State lawmakers are considering proposals to raise Pennsylvania’s minimum wage and regulate data centers.
Each of those measures has cleared one side of the General Assembly; however, in a divided Harrisburg, the bills could still face hurdles and come amid ongoing negotiations over the state budget.
A proposal to extend bar hours in Philadelphia for the World Cup and America’s 250th birthday passed the state House of Representatives on Wednesday, after being approved in the Senate last week.
Legislation authored by Rep. Jason Dawkins, whose district includes much of Frankford and sections of Olney and the Lower Northeast, and backed by Gov. Josh Shapiro, would raise the minimum wage from $7.25 an hour to $11 beginning in January.
From there, the rate would rise to $13 in 2028 before reaching $15 in 2029, with subsequent increases tied to the consumer price index.
Furthermore, the legislation would give Philadelphia, and any other county, the authority to raise its local minimum at a faster pace starting next year, provided the number does not exceed $15 an hour.
The lowest wage for tipped employees would be set at 60% of the minimum, according to the text of the bill.
Pennsylvania’s minimum has been flat for more than 15 years and is currently on par with the lowest allowable by federal law. More than 500,000 state residents earn less than $15 hourly, according to Shapiro’s office.
The measure was approved in the state House of Representatives on Tuesday. Previous attempts to raise the minimum wage have been rejected in the GOP-controlled state Senate.
“There is potential to finding a middle ground for an increase to the minimum wage, but any possible action would need to be a commonsense adjustment, and sensitive to the impact changes would have on small businesses and nonprofit organizations,” Senate Majority Leader Joe Pittman said in a statement.
Another bill passed in the House this week would create the first set of state regulations for data centers, which have been popping up around the Commonwealth and the country in recent years.
The legislation would prohibit electric companies from passing on costs associated with data centers to the general public, in the form of higher bills. Instead, the utilities would be compelled to recoup that cost from the firms operating the centers, according to the bill.
“No one’s electric bill should ever go up because a data center has located to Pennsylvania, but we need to plan ahead to make sure that doesn’t happen,” said Rep. Robert Matzie, the sponsor and a Democrat from Beaver County. “It’s possible to protect ratepayers while still allowing the Commonwealth to reap the economic benefits data centers can bring."
Data companies would be required to pay into a fund for an expanded Low Income Home Energy Assistance program, or LIHEAP, that would grow to include a subsidy for household cooling costs.
Centers would also need to draw a percentage of their electricity from Pennsylvania-based clean energy sources or submit a compliance payment, with the money going toward grants and loans for local clean energy firms.
The proposal passed along largely partisan lines, with only two Republicans – Joe Hogan and Kathleen C. Tomlinson, both of Bucks County – voting in favor.
Bars and other alcohol-serving establishments in Philadelphia may be able stay open until 4 a.m. this summer, if Shapiro signs legislation approved Wednesday.
The bill, sponsored by state Sens. Joe Picozzi and Vince Hughes, would create a “250 permit,” allowing businesses to serve patrons for two hours longer per day than what is listed on their state liquor license.
Proprietors with the special permit would be able to operate with extended hours from June 11 to July 20.
As it currently stands, the permit would cost $500, and participating businesses must take nighttime safety training offered by the city. The municipal government would have the power to reject any application.
While the measure had fairly bipartisan support, 23 House members voted against it, including Rep. Mary Isaacson, a Democrat representing Northern Liberties, Old City, Society Hill, Queen Village and Fishtown.
“There are grave concerns by my constituents with regard to these extensions,” she said in a social media video. “Many of these liquor establishments are located right adjacent or with residential properties adjoining them.”
