“Families shouldn’t have to choose between going to work and having quality care for a loved one, or have to work just to pay for care,” said Philadelphia House Delegation Chair Morgan Cephas. “We fought and won for working families prioritizing this significant increase in the Child and Dependent Care Enhancement Tax Credit. I’m elated to know that so many families across Philadelphia will greatly benefit from this increase.” Read more
The Police Reform Working Group, a collection of elected officials and advocates working to bring accountability and transparency reforms to law enforcement, released the following statement in response to Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney’s commitment to police reform: “To bring about true and meaningful law enforcement reform, we must work together with leaders at all levels of government so the voices of those we represent can be heard and forward-thinking change achieved. We’ve already had several conversations with Mayor Kenney’s administration and those discussions have been promising. We appreciate the mayor’s willingness to listen and believe that his announcement today is the first step in what will be a long, but productive, journey to reform. Read more
The Police Reform Working Group, a collection of elected officials and advocates working to bring accountability and transparency reforms to law enforcement, released the following statement on Gov. Tom Wolf’s adoption today of their request for a state-level deputy inspector general aimed at improving law enforcement conduct, as well as Attorney General Josh Shapiro’s, along with the Fraternal Order of Police’s, support of a confidential database to track complaints against police officers: Read more
Following a weekend of peaceful protests and eventual unrest fueled by the murder of George Floyd, state Rep. Morgan Cephas joined other Philadelphia elected officials Tuesday to introduce a series of critical reforms aimed at strengthening community-police relationships. "We must continue our fight to protect our communities of color from police brutality and systemic oppression, which has been an ongoing conversation in Pennsylvania for far too long," said Cephas, D-Phila. "This requires a collaborative effort involving leaders and agencies from all levels of government to pass laws aimed at streamlining police procedures and improving police community relations to help prevent future tragedies like George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery from happening in the future. The reforms target actions that can be taken by the governor, the General Assembly, local city councils, and law enforcement agencies and include, among other things: Outlaw the use of chokeholds or any other action that constricts an airway by law enforcement. Establish an independent review process for any incident law enforcement encounter that results in serious injury or death. Require law enforcement to be mandated reporters of officer misconduct or corruption. End stop and frisk policies that disproportionately target black and brown communities. Read more
In the midst of civil unrest across Pennsylvania ignited by the murder of George Floyd, elected officials from Philadelphia introduced a series of much-needed reforms aimed at improving community/police relationships. Read more
Details about what this executive order means for individuals voting by mail. Read more
From applying for a mail-in ballot to property tax/rent rebates being issued early, here are important updates from the week of May 18, 2020. Read more
With the Pennsylvania Primary Election on June 2, I want to make sure you have all the information you need before you vote. Read more
House and Senate Democrats wrote a letter urging the state Supreme Court to protect residents from evictions and foreclosure during the COVID-19 pandemic. Read more
With a record number of Pennsylvanians filing for jobless benefits during the COVID-19 pandemic, state Rep. Morgan Cephas is introducing legislation to allow claimants facing debt to receive unemployment compensation. Currently, unemployment benefits granted to those with an at-fault judgment against them must all go toward repaying their debt. Cephas' plan would cut this in half, sending 50% of funds to debt collection with the other half going back to the individual. "So many of my neighbors have lost their jobs because of this coronavirus and are now relying on our unemployment program to help them put food on the table," said Cephas, D-Phila. "Instead of sitting idly by and allowing people to suffer because they owe money, we have a responsibility to supply them with the support they need to repay their debt and provide for their family, especially during these unprecedented times." This latest proposal joins other bills Cephas has helped author to assist Pennsylvanians through this COVID-19 crisis, which includes legislation to: Bridge the digital divide and provide low-income families access to online learning devices and services to aid students in learning from home. Waive interest for student loan and home borrowers. Cephas is a part of the Read more
From the stay-at-home order being extended to an update about evictions, check out the latest COVID-19 updates from the week of May 4. Read more
Philadelphia is launching an assistance program aimed at helping those who have lost income because of the coronavirus pay their rent. Read more
State Rep. Morgan Cephas is commending the American Chinese United Association for donating Tuesday more than 5,000 pieces of personal protective equipment to help protect communities in West Philadelphia from the COVID-19 virus. "As this crisis persists, there is a great demand for protective equipment," said Cephas, D-Phila. "I am forever grateful to the Chinese United Association for stepping up to help us provide relief to those who need it most across our neighborhoods." Cephas and Philadelphia City Councilman Curtis Jones Jr. received the PPE, which included masks, hand sanitizer and gloves. They plan on working with Crest Auto to distribute the materials to area organizations, including: The 19th Police District Wynne Senior Homes Wynnefield Place Apartments Calvary Baptist Church Local fire stations "These resources are critical to keep first responders and essential employees safe on the front lines of this pandemic. It's also going toward safeguarding those most vulnerable to COVID-19," Cephas explained. "I will continue working with federal, state and local leaders to open the door to more opportunities like this to aid in stopping the spread, flattening the curve and moving the commonwealth forward." Read more
The U.S. Small Business Association has resumed accepting applications for the Paycheck Protection Program but funds aren't expected to last long. Here's how to apply. Read more
If you or someone you know is a Philadelphia resident in need of food assistance, please take the time to fill out this form. Read more
From Gov. Wolf's plan to reopen PA in phases, to news about food distribution in the area, checkout the latest COVID-19 updates. Read more
“Playing politics with women’s health is something we’ve come to expect of the majority party in Harrisburg,” Cephas said. “But playing politics now is truly appalling when it’s critical that we connect patients with their doctors safely to ensure they can still receive the quality care and assistance they need during this pandemic." Read more
From Chromebook distribution information for students to how self-employed individuals can now file for unemployment, check out the latest COVID-19 updates. Read more
From free food pick-up for seniors to assistance for families with infants, check out the latest information about COVID-19. Read more
PHILADELPHIA, April 14 – As part of Black Maternal Health Week, state Rep. Morgan Cephas participated in an online forum Monday, focusing on her ongoing fight to reduce the maternal mortality rate in Pennsylvania -- a phenomenon that disproportionately impacts women of color. The Oshun Family Center hosted the webinar titled Black Maternal Health: Advancing the Village to Hold the Mother, where Cephas discussed her package of bills that would: Offer Medicaid coverage for doulas (H.B. 2109) . Expand Medicaid coverage for postpartum women (H.B. 2108) . Add "severe maternal morbidity" to the list of reportable events within the Pennsylvania Department of Health (H.B. 2107). Require implicit bias training for health care professionals ( H.B. 2110 ). "Access to quality health care should never be based on a person's skin color or zip code," said Cephas, D-Phila. "However, the maternal mortality rate for women of color remains disproportionally higher than white women and demands collective and immediat e action . From legislators to stakeholders, we must come together and work to secure funding, develop policies and pass laws that result in better health outcomes." "Black Maternal Health Week has been a passion project for the Maternal Wellness Village and me, due to the personal impact on our lives," said Saleemah McNeil, founder of Read more
Check out COVID-19 updates and resources from the week of April 6, 2020. Read more
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