Most headlines never tell the full story. They don’t show the phone calls made during lunch breaks. They don’t show the emails sent late at night. They don’t show the quiet prayers lifted for wisdom, courage, and truth.
But those unseen moments shape what happens in Harrisburg. As we close out 2025, we want you to see clearly what your engagement made possible this year at the Pennsylvania Capitol and into 2026.
We know you care about your family, your community, and the future of our Commonwealth. But for the average citizen, the legislative process is complex and overwhelming. Thousands of bills. Fast-moving votes. Inside language that is hard to track.
That is where PA Family Institute comes alongside you. We monitor the Capitol daily. We strive to explain what matters clearly. And our team works relentlessly to alert you when your voice is needed most. When you act, lawmakers listen. This year proved that again and again.
The Reality We Faced in 2025 and Going Into 2026
The stakes were high from the start. More than 3,500 bills have been introduced in the 2025–2026 session so far, with over 220 directly affecting life, family, parental rights, religious freedom, and the well-being of children.
The Pennsylvania House is operating under a razor-thin partisan split, with Democrat leaders controlling the agenda. The Senate Republican majority remains narrow and vulnerable. Control of the agenda matters at every step. In that environment, bad ideas moved quickly. But thanks to your support, they don’t move uncontested.
The Impact of Your Support
Because you stay informed and engaged, several dangerous efforts have been slowed, stalled, or blocked. Of course, they won’t give up this easily, so the work doesn’t stop.
Sweeping abortion expansion bills advanced out of committee but were met with strong resistance, education, and scrutiny before reaching further action so far. These measures seek to dismantle long-standing safeguards and would open the door to taxpayer-funded elective abortion through all stages of pregnancy.
The Uniform Parentage Act (HB350), which redefined parenthood based on intent rather than biology and treats children as commodities in the surrogacy process, passed the House but has been effectively sidelined in the Senate after sustained opposition.
Marijuana legalization: Despite mounting evidence of harm to families and children, multiple proposed bills would further marijuana commercialization in Pennsylvania:
- SB120 – Marijuana industry-backed commercialization bill, with no THC potency limits, no local opt-out, and would allow marijuana to be grown at home. Status: No votes thus far, introduced to the Senate Law & Justice Committee
- SB49 – Would create a board that removes regulation from the PA Department of Health and give it to an unelected seven-member board. It would also create a fund to pay for marijuana use. (Language is taken directly from SB120.) Status: Passed Senate Law & Justice Committee, but no vote thus far by the full PA Senate.
- HB1200 – State-store model to legalize marijuana for recreational use. Status: Passed the PA House by a party-line vote but was voted down in the Senate Law & Justice committee (chaired by Sen. Dan Laughlin, who favors his SB120 commercialization bill).
Fact: Thanks to many families pushing back against the marijuana industry, another year has passed, and Pennsylvania has again rejected the experiment of recreational legalization; a win for public health and safety.
These outcomes do not happen by chance. They happen because, through your support, legislators heard from our legislative policy team and from thoughtful, informed constituents like you who are paying attention.
Introduced in 2025 and Working to Advance in 2026
At the same time, your support helped advance policies that affirm life and strengthen families.
Protecting Girls’ Sports: The Pennsylvania Senate passed the Save Women’s Sports Act (Senate Bill 9) in a notable bipartisan vote, with unanimous support from Senate Republicans and support from five Democratic Senators.
Status: Currently sits in the House Judiciary Committee, after being re-referred multiple times by PA House Democrat leadership despite PA House Republicans issuing several discharge resolutions to bring the bill up for a vote.
Introduced Legislation: The following good pro-family legislation has been formally introduced but remains stalled in legislative committees, awaiting action in 2026.:
This year, legislation was introduced to create a state adoption tax credit, which would make adoption more accessible and support women who choose life.
Early Human Life Development education legislation was introduced to ensure students learn the biological facts about prenatal development.
Age verification legislation was proposed to protect children from the predatory online pornography industry, building on successful laws already enacted in more than twenty other states.
Do No Harm Act (SB843), introduced by Sen. Judy Ward, legislation that would prohibit medical procedures that harm and mutilate children and protect minors from irreparable gender procedures. It would also prevent our tax dollars from being used for such heinous services.
These proposals reflect a vision for a Pennsylvania that protects vulnerable populations and supports parents.
How This Happens Behind the Scenes
This work is relational and persistent. Our policy team meets with newly elected legislators in person. Every couple of years, we hosted freshman lawmakers for in-depth policy briefings. We build working relationships with caucus leaders and senior staff. We provided legal analysis, expert testimony, and clear messaging at critical moments.
But advocacy only works when lawmakers know their constituents are engaged. Your emails matter. Your calls matter. Your prayers matter.
Lawmakers tell us this directly.
Looking Ahead With Confidence
The challenges are not going away, and the attacks against the sanctity of human life and pro-family policies will continue.
In the new year ahead, we will continue working to protect children online, prepare for emerging threats like assisted suicide, defend parental rights, promote school choice, and preserve religious freedom. But we move forward with confidence.
Because we have seen what happens when informed citizens speak up.
As the year comes to a close, we invite you to take three simple steps:
- Invite your family and friends who care about Pennsylvania’s future to opt in to our legislative email alerts.
- Continue praying for lawmakers, staff, and the work being done on behalf of families.
- Consider making an end-of-year gift to sustain this work.
Your generosity fuels the research, relationships, media relations, and rapid response that made these 2025 wins possible.
Thank You
Because of your prayers, engagement, and financial contributions, harmful legislation was slowed. Because of you, good ideas gained traction. Because of you, Pennsylvania is stronger today than it was a year ago. And by God’s grace, the work continues into the new year with hope.