Josh Shapiro facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Josh Shapiro
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Official portrait, c. 2023
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| 48th Governor of Pennsylvania | |
| Assumed office January 17, 2023 |
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| Lieutenant | Austin Davis |
| Preceded by | Tom Wolf |
| Attorney General of Pennsylvania | |
| In office January 17, 2017 – January 17, 2023 |
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| Governor | Tom Wolf |
| Preceded by | Bruce Beemer |
| Succeeded by | Michelle Henry |
| Chair of the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners | |
| In office January 3, 2012 – November 17, 2016 |
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| Preceded by | Jim Matthews |
| Succeeded by | Val Arkoosh |
| Member of the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners | |
| In office January 3, 2012 – January 17, 2017 |
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| Preceded by | Joe Hoeffel |
| Succeeded by | Kenneth Lawrence |
| Member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives from the 153rd district |
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| In office January 4, 2005 – January 3, 2012 |
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| Preceded by | Ellen Bard |
| Succeeded by | Madeleine Dean |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Joshua David Shapiro
June 20, 1973 Kansas City, Missouri, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse |
Lori Ferrara
(m. 1997) |
| Children | 4 |
| Residences | Governor's Residence Harrisburg, Pennsylvania |
| Education | University of Rochester (BA) Georgetown University (JD) |
| Signature |  |
Joshua David Shapiro (born June 20, 1973) is an American lawyer and politician. He has been the 48th governor of Pennsylvania since 2023. Before that, he served as the attorney general of Pennsylvania from 2017 to 2023. He was also a member of the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners from 2012 to 2017.
Shapiro grew up in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. He studied political science at the University of Rochester. Later, he earned his law degree from Georgetown University. He worked as an adviser to a U.S. senator. In 2004, Shapiro was elected to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. He represented the 153rd district until 2012.
In 2011, Shapiro was elected to the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners. This was a historic win for his party in the county. He became the chairman of the board. In 2015, the governor appointed him chairman of the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency. Shapiro was elected Pennsylvania attorney general in 2016 and reelected in 2020. In 2022, he won the election for governor of Pennsylvania.
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Early Life and Education
Shapiro was born on June 20, 1973, in Kansas City, Missouri. He grew up in Dresher, a town in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. His father, Steven Shapiro, is a pediatrician. When he was young, Shapiro started a letter-writing program called "Children for Avi." This program supported Russian Jewish families who were not allowed to leave their country.
He attended Akiba Hebrew Academy, now called Jack M. Barrack Hebrew Academy. Shapiro played basketball in high school and was a team captain. He went to the University of Rochester and studied political science. In 1992, he became the first freshman to be elected student body president. He graduated with high honors in 1995. While working in Washington, D.C., he studied law at Georgetown University Law Center. He earned his law degree in 2002.
Early Career in Government
Working on Capitol Hill
After college, Shapiro moved to Washington, D.C. He worked for Senator Carl Levin and Representative Peter Deutsch. He also served as a senior adviser to Senator Robert Torricelli. During this time, Shapiro helped plan trips to the Middle East and Asia. This included a visit to North Korea.
From 1999 to 2003, he was the Chief of Staff for Representative Joe Hoeffel. Hoeffel represented parts of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania.
Serving in the Pennsylvania House
In 2004, Shapiro ran for the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. He campaigned on increasing education funding and improving health care access. He won the election by a good margin. He was reelected three more times, serving until 2012.
As a state representative, Shapiro was known for working with people from different political parties. He helped find common ground on important issues. For example, he helped elect a moderate Republican as Speaker of the House. This showed his ability to build agreements. Shapiro was also an early supporter of Barack Obama for president in 2008.
From 2006 to 2017, Shapiro also worked as a corporate lawyer in Philadelphia.
Leading Montgomery County
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In 2011, Shapiro was elected to the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners. This was a big moment because it was the first time his party gained control of the board. Shapiro became the chairman. He worked on social services and county administration.
Even a Republican member of the board, Bruce Castor, praised Shapiro's work. Castor called him "the best county commissioner I ever knew." He also said Shapiro was "very good at arriving at consensus." During his time, the board made changes to how the county spent money and managed pensions. In 2015, Governor Tom Wolf named Shapiro the Chair of the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency.
Pennsylvania Attorney General
Shapiro announced he would run for Pennsylvania Attorney General in 2016. He promised to bring trust back to the office. He had support from important figures like President Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton. He won the Democratic primary election in April 2016. In November 2016, he won the general election.
Shapiro was reelected as Attorney General in 2020. He received more votes than any other candidate in Pennsylvania history.
Key Actions as Attorney General
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In 2019, Shapiro worked to make sure people with Highmark insurance could still see their doctors at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. His efforts helped 1.9 million people keep their doctors.
