Bill proposing to increase state minimum wage passes in Pa. House
PITTSBURGH’S ACTION NEWS FOUR AT FOUR STARTS NOW. AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US FOR 4:00. I’M ANDREW STOCKEY AND I’M KELLY SASSO. HERE ARE YOUR TOP STORIES AT 4:00 STARTING WITH OUR BREAKING NEWS. PEOPLE ACROSS SEVERAL BEAVER COUNTY COMMUNITIES ARE GETTING THEIR WATER SERVICE BACK. BUT NOW A BOIL WATER ADVISORY HAS JUST BEEN ISSUED. AT ONE POINT OVER 22,000 CUSTOMERS IN ALIQUIPPA LOST THEIR WATER, AND THOSE WHO DID GET IT BACK SAY PRESSURE HAS BEEN VERY LOW. ANOTHER STAFFER AT LAUREL HIGHLANDS HIGH SCHOOL HAS BEEN ARRESTED. POLICE TOOK DANIEL CERVONI INTO CUSTODY THIS MORNING FOR ALLEGATIONS OF INAPPROPRIATE CONTACT WITH A MINOR. WE’RE TOLD CERVONI IS A JROTC INSTRUCTOR. ICE AGENTS ARE ON THE GROUND AT PITTSBURGH INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, WHERE ONE OF MULTIPLE U.S. AIRPORTS WHERE AGENTS HAVE BEEN DEPLOYED AMID THE PARTIAL GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN. AND THIS MORNING’S COMMUTE WAS A BIT OF A NIGHTMARE. DEPENDING ON WHICH ROAD YOU CHOOSE TO USE. A NUMBER OF CRASHES WERE REPORTED, INCLUDING ROLLOVERS ON THE PARKWAY NORTH AND ALONG ROUTE 28. AND THOSE ARE YOUR TOP STORIES. AFTERNOON. TIME. NOW CHECK OUT PITTSBURGH’S ACTION WEATHER. YEAH, AT LEAST YOU GOT SOME NICE SUNSHINE WHILE YOU WERE SITTING IN THOSE BACKUPS TODAY. IT LOOKS BEAUTIFUL OUTSIDE. WE HAVE METEOROLOGIST BRIAN HUTTON JUNIOR HERE WITH A LOOK AT THE FORECAST TEMPERATURES, THOUGH NOT QUITE MATCHING WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE. OH NOT AT ALL. NO. THE SUN IS OUT, BUT IT DOESN’T FEEL LIKE THE SUN IS OUT. TEMPERATURES ARE STRUGGLING TO WARM UP TODAY. WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA AND WE ARE GOING TO KEEP WARMING THOUGH, AS WE HEAD THROUGH THURSDAY. THAT IS WHEN WE ARE WATCHING OUR NEXT SYSTEM GET HERE. MOST OF THE RAIN ARRIVES LATE IN THE DAY ON THURSDAY, AND THAT WILL CONTINUE INTO FRIDAY MORNING. BECAUSE OF THAT, THURSDAY AND FRIDAY ARE NOW IMPACT DAYS. WE COULD SEE A SHOWER EARLY, BUT AGAIN THE BEST TIMING GETS HERE. AFTER ABOUT 8:00 ON THURSDAY EVENING AND MOST OF THE RAIN SHOULD EXIT FRIDAY MORNING BY ABOUT 8:00. AND SO IT’S KIND OF AN 8:08 P.M. TO EIGHT. A RAIN SHOWERS FOR US. AND THEN WE WILL DRY OUT, BUT BE MUCH COOLER AS WE HEAD THROUGH THE WEEKEND. AND TEMPERATURES IN THE 40S ACROSS THE BOARD. MORGANTOWN’S KNOCKING ON 50, THOUGH AT 4947. WAYNESBURG 46. MONROEVILLE 45 DEGREES IN KITTANNING. WE’LL MAKE IT TO 61, THOUGH TOMORROW. THAT’S MORE LIKE IT. 70 THURSDAY. BEFORE THOSE RAIN SHOWERS KNOCK US BACK TO THE 40S TO START THE WEEKEND. THE GOOD NEWS? WE ARE WARMING ALL OF NEXT WEEK. 56 ON SUNDAY IS THE COOLEST DAY AS WE HEAD INTO