E-Blast: Reproductive Rally, Session Recap & more!

Rep. Melissa Shusterman April 11, 2025 | 3:09 PM

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SEPTA Latest

Earlier this week, SEPTA announced a budget proposal that would mean sweeping service cuts across rail and bus lines along with a near 22% rate hike. In the proposed budget, the Paoli/Thorndale regional rail line will face reduced service starting in August this year and will be eliminated entirely in January 2026. Budget impacts include:

50 bus routes will be cut.
5 rail lines will be cut.
66 stations will be closed.
40,000 Paratransit rides will be cut.
30,000 workers will lose access to transit to and from their jobs.
175,000 more cars will be on local roads.
20% of remaining routes will be cut.
Service past 9 p.m. will be cut.

In recent years, SEPTA has faced rising costs that are out-pacing revenues and state funding. Despite the implementation of cost-cutting measures, and without adequate state funding, SEPTA is facing drastic service cuts to balance their budget. My state House colleagues and I have voted to prevent this on three separate occasions.

By funding SEPTA, we not only support buses and trains and the men and women who operate and maintain them, we also support the workers, the students, the senior citizens, and the people with disabilities who ride them every day.

Regional rail and bus services are as important to our transportation infrastructure as roads and bridges. We will advocate to ensure this line stays open to the benefit and necessity of the people we serve.

The logical and easiest solution to avoiding this chaos is to pass a budget that properly funds SEPTA so that all these services can be saved. My colleagues in the state House and I are prepared to do it again, but SEPTA cannot avoid these cuts without the approval of the state Senate. Our workers and our businesses can’t afford to wait any longer. Please, tell the state Senate it’s time to get on board, pass the budget and fund SEPTA.

Join us and demand action for a better tomorrow.

Protecting Reproductive Rights

We must safeguard the rights of ALL women in Pennsylvania. Make no mistake, my colleagues and I in the state House will take every action possible to let a woman make her own decisions regarding her own body with her doctor and nobody else. That is why state Reps. Lindsay Powell, Kristine Howard, Mary Jo Daley and I have introduced legislation to protect women's health care, including abortion. We’ve learned quickly that the protections women have had when it comes to our health care can vanish in an instant. Pennsylvania is ensuring that those rights will not be taken away within our Commonwealth.

Session Recap

This week in Harrisburg, we passed critical legislation for workers, retirees, and to enhance everyone's safety. I was also honored to be invited by PA House Speaker Joanna McClinton to serve as Speaker Pro Tempore! The "Pro Temp" temporarily presides over the House. I oversaw debate of some legislation before happily adjourning Session for the day!

Here's how I voted:

Voted YES on H.B. 411 to provide a Cost-of-Living increase to pensions for retired public employees and teachers.
Voted YES on H.B. 183, which would expand Workers' Compensation benefits.
Voted YES on H.B. 407, which would make stalking using an Apple AirTag or other electronic tracking devices a misdemeanor offense.
Voted YES on H.B. 156, requiring carbon monoxide alarms in childcare facilities.
Voted YES on H.B. 308, which would require all public employers and employees in Pennsylvania to comply with OSHA standards.
Voted YES on H.B. 409 to clarify and simplify the communication of test outcomes to patients.
Voted YES on H.B. 472, which would make it easier for youth experiencing homelessness to obtain a driver's license.
Voted YES on H.B. 819 to reduce the cost of AP exams for students and provide funding to train teachers for AP classes.

In Transportation Committee, I voted to approve a measure that would streamline the replacement process for illegible license plates and to clarify seatbelt laws for minors. In State Government, I to approve a measure to require defibrillators, menstrual hygiene products, and nursing parents' rooms in every state building. Lastly, in the Health Committee, I voted to approve a measure to end familial responsibility for outstanding medical bills, to cap the fees on obtaining medical records, and to establish the PA Medical Debt Relief Program.

Take advantage of PA’s Child and Dependent Care Enhancement Tax Credit

I’m reminding eligible residents to take advantage of Pennsylvania’s Child and Dependent Care Enhancement Tax Credit before the April 15, 2025, tax filing deadline. This credit, expanded under a law that I introduced, provides financial relief to working families with child or dependent care expenses.

The credit matches 100% of the federal Child Care Tax Credit, offering a maximum of $1,050 for one child/dependent and $2,100 for two or more, with minimums of $600 and $1,200, respectively. Eligibility includes expenses for children under 13, spouses, or other dependents who are physically or mentally incapable of self-care. The credit is refundable, meaning taxpayers can receive a full refund after tax obligations.

To claim the credit, taxpayers must file a PA-40 form along with PA Schedule DC, Federal Form 2441, and 1040 Schedule 3. The Department of Revenue encourages filing through myPATH, Pennsylvania’s free online tax filing system.

You can find more information about the tax credit here or contact my office.

Coffee and Conversation

We want to see you for my next coffee and one-on-one conversation at the Easttown Library on Friday, April 25 from 10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Bring your state government questions, grab a PA coloring book for the kids, sign up for a Senior SEPTA pass, & learn about the services my office can provide for you!