Gas prices are displayed at Speedway in Butler on Thursday afternoon. Shane Potter/Butler Eagle

A bill that aims to stop the automatic gas tax increase for 2023 still awaits action in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives after being passed by the state Senate in January, but the bill soon could see action as the House returns to its regular session next week.

Senate Bill 35, if passed by the House and signed by Gov. Josh Shapiro, would stop the automatic gas tax increase for 2023 and permanently set the wholesale price of gasoline at $2.99 per gallon.

The bill was proposed in the Senate by Sen. Scott Hutchinson, R-21st, along with fellow Senate Republicans and later passed the state Senate in a 29-19 vote on Jan. 11 — with 27 Republican votes and two Democratic votes.