Pennsylvania House Bill HB2194

Pennsylvania 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 2/4/26
• Refer: 2/4/26

Caption

A Joint Resolution proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, further providing for sessions of General Assembly.

Summary

HB2194 proposes a constitutional amendment to change how the Pennsylvania General Assembly operates when the state budget is not enacted on time. Under the bill, if a general appropriation bill for a fiscal year has not been passed by July 31, the General Assembly would be required to remain in session each weekday, except official state holidays, until the budget is enacted. The measure would amend Article II, section 4 of the Pennsylvania Constitution to add this requirement to the existing rules governing legislative sessions. The resolution is structured as a proposed constitutional amendment rather than a standalone statute. If passed by the General Assembly twice in the required manner, the Secretary of the Commonwealth would be directed to advertise the amendment and submit it to voters at the next eligible general or municipal election. The bill therefore affects the constitutional framework for legislative sessions and budget deadlines, rather than changing ordinary statutory law directly.

Impact

If adopted by voters, the amendment would impose a constitutional obligation on the General Assembly to stay in continuous weekday session after July 31 in any fiscal year without an enacted general appropriation bill. This would increase pressure on lawmakers to complete the state budget on time and could limit the ability of the legislature to adjourn during a budget impasse. The bill would affect the General Assembly, the Governor, and the Commonwealth’s budget process by making delayed appropriations trigger mandatory in-session work until passage.

Sentiment

No committee transcripts or recorded votes are provided, so there is no direct evidence of support or opposition in the available record. Based on the text alone, the proposal appears aimed at improving budget accountability and preventing prolonged budget stalemates, which suggests a reform-oriented intent. Because it is a constitutional amendment affecting legislative scheduling and budget negotiations, it would likely draw interest from lawmakers concerned with fiscal discipline and from those wary of constraining legislative flexibility.

Contention

The main point of contention is likely the requirement that legislators remain in session every weekday after July 31 until a budget is enacted. Supporters would view this as a way to force timely action and reduce budget impasses, while opponents may argue it could be overly rigid, disrupt legislative scheduling, or not actually resolve underlying budget disagreements. Another possible issue is that the amendment changes the constitution rather than ordinary law, meaning it would set a durable and binding rule on future General Assemblies.