NEXT WEEK. ABOUT WHAT TIME CAN WE START EXPECTING 60S AND 70S CONSISTENTLY? SO OUR AVERAGE HIGH GETS BACK TOWARDS 60 AS WE HEAD INTO APRIL. SO NEXT MONTH WE’LL START ACTUALLY REALLY WARMING UP, WHICH WERE CLOSE TO APRIL. JUST A COUPLE DAYS, JUST A COUPLE. I CAN TELL WITH THE SPRING COLORS. YOU ARE TODAY. ALL RIGHT. THANKS SO MUCH, BRIAN. NOW FOR THE SECOND TIME IN TWO WEEKS, A TEACHER AT LAUREL HIGHLANDS HIGH SCHOOL HAS BEEN ARRESTED ON CHARGES OF SEXUAL RELATIONS WITH A STUDENT. THIS IS OUR FIRST LOOK AT DANIEL CERVONI, THE JROTC INSTRUCTOR WAS TAKEN INTO CUSTODY THIS MORNING. SEVEN COUNTS DATE BACK TO 2019. BUT STATE POLICE ARE TELLING US IT IS NOT RELATED TO THE PREVIOUS ARREST, BUT THEY DO CONNECT TO EACH OTHER. PITTSBURGH’S ACTION NEWS FOUR REPORTER HAS BEEN FOLLOWING THIS STORY FOR US ALL DAY. HE IS LIVE NOW AT HIGHLANDS HIGH SCHOOL. AND WHAT DO POLICE MEAN BY THE CASES ARE CONNECTED? WELL, KELLY, INVESTIGATORS GOT A CALL YESTERDAY AFTER MARTIN WAS ARRESTED LAST WEEK. IT WAS FROM A WOMAN WHO CLAIMED THAT SHE AND DANIEL HAD SEXUAL RELATIONS FREQUENTLY WHEN SHE WAS A SOPHOMORE AT LH IN 2019. INVESTIGATORS TODAY TOLD US THAT THEY BELIEVE THAT SHE CAME FORWARD AFTER THE CHARGES AGAINST GATTI WERE MADE PUBLIC, AND THEN HER ALLEGED RELATION WITH CERVONI CAME TO LIGHT. AND THAT ALL HAPPENED IN THE. IN THE COURSE OF TWO WEEKS, AS YOU GUYS MENTIONED. HOWEVER, THE TWO CASES ONCE AGAIN ARE UNRELATED. DANIEL’S CRIMINAL COMPLAINT ALLEGES THAT THE JROTC TEACHER FREQUENTLY HAD RELATIONS WITH THE VICTIM AFTER BEING APPROACHED BY STATE POLICE ON MONDAY AND ESCORTED OUT OF THE SCHOOL. CERVONI ALLEGEDLY ADMITTED TO THE ACCUSATIONS BY THE VICTIM. AT THIS POINT, THE WOMAN WHO MADE THE REPORT ON MONDAY IS THE ONLY KNOWN VICTIM CERVONI HAS HAD RELATIONS WITH. MOST IMPORTANT THING HERE IS FOR ANY OTHER VICTIMS TO COME FORWARD. WE ARE STILL IN AN ACTIVE INVESTIGATION. IT DOESN’T MATTER HOW LONG, IT DOESN’T MATTER. WHEN IT HAPPENED, IF THE PERSON IS STILL IN SCHOOL OR IF THEY’VE LONG GRADUATED. OBVIOUSLY THIS WHOLE THING, A VERY UNFAVORABLE SITUATION THERE FOR THE LAUREL HIGHLANDS SCHOOL DISTRICT. DID THE DISTRICT COME OUT WITH A STATEMENT? NOW, IN LIGHT OF THIS SECOND ARREST. IT DID. KELLY, WHEN I SPOKE EARLIER TO SUPERINTENDENT JESSIE WALLACE, AND HE SENT THE STATEMENT OVER ALLEGATIONS, HE MENTIONED THAT THE THE ADMINISTRATION OFFICE HAD NO KNOWLEDGE OF THIS HAPPENING IN 2019 OR THE YEARS FOLLOWING. AND HE ALSO SAID THAT ON TOP OF THE ALLEGATIONS FROM LAST WEEK AND THE CHARGES THAT THE DISTRICT IS WORKING WITH ALL OF ITS STAFF ABOUT TRAINING WITH APPROPRIATION TOWARDS STUDENTS, THERE’S MORE DETAILS IN THIS CASE COMING FROM INVESTIGATORS AND REACTION FROM THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IN