Harrisburg, PA — Today, Governor Josh Shapiro announced that his 2024-25 budget proposal will include his plan for the first increase in the state share of public transit funding in over a decade. Governor Shapiro’s proposal will increase the state share of public transit funding by 1.75% – a $282.8 million investment, and nearly $1.5 billion in new state funding over five years, in transit systems that Pennsylvanians rely on in his 2024-25 budget proposal.

“Hundreds of thousands of people across our Commonwealth rely on public transit every day to commute to work, go to school, and get to where they need to go – and Pennsylvanians deserve clean, safe, cost-effective ways to travel throughout our cities and towns,” said Governor Josh Shapiro. “That’s true all across our Commonwealth, whether you’re traveling to work in Philadelphia on SEPTA or you’re a student in Pittsburgh using PRT to get to school. Investing in and improving our public transit systems is a commonsense way to create good-paying jobs, spur economic development, and help Pennsylvanians reach their destinations safely. For months, my Administration has worked with local public transit leadership and elected officials to understand their needs and I now call on the General Assembly to join me in making the first significant investment in Pennsylvania’s public transit systems in over a decade.”

Governor Shapiro knows millions of Pennsylvanians rely on public transit every single day to get to work, go to school, see their families, and travel – and clean, safe, on-time public transit is a key driver of economic development. Well-run buses, trains, and trolleys help attract new companies to Pennsylvania, make it easier for folks to get to work and do business, and will be critical as millions of visitors come to Pennsylvania for America’s 250^th anniversary, the FIFA World Cup, and the MLB All Star Game in 2026, and many other exciting events in Pennsylvania in the years to come.

That’s why Governor Shapiro’s upcoming budget will include a significant investment in transit systems to support Pennsylvanians’ travel needs and spur economic growth. This is a statewide investment benefiting multiple regions across the Commonwealth.

“As the son of a union bus driver, I know firsthand how public transit connects our communities, opens up doors of opportunity for working families, and drives economic growth,” said Lieutenant Governor Austin Davis. “Pittsburgh Regional Transit helps tens of thousands of people in Southwest Pennsylvania every day, and I’m proud the Shapiro-Davis plan would enable PRT and other public transit systems to better serve their riders and communities.”

Governor Shapiro knows that funding for public transit is especially critical in Southeastern Pennsylvania. Over the last several months, the Governor and his Administration have been working closely with SEPTA, the General Assembly, local leadership, and public transit partners to assess their needs and prepare a serious proposal to address them.

As part of the discussions around this proposal, the Governor insisted SEPTA address concerns about cleanliness and safety on the system – and he has asked local counties in Southeastern Pennsylvania whose residents benefit from the system to meet this moment with additional support.

“Ever since I was a State Representative and County Commissioner in Montgomery County, I have supported SEPTA and the critical services it offers to hundreds of thousands of Pennsylvanians every day. SEPTA has presented plans to address safety and cleanliness throughout their system, and county officials have entertained a willingness to step up to the plate and increase their support – as a result, my Administration is prepared to make a major investment in SEPTA,” said Governor Shapiro.

Governor Shapiro and his Administration have orchestrated conversations between SEPTA and the five counties that rely on and benefit from SEPTA service to discuss how they can also contribute to the system’s funding needs – and they have entertained a willingness to meet this moment with additional financial support.

The Governor’s plan would deliver the funding needed to avoid immediate service cuts or fare increases on SEPTA and would create a more balanced and stable funding structure for SEPTA for the future.

“I want to thank Governor Shapiro – who has been proactively engaged with SEPTA and our partners for months in order to construct this strong funding proposal to address our most pressing needs and enable SEPTA to continue serving our communities. The Governor knows how critical public transit is for Southeastern Pennsylvania, and his proposal would deliver the critical funding we need – providing additional support for SEPTA for the first time in over a decade,” said SEPTA CEO and General Manager Leslie S. Richards. “In these discussions, the Governor has also made clear his expectations that we at SEPTA step up to address our community’s serious concerns about cleanliness and safety. We are committed to addressing these concerns so that all SEPTA riders can feel safe as they travel where they need to go. I appreciate the Governor’s hard work of bringing people together to forge a proposal that delivers real solutions – and I look forward to working with the General Assembly and local leaders to get this done.”

Governor Shapiro looks forward to working with members of the General Assembly, local leaders, and public transit partners to get this done for Pennsylvania.

Harrisburg, PA – Today, Pennie – PA’s official health insurance marketplace – announced that a record nearly 435,000 Pennsylvanians are now covered with affordable, high-quality health coverage through Pennie. This represents a 17% increase compared to this time last year, far exceeding the average annual increase of 1%. Marketplace enrollment has increased by over 150,000 in the four years since Pennsylvania took over ownership and operations from the federal marketplace (healthcare.gov) – a 56% increase.

“We are beyond thrilled to see Pennie’s enrollment numbers skyrocket for 2024, knowing this means so many more Pennsylvanians have chosen to protect their health and their savings this year,” said Pennie Executive Director Devon Trolley. “Pennie strives to ensure every Pennsylvanian has the benefits of health coverage, and we will continue to serve as a trusted and objective source for affordable and high-quality coverage.”

The record high enrollment numbers are proof that the increased federal premium subsidies through the Inflation Reduction Act are helping more Pennsylvania families than ever to enroll in coverage. Across Pennie customers, the increased subsidies reduce premiums by an additional 45%, compared to the baseline subsidies alone. Pennie is the only place where Pennsylvanians can get these financial savings to reduce the cost of coverage and care. Nine in 10 enrollees qualify and save more than $500 a month on average.

“The Pennsylvania Insurance Department (PID) is here to help our consumers – and we aim to make sure all Pennsylvanians are protected through fair and effective regulation of the marketplace. This record-breaking number in enrollment is a tremendous milestone because it means more Pennsylvanians than ever have secured an affordable plan through Pennie, benefitting from one of many options in our competitive and robust marketplace,” said Pennsylvania Insurance Commissioner Michael Humphreys. “PID and Pennie will continue working together to ensure that we reach Pennsylvanians who are still without health insurance and help them access and find affordable and high-quality coverage through Pennie.”

The recent success is also due in part to Pennie’s collaboration with Pennsylvania’s Department of Human Services (DHS) to ensure individuals who are no longer eligible for Medicaid have a clear path to enroll through Pennie.

“As a physician, I have seen firsthand how lack of access to high-quality, affordable health coverage can take a toll on a person’s overall health and wellbeing. That is why DHS and Pennie have worked together for over a year to ensure that Pennsylvanians stay covered amid major federal changes to Medicaid and CHIP,” said DHS Secretary Dr. Val Arkoosh. “Every Pennsylvanian deserves the dignity of knowing they can go to the doctor or fill a prescription when they need it, and it is a huge accomplishment that more Pennsylvanians than ever have the peace of mind that comes with having coverage to keep themselves and their families healthy.”

Although the annual Pennie Open Enrollment period is now closed until November 1, 2024, any Pennsylvanian looking for coverage before then will need a qualifying life event to enroll through Pennie. Qualifying life events – such as losing other coverage (including job coverage or Medicaid), moving to Pennsylvania, having a baby, and more – will allow for a time-limited Special Enrollment Period. Those still without coverage may qualify to enroll through Path to Pennie this tax season while filing their Pennsylvania tax return. Learn more at pennie.com/pathtopennie.

Current Pennie customers should update their Pennie account throughout the year, especially if their household size or income changes.

If any Pennsylvanian finds themselves or a household member without health coverage during the year, they should explore their affordable, quality health coverage options through pennie.com or Pennie Customer Service at 1-844-844-8040.