Feb. 13, 2025
HARRISBURG – To further spread transparency in state government, Rep. Seth Grove (R-Dover) will soon introduce legislation to require public-private partnerships, such as the Team PA Foundation, created through a governor’s executive order to adhere to Pennsylvania’s Right to Know laws and produce yearly financial reports.
“Public-private partnerships can be beneficial to taxpayers. That doesn’t mean legislative oversight can be side-stepped,” Grove said. “Since Team PA was created, it has funneled funds to sitting governors, including Gov. Josh Shapiro, to cover the costs to attend countless sporting events, such as the Super Bowl. This raises questions about transparency, particularly when it comes to the gift ban the executive branch imposed on itself.”
Grove’s forthcoming bill would require public-private partnerships created under executive orders to comply with the Right to Know law and require them to craft annual comprehensive financial reports to be filed with the governor and the General Assembly. It would also require such partnerships to publicly disclose all purchases made on behalf of the governor, or any other elected or appointed officials in the state, by 10 business days of the purchase and require them to comply with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, a federal law that helps protect investors from fraudulent financial reporting by corporations.
Team PA recently made headlines when it was revealed it covered the cost for Gov. Josh Shapiro to attend his second Super Bowl as governor. The trip was paid for by anonymous donors who contributed to a foundation fund called the Pennsylvania Growth Partnership, which receives financial gifts from unknown donors to promote the governor nationally and internationally.
“What is known is the governor has had the fortune of attending at least seven sporting events, including the latest Super Bowl, at no cost to himself,” Grove said. “Clearly a lot of questions remain. The best way to get answers is through increased transparency at all levels of government.”
Representative Seth Grove
196th District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Greg Gross
717.260.6374
ggross@pahousegop.com
RepGrove.com / Facebook.com/RepSethGrove