PA General Assembly & Governor-Elect Transition Updates

Hello all.

As we head into the Thanksgiving holiday, we wanted to share a quick update on where things stand with the General Assembly and Governor-Elect Shapiro’s transition.

Governor-Elect Shapiro

• The Governor-Elect will continue to serve in his current role as Attorney General until his Inauguration as Governor on January 17, 2023
• Akbar Hossain, the Shapiro campaign policy director, has been named Executive Director of the Governor’s Transition Team
• Attached is the November 22 press release announcing the Transition Leadership Board (Chaired by William Sasso, Chairman Emeritus, Stradley Ronon) and the Transition Personnel Committee (Chaired by Lieutenant Governor-Elect Austin Davis)
• According to the Governor-Elect’s press release, the transition will announce key policy advisory committees to help the incoming administration prepare to advance the governor-elect’s priorities after Thanksgiving.
• Governor-Elect Shapiro will have an extra month before he has to introduce his first budget. As a result, he will offer his first budget address on March 7, 2023

Pennsylvania State Senate

1. The Republicans retained their majority and will control the Senate by a vote of 28-22
2. All Senators will be sworn in on Tuesday, January 3, 2023. At that time, Interim Senate President Pro Tempore Kim Ward will make history by becoming the first woman to be elected President Pro Tempore of the Pennsylvania State Senate
3. Both caucuses have named their leadership teams. 
4. In addition, majority and minority chairs for each of the standing committees will be announced closer to Swearing-in Day

As of November 22, 2022, the Senate Republican and Democratic Officers are:

Senate Republican Leadership

• Sen. Kim Ward – Interim Senate President Pro Tempore
• Sen. Joe Pittman – Senate Majority Leader
• Sen. Ryan Aument – Senate Majority Whip
• Sen. Scott Martin – Majority Chair, Senate Appropriations Committee
• Sen. Kristin Phillips Hill – Senate Majority Caucus Chair 
• Sen. Camera Bartolotta – Senate Majority Caucus Secretary
• Sen. Dan Laughlin — Senate Majority Policy Chair
• Sen. Lisa Baker — Senate Majority Administrator 

Senate Democrat Leadership

• Sen. Jay Costa, Jr. – Minority Floor Leader
• Sen. Tina Tartaglione – Minority Whip
• Sen. Vince Hughes – Minority Chair, Appropriations Committee 
• Sen. Tim Kearney – Minority Vice Chair, Appropriations Committee
• Sen. Wayne D. Fontana – Minority Caucus Chair
• Sen. Maria Collett – Minority Caucus Secretary 
• Sen. Judy Schwank – Minority Caucus Administrator
• Sen. Katie Muth — Senate Minority Policy Chair

Pennsylvania State House of Representatives

• As of November 22, 2022, we expect the Pennsylvania State House of Representatives to be comprised of 101 Democrats and 101 Republicans when the Chamber is sworn in on January 3, 2022. There will be one empty seat for certain. Incumbent Tony DeLuca passed away after the deadline to remove his name from the ballot. 
• Incumbent State House Member Summer Lee from Allegheny County won election to Congress AND re-election to her State House Seat. Likewise, incumbent State House Member Austin Davis won his election to become Lieutenant Governor AND re-election to his State House Seat. 
  • Rep. Davis is expected to be sworn in as a member of the House and serve his term until he is later sworn in as Lieutenant Governor on January 17, 2023
  • Even though Congress and the Pennsylvania General Assembly are sworn in on the same day (January 3, 2023), it is likely that Rep. Lee will also be sworn in as a member of the Pennsylvania State House in order to vote for Speaker, then later resign to be sworn in as a new member of Congress
  • At some point early in 2023, there will be three open seats (all of which are safe Democratic seats). When that happens, there will be 101 Republicans and 99 Democrats serving in the State House, effectively giving the House Republicans the majority in the short term
  • It is unclear when the special elections to fill the open seats will occur. If the Democrats ultimately decide, the elections will likely be in March. If the Republicans ultimately decide, the elections will likely be called to coincide with the May 2023 municipal primary elections
• At this point, there seem to be two main options for what happens in the State House on Swearing-In Day:
  • Despite the 101-101 tie, the Governor and House Democrats are able to find a pathway to elect Joanna McClinton as the first female Speaker of the House in history
  • The Republicans and Democrats agree to an interim Speaker and set of rules until the three open seats are filled
• We may not know who the majority and minority chairs for each of the standing committees in the House will be until well after the new year

As of November 22, 2022, the House Republican and Democratic Officers are:

House Democrat Leadership (As of November 22, 2022)

• Rep. Joanna E. McClinton — Democratic Leader
• Rep. Jordan Harris — Democratic Whip
• Rep. Matt Bradford –Democratic Chairman, House Appropriations Committee
• Rep. Ryan Bizzarro — Chairman, House Democratic Policy Committee
• Rep. Tina Davis — Democratic Caucus Secretary
• Rep. Mike Schlossberg — Democratic Caucus Administrator
• Rep. Dan Miller — Democratic Caucus Chairman

House Republican Leadership (As of November 22, 2022)

• Rep. Bryan Cutler — Republican Leader
• Rep. Tim O’Neal — Republican Whip
• Rep. Seth Grove — Republican Chairman, House Appropriations Committee
• Rep. Josh Kail — Chairman, House Republican Policy Committee
• Rep. Martina White — Republican Caucus Secretary
• Rep. Sheryl Delozier – Republican Caucus Administrator
• Rep. George Dunbar — Republican Caucus Chairman

Of course, we will keep everyone posted on all key developments, especially in the State House. In the meantime, if you have any questions about anything, please let us know.

Thanks, and Happy Thanksgiving!