Gov. Shapiro inks final budget bill after late-night voting session
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro has signed the state's new budget bill after a late-night voting session in Harrisburg.
Five months past the deadline, lawmakers voted to approve bills that will send millions of dollars to families and education services across the state.
With this, the budget for next year is final.
The bills will offer tax breaks to business that are donating to scholarships and other educational funds throughout the state.
It will give $300 million to libraries and community colleges in the state, another $100 million to school mental health services, and $175 million to school facility repairs.
The package also raises $60 million more for county 911 emergency response services through an increased surcharge on phone bills and for the first time, it provides state funding to public defenders.
Governor Shapiro said the silver lining out of the dragged-out process is that lawmakers were able to overcome partisanship to get it done.