2025 Year in Review

Senator Devlin Robinson’s 2025 Year in Review

2025 was a whirlwind year filled with legislative wins in Harrisburg that will have a lasting impact on the residents of western PA. Beginning one year ago in January 2025, I was sworn in to the Pennsylvania Senate for my second term serving the good people of Allegheny County in the 37th Senatorial District. It’s my absolute honor to have earned the trust of my constituents and be given the opportunity to continue representing the community I call home and the people I call neighbors. I was appointed to serve on many influential legislative committees, including as Chair of the powerful Senate Labor & Industry Committee where I will continue supporting workers and businesses, fostering policies that create jobs, ensuring fair labor practices, and strengthening the economic vitality of our commonwealth.

I worked with my colleagues in the Senate Republican Caucus and across the aisle to advance issues that are important to the people I represent in Allegheny County, including creating economic opportunity for all, expanding health care coverage and access, serving veterans, creating safe communities, improving public transportation, and much more:

Veterans

  • Introduced legislation with Sen. Judy Ward (R-30) to increase the monthly pension amounts for Pennsylvania’s Blind Veterans Pension Program and the Amputee and Paralyzed Veterans Pension Program. This legislation passed the Senate Veterans Affairs & Emergency Preparedness Committee on April 1, 2025, and is awaiting consideration by the full Senate.
  • Introduced legislation with Sen. Wayne Fontana (D-42) to modernize how nonprofits (like veterans’ groups, volunteer fire companies, youth sports leagues, and churches) raise money by allowing charitable organizations to accept electronic payments. This legislation was unanimously passed by the Senate and is awaiting consideration in the House of Representatives.
  • Introduced legislation supporting opportunities for Pennsylvania’s disabled veterans to participate in hunting and outdoor sports by reducing unnecessary barriers and streamlining license and permit requirements. This legislation was unanimously passed by the Senate on Sept. 10, 2025, and received unanimous support in the House Game & Fisheries Committee. The bill is awaiting consideration by the full House of Representatives.
  • Co-sponsored a resolution encouraging the U.S. Congress to pass the TREAT PTSD Act to address the critical mental health needs of veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) by expanding access to specialized treatments such as Stellate Ganglion Block (SGB) therapy.
  • Hosted a hearing in Pittsburgh to examine legislative solutions for connecting veterans with physical and mental health care and meaningful employment.
  • Sponsored a resolution designating Nov. 10, 2025, as Marine Corps Day in Pennsylvania, and hosted a ceremony in the Pennsylvania State Capitol to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States Marine Corps.
  • Supported the future of our nation’s military by serving on U.S. Sen. Dave McCormick’s U.S. Service Academy Nominations Advisory Board, which helps identify and recommend outstanding young Pennsylvanians seeking appointments to the nation’s military academies.
  • Accepted a reappointment to the Advisory Council for the Southwestern Veterans’ Center to continue working to support local veterans and ensuring they receive the care they deserve.
  • Sponsored a resolution with Sens. Cris Dush (R-25), Doug Mastriano (R-33), Tracy Pennycuick (R-24), Greg Rothman (R-34), and Gene Yaw (R-23) designating September 2025 as Veterans Suicide Awareness Month in Pennsylvania to shed light on the silent struggles many veterans face and bolster outreach efforts through the Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs.
  • Sponsored a resolution with Sen. Jay Costa (D-43) designating Dec. 13, 2025, as Wreaths Across America Day in Pennsylvania, and hosted the Capitol’s Wreaths Across America kick-off ceremony. Wreaths Across America is a nonprofit organization that seeks to honor the courage, sacrifice, and enduring legacy of America’s service members by laying wreaths at the headstones of millions of veterans in cemeteries across the country, at sea, and abroad during the holiday season.
  • Highlighted the success of the Purple Star Schools program, signed into law in the previous session, which supports military-connected children who frequently relocate to new schools due to a parent’s change in duty station.
  • Recognized the courage and dedication of Pennsylvania’s women veterans from World War II to the present by supporting the Women Veterans Day Capitol exhibit.
  • Sponsored additional resolutions to commemorate important military anniversaries and highlight U.S. Armed Forces personnel such as:

