It appears Penn State’s relentless advocacy efforts are finally paying off. The Pennsylvania House Appropriations Committee passed an amendment Tuesday that would increase the university’s state appropriations by about 3 percent.

The bill before the committee outlines Penn State’s annual state appropriations. It originally recommended flat funding for the university at $230.4 million, which was the appropriations level included in Governor Tom Wolf’s budget proposal for the 2018-2019 fiscal year. However, Tuesday’s amendment increased this amount to $237.3 million in general support for the university.

Though this isn’t set in stone as Penn State’s funding level for the year, it’s a step in the right direction. The appropriation helps offset tuition costs for in-state students as well as supporting other aspects of Penn State’s land-grant mission.

Organizations like the University Park Undergraduate Association and Pennsylvania Association of State-Related Schools spend significant time and effort advocating for increased state appropriations throughout the year, so this amendment is a nice kickback to prove that these efforts are making a difference after all.

So what’s next? The Penn State Grassroots Network is encouraging Penn Staters to advocate on behalf of this funding increase by contacting state representatives.

In Harrisburg today, a PA House committee OK'd a 3 percent funding increase for colleges and universities in PA — including Penn State! Your support is important to getting that funding passed. Please contact your House member now. Here's how https://t.co/WkVbt2zcep

— Penn State Grassroots Network (@PSUGrassroots) June 19, 2018

You can read the full legislation here and the amendment to increase funding here. If the bill passes through committee, it’ll head to the House floor. If it’s approved by both the House and Senate, all it needs is a signature from Governor Wolf to make it official.

The state is supposed to pass a budget for the next fiscal year by July 1, but the legislature rarely meets that deadline. Legislators ultimately approved Penn State’s 2017-2018 appropriation in October 2017.