Pa. state Rep. Joe Hohenstein joined the Pennsylvania Unemployment Project and Keystone Research Center to call on the incoming Shapiro administration to address much needed reforms to Pennsylvania's unemployment service. Read more

PHILADELPHIA, Nov. 28 – The Philadelphia House Delegation today released the following statement regarding the passing of former state Sen. Milton Street. “We are deeply saddened by the death of Senator Milton Street, brother of former Philadelphia Mayor John Street and uncle to current state Sen. Sharif Street. Street always showcased an unwavering passion to serve our community, leaving behind a trail of countless contributions to our city. “Leadership and kindness were two of the main traits of former Sen. Street, who also was a tireless activist for the underprivileged. “We extend our deepest sympathies to his family, colleagues and friends. May his legacy be an inspiration for future generations.” Read more

PHILADELPHIA, Nov. 23 – State Rep. Morgan Cephas, chair of the Philadelphia House Delegation, and a group of delegation members joined Philabundance Tuesday morning for a day of service and solidarity. The lawmakers helped pack boxes that will be provided to families for Thanksgiving. Cephas said their work at the food bank reaffirmed the commitment of the delegation to ensuring that unserved and underserved families in the city have access to food to celebrate the upcoming holidays. “Our delegation firmly believes that working together makes us stronger, and that aside from advancing important legislation in Harrisburg, it is crucial for us to work alongside residents and local organizations to support our community. “Philabundance has been doing amazing work in our community, and that is why we did not hesitate to join them today when Loree Jones, CEO of Philabundance, extended the invitation. Our delegation will continue partnering with institutions that can help us secure the welfare of our city,” Cephas said. Loree Jones said that the team at Philabundance is grateful to have the support of incredible donors and volunteers. "With over 550,000 people struggling to put food on their table we are working harder than ever to be able to do our part to meet the need.” “To have the support of our legislators will help us not only relieve hunger today but - as we Read more

PHILADELPHIA, Nov. 21 – State Rep. Morgan Cephas, chair of the Philadelphia House Delegation, today said the delegation stands behind the city’s continued efforts to welcome migrants. Cephas said the delegation is proud of the role that Philadelphia has played after a second group of migrants sent by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott arrived this morning in the city. “Governor Abbot sent another 48 passengers to our city for the purpose of a political stunt, and we are happy to open our arms and dedicate ourselves to their well-being and safety,” Cephas said. “As their harrowing journey comes to an end, we want to make sure everyone knows that innocent people trying to make better lives for themselves and their families will never be punished in Philadelphia.” City of Philadelphia’s Office of Immigrant Affairs and the Mayor’s Fund for Philadelphia have launched the Philadelphia Welcoming Fund to allow Philadelphia residents the opportunity to contribute to local efforts to welcome immigrants, refugees and asylum seekers arriving in Philadelphia. Funds collected by the Welcoming Fund will be provided to nonprofit organizations in the Philadelphia area that are supporting arriving immigrant communities. Read more

PHILADELPHIA, Nov. 21 – State Rep. Morgan Cephas, Chair of the House Philadelphia Democratic Delegation, joins members of the Delegation for a day of service at Philabundance tomorrow, Tuesday, Nov. 22. Members will help pack boxes that will be provided to families for Thanksgiving. Those who wish to volunteer must create an account with Philabundance at this link: https://philabundance.volunteerhub.com/vv2/lp/repcephas , signup for the event and sign a waiver form. What: Members of the Philadelphia Delegation will join the Philabundance team to pack boxes for families for the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday. Where: 3616 S. Galloway St., Philadelphia When: 8:45 a.m. to Noon Tuesday, Nov. 22. ### EDITORS NOTE: Media coverage of Tuesday’s event is invited. Read more