THAT STATEMENT. WE’RE GOING TO BRING THAT ALL TO YOU IN THE REPORTS AT FIVE AND 6:00, COVERING FAYETTE COUNTY TONIGHT AT LAUREL HIGHLANDS HIGH SCHOOL IN LEMONT FURNACE AT DIORIO, PITTSBURGH’S ACTION NEWS FOUR AT. THANK YOU. RIGHT NOW, OUR FIRST LOOK AT THE ICE AGENTS PROVIDING SUPPORT TO TSA AT PITTSBURGH INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. NOW WE’RE ONE OF SEVERAL ACROSS THE COUNTRY WHERE ICE AGENTS HAVE BEEN DEPLOYED AMID TSA CALL OFFS AND EVEN RESIGNATIONS. IT’S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT PITTSBURGH SECURITY LINES HAVE NOT BEEN ANYWHERE AS LONG AS SOME OTHER U.S. AIRPORTS. PITTSBURGH’S ACTION NEWS FOUR REPORTER SHELDON INGRAM IS JOINING US LIVE AT THE AIRPORT, AND, SHELDON, WE UNDERSTAND AGENTS HAVE NOT BEEN SEEN. NOW, IN A FEW HOURS. WELL, BASICALLY, ICE AGENTS HAVE A SMALL PRESENCE HERE AT THE TSA CHECKPOINT, AND THEY ARE NOT INVOLVED IN THE SCREENING PROCESS. NOW, THIS IS THE SCENE A LITTLE EARLIER THIS AFTERNOON AS A FEW AGENTS ARRIVED. AND FOR THE MOST PART, THEY’RE JUST STANDING AROUND AND OBSERVING THE NORMAL FLOW OF TRAVELERS COMING THROUGH THE CHECKPOINT. IT WAS ALSO THE SAME ROUTINE THIS MORNING. NOW, WHILE ALL OF THIS IS HAPPENING, TSA AGENTS, THEY’RE CARRYING ON WITH THEIR NORMAL TASKS. NOW, PASSENGERS COMING INTO PITTSBURGH, THEY SHARE THEIR REACTION TO SEEING ICE AGENTS AT OTHER AIRPORTS LIKE HOUSTON AND CHICAGO. IT’S KIND OF A BREEZE BY. BUT I COULD TELL THEY WERE CATCHING LOOKS FROM PEOPLE. BUT YEAH, THEY WEREN’T REALLY DOING ANYTHING. THEY WERE JUST THERE AT THE GATES. WHAT’S YOUR FEELING ABOUT ICE BEING IN THE AIRPORT? IT’S UNNECESSARY. THOSE ARE SOME OF THE SENTIMENTS WE HEARD THIS AFTERNOON. AGAIN, ICE AGENTS HAVE A VERY SMALL PRESENCE HERE AT THE TSA CHECKPOINT AT PITTSBURGH INTERNATIONAL FOR NOW. ALLEGHENY COUNTY SHELDON INGRAM. PITTSBURGH’S ACTION NEWS FOUR. ALL RIGHT, SHELDON, THANK YOU. ARE CLOSE TO REACHING A DEAL THAT WOULD END THE PARTIAL GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN AND GET TSA WORKERS THEIR PAYCHECKS. ABC’S REENA ROY HAS MORE FROM NEWARK LIBERTY INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. PRESIDENT TRUMP DEPLOYING ICE AGENTS TO AT LEAST 14 AIRPORTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY WITH LONG SECURITY LINES FOR DAYS NOW. AS TSA OFFICERS CALL OUT OF WORK WHILE THEY’RE NOT GETTING PAID DURING THE PARTIAL GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN, WHAT EXACTLY ARE THEY DOING HERE? OTHER THAN INSTILLING FEAR? LET’S OPEN THE GOVERNMENT TO GET THOSE TSA AGENTS PAID INSTEAD OF INVITING MORE OFFICERS. THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION SAYING THE AGENTS WILL HELP MANAGE LONG LINES LIKE THIS ONE AT BUSH AIRPORT IN HOUSTON