide an adequate sentence for second-degree felony murder that is appropriate under Pennsylvania’s current sentencing guidelines and proportionate to the role the actor played in the crime; parole eligibility for people currently serving a life-without-parole sentence for felony murder after they’ve served a minimum number of years and; a procedure that ensures a judge will issue a culpability determination if they impose a life-without-parole sentence.
“We, along with our Senate Democratic colleagues, look forward to passing collaborative, comprehensive, and meaningful legislation that actually delivers justice.”
Read more from the Abolitionist Law Center about Commonwealth v. Lee.
Read the letter to the Pennsylvania Commission on Sentencing from Senators Costa and Cappelletti.
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