Making Government Work for You

Governor Shapiro is working to cut red tape and make government more responsive, accessible, and accountable to the people who matter most: Pennsylvanians. The Governor has led a whole-of-government effort to improve Pennsylvanians’ customer experience and has been laser focused on making the government’s public- and business-facing services more user-friendly.  

His entire Administration is bought in and already delivering results:  

Established the Commonwealth Office of Digital Experience (CODE PA) to improve online services for Pennsylvanians and streamline the way they interact with the Commonwealth online.

Created the Office of Transformation and Opportunity, a one-stop-shop for businesses looking to grow in Pennsylvania and support transformational economic development. 

Launched first-in-the-nation online money-back guarantee system, increasing certainty for Pennsylvanians and accountability for Commonwealth agencies. 

Required all state agencies to review their processes to approve licenses and permits and created a money-back guarantee if applicants do not receive a response within a certain window. The completed first-ever catalogue included more than 2,400 licenses, permits, and certifications issued by state government.

Signed a final FY2023-24 budget with $6.4 million to modernize and speed up permitting processes at the Department of Environmental Protection and clear permit backlogs.  

Expanded services for the Unemployment Compensation program through the Department of Labor & Industry that offered in-person appointments to claimants to make it easier for Pennsylvanians with limited English proficiency or internet access to receive assistance. Since taking office, the UC Connect program has served over 37,000 individuals.  

The Department of State permitted registered nurses and licensed practical nurses who hold multistate licenses through the interstate Nurse Licensure Compact to practice in the Commonwealth.  

The Shapiro Administration implemented automatic voter registration for eligible Commonwealth residents, joining 23 states that have taken this step to promote election security and save taxpayers time and money. In the first two months, nearly 58,000 voters updated their registration or registered for the first time at the DMV.  

The Administration kicked off the process of developing the Commonwealth’s first comprehensive economic strategy in nearly two decades, with an emphasis on simplifying and streamlining the process for businesses to relocate and expand in Pennsylvania, as well as accessing programs and incentives. 

The Governor signed an Executive Order establishing the Behavioral Health Council to streamline mental health and substance use disorder efforts and improve accessibility to such services in the Commonwealth. 

The Department of Revenue launched new online filing options for non-profits to apply for and renew a Pennsylvania sales tax exemption, transitioning away from paper applications.  

Three credit agencies – Fitch, Moody’s, and S&P’s Global – affirmed the Commonwealth’s responsible budgetary management, upgrading Pennsylvania’s credit rating and rating outlook and saving taxpayers up to $12 million.  

Reduced time to hire for Commonwealth jobs from an average of 87 days at the beginning of 2023 to 66 days in early December 2023.  

The Shapiro Administration has worked to eliminate program backlogs: 

The Department of Labor & Industry fully eliminated a backlog of 40,000 pandemic-era unemployment claims that required individual examination or adjudication just seven months after taking office. 

In six months, the Department of Human Services eliminated its Medicaid provider enrollment application backlog, which stood at 35,000 when Gov. Shapiro took office.

The Department of Health eliminated its backlog of birth certificate amendment requests, which stood at 6,200 when the Governor took office.

Governor Shapiro prioritized government transparency, representation, and communication: 

Nominated the most diverse and qualified Cabinet in Pennsylvania history, including the first female Secretary of the Department of Corrections and the first Black Secretary of the Department of General Services.   

Signed an Executive Order to increase opportunities for small and small diverse businesses to compete for state contracts and make the Commonwealth procurement process more accessible.   

Expanded job opportunities with the Commonwealth by removing the four-year college degree requirement for around 65,000 positions.  

Implemented a three-part ethics package for Cabinet members and executive branch employees with a zero-tolerance policy towards lobbyists and mandatory ethics trainings for more than 1,800 Commonwealth employees.  

Reestablished the Governor’s Advisory Commissions on African American Affairs, Asian American and Pacific Islander Affairs, Latino Affairs, LGBTQ Affairs, and Women – while establishing the new Commission on Next Generation Engagement.  

Launched a new resource to connect directly with Pennsylvanians via text and allow residents to notify the Commonwealth of any abandoned oil or gas wells.  

Hear from Pennsylvanians about the Shapiro-Davis Administration’s Work: