Dear Neighbors,

As a state representative, I’m focused on doing whatever I can in office to make life better for you and your family. Life for you and our neighbors should be livable and affordable — not just survivable. Safe and beautiful neighborhoods with strong public schools. Quality and affordable housing and healthcare. A strong safety net for those who face difficult times.

And the government should be working to bring costs down, not make things more expensive. In the last 48 hours, I attended five community events where I heard how people were hurt where it counts, due to reckless policies from Washington, DC. As you may also be feeling, rising costs due to inflation, extreme tariffs, and unfair federal budget cuts— all driven by Washington— are making it difficult for us. Unlike Washington, my House Democratic colleagues and I are working to support our families.

Image: Speaking to my colleagues recently on the floor of the Pennsylvania House.

Last week, we passed the latest in a series of Pennsylvania budget bills aimed at easing financial pressures on our neighbors. And while we work to lower costs, we also acted to protect schools, healthcare, and fund SEPTA & community safety, all while not raising taxes on working families. Read more below about what is happening in Harrisburg.

Sincerely,

In this Update:

PA Budget Update
How DC’s “Big Budget Bill” Affects You
Washington Education Cuts Hit Home
My New Law Helping Hungry Families
My 988 Awareness Bill Passes
DC 33 Gets a Contract
SEPTA Older Adult Fare Cards
Help Wanted

A Budget Putting Pennsylvania Families First

Last week, my colleagues and I passed a $50.6 billion budget bill in the Pennsylvania House that protects what matters most—public schools, healthcare, and public safety — without raising taxes or adding debt.

This plan is focused on easing everyday costs for Pennsylvania families — from school and healthcare to transportation and infrastructure — all without raising taxes.

We included nearly $1 billion in new funding for K–12 public schools, so families aren’t left paying the price with higher property taxes.

We also strengthened healthcare programs at a time when hospitals and nursing homes face significant challenges due to federal Medicaid changes, ensuring that care remains accessible for older adults and people with disabilities.

Image: With Suzanne Hagner and other transit advocates outside City Hall during a transit rally this spring.

Our budget package includes the necessary funding for SEPTA. Earlier this session, we passed Governor Josh Shapiro’s public transit plan, which will deliver $292 million next year to 52 transit systems across all 67 counties. This is the money SEPTA needs to stay strong. This money means safer, more reliable, and affordable transportation for nearly a million Pennsylvanians commuting to work, school, and medical appointments.

Our budget is balanced and responsible. We also trimmed $1 billion from the Governor’s original proposal as a good-faith negotiation to cooperate with our Republican colleagues.

Our budget also builds on other bills we’ve passed to lower your costs & protect your money:

Capping outrageous overdraft fees;
Cracking down on junk fees and shady subscriptions;
Protecting homebuyers and older adults from scams;
Ensuring patients know about financial help before medical debt piles up;
Making ticket sales fairer. (see 👇)

Image: Social media post from Rep. Liz Fiedler on HB 1216.

These are fundamental steps to fight rising costs, and we’re just getting started. All these bills, including the budget, are now waiting for action in the state Senate. As you likely know, all bills must pass the PA Senate before Gov. Shapiro can sign them.

Contact your senator and urge them to pass this budget and support hardworking taxpayers. Learn more at www.pahouse.com/deliveringforpa.

Image: Photograph of the PA House floor during budget address by Gov. Shapiro.

More Troubling News About Private Equity in Healthcare - And How The "Big Bad Bill" Could Make it Worse

The closure of Crozer Health and Genesis’s nursing home bankruptcies aren’t isolated events — they show what happens when private equity puts profits before patients. Private equity in healthcare poses a threat to care in communities across Pennsylvania.

That’s why I’m leading HB1460 with Rep. Lisa Borowski (D-Delaware County), the Protecting Patients from Corporate Greed Act, to increase oversight and prevent more closures. Click here or on the image below to watch a video of what our bill does.

Image: Screenshot from video where I discuss HB 1460.

Washington slashed Medicaid funding by over $1 trillion nationally, which will throw millions of working people off their healthcare. This means more hospitals will close because the care they provide won’t get reimbursed — and Pennsylvania won’t have the resources to fill the gaps. 300,000 Pennsylvanians will lose access to healthcare due to cuts in the Washington budget bill.

Washington’s cuts also drive-up insurance premiums, as fewer people on Medicaid mean higher costs for private coverage — making healthcare less affordable for everyone. And their cuts to Medicare mean that this critical program will be out of money in less than a decade.

We’re working hard to fight these threats and ensure Pennsylvanians have access to quality, affordable care when they need it most.

Image: PA House Democratic Caucus graphic on federal budget bill.

Private equity didn’t create this crisis, but it’s fueling it. We need to put patients first, not profits. The House passed HB1460. Now the Senate must act to protect our healthcare facilities across the commonwealth.

Trump's Cuts to Education Felt Locally

This week, I visited an exceptional summer educational enrichment program in Northwest Philadelphia. In addition to providing outstanding educational opportunities for the students, including in critical thinking, math, and science, it keeps kids occupied during the summer and focused on academics. Due to the cuts to the Department of Education, students in this NW Philly program lost $500,000 in funding for their program — money that had already been committed and promised by the federal government.

Image: With Breakthrough Philadelphia students at Germantown Friends.

Simply put, the Trump Administration’s attacks on Pennsylvania’s federal funding are reckless and unacceptable. Just this week, Gov. Shapiro joined a multistate lawsuit with 15 other states and D.C. to fight back against the illegal taking of $185 million in education funding that our schools desperately need. By the way, this is your money— taxpayer dollars that you were already charged, and money the government gave its word that it would spend on educational programs.