HARRISBURG, Nov. 18 – State Rep. Morgan Cephas, former co-chair of the Legislative Women’s Health Caucus, has been elected chairperson of the Philadelphia Delegation of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives for a two-year term starting in the 2023-24 legislative session. The delegation also elected Rep. Danilo Burgos as vice-chair and Rep. Malcom Kenyatta as secretary/treasurer. Cephas said that she is looking forward to working with fellow members in the delegation to advance a strategic agenda for the city of Philadelphia. “I feel honored to step into this new role, to be able to lead such a hardworking team. I’m ready to embrace the challenges that this position will bring,” Cephas said. “I can assure all Philadelphians that in this pivotal moment, we are aware of the complex issues impacting our communities, and we are going to keep furthering commonsense policy that can generate lasting impact for our city.” She highlights priorities for the delegation to address include overwhelming gun violence rates, ongoing levels of high poverty, affordable housing, aging infrastructure, education funding, and access to care. Burgos said he feels proud to assume his position in the delegation because it will help him amplify his voice on behalf of underserved residents of the community. “This is really a meaningful moment in Read more

PHILADELPHIA, Nov. 17 – State Rep. Morgan Cephas, chair of the House Philadelphia Democratic Delegation, along with fellow members, today thanked city officials for the immediate response and support provided to an estimated 30 immigrants sent to Philadelphia from Texas on a bus that arrived outside the 30th Street Station Wednesday morning. The delegation said its top concern and priority is the welfare of the group of migrants and highlighted that the key words against the backdrop of migrations are collaboration and solidarity. “The most important aspect to take into consideration is to make this group of people feel safe. We all have the right to feel protected and respected; we are talking about a fundamental right.” The delegation applauded the city officials for the humane response and emphasized that once again Philadelphia has proved why it is referred to as the “City of Brotherly Love.’ “We are proud to say that Philadelphia is one of very few sanctuary cities in the country. The Texas officials did not even coordinate with the city, but we opened our doors to them, and we are ready to offer shelter, health care and essential resources.” The delegation also stressed that although Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has stated that he will continue sending buses to other cities, because he understands that the government keeps allowing illegal immigrants, this is far from that case. “The individuals we welcomed are not Read more

HARRISBURG, Nov. 16 – State Rep. Morgan Cephas today announced that she will be stepping down from her position as co-chair of the Pennsylvania Women’s Health Caucus Cephas said this represents a sweet-and-sour moment in her career as a lawmaker because she is closing a chapter that allowed her to fight for women’s rights at all levels. “I’m proud to say that as the Women’s Health Caucus, we not only fought, but also won many battles together. I had the honor to support this work in Harrisburg and at home, in Philly co-sponsoring legislation aimed to ensure access. We also have made great strides for maternal health in the Commonwealth under the guidance of the WHC in the last two years.” Cephas emphasized the extensive list of the organization’s achievements includes close collaboration with the governor's administration and stakeholders from across the state, which has resulted in a $25 million investment into maternal health and the implementation of the Medical Assistance extension from six weeks to one-year postpartum. “The WHC has played a pivotal role in decisions made at the Capitol. We also worked on the creation of a pathway to certification for doulas through the launch of the Perinatal Doula Certification Program, and improvements in supports for our incarcerated population through the development of the Doula Pilot Program in SCI Cambridge Springs and SCI Muncy,” Cephas said. Read more

HARRISBURG, NOV. 15 – State Reps. Donna Bullock, D-Phila., and Gina Curry, D-Delaware, held a news conference Monday to mark Student Homelessness Awareness Week and educate the public about the prevalence of students experiencing homelessness in Pennsylvania. In the 2020-21 school year, 32,666 students in Pennsylvania schools were homeless or living without adequate housing. “It’s unacceptable that more than 32,000 of our students have recently experienced homelessness or have dealt with inadequate housing. While that number represents a decrease from previous years, it’s still too high,” Bullock said. “We want residents of the commonwealth to recognize that education provides stability and support to youth experiencing homelessness and is a key to preventing future homelessness. We need to do everything we can to support education and our students.” Out of 786 local education agencies in Pennsylvania, 713 are receiving McKinney-Vento subgrants to abate the challenges in their communities. The McKinney-Vento Act states that an individual or family who lacks a fixed, regular and adequate nighttime residence is considered homeless. Identifying homelessness can be difficult. According to experts, families experiencing homelessness often keep their situation and circumstances hidden from friends, program staff and others. Many families say that they worry about being judged or are fearful of child welfare involvement. Read more