Philadelphia House Delegation

Philadelphia House Delegation releases statement on SEPTA proposals

The Philadelphia House Delegation today released the following statement in reaction to this morning’s announcement from SEPTA regarding major fare increases and service cuts proposed to begin on Jan. 1. The following statement can be attributed to Philadelphia House Delegation Chairwoman Rep. Morgan Cephas, D-Phila.“This morning's announcement from SEPTA is not a surprise and lays squarely at the feet of Senate Republicans,” Cephas said. “The House approved funding for mass transit three times over the last session, with no real action and vague concepts of ideas from the Senate in return. Our delegation is hopeful that 2025 will bring a more productive collaboration on a responsible solution that will serve the daily needs of nearly one million daily SEPTA riders and the increased tourism expected for our region in 2026. In the short term, Philadelphians who are already struggling through difficult finances will brace for another impact to their wallets and time.”The current legislative term ends on Nov. 30, after which any legislation not signed into law will need to be reintroduced and restart the legislative process in the new term, which begins on Jan. 7. Read more

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Kenyatta co-hosts bipartisan public hearing on combatting mental health issues among youth

(Feb 13, 2020) Philadelphia County Delegation

WASHINGTON CROSSING, Feb. 13 – Today, longtime mental health advocate state Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta, D-Phila., co-hosted a public hearing with Rep. Wendi Thomas, R- Bucks, at the Washington Crossing United Methodist Church to discuss solutions for youth struggling with mental health. “I am thrilled to have been a part of this discussion that transcends partisanship because as public servants, we are all obligated to ensure our residents are physically, emotionally and mentally well,” Kenyatta said. “Mental health has always been a pressing and a coincidingly stigmatized issue in our society; I have been a longtime advocate for breaking those stigmas and promoting comprehensive solutions to ensure the well-being of our children.” Thomas concurred with her Democratic House colleague’s praises of the bipartisan cohesion and pointed out that mental health also doesn’t discriminate. “Mental health is an issue that does not discriminate. It affects all ages, races, genders and classes. Chances are that each of us knows an individual who has struggled with mental health issues, and we all hope that those close to us would be able to get the necessary assistance in times of desperation. Unfortunately, as many as 60% of students do not receive the treatment they need due to stigma and lack of access to services,” said Thomas, adding, “It is so encouraging to see, not only so many legislators attend our Read more

Philadelphia Delegation lauds Wolf’s 2020-21 state budget proposal

(Feb 04, 2020) Philadelphia County Delegation

HARRISBURG, Feb. 4 – The House Democratic Philadelphia Delegation today lauded Gov. Tom Wolf’s 2020-21 budget proposal for including many of the priorities they identified as important to improving the quality of life for Philadelphians and for people across Pennsylvania, according to Delegation Chairman Rep. Jason Dawkins, D-Phila. Wolf outlined his proposal before a joint session of the General Assembly this morning. Led by Dawkins, members of the Philadelphia Delegation met with the governor earlier in the year to stress their budget priorities, including state funding to rid Philadelphia schools of toxins and fix crumbling infrastructure; funding to reduce waiting lists and provide more support for seniors, people living in poverty and those with disabilities; raising the minimum wage to a living wage; creating good jobs with an education plan to provide the skills to fill them; and addressing poverty and gun violence as a public health crisis. “The Philadelphia Delegation is grateful for Governor Wolf’s vision for the state in this, his sixth budget plan,” Dawkins said. “His proposals are people-focused and seek to provide more opportunities for everyone, not just the privileged few. We will be a loud voice in making sure they are included this year.” Dawkins said the governor’s budget proposal includes $1.1 billion to ensure students, teachers and staff can learn and work in classrooms that aren’t Read more