The Pennsylvania House of Representatives is the lower house of the bicameral Pennsylvania General Assembly, the state legislature of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. There are 203 members, elected for two-year terms from single member districts.[1][2]
Pennsylvania House of Representatives | |
|---|---|
| Pennsylvania General Assembly | |
 | |
 | |
| Type | |
| Type | |
Term limits | None |
| History | |
New session started | January 7, 2025 |
| Leadership | |
Majority Leader | |
Minority Leader | |
| Structure | |
| Seats | 203 |
  | |
Political groups | Parity
|
Length of term | 2 years |
| Authority | Article II, section 1, Pennsylvania Constitution |
| Salary | $102,844 |
| Elections | |
Last election | November 5, 2024 |
Next election | November 3, 2026 |
| Meeting place | |
 | |
| House of Representatives Chamber Pennsylvania State Capitol Harrisburg, Pennsylvania | |
| Website | |
| Official website | |
It is the largest full-time state legislature in the country; the New Hampshire House of Representatives is larger but it only serves part-time.
Qualifications
editRepresentatives must be at least 21 years of age. They must be a United States citizen and a Pennsylvania resident for four years, and a resident of the district they represent one year prior to their election and must reside in that district during their term.[3]
Speaker of the House
editThe speakership is the oldest elected statewide office in the commonwealth. Since its first session in 1682—presided over by William Penn—over 130 House members have been elevated to the speaker's chair. The House cannot hold an official session in the absence of the speaker or their designated speaker pro tempore. Speaker Leroy Irvis was the first African-American elected speaker of any state legislature in the United States since Reconstruction. Speaker Dennis O'Brien was the only minority-party speaker known in Pennsylvania and only the second known nationwide.
Democrat Joanna McClinton was elected speaker of the House on February 28, 2023, becoming the first female speaker in Pennsylvania.[4]
Composition
editCurrent session
editAs of April 13, 2026:
| 102 | 99 |
| Democratic | Republican |
| Affiliation | Party (shading indicates majority caucus) |
Total | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Ind | Democratic | Vacant | |||
| End of previous legislature | 101 | 0 | 102 | 203 | 0 | |
| January 7, 2025 | 101 | 0 | 102 | 203 | 0 | |
| January 19, 2025[5] | 101 | 202 | 1 | |||
| March 26, 2025[6] | 102 | 203 | 0 | |||
| December 17, 2025[7] | 101 | 100 | 201 | 2 | ||
| December 30, 2025[8] | 100 | 200 | 3 | |||
| December 31, 2025[8] | 99 | 100 | 199 | 4 | ||
| January 31, 2026[9] | 98 | 198 | 5 | |||
| March 23, 2026[10] | 102 | 200 | 3 | |||
| March 31, 2026[11] | 97 | 199 | 4 | |||
| April 13, 2026[12][13] | 99 | 201 | 2 | |||
| Latest voting share | 49.3% | 50.7% | ||||
Leadership
editAs of November 13, 2024[update]:
Speaker of the House: Joanna McClinton (D)
| Majority Party (D)[14] | Leadership Position | Minority Party (R)[15] |
|---|---|---|
| Matthew Bradford | Floor Leader | Jesse Topper |
| Michael Schlossberg | Whip | Tim O'Neal |
| Robert Matzie | Caucus Chairperson | Martina White |
| Tina Davis | Caucus Secretary | Clint Owlett |
| Jordan A. Harris | Appropriations Committee Chairperson | Jim Struzzi |
| Leanne Krueger | Caucus Administrator | Sheryl M. Delozier |
| Ryan Bizzarro | Policy Committee Chairperson | David H. Rowe |
Membership
editList of current representatives
editAs of April 13, 2026[update]:
Committees
editAs of March 29, 2025[update]:
Past composition of the House
editSee also
editNotes
edit- ↑ Rep. Freeman previously served from 1983 to 1994.
- ↑ Margo Davidson resigned on July 23, 2021, after being charged with theft of state funds.
