An airline pilot, Jarrett was born and raised in the Lehigh Valley and lives with his wife, Katie, with their three children and dogs.

He is a graduate of Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University with a Bachelor of Science in Aeronautics and a Master of Business Administration.

About - Senator Coleman

Jarrett Coleman was born and raised in the Lehigh Valley. He earned a Bachelor of Science in aeronautics and a Master of Business Administration from Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University. He lives in the Lehigh Valley with his wife, Katie, and their three children.

Jarrett Coleman, a ninth generation Pennsylvanian, was elected to the State Senate in November 2022 to represent the people of the 16th Senate District.

He chairs the Senate Intergovernmental Operations Committee, the panel responsible for reviewing proposals to restructure and streamline state government.

He was previously elected to the Parkland School Board in Lehigh County, where he was a voice for parents seeking transparency, and taxpayers seeking an advocate to curb wasteful spending.

Jarrett was elected to the Pennsylvania State Senate representing the 16th Senate District in 2022. He was previously elected to the Parkland School Board in Lehigh County.

2026 Pennsylvania General Election 

Coleman: According to the Home Builders Association of Pennsylvania, nearly one-third of the cost of a new home comes from complying with state and local regulations. On average, that means roughly $100,000 of a home’s price comes down to red tape. I’ve sponsored multiple bills to cut that red tape and give property owners more flexibility, so more homes come onto the market. Senate Bill 1239, for example, takes a targeted approach focused on multifamily, mixed-use and adaptive reuse projects.

Election 2026: Jarrett Coleman, Mark Pinsley discuss affordability, election integrity, data centers in critical state Senate race

Their opposition has stymied the regulatory reform we need to open up the housing market to the creative approaches that will solve our area’s affordability challenges. Affordability goes beyond home building too. I also sponsored Senate Bill 728 to repeal the state gas tax, which would save consumers 57.6 cents per gallon. I also voted to repeal Pennsylvania’s gross receipts tax on electric bills, which would save ratepayers nearly $2 billion a year.

My Commitment

I’ll keep fighting for budgets that protect taxpayers by:

Limiting spending to inflationary growth and available revenue
Preserving a strong Rainy Day Fund for real emergencies and to maintain our credit rating
Identifying efficiencies across state government during budget hearings

Pennsylvania’s Budget Reality: Time for Discipline - Senator Coleman

Sponsored bills to reduce regulations and expand flexibility for multifamily, mixed-use, and adaptive-reuse housing projects.

Sponsored Senate Bill 728 to repeal Pennsylvania's state gas tax.

Sponsored a bill to repeal Pennsylvania's state gas tax.

Plans to limit state spending growth to inflation and available revenue, preserve the Rainy Day Fund, and identify government efficiencies.

- Sponsored bills to reduce regulations and expand flexibility for multifamily, mixed-use, and adaptive-reuse housing projects.
- Sponsored a bill to repeal Pennsylvania's state gas tax.
- Plans to limit state spending growth to inflation and available revenue, preserve the Rainy Day Fund, and identify government efficiencies.

Economy

School districts ended the 2024-25 school year with $7.2 billion in general fund reserves, up $2.3 billion since 2020-21. The auditor general found in 2023 that district practices undercut the law meant to stop tax increases when funds are available. That’s why I introduced Senate Bill 1192, which requires voter approval of every school district tax increase. Before asking families for more, districts should have to make their case to voters.

That is how we support our schools and protect taxpayers without raising taxes. Every child deserves an opportunity to learn in a way that matches their needs, and that’s why I’ve also championed education choice. Children shouldn’t be trapped in a failing school because of their ZIP code. I have consistently supported expanding scholarship tax credits and creating a broader voucher system, and that support will continue in the future.

Sen. Jarrett Coleman’s (R-16) public school financial transparency legislation, Senate Bill 698, was advanced out of the Senate Education Committee this week.

Senate Bill 698 requires public-school entities, including school districts, charter schools and cyber charter schools, to determine the value of any property they intend to acquire.

