“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
State House Speaker Joanna McClinton and Philadelphia House Delegation Chair Rep. Morgan Cephas are applauding $225,000 in state funds being awarded to Achieveability, a neighborhood revitalization organization that has served west Philadelphia for more than 40 years. Read more
Delegation Chair state Rep. Morgan Cephas, D-Phila., said that the tragedy is felt across the region.“Our love and sympathy is sent to the families of the crew and to the 6abc family. News staff are part of the fabric of our communities and seen everywhere in the region,” Cephas said. “The sudden and tragic loss of the pilot and videographer in the line of service is heartbreaking for everyone, especially so close to the holidays.” Read more
Delegation Chairwoman, Rep. Morgan Cephas, D-Phila., said these grants will solidify the foundation of city water and sewer utilities to be better prepared in the case of an emergency. Read more
HARRISBURG, Dec. 14 – State Rep. Morgan Cephas, D-Phila., today announced that Gov. Josh Shapiro will sign her legislation ( H.B. 1478 ) , which facilitates more dental screenings in schools, into law. This is the second bill introduced by Cephas that will have been signed into law in the 2023-24 legislative session. “I’m excited this is becoming a reality for our students. Aside from when they first enter school and in third and seventh grades, many students go unchecked for years,” Cephas said. “This legislation relaxes current law and will allow school districts flexibility to get more students checked and catch potential dental problems while also preventing future issues down the road.” Once signed, H.B. 1478 will allow a public dental hygiene practitioner to perform basic dental screenings in public schools. Currently, a dental exam must be performed by a dentist in Pennsylvania. Poor oral health in children can: Lead to painful infections and cavities. Result in missing more school and lower grades, directly impacting their educational journey. Affect their overall development, speech and eating habits. “Children with poor oral health status were nearly three times more likely than were their counterparts to miss school as a result of dental pain, which further creates an urgency to fill the gaps in our overall dental system,” Cephas Read more
The bill creates important protections, including restricting shackling and solitary confinement; providing trauma informed care training of corrections officers interacting with pregnant and postpartum women; and providing up to three days of post-delivery bonding time between a mother and newborn child, among other protections. No one should be deprived of respect or be forced to risk their health or the health of their child. Read more
The bill proposes an amendment to the Pennsylvania Constitution that would reaffirm and protect every individual’s right of reproductive liberty with respect to personal, sexual, and reproductive healthcare decisions, including the right to choose or refuse an abortion, the right to choose or refuse contraceptives, and the right to choose or refuse fertility care, without discrimination on the basis of race, sex, religion, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, or relationship status. Read more
HARRISBURG, Dec. 11 – Today, two bills introduced by Philadelphia House Delegation Chair, state Rep. Morgan Cephas, D-Phila., were approved by Senate committees and moved to the full Senate for consideration. Both bills passed the House earlier this year. These two bills include: House Bill 900 , known as the Dignity for Incarcerated Women Act, was voted out of the Senate Judiciary Committee with unanimous support. The bill would create important protections for pregnancy and postpartum people who are incarcerated in Pennsylvania helping to restore dignity and codifying a number of current policies and practices that are already in place in the Department of Corrections and at the federal level . Along with Cephas, State Reps. Tina Davis, D-Bucks, and Mike Jones, R-York, and a series of stakeholders including Ardella’s House, Dream.org and the American Conservative Union, championed the bill. House Bill 1478 , which would amend the Public School Code allowing school districts to utilize a Public Health Dental Hygiene Practitioner to fulfill requirements of Section 1403 of the Public School Code relating to dental screenings and dental hygiene. This legislation would provide school districts more flexibility regarding fulfilling the requirements of Section 1403. This bill was approved by the Education Committee. “The health and well-being of Pennsylvanians is of the utmost Read more
Members of the Philadelphia House Delegation today praised Mayor-elect Cherelle Parker for announcing Kevin Bethel as her pick for the city’s next police commissioner. Read more
The bill now heads to the Senate for concurrence. Read more
A new law will provide key data to improve outcomes for women, especially Black women, who have high rates of maternal morbidity across the state. Read more
Shapiro thanked the Women’s Health Caucus as well as Rep. Cephas and Sen. Schwank for their work on the issue, calling it an “important day” for the Commonwealth. Read more
HARRISBURG, Nov. 2 – This week, legislation ( H.B. 287 ) introduced by state Rep. Rick Krajewski, D-Phila., to make commonsense eviction reforms in Philadlephia was approved by the House Housing and Community Development Committee on a 14-11 vote. Six Philadelphia House Delegation members, including Krajewski and delegation Chairwoman state Rep. Morgan Cephas, D-Phila. sit on the committee. All six voted to approve the legislation. The bill would require eviction in Philadelphia to (1) be carried out by a public entity, (2) receive oversight from a review board, and (3) involve accompanying behavioral health professionals. Krajewski’s introduction of H.B. 287 comes after three shootings during evictions carried out by Philadelphia’s Landlord-Tenant Officer this summer. Following those incidents, in August, the Philadelphia House Delegation co-hosted a public hearing on the issue at Philadelphia City Hall with the state House Housing and Community Development Committee. “Evictions are the worst day in someone’s life, and we need to do everything we can to make sure they’re carried out safely and with compassion,” Krajewski said. “Philadelphia's violent, for-profit eviction system is an outlier statewide and desperately needs to be replaced. No one should fear for their life because they can’t make rent.” Cephas celebrated advancement of the bill, she said Read more