Shapiro’s action follows earlier lawsuits challenging the Trump Administration’s attempt to slash over $500 million in critical health funding and freeze $1.2 billion in federal support for essential state agencies. Thanks to these legal battles, we’ve seen the federal government release some of this funding (like the $90,000 we helped secure for Northlight for their programs, including assisting at-risk teens to get jobs. But make no mistake, the fight is far from over.

We will continue pushing alongside the Governor’s Office and Senate Democrats to hold this administration accountable and protect Pennsylvania’s right to fully fund our schools, healthcare, and vital public services. Kids deserve this money for their education, not millionaires and billionaires who are already sitting on a mountain of gold. Our community deserves better — and we won’t back down.

Getting Food to Hungry Neighbors

You may have heard that my bill to protect food donors and boost food bank supplies, HB 615, was signed into law. I would like to highlight some excellent local coverage from the Chestnut Hill Local, which explains what this means for our community.

This new law expands liability protections for businesses donating safe, surplus food—including items past their “best if used by” date, which is primarily based on freshness, not safety.

By reducing food waste and increasing access to food banks, this law helps families stretch their budgets and puts more healthy food on the table. I’m proud to see this critical step getting the attention it deserves.

Read the full story by clicking here or on the image below.

Image: Graphic with excerpt from Chestnut Hill Local article.

Getting Mental Health Support to Folks in Need

People suffering from a mental health crisis should be able to get the help they need. That's why I introduced HB564 with Rep. Tara Probst, which will launch a statewide campaign to raise awareness about the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. 988 has saved countless lives by connecting people to quick, compassionate support since its 2022 debut.

Our bill passed the House with overwhelming support (200-1) and is now headed to the Senate.

Our bill will help people know when and how to get help during a mental health crisis. It also provides resources in multiple languages so all communities can learn about this lifesaving program.

Approximately 100,000 Pennsylvanians call and text 988 each month. I'm proud to help advance this critical step to make sure no one faces a crisis alone.

Image: 988 promotional graphic.

ICYMI: Progress in the PA House this July

While much of the spotlight this month has been on big-ticket issues like the budget, my colleagues and I in the PA House have also been hard at work passing several other bills to support Pennsylvanians’ health, safety, and financial stability:

Capping bank fees: HB 1553 protects consumers by capping excessive overdraft and nonsufficient funds fees.
Stopping shady subscriptions: HB 129 requires companies to offer an opt-in, clearly—not sneak in an opt-out—when signing folks up for services.
Helping new moms stay healthy: HB 1234 expands Medical Assistance to cover at-home blood pressure monitors as a pregnancy-related service.
Protecting firefighters: HB 1261 reduces firefighters’ exposure to harmful “forever chemicals” while on the job.

These bills are about delivering practical wins that matter for families across our commonwealth.

Image: Photograph of the PA House floor during session.

DC 33 Contract Approved

This week, members of AFSCME DC 33, which represents thousands of Philadelphia’s municipal workers, including sanitation and streets employees, voted to approve a new four-year contract. The agreement includes a $1,500 bonus, hazard pay, and a 3% wage increase for 3 years. Also, the deal consists of protections for the workers’ health and wellness fund, which the city will continue to contribute to for the healthcare of workers, and a historic increase for long-term workers, “a 5th step” that increases wages by an additional 2%. Thank you to the union and the Parker administration for their efforts in securing this contract.

I was proud to have been with the workers on all eight days of the strike, spending over 30 hours on and traveling to the picket lines throughout this great city.

Image: With striking DC 33 Workers earlier this month on Henry Avenue.

Throughout the process, members spoke out about long-standing issues, including short staffing, rising workloads, and wages that haven’t kept pace with the cost of living. These workers keep our city running, and they deserve to be treated with dignity and respect.

It was an honor to stand with DC 33 members during this fight.

I’m proud of you, DC33, and I will continue to champion your work and have your back. Philadelphia does not run without you.

SEPTA Older Adult Fare Cards

If you’re 65 or older, you may already know that SEPTA offers free rides on buses, trolleys, subways, and even Regional Rail within Pennsylvania. It’s a great program funded by the PA Lottery, not SEPTA’s general budget, and it helps thousands of older adults stay connected and mobile.

Image: Graphic with information about SEPTA Fare Card.

But here’s something that catches a lot of folks off guard: SEPTA Older Adult Fare Cards expire every few years, even though people don’t age out! That’s because the cards themselves have a built-in expiration date from the manufacturer to avoid issues with the chip breaking mid-trip.

If your card is expired or nearing expiration, you’ll need to renew it. However, the process is simple. Our office can assist you with submitting your renewal or a new application. Just bring proof of age (like a driver’s license or birth certificate), and your old card if you’re renewing. You’ll get your new card in the mail within 3–4 weeks.

This small step means continued access to a lifeline — classes, doctor visits, family, friends, and community. We’re happy to help keep that ride going!

Working with Philadelphia Police to Support Residents

As a nurse, I know what it's like to work stressful shifts and what it's like to be chronically understaffed. As a lawmaker, I know how important it is to ensure that law enforcement has the quality staff necessary to meet our communities' needs.

A police department that reflects our diverse community is a crucial component in enhancing safety and quality of life. That's why I'm working to support efforts that make our neighborhoods safer and strengthen relationships between residents and law enforcement.

Image: With 6ABC’s Sharri Williams and Captain Kimrey at Gorgas Park.

The starting salary for a Philadelphia police officer is nearly $70,000 after training, including pension, vacation, healthcare, and loan forgiveness. A 20% signing bonus is also available.

Check out the flyer below — and if you or someone you know is interested, go to joinphillypd.com!

Image: PPD flyer for recruitment.