House Appropriations Committee Chairperson Jordan Harris (D-Philadelphia) speaks at a news conference Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024, after the House Democratic Caucus secured its majority in the lower chamber for next session. (Capital-Star photo by Peter Hall)
The Pennsylvania House of Representatives returned to session Tuesday, a week after the House Democratic Caucus maintained its narrow majority in one of the party’s few election victories.
With a second session in control of the state legislature’s lower chamber starting in January, leaders said they hope to build on bipartisan success in the 2023-2024 session. Those included tax relief for working families and senior citizens and new education funding to begin correcting longstanding inequity between the state’s poorest and wealthiest school districts.
And although legislative goals of both parties, such as increasing funding for public transit and transportation infrastructure, remain unrealized, House Majority Leader Matt Bradford (D-Montgomery) said he hoped the Republicans in control of the state Senate would respond to the changed “political calculus” with recognition of the parties’ shared responsibilities.
“We’re not just going to retread the last session and run into the same walls,” Bradford said in a news conference Tuesday afternoon. “We’re going to keep turning the Rubik’s Cube with our Senate Republican colleagues.”
With the election of Republican Joe Picozzi to the Philadelphia Senate seat now held by Sen. Jimmy Dillon (D-Philadelphia) city issues would become Republican issues, Bradford said.
“The simple reality is now our Senate Republican caucus has representation in northeast Philly, and I would say to that new member, ‘how do you feel about shutting down public transit in Philadelphia?’ I challenge your caucus now to step to the table,” Bradford said.
On the House floor Tuesday, the chamber heard parting words from former Speaker Mark Rozzi (D-Berks) who served in the role during the tumultuous first two months of the 2023-2024 session, when the House deadlocked over which party’s nominee would be elected.
Rozzi gained the votes needed to take the speaker’s gavel in a deal with Republicans in which he agreed to become an independent. He later suffered backlash and lost a close Republican ally in his fight to provide legal relief for victims of child sexual abuse for failing to change his affiliation.
Although Rozzi’s goal of establishing an exception to the civil statute of limitations for sexual abuse victims to sue their abusers and enablers was unrealized, he succeeded in eliminating the deadline to prosecute abuse criminally.
“I can remember the day that, the day that really started this journey for me,” Rozzi said, recognizing his mother, Grazia’s support for him as a victim of abuse by a priest.
“Back in 1984 where after being raped in the shower, I ran home, and when I got home, I was hyperventilating, and she knew something was wrong,” recalling that his mother took him to school the following Monday and confronted the principal. “And she made sure that I never served another day in that church.”
House Appropriations Committee Chairman Jordan Harris (D-Philadelphia) said the reelection of 102 Democrats to the chamber was a reminder that each was chosen by a majority of their 60,000 constituents.
“Many hopes and dreams were dashed on Tuesday night and on Wednesday many people woke up with the fear of the unknown,” Harris said. “But in the midst of the red wave, there was a little old blue ship in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and that blue ship rode every wave that was thrown its way from the nine special elections to rolling in the face of the red wave that we’ve seen come across this country.”
The House Democratic Caucus announced Tuesday that Bradford will remain in his role as majority leader and House Speaker Joanna McClinton (D-Philadelphia) would retain her leadership position next year.
Rep. Mike Schlossberg (D-Lehigh) will take over from Rep. Dan Miller (D-Allegheny) as whip, and Rep. Rob Matzie (D-Allegheny) will take Schlossberg’s place as caucus chairperson. All other roles would remain unchanged with Rep. Tina Davis (D-Bucks) as caucus secretary, Rep. Leanne Kruger (D-Delaware) as caucus administrator, Rep. Ryan Bizzarro (D-Erie) as policy chairperson, and Rep. Jordan Harris (D-Philadelphia) as appropriations chairperson.
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