The divided Pennsylvania legislature passed fewer laws and held fewer voting days over the past two years than in most sessions in recent history.

That dynamic is likely to persist when the new session starts in January, after an election in which Democrats clung to their narrow majority in the lower chamber and the balance of power didn’t shift in the upper one.

Despite operating in a divided government, lawmakers managed to pass some notable bills in 2023 and 2024. Among them: a major boost in education funding, new business-focused tax credits, streamlining approvals for certain construction permits, expansion of a rebate on property taxes and rent for older and disabled people, and a law regulating the health care middlemen known as pharmacy benefit managers.

Lofty goals are on the table for 2025 and 2026. Democratic leaders want to strike a deal to send more money to struggling public transit agencies, which Republicans who control the state Senate have signaled they’re open to working on — as long as there’s a dedicated revenue stream.

Read more at WESA 90.5