TODAY. I THINK IT’S WONDERFUL. I SUPPORT IT 100%. DO YOU THINK IT WILL HELP SHORTEN LINES? ABSOLUTELY. BUT THE UNION REPRESENTING TSA WORKERS SAYS ICE AGENTS ARE NOT EQUIPPED TO OPEN A SECURITY LANE AND WORK A LINE. THEY CAN’T DO OUR JOB. WE GO THROUGH RIGOROUS TRAINING TO GET THIS JOB DONE. THEY’RE NOT TRAINED ON EQUIPMENT. THEIR BAG SEARCHES THAT WE DO, THEY’RE NOT TRAINED TO DO THOSE BAGS. THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY SAYS MORE THAN 450 TSA OFFICERS HAVE QUIT DURING THE SHUTDOWN, WHICH HAS GONE ON FOR MORE THAN A MONTH. NATIONWIDE, NEARLY 11% OF TSA OFFICERS CALLED OUT ON MONDAY, ACCORDING TO THE AGENCY, AND CALL OUTS AT NEW YORK’S JFK AND BALTIMORE AIRPORTS TOPPED 30%. AND AT ATLANTA’S HARTSFIELD JACKSON AIRPORT, OFFICIALS SAY MORE THAN 40% CALLED OUT. SENATORS SAY THEY COULD BE CLOSE TO MAKING A DEAL TO FUND DHS AND END THE SHUTDOWN. TWO REPUBLICAN SENATORS SAY THEY’VE SUBMITTED PROPOSALS TO DEMOCRATS WHO HAVE BEEN BLOCKING FUNDING OVER IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT TACTICS, BUT THEY HAVEN’T SIGNED OFF YET. DELTA AIRLINES SAYS IT HAS TEMPORARILY SUSPENDED SPECIALTY SERVICES TO CONGRESS MEMBERS BECAUSE OF RESOURCE CONSTRAINTS, INCLUDING AIRPORT AND REDCOAT SERVICES. SO BECAUSE OF THAT, THEY’LL BE TREATED LIKE ANY OTHER PASSENGER. REENA ROY, ABC NEWS, NEWARK AIRPORT. NOW LET’S HEAD TO LAGUARDIA AIRPORT, WHERE NEW INFORMATION HAS JUST BEEN RELEASED INTO THE DEADLY COLLISION BETWEEN A COMMUTER PLANE AND A FIRE TRUCK. FEDERAL INVESTIGATORS SAY A RUNWAY WARNING SYSTEM DID NOT SOUND AN ALARM BEFORE THAT COLLISION. THE NTSB SAYS THE SYSTEM DIDN’T WORK AS INTENDED BECAUSE THE FIRE TRUCK DID NOT HAVE A TRANSPONDER. WE RARELY, IF EVER, INVESTIGATE A MAJOR ACCIDENT WHERE IT WAS ONE FAILURE. OUR AVIATION SYSTEM IS INCREDIBLY SAFE BECAUSE THERE ARE MULTIPLE MULTIPLE LAYERS OF DEFENSE BUILT IN TO PREVENT AN ACCIDENT. SO WHEN SOMETHING GOES WRONG, THAT MEANS MANY, MANY THINGS WENT WRONG. NOW, TWO PILOTS WERE KILLED IN THAT CRASH. INVESTIGATORS WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THE ROLE OF THE AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS, AND WHETHER THEY WERE DISTRACTED BY AN EMERGENCY WITH ANOTHER PLANE JUST BEFORE THAT CRASH. ALL RIGHT, WE GOT TO TALK ABOUT PITTSBURGH’S ACTION TRAFFIC A LIVE LOOK HERE AT SOME OF OUR MAJOR ROADWAYS. THE EVENING COMMUTE IS JUST BEGINNING, AND SO FAR, SO GOOD. BUT IF YOU WERE A LITTLE LATE THIS MORNING, YOU ARE NOT ALONE. THERE WERE SEVERAL CRASHES THAT LED TO SOME MAJOR BACKUPS AND REALLY LONG DRIVE TIMES. THAT’S RIGHT. WE TRACKED IT ALL THROUGHOUT THE MORNING HERE IN OUR FEED CENTER. A BOX TRUCK ENDED UP ON ITS SIDE, TYING UP TRAFFIC ON THE PARKWAY NORTH FOR HOURS. SKY 4. PITTSBURGH’S