Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility Philadelphia House Delegation | News Center
Featured News

Cephas asks utilities to delay billing consumers during government shutdown

Philadelphia House Delegation

News Center

Rivera, Neilson legislation for a teacher-supplies tax credit referred out of committee

(Oct 28, 2025) Philadelphia House Delegation

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

 

Pa. House Tourism Committee advances bill to fight human trafficking

(Oct 28, 2025) Rep. Regina Young

HARRISBURG, Oct. 28 – The state House Tourism, Recreation and Economic Development Committee today advanced a bill to train Pennsylvania employees of hotels, motels, online lodging and reservation companies, and other establishments to identify and report signs of human trafficking. House Bill 1286, sponsored by state Rep. Regina Young, D-Phila./Delaware, would provide for mandatory human trafficking awareness training for Pennsylvania workers in the hospitality industry, including online lodging and reservation companies. “We’ve heard loud and clear for years now that one of the best ways to combat human trafficking is to increase training and awareness with the people who are most likely to notice it,” Young said. “I’m glad that for the first time we’re including online reservation sites for short- and long-term lodging in this legislation, as that has become an identified way of avoiding visual contact. I’m thankful for this committee taking the time to hold a public hearing about this in my district and that powerful testimony moving us to a positive vote today. Human trafficking is an evil across Pennsylvania that we can defeat by shining a light on the warning signs and indications of danger.” A hearing was held on the bill earlier this month in Essington. Testimony can be watched at https://youtube.com/live/MoNweqGt3eo . The Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts in Read more

 

Cephas asks utilities to delay billing consumers during government shutdown

(Oct 27, 2025) Philadelphia House Delegation

PHILADELPHIA, Oct. 27 – As the absence of both a state and federal budget begin to be felt, state Rep. Morgan Cephas, D-Phila. is urging area utility providers to consider a delay in requiring customer payments. The state’s Low-Income Home Energy Assistance program is delaying applications until Dec. 3 contingent on federal funding. Compounding that problem, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program is delaying their payments in November, meaning residents who rely on SNAP for help with groceries must now spend more of their earnings on food. Read more

 

Philly Delegation welcomes Transportation Secretary Duffy to the ‘real world,’ offers challenge of road trip to visit GOP Senate leaders who broke the rules and broke SEPTA

(Oct 24, 2025) Philadelphia House Delegation

"Interestingly, Secretary Duffy agrees with us that the transfer of capital funds for operations is not sustainable and will lead to further safety failures. We strongly urge him to take the opportunity for a ride on a Regional Rail Silverliner IV to Sen. Joe Picozzi’s district in the Great Northeast or further out to Sen. Tracy Pennycuick’s or Sen. Frank Farry’s suburban districts and tell them to pass bipartisan legislation to provide a long-term, sustainable funding solution to SEPTA and all of Pennsylvania's mass transit systems." Read more

 

Cephas announces investments in neighborhood infrastructure

(Oct 22, 2025) Philadelphia House Delegation

HARRISBURG, Oct. 22 – State Rep. Morgan Cephas, D-Phila., announced today that the PA Housing and Finance Agency has awarded nearly $3.1 million in low-income housing tax credits to development projects in West Philadelphia neighborhoods of the 192nd Legislative District.The award for the Media Flats development will receive over $1.4 million to invest in new construction of multifamily units for seniors. The West Philadelphia Preservation project will receive nearly $1.7 million to help with rehabilitation of single-family row-home style rental properties. Read more

 

Smith-Wade-El, Hohenstein to hold news conference Oct. 28 in support of their legislation to create Office of New Pennsylvanians

