You know what they say, “April showers bring May flowers.” In our case – a month’s worth of April planning has blossomed into several May and early June events that will better connect neighbors with a host of state and local resources. Read more
I was happy to join my House and Senate colleagues, along with the Pa. Breast Cancer Coalition, to celebrate the passage of Senate Bill 8, which removes all costs associated with lifesaving genetic testing for hereditary breast and ovarian cancer, as well as supplemental breast screenings. Read more
Our office can help put money back in YOUR pocket with the Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program! Read more
Check out my 2023 Spring Newsletter, neighbors! Read more
HARRISBURG, April 11 – Citing February’s landmark Commonwealth Court ruling that Pennsylvania’s education funding system is unconstitutional, Speaker of the House Joanna McClinton, D-Phila./Delaware, said today that the state needs to act now to fix the inequitable system that has shortchanged a generation of students, and reappointed state Reps. Mike Sturla, D-Lancaster, and Mary Isaacson, D-Phila., to serve on the state’s Basic Education Funding Commission. Sturla and Isaacson will join House Education Committee Chairman Pete Schweyer, D-Lehigh, on the commission. “These three lawmakers are proven leaders on education issues and true champions for our public schools and students,” McClinton said. “Pennsylvania’s shared future depends on a well-educated workforce, and we build that future today by ensuring our students thrive academically, socially and civically. We need to tackle the commonwealth’s school funding challenge thoughtfully and swiftly.” The Basic Education Funding Commission was first established in 2014 to address the inequities in Basic Education Funding across the commonwealth and examine the state’s Basic Education Funding formula. The commission released a report in 2015 recommending the General Assembly adopt a new formula to deliver state dollars to Pennsylvania’s 500 school districts. By accounting for need-based factors like student enrollment and local wealth, the Read more
In November, Pennsylvanians chose democracy and opposed partisan political grandstanding. They said ‘no’ to repealing reproductive rights. And they realized that the old way of doing things here in Harrisburg was no longer working. The system – and all who supported it – didn’t seem to have all our best interests in mind. The system was more than fractured – it was broken. In January and officially in February, we ushered in a new way of governing – a House Democratic majority. We restructured our leadership team, and my colleagues elected me to be first female speaker of the House. What an honor! More importantly, our caucus has remained true to our principles. In the first week of our leadership, we passed impactful legislation that would give survivors of child sex abuse a pathway to justice by changing the statute of limitations laws. State Rep. Mark Rozzi penned for this legislation while he was speaker of the House, and I’m grateful to say that the legislation had overwhelming bipartisan support. It’s now up to the state Senate to protect these survivors and help us hold these abusers and the institutions that protected them accountable by passing this legislation. House Democrats have also brought reform to Harrisburg by adopting new operating rules that influence how the state House works. This reform package will restore fairness that has been missing for many years and make Pennsylvania’s Read more
In early March, Gov. Josh Shapiro delivered his first budget address to the General Assembly. Following his proposal, it was clear that his vision for the future of the commonwealth was one that had the best interests of all Pennsylvanians in mind. From fair funding for education to raising the minimum wage, the governor outlined a proposal that addresses systematic issues that have been neglected by the majority party in the state House and Senate in years past. Given our new House majority , we’re working toward a final budget that addresses many of the key topics in the governor’s proposal because these are the same issues the House Democratic Caucus has advocated for in the past and continues to fight for today: better jobs, better schools, and safer communities. I was especially encouraged by Shapiro’s roadmap to fairly fund education across the board, regardless of a student’s ZIP code. His proposal would more equitably fund public schools, while also earmarking state dollars to repair crumbling and unsafe schools, bolster apprenticeship programs, address mental health, and expand nutrition programs to combat hunger. Fixing the issues that have plagued our education system for generations will take time, but I’m confident we now have the support to work toward a solution that will give every student the opportunity and resources to succeed in the classroom. Our youngest neighbors – students Read more