Labor

  • Led the effort to pass a bipartisan agreement that protects Pennsylvania’s seasonal workers from looming unemployment compensation (UC) benefit cuts. The bill passed the Senate with strong bipartisan support in December 2025. After the House voted to concur with the Senate amendments, Gov. Shapiro signed the bill into law as Act 55 of 2025.
  • Secured long-sought reforms to support victims of domestic violence and strengthen the integrity of the UC system. The bill passed the Senate with strong bipartisan support in December 2025. After the House voted to concur with the Senate amendments, Gov. Shapiro signed the bill into law as Act 55 of 2025.
  • Voted to create a new $25 million line-item for the Child Care Worker Retention and Recruitment initiative to provide support for our childcare workforce. This measure was signed into law along with this year’s state budget.
  • Introduced legislation with Sen. Maria Collett (D-12) to create the Family Care Act to provide financial relief to individuals who must step away from their jobs to care for a family member.
  • Introduced legislation that allows spouses of deceased Pittsburgh firefighters to continue receiving pension benefits if they remarry. The House companion of this bill passed unanimously out of the House of Representatives and the Senate Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee; it now awaits consideration by the Senate Appropriations Committee.
  • Introduced legislation with Sens. John Kane (D-9), Tina Tartaglione (D-2), and Lindsey Williams (D-38) to improve the Worker Misclassification Act by ensuring workers get paid for the labor they provide and receive critical benefits that protect them and their loved ones from workplace injury damages. This legislation passed unanimously out of the Senate Labor & Industry Committee and is awaiting consideration by the full Senate.
  • Introduced legislation with Sens. Tina Tartaglione (D-2) and John Kane (D-9) to make Pennsylvania a safe and welcoming place for individuals with disabilities by granting the Accessibility Advisory Board the authority to review and the adopt future accessibility codes. This bill is awaiting consideration before the full Senate.
  • Accepted an appointment to the State Employees’ Retirement System (SERS) Board, the entity entrusted with the authority and responsibility of running one of the oldest and largest statewide retirement plans for public employees in the country.
  • Sponsored a resolution with Sen. Tina Tartaglione (D-2) designating October 3, 2025, as “Manufacturing Day” in Pennsylvania to recognize and support the Commonwealth’s more than 562,000 manufacturers and workers in a key industry that generates over $112 billion in annual economic output, comprising roughly 13% of the state’s total GDP.
  • Sponsored a resolution with Sens. John Kane (D-9) and Tina Tartaglione (D-2) recognizing the last full week in July (July 21-25, 2025) as “Construction Opioid Awareness Week.” The resolution sought to bring awareness to an industry that is particularly hard-hit by issues related to opioid and prescription drug abuse.

Education

  • Introduced bipartisan legislation with Sens. Vince Hughes (D-7) and Steve Santarsiero (D-10) to require public schools across the commonwealth to adopt policies prohibiting student cellphone use during the school day. This legislation received unanimous approval from the Senate Education Committee on Dec. 9, 2025, and is awaiting consideration by the full Senate.
  • Introduced bipartisan legislation with Sen. Vince Hughes (D-7) to improve low literacy rates in Pennsylvania. This legislation was passed and signed into law along with the state budget this year.
  • Voted to increase funding for student achievement and family choice, including a $50 million expansion of the Educational Improvement Tax Credit program and additional funding for Ready to Learn Block Grants ($562 million), Basic Education ($105 million), Special Education ($40 million), and Pre-K Counts ($9.5 million). This funding was signed into law along with this year’s state budget.
  • Introduced legislation to ensure our public schools have clean air and drinking water for our students. One piece of legislation, sponsored alongside Sens. John Kane (D-9) and Art Haywood (D-4), ensures drinking water in public schools is free from lead. The second piece of legislation ensures radon testing is conducted in Pennsylvania schools.
  • Introduced legislation with Sens. Frank Farry (R-6), Tracy Pennycuick (R-24), Rosemary Brown (R-40), Lisa Baker (R-20), and Camera Bartolotta (R-46) to provide a cost-of-living adjustment to a small number of retired teachers and state employees who haven’t received such an adjustment in more than 20 years.
  • Announced that the Ready to Succeed Scholarship program began accepting applications for the 2025-26 academic year in April and urged students to apply. Originally created in 2015, this program was recently expanded thanks to legislation sponsored by Robinson which will provide more high-achieving Pennsylvania students pursuing postsecondary education the opportunity to receive financial aid.
  • Introduced a resolution designating April 2025 as Community College Month in Pennsylvania, recognizing the important role community colleges play in our higher education system. Also served as co-chair of the Community College Caucus with Sen. Lisa Boscola (D-18).

