The Pennsylvania state House convened Tuesday 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, including 16 new legislators representing communities across the commonwealth.

During the ceremony, Rep. Joanna McClinton, D-Philadelphia, 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 state 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 said. “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.”

To tackle evolving issues, the House added three new standing committees for the 2025-26 legislative session: Communications and Technology, Energy and Intergovernmental Affairs and Operations.

Area committee leaders

Committee chairs were announced as part of the day’s proceedings.

• Aging and Older Adult Services: Maureen Madden, D-Monroe.

• Children and Youth: Jeanne McNeill, D-Lehigh.

• Education: Pete Schweyer, D-Lehigh.

• Ethics: Pete Schweyer, D-Lehigh.

• Finance: Steve Samuelson, D-Northampton.

• Local Government: Bob Freeman, D- Northampton.

In the last session, the House advanced more than 400 bills, a majority passing with bipartisan support. The new legislative session runs through Nov. 30, 2026.