ACTION NEWS CHOPPER COVERING THAT SCENE THIS MORNING NEAR THE E STREET EXIT. THIS ALL HAPPENED JUST BEFORE NINE THIS MORNING IN THE SOUTHBOUND LANES. RIGHT NOW, WE’RE WORKING TO FIND OUT IF ANYONE WAS HURT IN THIS CRASH. AND A LIVE LOOK AT THE SQUIRREL HILL TUNNEL. THIS IS WHERE THERE WAS ANOTHER CRASH INVOLVING MULTIPLE VEHICLES THAT CLOSED THE OUTBOUND SIDE OF THE TUNNEL THIS MORNING. WITH THAT, TRAFFIC WAS BACKED UP ALL THE WAY TO OAKLAND. AND A ROLLOVER CRASH WAS REPORTED JUST AFTER 6:00 THIS MORNING ON ROUTE 28. THIS WAS NEAR THE HIGHLAND PARK BRIDGE. LIVE DRIVE FOUR WENT RIGHT PAST THAT AREA AND CAUGHT ONE VEHICLE ON ITS ROOF AND ANOTHER ON THE HILLSIDE. PITTSBURGH’S MAYOR, COREY O’CONNOR IS NOW REOPENING THE APPROVED 2026 CITY BUDGET IN COUNCIL. TODAY, THE MAYOR’S TEAM INTRODUCED BUDGET AMENDMENTS THAT AIM TO ADDRESS WHAT THEY SAY IS MISSING IN THE BUDGET. JUST THREE MONTHS AGO, COUNCIL PASSED A 20% PROPERTY TAX INCREASE. PITTSBURGH’S ACTION NEWS FOUR REPORTER KALEA GUNDERSON LIVE DOWNTOWN TO GET US UP TO SPEED ON ALL THIS. KAYLA. WELL, ANDREW KELLY, THE MAYOR’S CHIEF OF STAFF, SAYS THAT A $25 MILLION GAP IN THE BUDGET NEEDS TO BE FILLED THIS YEAR, AND THAT APPLIES TO JUST THIS YEAR ALONE. NOW, AMENDMENTS MADE IT EXCUSE ME, PROPOSED IN COUNCIL TODAY AIM TO ADDRESS THAT ACCORDING TO THE MAYOR’S CHIEF OF STAFF, DAN GILMAN. HE SAYS THIS IS PART OF AN EFFORT TO FIX THE BUDGET SHORTFALLS OVER THE COURSE OF FIVE YEARS. BUT HE SAYS THE MAYOR’S OFFICE WANTS TO DO THAT WITHOUT CUTTING CORE SERVICES THAT PITTSBURGHERS RELY ON AND WITHOUT RAISING TAXES FURTHER, OR LAYING OFF WORKERS. WE’RE LOOKING AT EVERY CONTRACT, SEEING WHAT CAN BE CUT, WHAT SERVICES ARE WE PAYING FOR THAT WE’RE NOT USING? WE’RE LOOKING AT OUR TRUST FUNDS. WE’RE LOOKING TO PARTNERS LIKE THE GREAT DONATIONS FROM PNC BANK AND UPMC THAT HAVE BEEN ANNOUNCED, AND TALKING TO OTHER PARTNERS THAT WILL BE ANNOUNCING SOON TO ALL COME TOGETHER AS A CITY AND AS A REGION TO GET THE CITY THROUGH THIS HARD YEAR AND MOVE FORWARD WITH A BETTER PLAN. SO IT’S GOING TO BE A PUZZLE OF AS MANY SMALL PIECES PUT TOGETHER AS YOU CAN. AND THIS COMES AFTER COUNCIL FACED THAT DIFFICULT VOTE BACK IN DECEMBER TO INCREASE PROPERTY TAXES BY 20%. KELLY. ANDREW. SO, KELLY, WHAT DID THAT PROPERTY TAX INCREASE ACTUALLY DO? WELL, ANDREW, THE GOAL THERE WAS TO FILL A $30 MILLION BUDGET DEFICIT AND ALSO COVER THE COSTS THAT WERE NEEDED TO HELP IMPROVE THE CITY’S AGING FLEET. NOW THAT IS OF COURSE, STILL WHAT THAT MONEY WENT TO. BUT GILMAN SAYS THAT IF THAT HADN’T HAPPENED, THE CITY WOULD BE IN A MUCH WORSE POSITION RIGHT NOW. YOU CAN HEAR FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS, THOUGH, COMING UP TONIGH
Bill proposing to increase state minimum wage passes in Pa. House