(Oct 22, 2025) Philadelphia House Delegation

HARRISBURG, Oct. 22 – State Reps. Ismail Smith-Wade-El, D-Lancaster, and Joe Hohenstein, D-Phila., will be joined by representatives of Church World Service at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 28 in the East Wing Rotunda, Harrisburg, for a news conference in support of their legislation (H.B. 1113) that would create an Office of New Pennsylvanians to support, attract and retain immigrants in the commonwealth. “Our immigrant communities are an integral part of Pennsylvania’s economic growth, making up over 8% of our state’s work force and paying $3.3 billion yearly in state and local taxes,” Smith-Wade-El said. “But they are facing too many roadblocks due to bureaucratic red tape and restrictive policies targeting immigrant communities. “To keep these skilled workers, entrepreneurs, consumers and community leaders in our state, I’ve introduced a bill that would raze the maze of bureaucratic silos by establishing an Office of New Pennsylvanians that would be a one-stop shop for benefits and resources for immigrants under the auspices of the PA Department of Community and Economic Development.” “My support for immigrant rights is based on my belief in the value of all working people. Organized labor was born in immigrant communities from the coal mines in Pennsylvania to sweatshops in New York and to the grape harvests in California,” Hohenstein said. “Immigrants bring so much to our state – whether Read more

 

Andre Carroll, one of younger state legislators, talks Pa. budget, youth vote and Kada Scott

(Oct 21, 2025) Philadelphia House Delegation

Andre Carroll, one of younger state legislators, talks Pa. budget, youth vote and Kada Scott Read more

 

Fiedler, Matzie introduce resolution urging Congress to fully fund LIHEAP, reinstate fired employees

(Oct 21, 2025) Philadelphia House Delegation

HARRISBURG, Oct. 21 – Today, Rep. Elizabeth Fiedler, D-Phila., and Rep. Robert Matzie, D-Beaver, introduced a resolution urging Congress and President Donald Trump to permanently reinstate federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program employees and to increase funding for the program. LIHEAP is a federal cash grant program that helps low-income families across all 50 states and Washington, D.C., heat and cool their homes, make emergency repairs, and prevent shutoffs of essential utilities. In Pennsylvania, 300,000 households depend on LIHEAP for heating assistance in a typical year. On April 2, Trump laid off all federal staff responsible for administering LIHEAP and proposed zero funding in his fiscal year 2026 federal budget, leaving Pennsylvanians in the lurch. “Staying warm in the winter is not a partisan issue. Red, blue, doesn’t matter. People in all areas of our commonwealth depend on LIHEAP funding to get them safely through the coldest months. It’s a federal program that literally saves lives,” said Matzie . “It seems unconscionable that funding would be withheld, but here we are. And let’s be clear, this has nothing to with the current shutdown – the funding was cut in the proposed federal budget. This resolution is a simple plea to Congress to do the right thing. Restore LIHEAP funding. People’s lives depend on it.” One in five Pennsylvania households report Read more

 

George’s Hill Pump Station project receives state financing

(Oct 15, 2025) Philadelphia House Delegation

State Reps. Roni Green and Morgan Cephas, both D-Phila., today announced that the new George’s Hill Pump Station project in West Philadelphia is receiving $47.65 million in financing from the state. Read more

 

Cephas: Transit is Personal

(Oct 14, 2025) Philadelphia House Delegation

State Rep. Morgan Cephas, chairwoman of the Philadelphia House Delegation, explains why funding public transportation is a personal issue for many legislators, including herself. It's about mobility; it's about opportunity. Recent delays, overcrowding, and cancellations on SEPTA's Regional Rail lines highlight why transit agencies can’t rely on flexing capital improvement funds to support their operating budgets. Cephas emphasizes that finding a stable, recurring funding mechanism for SEPTA—and all transit agencies across Pennsylvania—is essential. Read more

 

Rabb renews call to repeal death penalty in Pennsylvania

(Oct 10, 2025) Rep. Christopher M. Rabb

Proposes bill abolishing death penalty for fourth time since 2017 Read more

 

Fiedler, Powell, Khan, Probst bill to address school facilities crisis in Pa. passes House

