Only 100 miles to the west, Harrisburg can still seem like light-years from Philadelphia. Driving there you leave the skyscrapers behind, pass through forest and farmland, and see fewer Wawas and more Sheetzes. In the time it takes to get there, you could have driven to Manhattan, taken the train to Washington, DC, or been relaxing down the shore.

While Harrisburg may seem far away geographically, demographically and culturally, the work that happens under the state Capitol’s green-tiled dome can have an enormous impact on life here and across our region. Especially important – the work of the legislature.

The 253 members of the General Assembly represent you. They are your voice in Harrisburg. Let them know how you feel and the issues you care about.

Many of the policies debated in the state House affect quality of life in Philadelphia and our surrounding communities: Issues ranging from SEPTA funding to justice reform to determining if your child’s school can afford to repair the HVAC system.

I’ve been serving in the state House since 2015 and as House speaker since 2023. In that time, I’ve shepherded through fair school funding legislation, common sense gun safety bills, and investments to make health care better and more accessible.

But as the first speaker from Philadelphia in 15 years, I also want to connect more of our neighbors with state legislative news that impacts their lives. So as the legislature prepares for its new two-year session, here are some things to know and issues to look for in 2025:

Balance of power

Pennsylvania again has a divided legislature with a Republican-led Senate and a Democratic-led House. This means to become law, a policy needs support from both parties to make it to Gov. Josh Shapiro’s desk.

Collaboration is a bedrock of our Democratic leadership, and an overwhelming majority of the 428 bills the House passed last session garnered bipartisan votes.

Cutting costs

Economists and retailers agree that costs will likely rise this year due to tariffs, so the state House will double down on cost-cutting measures like those from the last session when we expanded Property Tax/Rent Rebates for seniors and tripled the tax credit for families paying for childcare.

Protecting health care

We improved access to health care last year by requiring insurers to cover telemedicine and investing in resources to reduce maternal mortality. Now, with the Affordable Care Act at risk in Washington, we must act to secure provisions of the widely popular ACA in state law. We’ll also work to help people with medical debt — nearly 700,000 in the commonwealth.

A plan for mass transit

SEPTA fuels our local economy. People ride to work, doctors’ appointments, errands and school. In November, we worked with the governor to secure an interim solution to prevent service cuts and fare hikes on SEPTA. But mass transit is a statewide issue and needs a long-term solution. The state House passed a comprehensive plan three times last year; unfortunately the Senate failed to act. We’re not giving up on finding a solution — it is too important to residents and local economies across the state.

Strengthening public safety

Communities thrive when our neighbors are safe. Philadelphia leverages state and local investments to prevent crime, including a $5 million state investment last year for the Philly Crime lab. We need to do more to recruit, retain and support our law enforcement and first responders, and to ensure we are giving our neighbors, especially our children, the tools to manage conflict and reduce poverty and feelings of helplessness that can lead to increases in crime.

Sustained investment in local schools

School funding is the most impactful investment we can make, but to be effective it needs to be equitable. Using momentum from a 2023 court ruling saying PA’s school funding system was unconstitutional and the Basic Education Funding Commission’s 2024 Report, we created a roadmap to correct for generations of inequitable funding. We also passed historic increases in education tax credit programs that provide tuition assistance to students who attend schools outside of their local school district. Now we need to continue to follow the plan implemented in 2024 to ensure our state’s future is back on track.

These are just a handful of the issues that will be before the legislature this session. Other topics — from legalizing recreational marijuana to consumer protections related to AI — will likely come up too. Knowing the role the legislature can play in our lives and where to find information can keep you ahead of the news to advocate when an issue you care about is about to be up for debate.

The 253 members of the General Assembly represent you. They are your voice in Harrisburg. Let them know how you feel and the issues you care about.

PA Speaker of the House Joanna McClinton represents portions of Philadelphia and Delaware counties. She is the first woman and second African American to serve as speaker of the nation’s oldest, continuously operating state legislative body.

The Citizen welcomes guest commentary from community members who represent that it is their own work and their own opinion based on true facts that they know firsthand.

MORE ON HOW CITIZENS GET INVOLVED IN GOVERNANCE