Coleman’s Public School Financial Transparency Bill Advances from Committee - Senator Coleman

Under the bill, a school entity must consult with a certified real estate appraiser authorized under Pennsylvania law to establish a property’s value. By applying the same standard across all public schools, the bill creates a consistent and straightforward approach to real estate valuation.

The bill requires the appraisal to be made available to the public under Pennsylvania’s Right‑to‑Know Law. This ensures community members can easily review the basis for real estate decisions and how public funds are being spent.

Introduced Senate Bill 1192 to require voter approval for every school district tax increase.

Introduced a bill to require voter approval for every school district tax increase.

Supports expanding scholarship tax credits and creating a broader school voucher system.

Advocates requiring public-school entities to obtain and publicly disclose appraisals before acquiring property.

- Introduced a bill to require voter approval for every school district tax increase.
- Supports expanding scholarship tax credits and creating a broader school voucher system.
- Advocates requiring public-school entities to obtain and publicly disclose appraisals before acquiring property.

Education

Parsing a hospital bill is a nightmare, and it’s rarely clear what we owe until it’s too late.

I’ve sponsored two bills to address this. Senate Bill 752 would add teeth to price transparency requirements so you can compare prices ahead of time. Senate Bill 1289, the Patient Right-to-Understand Act, would require concise, plain-language summaries of coverage, costs and patient rights before care begins, so families understand what they owe and what options they have.

HARRISBURG – The state Senate today passed legislation authored by Sen. Lisa Boscola (D-18) and Sen. Jarrett Coleman (R-16) that would phase out, and ultimately ban, a toxic chemical additive found in most intravenous (IV) bags and other medical devices.

Senate Bill 804 sets a timeline to phase out DEHP in medical devices in Pennsylvania by 2035. Additionally, the bill prohibits the use of other toxic chemicals, known as ortho-phthalates, as replacements for DEHP.

Senate Passes Bipartisan Proposal to Phase Out Toxic Additives in IV Bags and Other Medical Devices - Senator Coleman

Sponsored bills to strengthen hospital price transparency and require plain-language summaries of coverage, costs, and patient rights before care.

Co-authored Senate Bill 804 to phase out and ban certain toxic chemical additives in intravenous bags and other medical devices.

- Sponsored bills to strengthen hospital price transparency and require plain-language summaries of coverage, costs, and patient rights before care.
- Co-authored Senate Bill 804 to phase out and ban certain toxic chemical additives in intravenous bags and other medical devices.

Healthcare

Voters deserve better, and properly testing election equipment before Election Day is a straightforward way to build public confidence. I introduced Senate Bill 313 to strengthen equipment testing and set statewide standards, making preelection logic and accuracy testing predictable and transparent. The bill also creates a criminal penalty for election officials who knowingly falsify testing records: a misdemeanor punishable by up to a $1,000 fine, two years in prison, or both.

Together, these provisions reduce the risk of programming errors and strengthen trust in our elections. I’ve also supported multiple bills, including a constitutional amendment, to require voter ID in Pennsylvania. Asking someone to prove who they are before casting a ballot isn’t controversial.

Introduced Senate Bill 313 to establish statewide election-equipment testing standards and penalties for officials who falsify testing records.

Introduced a bill to establish statewide election-equipment testing standards and penalties for officials who falsify testing records.

Supports requiring voter identification in Pennsylvania.

- Introduced a bill to establish statewide election-equipment testing standards and penalties for officials who falsify testing records.
- Supports requiring voter identification in Pennsylvania.

Voting & Elections

Senate Bill 1262, with Coleman’s unanimously agreed-to amendment, would require side stop signal arm enforcement systems used by schools be approved by PennDOT and that any approved system verifies a school bus driver used the amber and red signals in accordance with state law so erroneous citations are not issued.

Coleman Measure Targeting Erroneous Tickets Passes Senate with Near-Unanimous Support - Senator Coleman

Secured an amendment requiring state approval and verification of school-bus stop-arm camera signals before citations are issued.

- Secured an amendment requiring state approval and verification of school-bus stop-arm camera signals before citations are issued.