Economy

  • Voted to protect consumers from higher energy costs, prevent potential power plant closures, and avoid job losses and rolling electric blackouts in the years ahead by ensuring Pennsylvania will not participate in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI). RGGI is a multi-state carbon tax that would have added more than $1 billion in new electricity costs for families and job creators. This measure was signed into law along with this year’s state budget.
  • Voted to advance a bipartisan state budget that funded state government at a responsible level without increasing taxes on working Pennsylvanians. This year’s final budget agreement cut nearly $1.4 billion in unnecessary spending from Gov. Josh Shapiro’s original proposal, ensuring the state is not spending beyond its means.
  • Partnered with domestic colleagues and foreign counterparts on the Ireland Trade Commission to bring economic opportunities to Pittsburgh, including the new direct flight from Pittsburgh to Dublin on Aer Lingus.
  • Voted to reform Pennsylvania’s permitting process, requiring environmental permits to be deemed approved after a set timeframe and allowing appeals for denied applications. This provides certainty for businesses and ends the months-long delays currently slowing economic development across the state. This measure was signed into law along with this year’s state budget.
  • Voted to continue phasing down the Corporate Net Income Tax and preserving the Net Operating Loss deduction. These policies continue to attract new businesses and investments to the commonwealth, creating more family-sustaining jobs and opportunities for working Pennsylvanians. This measure was signed into law along with this year’s state budget.
  • Introduced legislation to encourage private investment in waterfront property that creates public access to the water, increases property values, restores ecology, and creates jobs and economic growth by updating and expanding the existing Pennsylvania Waterfront Development Tax Credit Program.
  • Introduced legislation with Sen. Jay Costa (D-43) to diversify Pennsylvania’s energy sources, increase electric reliability and resiliency, reduce costs through competition and choice, and reduce local air emissions by adding linear generators to the list of eligible technologies under Pennsylvania’s Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards.
  • Introduced legislation to authorize counties to form a Tourism Improvement District to attract visitors to different cities and towns across the commonwealth and boost tourism funding.
  • Introduced legislation to reduce the Mutual Thrift Institutions Tax to support local communities and drive Pennsylvania’s economy.
  • Introduced legislation with Sen. Wayne Fontana (D-42) to drive economic growth, create jobs, and position Pennsylvania as a leader in the space sector by establishing the “Pennsylvania Space Economy Tax Credit.”