(Oct 10, 2025) Philadelphia House Delegation

HARRISBURG, Oct 10 – On Wednesday, the School Facilities Inventory Bill, H.B. 1701, passed in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. The bill, introduced by Rep. Elizabeth Fiedler, D-Phila., Rep. Lindsay Powell, D-Allegheny, Rep. Tarik Khan, D-Phila., and Rep. Tarah Probst, D-Monroe/Pike, would address the issue of outdated and unsafe school buildings in Pennsylvania, facilitating the process by which school facilities are assessed and prioritized. “You can’t fix a problem until you know the scope of what you’re dealing with, and this bill gets us to that place,” Fiedler said. “H.B. 1701 would help us compile comprehensive data on Pennsylvania’s school buildings and ensure that recommendations on our most urgent funding needs are made by experts. That way, we can move quickly and efficiently to support schools in making repairs.” Fiedler noted that a wide scope of important building information would be provided, including the age of the buildings and their renovation history, building size and enrollment capacity. The assessments would also consider factors such as heating and ventilation, ADA compliance and environmental risk factors such as asbestos and mold. Currently, there is no statewide inventory of the condition of school buildings, nor is there statewide criteria for assessing facilities’ needs. The legislation passed Wednesday would create a comprehensive Read more

 

“Navigating Toward Success” - 13th Annual Business Opportunity Forum.

(Oct 10, 2025) Philadelphia House Delegation

On October 3, 2025, the City of Philadelphia Department of Aviation held its 13th Annual Business Opportunity Forum. Business owners, corporate leaders and local officials gathered at the Philadelphia Airport Marriott to focus on how local businesses can participate in major upcoming projects at Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) and Northeast Philadelphia Airport (PNE).The event theme was “Navigating Toward Success” and speakers from various City of Philadelphia departments and local officials including Philadelphia City Council President Kenyatta Johnson, Councilmember At-Large Katherine Gilmore Richardson, Pennsylvania State Representative Regina Young, and Delaware County Council Chair Dr. Monica Taylor were featured on the program. Read more

 

House Agriculture, Education committees hear testimony on Keystone Fresh Act

(Oct 07, 2025) Rep. Danilo Burgos

HARRISBURG, Oct. 7 – The Pennsylvania House Agriculture & Rural Affairs Committee and House Education Committee held a joint hearing today on H.B. 1768, the Keystone Fresh Act, introduced by state Reps. Danilo Burgos and Jonathan Fritz. The bipartisan legislation would expand access to fresh, locally sourced foods in school meals while supporting Pennsylvania farmers and strengthening local economies. The complete hearing can be viewed here . "Schools across Pennsylvania serve more than 168 million lunches per year , providing critical nutrients to children across the state and making them one of the largest potential markets for agricultural producers in Pennsylvania,” said Burgos, D-Phila. “However, school board food service providers reportedly only spend 9% of their total food costs on local foods. Local food purchasing incentive legislation , like the Keystone Fresh Act, would establish a grant program incentivizing schools to purchase, promote and serve local foods in their meal programs.” The Keystone Fresh Act would provide funding for schools to buy more local foods, and resources for farmers to meet school market needs. Research shows that for every $1 spent on local food purchasing initiatives, $1.40 circulates back into local economies. With Pennsylvania’s diverse agriculture sector, this program would improve student nutrition, stimulate the farm economy, and strengthen connections among Read more

 

Pa. House Tourism Committee discusses bill to fight human trafficking

(Oct 02, 2025) Philadelphia House Delegation

HARRISBURG, Oct. 2 – The state House Tourism, Recreation and Economic Development Committee today held a hearing on a bill to train Pennsylvania employees of hotels, motels, online lodging and reservation companies, and other establishments to identify and report signs of human trafficking. House Bill 1286 is sponsored by state Rep. Regina Young , D-Phila./Delaware, and would provide for mandatory human trafficking awareness training for Pennsylvania workers in the hospitality industry, including online lodging and reservation companies. “Since I’ve been a legislator, I’ve been working to end human trafficking,” Young said. “It’s an unfortunate evil that lurks in our region because of easy access to interstate and international transportation hubs. The heartfelt testimony we heard today confirms the need to train hotel, motel and other lodging employees to be aware of the warning signs and report them. We can end human trafficking through education and speaking up for these most vulnerable victims.” The full hearing can be watched at https://youtube.com/live/MoNweqGt3eo . The Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts in January 2025 revealed 1,235 human trafficking offenses filed across 366 cases in the state between 2020 and 2024. During the hearing, expert testimony laid out the case for Pennsylvania to do more in its fight against human trafficking. Testifiers also Read more