Public Safety

Other areas welcome these projects, so the bill balances local control with the statewide impact they can have on energy and infrastructure. I also believe data centers shouldn’t just be self-sufficient. They should be required to generate excess power that feeds back into the grid, lowering prices for everyone else.

Meanwhile, other PJM members have retired generation capacity, leaving a gap we are asked to fill. I proposed Senate Resolution 185 to study, among other things, the pros and cons of leaving PJM. Shouldering the lion’s share of generation while paying higher prices isn’t fair to Pennsylvanians, and we should look closely at the alternatives.

I also introduced Senate Bill 897, a backstop that lets utilities build or invest in new power plants when the Public Utility Commission finds our region is running short on supply, so we aren’t relying on the market alone to keep the lights on.

HARRISBURG – Sen. Jarrett Coleman (R-16) and Rep. Jamie Walsh (R-117) have introduced a package of bills in the Senate and the House of Representatives to repeal the tax break being given to data centers to locate in Pennsylvania and allowing municipalities to place a moratorium on data center development applications.

Coleman, Walsh Seek to Combat Data Center Spread - Senator Coleman

Senate Bill 1345 and House Bill 2533 would give municipalities the option of placing an 18-month moratorium on both unapproved and new data center applications so they can revise zoning ordinances and establish policies addressing issues like power supply, water consumption, noise and setbacks which they determine protect the community’s interests.

Believes data centers should generate excess power for the electric grid.

Introduced Senate Bill 897 to let utilities build or invest in power plants when regional supply is insufficient.

Introduced a bill to let utilities build or invest in power plants when regional supply is insufficient.

Introduced legislation to repeal Pennsylvania's tax break for data centers that locate in the state.

Introduced Senate Bill 1345 to let municipalities pause data-center applications for 18 months while updating zoning policies.

- Believes data centers should generate excess power for the electric grid.
- Introduced a bill to let utilities build or invest in power plants when regional supply is insufficient.
- Introduced legislation to repeal Pennsylvania's tax break for data centers that locate in the state.
- Introduced Senate Bill 1345 to let municipalities pause data-center applications for 18 months while updating zoning policies.

Energy & the Environment

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
  <head>
    <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">
    <meta charset="utf-8">
    <title>Application Error</title>
    <style media="screen">
      html,body,iframe {
        margin: 0;
        padding: 0;
      }

      html,body {
        height: 100%;
        overflow: hidden;
      }

      iframe {
        width: 100%;
        height: 100%;
        border: 0;
      }
    </style>
  </head>
  <body>
    <iframe src="https://www.herokucdn.com/error-pages/application-error.html"></iframe>
  </body>
</html>

Twitter

Facebook

Instagram

Jarrett Coleman

- Plans to limit state spending growth to inflation and available revenue, preserve the Rainy Day Fund, and identify government efficiencies.

- Advocates requiring public-school entities to obtain and publicly disclose appraisals before acquiring property.

- Co-authored Senate Bill 804 to phase out and ban certain toxic chemical additives in intravenous bags and other medical devices.

- Introduced legislation to repeal Pennsylvania's tax break for data centers that locate in the state.
- Introduced Senate Bill 1345 to let municipalities pause data-center applications for 18 months while updating zoning policies.

Isaac Brickman

Buket Urgen

Mark Pinsley

- Your state senator represents the interests of your district in the Pennsylvania State Senate. The State Senate, along with the State House of Representatives, makes up your state lawmaking body: the Pennsylvania General Assembly. 
- Your state senator can author, sponsor, and vote on bills that may become state laws after going through the legislative process.
- The State Senator and their staff members respond to constituent concerns and questions through emails, phone calls, and website announcements. 
- The State Senator oversees the executive branch and can vote to overrule a veto by the Governor.   
- There are 50 Pennsylvania state senators, each representing a single district.
- Senators must be at least 25 years old, U.S. citizens, and residents of Pennsylvania for four years. They must also have lived in their district for one year before the election and must remain there throughout their term.
- State senators are elected to four-year terms and have a salary of $106,000, with a 1-3% annual increase.  

Your representative and state lawmaker in the Pennsylvania Senate.