State Rep. Morgan Cephas, D-Phila., expressed gratitude that a state budget has been approved for Pennsylvania’s 2025-26 fiscal year. The budget invests over $50 billion for commonwealth residents, services and operations with no tax increases.Cephas said that the spending plan is a responsible plan and there is much to be happy about in this budget for Philadelphians. Read more

Legislation would create alternative to plurality, first-past-the-post elections Read more

PHILADELPHIA, Nov. 3 – Today, state Reps. Elizabeth Fiedler, Morgan Cephas, Jordan Harris, Danilo Burgos, and other members of the Philadelphia House Delegation joined City Councilmember Mike Driscoll and to call on the Public Utilities Commission to pause disconnection of heating services during the federal government shutdown.The shutdown has delayed the opening of the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program by a month. LIHEAP is a utility assistance service that helps low-income households pay their heating bills, leaving economically and medically vulnerable Pennsylvanians without assistance until Dec. 3. In 2024, over 15,000 crisis grants were issued in the month of November alone to prevent the imminent loss of heat to Pennsylvania homes. Read more

“The federal government shutdown is putting thousands of Pennsylvania families at risk of extreme hunger and the inability to keep their homes warm and running,” said Chairman Jordan A. Harris. “I appreciate both PGW and PECO, and their leadership, for stepping up in this moment and taking meaningful action to keep vulnerable households connected to essential services. We’re encouraging all eligible residents to enroll in assistance programs, and we’ll keep advocating for the resources needed to ensure our neighbors remain safe and warm this winter.” Read more

HARRISBURG, Oct. 29 – The PA House today passed legislation ( H.B. 1123 ) that would update insurance coverage for colorectal cancer screenings in the state. The legislation was introduced by state Reps. Pat Gallagher, Sean Dougherty, Jordan Harris and Tarik Khan, all D-Phila. Current insurance law requires health insurance coverage for routine colorectal cancer screenings starting at age 50, but this is based on American Cancer Society standards published in 2008. Multiple other states have updated to the more recent American Cancer Society guidelines from 2018, and these new recommendations state that people should be screened starting at age 45 rather than 50. The Pennsylvania Department of Health also recommends that people begin screening at age 45. House Bill 1123 would update current law to reduce the age when colorectal cancer screenings are covered to 45 from 50, update the guidelines referenced in the law to the most recent edition, and update the tests covered by insurance to those recommended by the guidelines. Gallagher, who is a survivor of colorectal cancer, pointed out how this legislation can save lives. “As a survivor of colorectal cancer, I know firsthand the impact that early detection and proper care can have on an individual's journey through the labyrinth of cancer. This legislation is not just about updating insurance coverage; it's about Read more

HARRISBURG, Oct. 29 –A House resolution raising awareness of youth homelessness in Pennsylvania, introduced by state Reps. Ismail Smith-Wade-El, D-Lancaster, and Rep. Gina H. Curry, D-Phila., was referred out of the House Children & Youth Committee today, 25-1. House Resolution 337 would designate Nov. 17 through Nov. 21, 2025, as “Pennsylvania Education for Youth Experiencing Homelessness Awareness Week,” and Nov. 21, 2025, as “Red Shirt Day” in Pennsylvania. According to Smith-Wade-El and Curry, the population of homeless youth has exploded in the past 10 years from just over 19,000 students in Pennsylvania schools to exceed 50,000 today. Much of this increase is due to limited resources available to youth, including lack of access to support services, difficulty obtaining identification and family instability. As many shelters will not accept a child under 18 years of age without the presence of a parent or guardian, there is an urgent need for additional resources to help homeless students attend school and succeed, the representatives said. “We’ve introduced this resolution to raise awareness of the growing number of homeless youth in PA and the lack of resources that are targeted toward their needs,” Smith-Wade-El said. “The federal budget cuts to critical programs serving homeless youth and their families, and the ongoing federal budget impasse that is stifling funding for essential programs like SNAP, Read more

HARRISBURG, Oct. 29 –A House resolution raising awareness of youth homelessness in Pennsylvania, introduced by state Reps. Ismail Smith-Wade-El, D-Lancaster, and Rep. Regina H. Curry, D-Phila., was referred out of the House Children & Youth Committee today, 25-1. House Resolution 337 would designate Nov. 17 through Nov. 21, 2025, as “Pennsylvania Education for Youth Experiencing Homelessness Awareness Week,” and Nov. 21, 2025, as “Red Shirt Day” in Pennsylvania. According to Smith-Wade-El and Curry, the population of homeless youth has exploded in the past 10 years from just over 19,000 students in Pennsylvania schools to exceed 50,000 today. Much of this increase is due to limited resources available to youth, including lack of access to support services, difficulty obtaining identification and family instability. As many shelters will not accept a child under 18 years of age without the presence of a parent or guardian, there is an urgent need for additional resources to help homeless students attend school and succeed, the representatives said. “We’ve introduced this resolution to raise awareness of the growing number of homeless youth in PA and the lack of resources that are targeted toward their needs,” Smith-Wade-El said. “The federal budget cuts to critical programs serving homeless youth and their families, and the ongoing federal budget impasse that is stifling funding for essential programs Read more

Bipartisan support for legislation recognizing Thirteenth Amendment ratification in Pennsylvania Read more

HARRISBURG, Oct. 28 – Legislation (H.B. 1113) that would create an Office of New Pennsylvanians to support, attract and retain immigrants in the commonwealth, introduced by state Reps. Ismail Smith-Wade-El, D-Lancaster, and Joe Hohenstein, D-Phila., was referred out of the House State Government Committee today, 14-12. Read more

HARRISBURG, Oct. 28 – Legislation to establish a tax credit for educators with out-of-pocket expenses, co-sponsored by state Reps. Nikki Rivera, D-Lancaster, and Ed Neilson, D-Phila., was referred from the House Finance Committee this morning, 25-1. The legislation would provide a $100 refundable tax credit to teachers who spend their own money on classroom supplies and equipment. It would complement the $300 federal tax deduction for the purchase of unreimbursed classroom supplies. The tax credit proposal would be administered separately from the federal deduction to ensure Pennsylvania teachers always have this option available to them. “Our teachers give so much of themselves to educate our kids, and unfortunately this includes a good portion of their paychecks for necessary school supplies so their students can learn,” Rivera said. “I know from over 30 years of teaching experience in Lancaster County public schools that teaching is not a highly paid profession and school budgets don’t have enough funds to cover all the classroom expenses. This bill would recognize teachers’ financial sacrifice by establishing a $100 tax credit for unreimbursed classroom supplies.” According to Rivera, teachers across the country have reported that school budgets are insufficient to cover all classroom needs, so they’ve had to pay out of pocket for books, pens, paper, cleaning supplies, prizes, snacks, decorations, hand Read more