By Blue Views Staff

When Pennsylvanians hear that the state House has “passed a bill,” it can sound as though something has been done.  In reality, it is not even half-way done.  Most of us remember how the process is supposed to work from the I’m Just a Bill song on Schoolhouse Rock: one chamber passes a bill, the other considers it, and if both chambers agree, it goes to the executive (governor).  This is not what we are seeing in real life.

There’s a way for poor ol’ Bill to die without anyone voting against it – they just don’t vote at all.  No one has to stake out an unpopular opinion; no one has to worry about answering to their constituents.  Too often, this is what we are seeing.

During the current legislative session, the Democratic-controlled Pennsylvania House has approved measures dealing with wages, worker safety, education, and more. These bills are supported by people on both sides of the aisle.  However, when they get to the Republican-controlled Senate, too many have been dead-on-arrival – blocked from even coming up for a vote or simply allowed to wallow in committee, never again to see the light of day.

Consider the minimum wage

In March 2026, the House passed House Bill 2189. The bill would set a path to a $15 minimum wage – $11 in 2027, $13 in 2028 and $15 in 2029.  Four House Republicans joined 100 Democrats in voting for it.

The bill reached the Senate on March 30 and was referred to the Labor and Industry Committee, chaired by Republican Sen. Devlin Robinson. As of late August, it has not received a committee vote. Senate Democrats even filed a resolution looking to discharge the bill from committee and force further consideration.

According to a February 2026 Quinnipiac poll of Pennsylvania registered voters[i], 66% of Pennsylvania voters support a $15 minimum wage. 

That raises a fair question for voters: Why is a proposal which is supported by two out of three Pennsylvania voters stuck in a Republican-controlled committee?

It is not an isolated example.

House Bill 308 would create workplace health and safety protections for Pennsylvania public employees. The House passed it in April 2025 with 9 Republicans joining 102 Democrats in support. It was referred to the same Senate Labor and Industry Committee on April 30, 2025.  Since then?  Crickets.   

House Bill 819 would create grants intended to expand student access to enhanced education programs, including help with exam fees for lower-income students. It passed the House in April 2025.  That wasn’t a party-line vote – nearly one third of House Republicans joined House Democrats in supporting it.   The bill was referred to the Senate Education Committee, chaired by Republican Sen. Lynda Schlegel Culver.  More than sixteen months later, it is still there.  No committee vote.

Why are Senate Republicans opposed to helping our students excel?

And then there’s House Bill 846, which changes Pennsylvania’s prevailing-wage rules for public construction projects.  It passed the House in June 2025 with 19 Republicans joining all Democrats and was referred to the Senate Labor & Industry Committee on June 18.

It remains there.  Again: no committee vote.

But the Senate is Separate!

Yes, it is.  None of this means the Senate is obligated to pass legislation simply because the House does. Senators may oppose a bill for any number of reasons, and disagreement between chambers is a normal part of representative government.  

But there is an important distinction between voting against a proposal and never voting on it at all.  A recorded vote tells constituents where their elected officials stand. And that matters.

If Republican Senators oppose a $15 minimum wage, they can vote no.

If they oppose grants that help students, they can vote no.

If they oppose any Bill coming out of the House, they can vote no. 

Ask yourself as you prepare to vote this November: do I want a government that passes laws to help Pennsylvanians, or do I want a government that hides behind procedural minutiae?

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[i] https://poll.qu.edu/poll-release?releaseid=3948