Let’s Advance a Bold Conservative Agenda in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania has been operating under split government for the past two years. Republicans in the statehouse are currently outnumbered. Gov. Josh Shapiro and his administration are Democrats, and the House of Representatives is narrowly (and ineffectively) controlled by Democrats. In the State Senate, Republicans hold a 28–22 majority.

Pennsylvania under divided government

Approval from all three of these branches – the House, Senate, and governor – is required for any substantive policy initiative to become law. In split government, we as lawmakers have a choice: work together to advance bipartisan initiatives or do nothing.

Leaders in Pennsylvania have been able to work together to achieve some important policy wins for their constituents over the last two years, but the Left has continually blocked conservative goals of improving election integrity, empowering parents, and creating safer communities.

Here’s a short list of some of the commonsense bills that state Senate Republicans have passed and sent to the House for consideration over the past two years:

Legislation waiting for House action

1. Elections: Voter ID, which recent polling shows is supported by 73% of Pennsylvanians. The Senate passed the bill in January 2023, but House Democrats have refused to advance it in its original form.
2. Education: Legislation giving parents control over what, if any, sexually explicit content their child (and only their child) is exposed to in school. Legislation requiring schools to post on a publicly accessible website an internet link or title for every textbook and course syllabus used for each class. And legislation requiring schools to receive parental consent before providing students with uncertified or unregulated behavioral health support. Pennsylvania House Democrats won’t consider any of these bills, even though 89% of likely U.S. voters believe that public schools should fully inform parents about what is being taught to their children in classrooms.
3. Immigration: Legislation requiring prosecutors across the state to notify U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement whenever illegal migrants are charged with violating state law. House Democrats have left this bill to languish in committee, even though Gallup’s monthly measure finds immigration consistently ranking among voters’ top issues this year.
4. Safe Communities: A bipartisan proposal to prohibit safe-injection sites in Pennsylvania. This measure passed the Senate by a strong bipartisan vote of 41-9 in May of last year. An August 2024 poll of likely Pennsylvania voters shows that they believe crime and drugs rank among the top five most important issues facing the state. Yet House Democrats have not advanced this bill.

One month left

With only about a month left in the two-year legislative term, all these bills are likely to expire without any further action by House Democrats. This means no progress for Pennsylvanians on these issues.

I often get comments from constituents who desperately want me to “just do something” about one issue or another. I sympathize with this plea. I, too, want to enact meaningful change and advance the conservative values that most of them, including myself, care so deeply about.

But with a Democratic governor and a Democratic House, there’s little that Republicans can do to advance our values right now. Pennsylvania House Democrats don’t want voter ID or parental control of sexually explicit content or any of the other commonsense policies I listed above.

In Pennsylvania the people can vote for change

While this all may sound hopeless, there is something you can do about it: Vote.

In November, you will not only have the chance to vote for president but also for your state and local officials. These down-ballot races have a dramatic impact on your day-to-day lives as Pennsylvanians, perhaps even more so than the presidential race.

So, if you’re interested in advancing conservative values in Pennsylvania, vote in November for your statehouse representative and senator who reflect those values. A Republican majority in both the Senate and the House is critical if we hope to pass meaningful legislation that advances conservative goals. Together, we can bring change to Pennsylvania and enact worthwhile policies to improve education, bolster trust in our elections, and ensure safety in our communities.

This article was originally published by RealClearPennsylvania and made available via RealClearWire.