HARRISBURG — Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro on Sunday laid out an aggressive legislative agenda following Democrats' capture of both the state House and Senate, giving the party unified control of state government for the first time in a decade.
Shapiro vowed to more than double the state minimum wage, codify abortion protections into the state Constitution, fund mass transit expansion and accelerate housing development. "We're going to more than double Pennsylvania's minimum wage. Codify abortion rights into our state Constitution. Fund mass transit. Build more housing," Shapiro said.
The Democratic trifecta removes the legislative roadblocks that stalled Shapiro's agenda during his first two years as governor, when Republicans controlled at least one chamber. Republicans held the state legislature for years before this election; now they face a unified Democratic front with no effective veto power.
The minimum wage increase would directly affect thousands of workers across the state. The abortion codification reflects the national fight over reproductive rights since the Supreme Court's 2022 Dobbs decision and responds to pressure from Democratic voters who made abortion access a central campaign issue.
Mass transit funding and housing expansion address two persistent concerns in Democratic politics: aging infrastructure and unaffordable housing that has pushed working families out of major cities. Both issues figured prominently in Democratic campaigns heading into the election.
The details—exactly how much the minimum wage will rise, and the precise constitutional language for abortion protections—will dominate the legislative session ahead. Shapiro will have far more leverage to push his priorities through, but internal Democratic divisions or procedural obstacles could still slow passage.
