PHILADELPHIA, Oct. 26 – The Philadelphia House Delegation today praised the ongoing joint hearings conducted by the House Appropriations and Education committees on delivering funds for schools statewide. The Pennsylvania Education Tour and hearings are part of an effort to help public schools and get a pulse of the state’s school funding structure. This week, the tour made two stops in Philadelphia: Tuesday at the School District of Philadelphia and Wednesday at the Community College of Philadelphia’s Library and Learning Commons. Philadelphia House Delegation Chairwoman Morgan Cephas explained that it is critical to examine the issues impacting schools in the city and state in order to find effective solutions that would guarantee fair investments and infrastructure for the schools. “We needed to hear the testimonies of parents, education experts and community leaders and revisit the root of the issues affecting our schools. This is why these hearings are so important. We are committed to improving this state’s failed school funding model,” Cephas said. “Our sons and daughters deserve quality and equality in education regardless their socioeconomic status,” she said. Rep. Jordan A. Harris, House Appropriations Committee chair, indicated that the hearings in Philadelphia addressed key concerns that will drive the necessary changes. “We Read more
“As we’ve visited communities around Pennsylvania, one thing is clear: every community – rural, urban or suburban – they all want the best opportunities for their students,” Speaker Joanna McClinton, D-Phila/Delaware, said. “And as a state we owe them that much. It is enshrined in our Constitution. We need to start living up to the promise we make our students and the promise we’ve made in our state’s future.” Read more
The House Democratic leadership team and Policy Committee joined students, teachers, and education advocates in Reading Tuesday morning for a tour of two local high school buildings and a discussion on education inequality in Pennsylvania. Read more
“Last night an individual armed with a weapon of war and clad in body armor killed five innocent people and injured two children in a seemingly senseless and random act of violence. Our community is mourning today and will continue to mourn until something is done about the public health crisis that is gun violence in Pennsylvania.“This morning I visited the site with my colleagues from both the city and state level. We talked to neighbors who are scared to be in their own community. We saw the bike on the corner a child left behind and has yet to come back and reclaim. We can’t allow this to become routine. I will continue to communicate with city officials and state leaders and stress the utmost need to work together to stop these senseless tragedies from occurring. Read more
Harrisburg, June 26 – Just six months into the 2023-24 legislative session, Pennsylvania House Democrats are delivering on their promise to prioritize the issues Pennsylvanians care about by passing more than 100 bills focusing on a variety of critical issues that will improve lives for Pennsylvanians. “I’m proud that House Democrats are continuing to advance a people-first agenda,” Speaker of the House Joanna McClinton, D-Phila./Delaware, said. “In just the past few weeks our caucus has advanced measures that would make more seniors eligible for the Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program, plus increase their rebates. We passed an expanded Child and Dependent Care Enhancement Tax Credit -- because when families can afford childcare, more Pennsylvanians can work. We passed tax credits for people in some of the commonwealth’s most in-demand and understaffed professions like nurses, teachers and police. We’re helping all Pennsylvanians save for retirement using our Keystone Saves Program. And we advanced a long-overdue boost in the state minimum wage, which lags every surrounding state and has kept too many Pennsylvanians in poverty.” “After a dozen years of inaction on issues that Pennsylvanians truly care about, we have put forth a diverse, aggressive and bipartisan agenda that will ensure Pennsylvania is a better place to live, learn and work,” said House Majority Leader Matt Bradford, D-Montgomery. “Our Read more
STATE PROGRAMS NOW OPEN FOR APPLICATIONS: Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency: Support Families of Child Abuse Victims Who May Apply: Non-profits that specialize in providing service for child abuse victims in Pennsylvania. Use: Implementation of a research or evidence-based trauma training to support non-offending caregivers of child abuse victims. Funds: $250,000 in federal Children’s Justice Act funds. Application Deadline: July 6, 2023 More information: PCCD Website Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency: PA START/STOP Project Who May Apply: Any private non-profit agency, any private for-profit agency, public agency, or unit of local government. Use: The PA START/STOP campaigns aim to increase awareness of the dangers of Opioid abuse, as well as to provide resources to assist parents and caregivers in promoting healthy behaviors among youth to prevent substance use in the first place. Funds: $900,000 in federal State Opioid Response funds. Application Deadline: July 10, 2023 More information: PCCD Website Pennsylvania Department of Transportation: Transportation Alternatives Set-Aside Who May Apply: Local, county, and tribal governments, transit agencies, schools, school districts, nonprofits, and small Metropolitan Planning Organizations. Use: Transportation alternatives, including on- and Read more
