The Pennsylvania state House gathered at the state Capitol to swear in members for its 209th legislative session.

Pennsylvania Chief Justice Debra Todd administered the oath of office to the chamber’s lawmakers, which included 16 new legislators representing communities across the commonwealth.

During the ceremony, Rep. Joanna McClinton, (D-Philadelphia/ Delaware) was reelected speaker of the House. She was sworn in by Superior Court Judge Timika Lane, and her Bible was held by Cathryn Irvis, widow of former and first African American Speaker of the Pennsylvania House, K. Leroy Irvis.

In addition to welcoming new and returning lawmakers to the chamber, McClinton, who is the first woman to serve as speaker in the nation’s oldest continuously operating state legislative body, outlined her vision for the coming two-year legislative session as being defined by optimism, civility and productivity.

“I’m proud of what this House has been able to achieve for all Pennsylvanians by working together – from saving seniors money on their property tax and rent to tripling tax credits for working families,” McClinton reflected.

“I’m hopeful that the upcoming session will be even more productive. Our neighbors have sent us here to cut costs for families, protect access to health care, strengthen public safety, and fairly fund our schools. I look forward to the policy solutions my colleagues will present to some of commonwealth’s most pressing challenges and to spirited and respectful debate in this chamber. And in our House, it doesn’t matter where a good idea comes from as long as it helps the people we serve.”

The leadership team for the House Democrats includes:

• Speaker-designate: Rep. Joanna McClinton, D-Philadelphia/Delaware
• Leader: Rep. Matt Bradford, D-Montgomery
• Whip: Rep. Mike Schlossberg, D-Lehigh
• Appropriations Chair: Rep. Jordan Harris, D-Philadelphia
• Caucus Chair: Rep. Rob Matzie, D-Beaver
• Secretary: Rep. Tina Davis, D-Bucks
• Administrator: Rep. Leanne Krueger, D-Delaware
• Policy Chair: Rep. Ryan Bizzarro, D-Erie

To tackle the evolving issues coming before the chamber, the Pennsylvania House of Representatives added three new standing committees for the 2025/26 legislative session: Communications and Technology; Energy; and: Intergovernmental Affairs and Operations. Committee chairmen were announced as part of the day’s opening proceedings.

Aging and Older Adult Services – Chair Maureen Madden, D-Monroe

Agriculture and Rural Affairs – Chair Eddie Day Pashinski, D- Luzerne

Appropriations – Chair Jordan Harris, D-Philadelphia

Children and Youth – Chair Jeanne McNeill, D-Lehigh

Commerce – Chair Scott Conklin, D-Centre

Committee on Committees – Chair Dan Miller, D-Allegheny

Communications and Technology – Chair Joe Ciresi, D-Montgomery.

Consumer Protection, Technology and Utilities – Chair Danilo Burgos, D-Philadelphia

Education – Chair Pete Schweyer, D-Lehigh

Energy – Chair Elizabeth Fiedler, D-Philadelphia

Environmental and Natural Resource Protection – Chair Greg Vitali, D-Delaware

Ethics – Chair Pete Schweyer, D-Lehigh

Finance – Chair Steve Samuelson, D-Northampton

Game and Fisheries – Chair Anita Kulik, D-Allegheny

Gaming Oversight – Chair Pat Harkins, D-Erie

Government Oversight – Chair Morgan Cephas, D-Philadelphia

Health – Chair Dan Frankel, D-Allegheny

Housing and Community Development – Chair Brandon Markosek, D-Allegheny

Human Services – Chair Dan Williams, D-Chester

Insurance – Chair Perry Warren, D-Bucks

Intergovernmental Affairs and Operations – Chair Dave Dellosso, D-Delaware

Judiciary – Chair Tim Briggs, D-Montgomery

Labor and Industry – Chair Jason Dawkins, D-Philadelphia

Liquor Control -Chair Dan Deasy, D-Allegheny

Local Government – Chair Bob Freeman, D- Northampton

Professional Licensure – Chair Frank Burns, D-Cambria

State Government – Chair Carol Hill-Evans., D-York

Tourism, Recreation and Economic Development – Chair Mary Jo Daley, D-Montgomery

Transportation – Chair Ed Neilson, D-Philadelphia

Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness – Chair Jared Solomon, D-Philadelphia