HARRISBURG — Sen. Devlin Robinson (R-37) announced today several of his top legislative priorities were included in the finalized 2026-27 state budget, including providing an additional $12 million for Pennsylvania’s rape crisis centers, nearly doubling state support for organizations that provide critical services to survivors of sexual violence at no cost to victims.
The budget also provides long-awaited cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) for a subset of Pennsylvania teachers, state employees, and some municipal police and firefighters; expands the Ready to Succeed Scholarship Program; and makes key investments to support families, seniors, individuals with disabilities, and veterans — all while avoiding tax increases and protecting the state’s fiscal future.
“Pennsylvania families are facing higher costs for nearly everything, and this budget takes meaningful steps to make life more affordable while forcing government to spend within its means,” Robinson said. “I’m especially proud that we increased support for rape crisis centers, ensuring survivors have access to the care and resources they need during some of the most difficult moments of their lives.”
Pennsylvania’s rape crisis centers are legally required to provide 24/7/365 services, including Hotline calls and in-person accompaniment to emergency rooms following a reported assault. Organizations like Pittsburgh Action Against Rape (PAAR) and the Pennsylvania Coalition to Advance Respect (PCAR) have long said that providing these critical services under current budget constraints had become increasingly difficult, and that without increased funding, those services would need to be cut back.
The budget also provides long-awaited cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) for Pennsylvania teachers and state employees who retired before Act 9 of 2001, a proposal sponsored by Robinson, Sen. Frank Farry (R-6), and other Republican senators. Additionally, the final budget agreement provided a COLA to eligible municipal police and firefighters.
All of these retirees – commonly known as the ‘pre-Act 9’ class – retired in the early 2000s at much lower salaries than current employees. In fact, their average pension benefit is less than $20,000. Further, they did not receive the pension benefit enhancements under Act 9 of 2001 and have now gone more than 20 years without a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA).
“This subset of retired teachers, state employees, and municipal police and firefighters have gone decades without a cost-of-living adjustment causing many to struggle to afford basic necessities like food and medications,” said Robinson. “These are Pennsylvanians who dedicated their careers to serving our communities, and they deserve relief.”
The budget expands eligibility requirements for the Ready to Succeed Scholarship Program, building on Robinson’s legislation to help more Pennsylvania students access scholarships that make higher education more affordable.
“Students shouldn’t have to put their futures on hold because of financial barriers,” Robinson said. “Expanding the Ready to Succeed Scholarship Program opens more doors for students while strengthening Pennsylvania’s workforce.”
Additional budget measures supported by Robinson include:
- Increased funding by $5 million to help childcare providers recruit and retain employees.
- Additional funding for nursing homes to improve care for seniors and strengthen long-term care services.
- Increased investments by more than $104 million in services for individuals with intellectual disabilities.
- Increased funding by 10% for the Paralyzed Veterans Pension Fund.
“This budget is a meaningful step in the right direction, but there is still work ahead to put Pennsylvania on a stronger long-term financial path,” Robinson said. “I will continue working to protect taxpayers and support policies that make our commonwealth a better place to live, work, and raise a family.”
The budget agreement negotiated by Senate Republicans reduces spending proposed in Gov. Josh Shapiro’s original budget request by more than $1.1 billion, requires no withdrawals from the state’s Rainy Day Fund, avoids broad-based tax increases, and puts Pennsylvania on a more sustainable fiscal path.