- ↑ Rep. Neilson previously served from 2012 to 2014.
- ↑ Known as the Consumer Affairs Committee prior to 2023.
- ↑ Known as the Urban Affairs Committee prior to 2023.
References
edit- ↑ Article II, section 2, Pennsylvania Constitution.
- ↑ Article II, section 16, Pennsylvania Constitution.
- ↑ "Constitution of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania". Archived from the original on December 10, 2022. Retrieved December 10, 2022."Article II. The Legislature"."§5. Qualifications of Members".
- ↑ Caruso, Stephen (February 28, 2023). "PA House elects first female speaker after resignation". Spotlight PA. Retrieved February 28, 2023.
- ↑ "Mon Valley State Rep. Matt Gergely dies after suffering medical emergency". WXPI Channel 11. January 19, 2025. Retrieved January 20, 2025.
- ↑ "Dan Goughnour wins special election in Pennsylvania, keeping Democrats in control of state House – CBS Pittsburgh". CBS News. March 26, 2025. Retrieved March 28, 2025.
- ↑ Northup, Alton (December 17, 2025). "Pennsylvania House speaker sets date for 2 special elections next year". ABC27. Retrieved December 17, 2025.
- 1 2 Northup, Alton (January 2, 2026). "Pennsylvania House speaker sets 2 more special elections after resignations". WHTM-TV. Retrieved January 3, 2026.
- ↑ Walters, Mark (January 28, 2026). "Rep. Seth Grove announces resignation from state House". York Daily Record. Retrieved January 31, 2026.
- ↑ Clinton, Joanna (March 24, 2026). "PA women continue to make political herstory". City & State Pennsylvania. Retrieved March 24, 2026.
- ↑ Riese, Tom (March 24, 2026). "Cranberry Republican Scialabba to step down from state House, opening door for special election". 90.5 WESA. Retrieved March 31, 2026.
- ↑ "Rep. Verobish sworn in to represent 79th Legislative District". State Affairs. April 13, 2026. Retrieved April 13, 2026.
- ↑ "Rep. Wallen takes oath to serve people of the 193rd Legislative District". State Affairs. April 13, 2026. Retrieved April 13, 2026.
- ↑ Ulrich, Steve (November 12, 2024). "PA House Democrats Announce Leadership Team". PoliticsPA. Retrieved November 13, 2024.
- ↑ Ulrich, Steve (November 12, 2024). "Topper Elected House Republican Leader, Announces New House Republican Caucus Leadership Team". PoliticsPA. Retrieved January 14, 2025.
- ↑ "2022 Pennsylvania House of Representatives Districts". DOS Voting & Election Information. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Archived from the original on June 7, 2022. Retrieved March 26, 2023.
- ↑ Riese, Tim (March 24, 2026). "Cranberry Republican Scialabba to step down from state House, opening door for special election". WHTM-TV. Retrieved March 31, 2026.
- ↑ Northup, Alton (February 2, 2026). "Pennsylvania calls special election to replace vacant State House seat in York County". WHTM-TV. Retrieved March 25, 2026.
- ↑ Ulrich, Steve (January 7, 2025). "House Dems Select Leadership, Committee Chairs for 2025-26". PoliticsPA. Retrieved March 29, 2025.
- ↑ Ulrich, Steve (January 26, 2023). "GOP Names House Committee Chairs". PoliticsPA. Archived from the original on January 27, 2023. Retrieved January 27, 2023.
Sources
edit- Trostle, Sharon, ed. (2009). The Pennsylvania Manual. Vol. 119. Harrisburg: Pennsylvania Department of General Services. ISBN 978-0-8182-0334-3.
External links
edit
- The Constitution of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
- Pennsylvania House of Representatives
- State House of Pennsylvania information and voting records Archived June 10, 2021, at the Wayback Machine This link leads to information about elected officials and candidates in Pennsylvania on the website "Project Vote Smart." This web site provides such information for all states in the US.