HARRISBURG, Oct. 31 – State Rep. Morgan Cephas, co-chair of the Black Maternal Health Caucus , participated today in the ceremonial bill signing of Act 5 of 2023 into law, which adds “severe maternal morbidity: to the list of reportable events within the Pennsylvania Department of Health. “I am still beyond excited about seeing Act 5 signed into law by Governor Josh Shapiro,” said Cephas, who also is a former chair of the Women’s Health Caucus and who has championed the issue for years. “This a collective effort to prevent maternal morbidity in the commonwealth. Act 5 will help reduce the growing and alarming number of maternal deaths,” Cephas added. “I praise the efforts of Senator Judy Schwank who is leading this remarkable win. The collected data on maternal morbidity will facilitate a better understanding of risk factors and key patterns linked to this issue,” Cephas said. Senate Bill 262 , who has Schwank as its prime sponsor, is part of a package of bills aimed at addressing maternal morbidity and mirrors legislation authored by Cephas (H.B. 1362 ) in the past two legislative sessions and is a key part of her efforts to reduce Black maternal mortality and improve Black maternal health in Pennsylvania. Read more
HARRISBURG, Oct. 30 – State Rep. Morgan Cephas, co-chair of the Black Maternal Health Caucus , announced today that she will join the ceremonial signing of Act 5 into law by Gov. Josh Shapiro. The package of bills would help create better reporting of maternal morbidity data. Senate Bill 262 , sponsored by state Sen. Judy Schwank, is part of a package of bills aimed at addressing maternal morbidity and mirrors legislation (H.B. 1362 ) authored in the state House by Cephas in the past two legislative sessions. WHAT : Ceremonial bill signing of Act 5 . WHO : Gov. Josh Shapiro, State Rep. Morgan Cephas , and state Sen. Judy Schwank . WHEN : 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 31. WHERE : Governor’s Reception Room, PA Capitol. Media coverage is invited. Read more
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
Three state lawmakers announced this week the creation of the Black Maternal Health Caucus in an effort to find legislative solutions to Pennsylvania’s high rates of Black maternal mortality and morbidity. Read more
A long-time proponent of Black Maternal Health reform, Pa. state Rep. Morgan Cephas stands with her co-chairs Rep. La’Tasha D. Mayes and Rep. Gina H. Curry to launch the new Pa. Black Maternal Health Caucus. Cephas and the caucus will work to advance legislation like the MOMNIBUS package of bills designed to address the prevalence of maternal mortality and morbidity affecting Black mothers and birthing people of color in our commonwealth. Read more
The Pennsylvania Black Maternal Health Caucus seeks to address disturbing trends of Black maternal mortality and morbidity and pass the Pennsylvania MOMNIBUS, a legislative package modeled after the federal MOMNIBUS legislation to change the trajectory of maternal health outcomes in Pennsylvania. Read more
PHILADELPHIA, Oct. 13 – The Philadelphia House Delegation lauded today the announcement of federal grants awarded through the Department of Energy to a hydrogen hub located in Philadelphia and emphasized the importance of using renewable energy sources as a path to an environmentally friendly state and country. Two hydrogen projects, Philadelphia area Mid-Atlantic Clean Hydrogen Hub and Appalachian Regional Clean Hydrogen Hub, based in West Virginia, will receive part of $7 billion in federal grants. It is anticipated that President Joe Biden would make the official announcement during a visit to the City of Philadelphia on Friday. Philadelphia House Delegation Chairwoman Rep. Morgan Cephas explained that these grants will play a crucial role in the production and processing of clean hydrogen which would accelerate President Biden’s target of a 100 percent clean electrical grid by 2035 and net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. “Our delegation applauds the selection of our city to generate and distribute hydrogen fuel. We fully support the President’s energy plan. By generating hydrogen energy not only will we access a more efficient fuel and eliminate unnecessary costs, but we would also improve air quality across our city, affect environmental justice, as well as several other benefits,” Cephas said. “These are significant investments that would help decarbonize the Read more
PHILADELPHIA, Oct. 10 – The Philadelphia House Delegation lauded today the deadline extension of the Nonprofit Security Grant Fund Program, operated by the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency, and advocated for an increase in funds to address hate crimes in the state. The deadline for the program solicitation has been extended to Oct. 30 . Philadelphia House Delegation Chairwoman Rep. Morgan Cephas explained that it is critical to increase funds allocated for the program. “Current tragic events around the world have proven more than ever that we must fund security upgrades at our religious institutions. Our delegation’s top priority is public safety of our city and state, but we need the collaboration of all eligible organizations. We are determined to combat antisemitism and racism in Pennsylvania. “We urge nonprofits included in the categories of race, religion, sexual orientation, and gender identity, among others, to take advantage of the Nonprofit Security Grant Fund Program,” Cephas said. The grants are aimed to protect the safety and security of the users of facilities located in the commonwealth that are owned or operated by nonprofit organizations and primarily serve individuals, groups, or institutions that are included within a bias drive category for hate crime as identified by the FBI’s Hate Crime Statistics publication . Qualified expenses Read more
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