House Transportation Committee OKs public transit funding for fifth time
Rep. Sean M Dougherty August 7, 2025 | 9:59 AM
Today, the House Transportation Committee voted to move H.B. 1788, an omnibus transportation bill authored by state Rep. Sean Dougherty, to the House floor for a vote.
The bill would provide funding for the Public Transportation Trust Fund (PTTF), support public transportation operations and funding for Pennsylvania’s massive network of roads, bridges and highways.
State Rep. Ed Neilson, chair of the House Transportation Committee, said the following:
“Today, SEPTA announced that if state funding isn’t available by August 14, the service cuts will begin on August 24 with fare increases stated to start in September. House Democrats have passed four comprehensive bills that would fund public transit without raising taxes and include reforms demanded by Senate Republicans.
“We are out of time. It’s imperative that the Senate come back to work and help the hardworking people of Pennsylvania to keep Pennsylvania moving forward. The Senate Republicans’ inaction continues to threaten Pennsylvania’s economy and the livelihoods of people throughout the commonwealth with their refusal to come back to work and vote to fund public transit.
“Because public transit touches every corner of the commonwealth – it is not just a ‘city issue,’” added Neilson, D-Phila.
The bill would increase the existing allocation of Sales and Use Tax to the PTTF from 4.4% to 6.15% to provide approximately $292.5 million for public transit throughout the commonwealth while authorizing the bonding of $325 million for PennDOT, through the Commonwealth Financing Authority, to maintain roads and bridges.
Dougherty, D-Phila., author of the bill, stated: "Public transit is the lifeline of many communities across all 67 counties in Pennsylvania, not just Philadelphia. This bill takes a multi-faceted and commonsense approach in ensuring that these communities all have access to reliable, safe and efficient public transportation services."
Pennsylvania’s largest public transit agencies – Southeastern Pennsylvania Transit Authority (SEPTA) said that they support the legislation and the work of Neilson, Dougherty and the House Democrats.
“We are encouraged by the House Transportation Committee's continued efforts to advance a transportation package that includes new investment for transit,” said SEPTA General Manager Scott A. Sauer. “Safety and security, accountability and transparency, and efficiency and innovation are central to our stewardship of SEPTA. We have a number of efforts already underway that are consistent with the measures outlined in this bill, and we look forward to a future where we can do more rather than enacting devastating service cuts and dismantling the transit system."
The bill is expected to pass to the Senate for consideration.