“The bipartisan passage of Clean Slate 3.0 shows that Pennsylvania continues to believe in second chances and expand the folks who can access them,” Harris said. “I’m incredibly appreciative to again work with Representative Delozier on criminal justice reform as well as the advocacy groups from both sides of the aisle who all recognize that this is the right thing to do for Pennsylvania and Pennsylvanians. I hope to see quick passage in the Senate so Governor Josh Shapiro can make Clean Slate 3.0 law.” Read more
Citing a storied history of cooperation, and a shared desire to continue promoting social justice, members of the Pennsylvania State House are forming a Black-Jewish caucus. Read more
State Reps. Jordan Harris and Jared Solomon, both Democrats from Philadelphia, said the new caucus will explore “the historic relationship between the two groups, reignite the current relationship, and work together to promote social justice.“ Read more
Concerns over an increase in hate crimes and bigotry have led to a new caucus in the state house. Two minority groups are once again joining forces to be a positive force for good Read more
Black and Jewish people have come together since the Civil Rights Movement to work together for equity and social justice. We are here to revitalize this relationship to take on the challenges of today. Every legislative victory begins with relationship building and two groups working together to address bigotry will be a great start. Read more
Pa. state Rep. Jordan Harris joined Black and Jewish colleagues in the state Capitol to announce the formation of the new Black-Jewish Caucus. Harris and state Rep. Jared Solomon will co-chair the group aimed at exploring past relationships and working together to build stronger, fairer, and safer communities across the Commonwealth. Read more
In 2018, former Governor Tom Wolf signed clean slate legislation into law. Since the passage of the Pennsylvania Clean Slate Law, ten other states have launched similar programs. Pennsylvania’s Clean Slate program currently seals the records of non-violent misdemeanors following a waiting period of ten-crime-free years. Since automated sealing began in 2019, over 40 million cases have been automatically sealed, and over 1.2 million people have had a record sealed. Read more
It's a chance to start again. Lawmakers in Harrisburg say a new bi-partisan bill would empower people with low-level non-violent felony charges on their record, making it easier to reenter society."No one should be judged by their worst day," said State Representative Jordan Harris, a Democrat who serves Philadelphia. Read more
HARRISBURG, April 25 – Today, state Reps. Elizabeth Fiedler, D-Phila.; Dave Madsen, D-Dauphin; and House Democratic Appropriations Chair Jordan Harris, D-Phila.; joined a tour of the solar panel array at Steelton-Highspire High School. The tour was hosted by Generation 180, a nonprofit organization working to inspire and equip people to adopt clean energy. Last year, Steelton-Highspire School District unveiled a solar panel field to power the district’s schools and buildings. Fiedler recently introduced ‘Solar for Schools’ legislation that would create a grant program to fund solar energy projects at school districts, intermediate units, community colleges, and career and technical schools. She said she was pleased to see Steelton-Highspire’s new solar panel field. “Today, we got to see how much positive change solar panel arrays can bring to schools like Steelton-Highspire,” Fiedler said. “If we pass Solar for Schools legislation, we can save schools thousands each year in energy costs, bring federal money for green energy projects back to Pennsylvania, generate good-paying jobs for skilled workers, reduce pollution, create opportunities for hands-on education, and inspire a new generation of leaders.” Madsen, whose legislative district includes Steelton-Highspire School District, praised the school’s leadership. “I am proud of Read more
“Alleyways, driveways and sidewalks are public-use spaces,” Rep. Jordan Harris said. “Homeowners, however, are struggling to provide the generational upgrades and repairs necessary to many of these pathways used by the community. We’ve seen it throughout the commonwealth and here in my home in Philadelphia." Read more
“This is about investing in Pennsylvania and investing in Pennsylvanians,” Appropriations Committee Chair Rep. Jordan Harris (D) said. Read more
It all comes full cycle.State Rep. Jordan Harris and former Philadelphia Eagles defensive back Lito Sheppard helped hand out bicycles and other toys to local children at the ninth annual Bike 186 event at Yesha Fellowship Hall on Snyder Avenue on Dec. 21.It was another round of good holiday gestures and another round of smiles from the children who got to take home a new bike. Read more
“It’s an incredible honor to be able to give back to the community I grew up in and that helped raise me, and Bike 186 is the perfect way to do that around the holidays,” said Harris, D-Phila. “I’m incredibly appreciative to partner with Lito Sheppard and Pennsylvania Skill to bring cheer to so many families.” Read more
After years spent in predevelopment, a community development project in Southwest Philadelphia named Africatown recently celebrated two major milestones: an official groundbreaking and the announcement of millions in additional state funding. Read more
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