Neighbors – don’t miss tomorrow’s Mental Health Event! Read more
From the first woman to serve as speaker of the Pennsylvania House to a local woman who started her own school, FOX 29 is celebrating women who are paving the way during Women's History Month. Read more
WGAL News 8's Jeremy Jenkins spoke with House Speaker Joanna McClinton about her upbringing, as well as her career in the Pennsylvania General Assembly. Read more
HARRISBURG, March 28 – Speaker of the House Joanna McClinton, D-Phila./Delaware, today announced $5.2 million in funding earmarked for transportation and infrastructure projects throughout the 191 st Legislative District. “Ensuring our community has access to funding like this has been a cornerstone of my time in office, and I remain committed to making sure we leave no stone unturned when searching for new opportunities to invest in the lives of our neighbors and their families,” McClinton said. “I look forward to the completion of these projects and the benefits that will follow.” The funding, awarded through the Commonwealth Financing Authority, includes: $350,000 to Yeadon Borough for a streetscape project that would enhance the business district on Church Lane between Whitby Avenue and Guenther Avenue. $500,000 to the City of Philadelphia for a streetscape project along Woodland Avenue. $1 million to Darby Borough for a sanitary sewer upgrade project on N. 2 nd Street. $500,000 to Yeadon Borough to construct a recreation center on Chester Avenue. $359,278 to Darby Borough for the purchasing of police vehicles. $1 million to ACHIEVEability in West Philadelphia for its 60 th Street Spruce Up program. The funding will be used to install streetlights along 60 th Street. $560,213 to construct a path connecting the Schuylkill River Trail to 61 st Street in Philadelphia. Read more
It’s important we take as much time to nurture our mental health as we do to nurture our physical health. Read more
I’ve been thinking lately about the late K. Leroy Irvis, who was the first African American to serve as a House speaker in Pennsylvania and the first Black man since Reconstruction to serve in that position in any statehouse in the country. Read more
Neighbors – don’t miss tonight’s Southwest Philly Community Meeting! Read more
Women’s History Month got off to a great start this year – as the first ever woman Speaker of the House, Representative Joanna McClinton, was elected and sworn in! Read more
Since it was first established as a commonwealth on Dec. 12, 1787, the state governance of Pennsylvania, while figuring prominently in the birth of the country, has served as a microcosm of what happens in the hallowed halls of legislation in every state in the nation. Read more
Neighbors – Gov. Josh Shapiro delivered his first budget address this week to the General Assembly! Read more
HARRISBURG, March 8 – This week, Speaker of the House Joanna McClinton, D-Phila./Delaware, announced the members of the House Democratic Caucus who will serve as majority chairs for the state House’s 24 standing committees for the 2023-24 legislative session. “House committees are where the hard work gets done - where legislation is refined and where there are public hearings before bills advance to the full House for consideration,” McClinton said. “Committee work is the cornerstone of the legislative process, and I am confident that these dedicated leaders will govern their committees with fairness and professionalism.” Aging and Older Adult Services – Rep. Patty Kim, D-Dauphin/Cumberland. Agriculture and Rural Affairs– Rep. Eddie Day Pashinski, D-Luzerne. Appropriations – Rep. Jordan Harris, D-Phila. Children and Youth – Rep. Donna Bullock, D-Phila. Commerce – Rep. John Galloway, D-Bucks. Consumer Protection, Technology and Utilities– Rep. Rob Matzie, D-Beaver. Education – Rep. Pete Schweyer, D-Lehigh. Environmental Resources and Energy - Rep. Greg Vitali, D-Delaware. Finance – Rep. Steve Samuelson, D-Northampton. Game and Fisheries – Rep. Anita Kulik, D-Allegheny. Gaming Oversight – Rep. Pat Harkins, D-Erie. Health – Rep. Dan Frankel, D-Allegheny. Housing and Community Development – Rep. Mike Sturla, D-Lancaster. Human Services Read more
Philadelphia state Rep. Joanna McClinton on Tuesday became the first woman to serve as speaker of the Pennsylvania House, ascending to the chamber’s top position on the strength of a fresh one-vote Democratic majority. Read more
Philly state Rep. Joanna McClinton made history on Tuesday, becoming the first woman and second Black person to ever serve as speaker of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. Read more
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