Spring 2026 Key State Bills to Watch

Several bills moving through the Pennsylvania General Assembly have direct implications for nonprofits heading into the 2026–27 budget season. Here’s what we’re tracking this spring (as of May 6, 2026).

1. Online Raffle Fundraising — Senate Bill (SB) 416 / House Bill (HB) 107
   These companion bills would authorize online and mobile payment options for nonprofit raffle fundraising across Pennsylvania — currently prohibited under state law. SB 416 passed the Senate unanimously and HB 107 is awaiting action in the House Gaming Oversight Committee. PANO supports both. Many nonprofits are unaware that online and mobile payments for small games of chance are restricted; a pandemic-era exemption was lifted, leaving ongoing confusion. This is one of the clearest near-term wins available to the sector this session: straightforward, bipartisan, and directly expands a revenue tool nonprofits already use. Organizations that conduct raffles should contact their House member and urge support.
2. Minimum Wage — House Bill (HB) 1549
   HB 1549 would raise Pennsylvania’s minimum wage, passing the full House 102–101 and now moving to the Senate. Nonprofits should be modeling payroll impacts now, before a Senate vote forces a rapid response. Organizations with large frontline workforces — particularly in human services, housing, and care work — will see the most significant effects. The bill is also embedded in the broader budget debate: Governor Shapiro has argued that a minimum wage increase would reduce Medicaid enrollment by roughly 61,000 workers and save the state approximately $300 million annually, which is part of his pitch to Senate Republicans. More here.
3. State Contracting and Labor Practices — House Bill (HB) 323
   HB 323 would tie state contract and grant eligibility to labor practice compliance for nonprofits with 200 or more employees. Organizations at or near that threshold should be reviewing their labor compliance posture now, before this bill advances further. Engagement with legislators before it reaches a floor vote is the point at which advocacy is most effective.
4. Higher Education Funding and Campus Closures
   Penn State’s $410 million funding request is under pressure as the university prepares to close seven commonwealth campuses after the 2026–27 academic year. This is not just a higher education issue — campus closures in smaller communities will reduce anchor institution presence, shrink the local tax base, affect nonprofit employment pipelines, and increase demand for community services in regions already facing population decline. Nonprofits operating in or near affected campus communities should be paying attention to how this plays out in budget negotiations.
5. Workers’ Compensation for Volunteer Firefighters — House Bill (HB) 2087
   The Pennsylvania House passed HB 2087 by a 199-2 vote, extending workers’ compensation coverage to volunteer firefighters and ambulance corps personnel injured during fundraising activities — closing a gap in current law under which volunteers are covered while responding to emergencies but not while organizing the fundraisers that sustain their organizations. Many volunteer fire companies and ambulance corps are organized as nonprofits, and this bill directly affects their legal and financial exposure. The bill now moves to the Senate.
6. Disability Executive Orders
   Governor Shapiro signed three executive orders on April 15 strengthening protections for Pennsylvanians with disabilities and autism, including new data privacy protections limiting state agency data collection — framed in part as a response to federal proposals to create databases of Americans with autism. The orders also reestablish the Governor’s Advisory Commission on People with Disabilities and the Developmental Disabilities Council. Shapiro’s proposed budget includes $50 million in additional special education funding, a $1 million boost to the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation, and a $3 million investment in modernizing the state’s Aging and Disability Resource Center network. Nonprofits serving people with disabilities should track both executive order implementation and these budget line items as negotiations proceed.