He also settled a large case where a company, Glenn O. Hawbaker Inc., had to pay nearly $21 million to workers. This was the biggest case of its kind in U.S. history. Shapiro also joined a lawsuit against ITT Technical Institute, a for-profit school. This led to a $168 million settlement, with about $5 million going to Pennsylvania students.
Shapiro sometimes had disagreements with Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner. They had different ideas on how to handle certain legal issues. Shapiro also took action against state officials who misused public funds. For example, he charged a state representative with theft for misusing charity money. Another representative was charged with theft for filing false expense reports.
Running for Governor in 2022
Many people expected Shapiro to run for governor. On October 13, 2021, he officially announced his candidacy. His campaign raised a record amount of money. He ran unopposed in the Democratic primary election. This meant he was the only Democratic candidate.
Shapiro's campaign focused on protecting voting rights and raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour. He also supported cutting Pennsylvania's corporate tax rate. He proposed hiring more police officers across the state. On COVID-19, he preferred educating people about vaccines rather than mandating masks or vaccines. He also suggested expanding clean energy and investing in electric car infrastructure.
He proposed a plan for a $250 gas tax refund for families. He also wanted to increase career and technical training in high schools. Shapiro supported unions and said he would veto any "right to work" laws. These laws can make it harder for unions to operate.
Support and Election Results
Current Governor Tom Wolf endorsed Shapiro. Many other political leaders and unions also supported him. Eight former Republican officials even endorsed Shapiro. They called his opponent "extreme" and "divisive."
On November 8, 2022, Shapiro won the election. He defeated his opponent with 56.5% of the vote. His victory was strong across the state. Many people who voted for President Joe Biden in 2020 also voted for Shapiro. He also gained support from independent voters and some supporters of Donald Trump.
Governor of Pennsylvania (2023–present)
On January 17, 2023, Shapiro was sworn in as governor. He is the third Jewish governor in Pennsylvania's history. He is also the state's first governor from Generation X.
Working for Pennsylvania
Shapiro has focused on growing Pennsylvania's workforce. The day after becoming governor, he signed an order. This order removed the four-year college degree requirement for most state government jobs. He also created a program to help companies find skilled workers. This program could use up to $400 million for job training.
He also removed the college education requirement for state police cadets. This was done to help increase the number of police applicants. In September, he created an artificial intelligence board. This board helps state employees serve Pennsylvanians better.
Shapiro has worked to reduce the power of outside companies over state pension funds. He appointed new people to the board that manages these funds. He also helped resolve a strike by transit officers in Philadelphia. This led to a new contract and a pay raise for the officers.
Shapiro has proposed raising Pennsylvania's minimum wage from $7.25 to $15 per hour. The state has not raised its minimum wage since 2009.
Improving Transportation
In February 2023, Shapiro criticized a railway company after a train carrying chemicals derailed near the Pennsylvania border. He called for the company to be safer.
On June 11, 2023, part of Interstate 95 collapsed in Philadelphia. Shapiro quickly declared a disaster emergency. He provided state funds for reconstruction. The collapsed highway section was rebuilt in less than two weeks. Shapiro received much praise for his quick response. President Biden said Shapiro did "one heck of a job."
Shapiro has also proposed investing more money in public transit systems. This would help fund transit until 2029.
Supporting Education
Shapiro supported a plan to give money to families for private school tuition. This would help children in struggling public schools. However, he later dropped his support to avoid delays in the state budget.
He permanently extended a program that provides free breakfast to all public-school students in Pennsylvania. This program was part of the 2023 state budget. Shapiro also proposed a large increase in funding for public schools in the 2024 budget. This included more money for special education and financial aid for students.
Other Important Issues
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In September 2023, Shapiro announced that Pennsylvania would start automatic voter registration. This means people will be registered to vote when they get their driver's licenses. They will have the choice to opt out.
Shapiro condemned an attack on Donald Trump at a rally in Pennsylvania. He ordered flags to be flown at half-mast to honor a man who died protecting his family at the rally.
In November 2024, Shapiro signed an order to create the Pennsylvania Permit Fast Track Program. This program will make it faster to get permits for large construction projects.
Considering National Roles
After President Biden decided not to run for reelection in 2024, some people thought Shapiro might run for president. Shapiro said he was not interested and supported Vice President Kamala Harris. His quick support for Harris led to speculation that he could become her running mate. However, Harris ultimately chose another governor. Shapiro is now seen as a possible candidate for president in 2028.
Personal Life
Shapiro met his wife, Lori, in ninth grade. They both attended Akiba Hebrew Academy. They dated in high school and reconnected after college. Shapiro proposed to her in Jerusalem in 1997, and they married that year.
Shapiro and his wife have four children. They live in the Governor's Residence in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Shapiro is an observant Conservative Jew and keeps kosher.
Images for kids
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Josh Shapiro's signature
See also
In Spanish: Josh Shapiro para niños
- List of Jewish American jurists