Public Safety

  • Worked across the aisle with Sen. Jay Costa (D-43) to secure a necessary $6 million continuation of funding for the Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) Task Force in western Pennsylvania, enhancing the region’s emergency response capabilities.
  • Voted to impose tougher penalties on drug dealers who sell fentanyl resulting in a fatal overdose. This legislation, which I cosponsored, passed the Senate and is awaiting consideration in the House of Representatives.
  • Introduced legislation with Sens. Wayne Langerholc (R-35) and Tracy Pennycuick (R-24) to prohibit non-monetary bail for the most dangerous individuals, including those who possess 10 grams or more of fentanyl, have a history of violent crime, or assault a law enforcement officer. This legislation passed the Senate and is awaiting consideration in the House of Representatives.
  • Introduced legislation with Sen. Lisa Baker (R-20) to aid law enforcement in combating the opioid epidemic and provide better safeguards for keeping dangerous substances out of the wrong hands by automatically scheduling a substance following federal scheduling.
  • Voted to require prosecutors to notify U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement when a criminal defendant is identified as unlawfully present in the United States, ensuring that individuals who commit serious crimes are transferred to federal custody for removal proceedings. This legislation, which I cosponsored, passed the Senate and is awaiting consideration in the House of Representatives.
  • Accepted an appointment to the Municipal Police Officers’ Education and Training Commission (MPOETC), which establishes certification and training requirements for municipal police officers in Pennsylvania, as well as education and training standards for police schools and academies.

Transportation

  • Advocated and voted for a funding plan that makes sure our buses, trains, and inclines keep running strong for the people who depend on them every day.
  • Voted for a bipartisan state budget that fully funds statewide public transit at $2.6 billion, including $300 million for Pittsburgh Regional Transit (PRT).
  • Voted for legislation, that is now signed into law, to give state and local authorities the tools to deal with abandoned and derelict boats on Pennsylvania waterways, creating a commonsense solution to longstanding safety and environmental concerns.
  • Accepted a reappointment to the Port of Pittsburgh Commission to continue working to maximize the commercial use of Pennsylvania waterways.
  • Accepted an appointment to serve as the Vice Chair of the Senate Transportation Committee which provides oversight of all operations related to the Commonwealth’s multimodal transportation system, including legislation and policy on roads and bridges, public transportation, railroads, airports, and ports.

Health Care

  • Co-sponsored legislation to strengthen Pennsylvania’s no-cost breast cancer screening law by ensuring diagnostic imaging is fully covered, removing financial barriers for patients. This legislation was passed and signed into law on Nov. 24, 2025.
  • Introduced legislation to require insurance coverage for prostate cancer screenings for high-risk individuals, removing the financial barrier that obstructs screening and impedes early detection.
  • Voted to protect thousands of Pennsylvania seniors from losing access to life-sustaining prescription medications by extending the practice of excluding Social Security cost-of-living adjustments when calculating income eligibility for the PACE and PACENET programs.
  • Introduced legislation to establish a grant program to further develop, expand, and improve recovery support services provided in the Commonwealth and provide for enhanced opioid overdose awareness.

State Grant Funding Awards

  • Secured more than $3 million in Gaming Economic Development Tourism Fund (GEDTF) grants for community development projects throughout Allegheny County, including waterline replacement, sanitary sewer rehabilitation, park upgrades, flood control improvements, traffic signal modernization, ADA-accessible playgrounds and trails, stormwater system renewal, emergency infrastructure planning and enhancements to community gathering spaces.
  • Secured more than $3 million in state funding for critical infrastructure, public safety, recreation, and community development projects throughout the 37th Senatorial District through the Commonwealth Financing Authority’s Local Share Account and Act 13 Programs, which support projects that improve the quality of life for Pennsylvania residents.
  • Secured more than $1.67 million from the Commonwealth Financing Authority (CFA) for vital community development projects aimed at enhancing public infrastructure, safety, and quality of life for residents.
  • Secured nearly $300,000 in Neighborhood Assistance Program (NAP) grants to help local organizations revitalize neighborhoods, expand workforce and educational programs, and provide critical support for low-income families.
  • Secured more than $1 million in Multimodal Transportation Fund grants for four key infrastructure projects to enhance transportation safety, connectivity, and economic growth in the region.
  • Secured more than $340,000 in state funding for a new pumper tanker for the Ohio Township Volunteer Fire Company.
  • Secured a $460,000 low-interest loan through the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority (PENNVEST) to support the Franklin Park Borough in addressing critical stormwater management and water quality issues.
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