On June 30, Governor Tom Wolf allowed the budget package passed by the General Assembly days earlier to become law without his signature. The $31.6 billion spending plan, a 4.8 percent increase in spending over the previous fiscal year, funds hospital-based initiatives to levels similar to FY16.

The budget was originally passed without a revenue package to pay for the increase in spending. Through effective advocacy, CHOP and the Hospital Association were able to stave off any changes to the statewide hospital quality care assessment and budget cuts that were proposed to fill the gap.

On July 13, the Governor signed a revenue package that is expected to raise nearly $1.3 billion through a $1.00-per-pack tax increase on cigarettes, an expansion of gambling, liquor reforms and applying the personal income tax on Pennsylvania Lottery winnings.

Please contact Jon Hood, manager of state and local affairs, for more information.