Updated: 8:32 PM EDT Mar 24, 2026
Legislators in the Pennsylvania House passed a bill that would aim to gradually increase the state’s minimum wage.VIDEO: Top stories on Pittsburgh’s Action News 4On Tuesday, House Bill 2189, also known as the Minimum Wage Act of 1968, passed in the Democratic-controlled State House with bipartisan support. The bill seeks to gradually increase the minimum wage from $7.25 per hour to $11 per hour by Jan. 1, 2027. The minimum wage would then increase to $13 per hour in 2028 and $15 per hour in 2029, followed by annual cost-of-living adjustments.In addition, lawmakers said the “bill would give counties the option to implement a $15-per-hour wage sooner and set the minimum wage for tipped employees at 60% of the statewide minimum wage.”If passed, the bill would increase the minimum wage for the first time in 15 years. Following the House’s vote, Governor Josh Shapiro issued a statement, saying,” This is the THIRD year in a row that the House has stepped up to do their part. The ball is now in the Senate Republicans’ court.”Shapiro continued, saying, “It’s time for them to bring this to a vote and send it to my desk.” The bill now moves to the Republican-controlled Senate for consideration. Download the WTAE app to stay connected with breaking news. Sign up for our email newsletters to get breaking news in your inbox.
HARRISBURG, Pa. —
Legislators in the Pennsylvania House passed a bill that would aim to gradually increase the state’s minimum wage.
VIDEO: Top stories on Pittsburgh’s Action News 4
On Tuesday, House Bill 2189, also known as the Minimum Wage Act of 1968, passed in the Democratic-controlled State House with bipartisan support.
The bill seeks to gradually increase the minimum wage from $7.25 per hour to $11 per hour by Jan. 1, 2027. The minimum wage would then increase to $13 per hour in 2028 and $15 per hour in 2029, followed by annual cost-of-living adjustments.
In addition, lawmakers said the “bill would give counties the option to implement a $15-per-hour wage sooner and set the minimum wage for tipped employees at 60% of the statewide minimum wage.”
If passed, the bill would increase the minimum wage for the first time in 15 years.
Following the House’s vote, Governor Josh Shapiro issued a statement, saying,” This is the THIRD year in a row that the House has stepped up to do their part. The ball is now in the Senate Republicans’ court.”
Shapiro continued, saying, “It’s time for them to bring this to a vote and send it to my desk.”
The bill now moves to the Republican-controlled Senate for consideration.
Download the WTAE app to stay connected with breaking news. Sign up for our email newsletters to get breaking news in your inbox.