 

House clears Solomon data breach bill

(Oct 01, 2025) Rep. Jared G. Solomon

“Our personal information is under constant threat,” Solomon said. “Numerous high-profile breaches in recent years—such as those involving Equifax, Facebook, Target, Sears, Delta and others—have exposed sensitive data like credit card numbers, Social Security numbers, and other personal information. It’s clear we must do more to protect the private information of Pennsylvanians from falling into the wrong hands.” Read more

 

Neilson bill to protect consumers’ personal information online passes Pa. House

(Oct 01, 2025) Rep. Ed Neilson

“Many people who shop online or even just browse the internet don’t realize that with each click, they could be giving away sensitive data that is sold to a third party or used nefariously. Consumers have a right to privacy, and online shopping shouldn’t be exempt from that,” Neilson said. Read more

 

Technology would increase access to state programs, services for all

(Sep 25, 2025) Philadelphia House Delegation

“Sadly, as we heard today, not everyone in Pennsylvania has the ability to access the services and information provided by our state government,” said Rep. Joe Hohenstein, who represents portions of Philadelphia and hosted the House Majority Policy Committee hearing during his Disability Summit at Temple University. “For many, technology can serve as a lifeline. Universal access and universal accommodation would allow everyone, including people with disabilities, to access state government services and information, including something as vital as employment opportunities.” Read more

 

Brown calls for Hunger Task Force to help feed state

(Sep 25, 2025) Philadelphia House Delegation

Amid SNAP cuts, rising prices, Brown looks for solutions Read more

 

House Judiciary Committee advances gun violence prevention bills

(Sep 22, 2025) Philadelphia House Delegation

“As legislators, we have a responsibility to act when lives are at stake,” Chairman Briggs said. “These bills strike the right balance: keeping communities safe while honoring the constitutional rights of law-abiding citizens. This is not about taking away rights; it is about protecting lives. I urge the full House to act swiftly and send these bills to the Senate.” Read more

 

Rivera, Neilson legislation for a teacher-supplies tax credit referred out of committee
Oct 28, 2025

Pa. House Tourism Committee advances bill to fight human trafficking
Oct 28, 2025

Cephas asks utilities to delay billing consumers during government shutdown
Oct 27, 2025

Philly Delegation welcomes Transportation Secretary Duffy to the ‘real world,’ offers challenge of road trip to visit GOP Senate leaders who broke the rules and broke SEPTA
Oct 24, 2025

Cephas announces investments in neighborhood infrastructure
Oct 22, 2025

Smith-Wade-El, Hohenstein to hold news conference Oct. 28 in support of their legislation to create Office of New Pennsylvanians
Oct 22, 2025

Andre Carroll, one of younger state legislators, talks Pa. budget, youth vote and Kada Scott
Oct 21, 2025

Fiedler, Matzie introduce resolution urging Congress to fully fund LIHEAP, reinstate fired employees
Oct 21, 2025

George’s Hill Pump Station project receives state financing
Oct 15, 2025

Cephas: Transit is Personal
Oct 14, 2025

Rabb renews call to repeal death penalty in Pennsylvania
Oct 10, 2025

Fiedler, Powell, Khan, Probst bill to address school facilities crisis in Pa. passes House
Oct 10, 2025

“Navigating Toward Success” - 13th Annual Business Opportunity Forum.
Oct 10, 2025

House Agriculture, Education committees hear testimony on Keystone Fresh Act
Oct 07, 2025

Pa. House Tourism Committee discusses bill to fight human trafficking
Oct 02, 2025

House clears Solomon data breach bill
Oct 01, 2025

Neilson bill to protect consumers’ personal information online passes Pa. House
Oct 01, 2025

Technology would increase access to state programs, services for all
Sep 25, 2025

Brown calls for Hunger Task Force to help feed state
Sep 25, 2025

House Judiciary Committee advances gun violence prevention bills
Sep 22, 2025