Harrisburg, PA – In just two years, the Commonwealth Office of Digital Experience (CODE PA) has transformed online services across state government, delivering on the Shapiro Administration’s goal for every Pennsylvanian to have access to simple, seamless, and secure online benefits and information from state agencies.
Governor Josh Shapiro has made customer service a centerpiece of his Administration. The Governor created CODE PA in April 2023 through an executive order focused on improving the Commonwealth’s websites and online services. Since then, CODE PA has grown into a dedicated team of in-house digital professionals that has saved the Commonwealth at least $8 million and counting.
“By creating CODE PA, Governor Shapiro is giving Pennsylvanians a voice in how we design and deliver services for them in the digital age. Every CODE PA project is backed by research – talking to residents and state employees – to understand where we can do a better job of meeting them where they are and create online experiences that work better for everyone,” said Secretary of Administration Neil Weaver. “On its two-year anniversary, we’re proud to say that CODE PA is making a real and lasting impact on the lives of Pennsylvanians. We look forward to building on CODE PA’s work as we continue to modernize technology systems to meet the growing demand for services throughout state government.”
Next week, CODE PA Executive Director Bry Pardoe will be among the recipients of the 2025 StateScoop 50 Awards for people and projects that are advancing government operations and online services. The awards will be presented during the National Association of State Chief Information Officers (NASCIO) Mid-Year Conference in Philadelphia. Last year, CODE PA received a 2024 StateScoop 50 Award for the PAyback money-back guarantee system for permits, licenses, and certifications.
“I am honored to accept this second consecutive StateScoop 50 award on behalf of the incredible people whose talent and hard work have made CODE PA so successful,” said Pardoe. “We have come a long way in just two years, and I can’t wait to see what this team will accomplish as larger projects come to fruition. This includes enabling residents to access online services across agencies with a single account; launching a universal permitting, licensing, certification, and inspection platform; and continuing to reimagine the processes to apply for and administer state grant programs.”
The 2025 StateScoop 50 is the latest recognition of CODE PA’s groundbreaking work to improve digital services and deliver real results for Pennsylvanians. Last year, CODE PA received the Code for America Government Changemaker Award and the National Association of State Chief Administration (NASCA) Innovation in State Government Award for Transformation.
CODE PA’s projects and accomplishments include:
- PAyback.pa.gov is a money-back guarantee system that allows residents, businesses, charities, and schools to check their eligibility for a refund of their permit, license, or certification application fee and request a refund if they believe they are eligible. PAyback delivers on Governor Shapiro’s promise to establish standard response times for licenses, permits, and certifications and create a money-back guarantee for applications that exceed these timeframes. As a result, applicants are experiencing greater certainty and fewer delays when they do business with the Commonwealth under the Shapiro Administration.
- Request Review of a Denied Healthcare Claim allows Pennsylvanians to request through the Department of Insurance to have independent medical experts review a claim denied by their insurer and make a final, binding determination about whether a medical service, treatment, or other item should be covered. As a result of that work, hundreds of Pennsylvanians have successfully appealed denied health service claims – in fact, more than 50% of denials were overturned, resulting in more Pennsylvanians getting the health care they need and deserve. By developing this critical website and form internally rather than hiring an outside vendor, CODE PA saved the Commonwealth more than $400,000.
- Property Tax/Rent Rebate Lookup Tool helps older residents and people with disabilities find in-person assistance in their communities to apply for the Property Tax/Rent Rebate (PTRR) program. In 2024, more than 100,000 Pennsylvanians received a Property Tax/Rent Rebate for the first time.
- Forms that Suck Less is an initiative to make forms more accessible and user-friendly through user research and standardization. Recently, CODE PA launched redesigned payment pages for nearly 90 different transactions, including PennDOT motor vehicle registration, vital records ordering, DEP permitting, and teacher certifications.
- User Research helps to inform CODE PA’s work by listening to our customers and employees to understand their needs and build online services tailored to them. CODE PA and First Lady Lori Shapiro have collaborated to host focus groups with Pennsylvanians to gather this critical input and use it to create new and improved digital experiences.
- PA.gov transformed 64 separate Commonwealth websites into a single, cohesive online experience that puts Pennsylvania’s residents first in all aspects of its design. The new PA.gov provides a “no wrong door” experience by making it easier for Pennsylvanians to find what they need.
- Discover State Grants is a comprehensive, searchable directory of over 300 state grant programs available to residents, businesses, schools, non-profits, and local governments. Previously, information about grants was scattered across numerous agency websites, making it difficult for potential applicants to know what programs are available, whether they qualify, and how and when to apply for them.
- PA Permit Fast Track Dashboard is an online tool that shows progress on permit applications for high-impact economic development and infrastructure projects to boost transparency, cut timelines, and ensure government delivers results efficiently.
- Permitting Transparency Online Tool allows DEP customers to track the status of permits and contact the department with questions about permit applications. CODE PA and DEP also rewrote email communications about permit applications to be user friendly and easier to understand.
- The Generative Artificial Intelligence Pilot leveraged expertise from the CODE PA user experience research team to collect and analyze feedback from Commonwealth employees for this first-in-the-nation generative AI pilot program using ChatGPT. Their findings revealed that employees had a highly positive experience, reporting an average time savings of 95 minutes per day while using ChatGPT for writing, research, summarization, IT support, and other administrative tasks.
Learn more about CODE PA’s work to make Pennsylvania’s digital services more human-centered, user-friendly, and accessible at CODE.pa.gov.
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