Legislative Tracking Center
The YAC Legislative Tracking Center
The YAC works to keep young people and transit advocates in the Southeastern Pennsylvania region up to date on the latest news concerning transit. One major determinant of the future of transit in Pennsylvania is the legislation coming out of Harrisburg. To this end, our Government Affairs Committee has taken on the task of piloting this Legislative Tracking Center. Here, young people and transit advocates alike can find easy to understand descriptions of the transit-related bills currently working their way through our state capital.
Pennsylvania State Government is comprised of three branches. The executive branch is led by the Governor, the legislature is comprised of the Pennsylvania House and Senate, and the judiciary is comprised of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court and many lower courts. Legislation that affects transit moves through the State Legislature and is signed into law by the Governor.
How Does State Government Work?
Transit Legislation
Jaylah Fitzgerald
"SEPTA is the school bus that we use to get to where we need to be”Jaylah Fitzgerald, a junior class of 2026 at the Academy of Palumbo, is one of the many Philadelphia high school students that use SEPTA daily to commute to school. Fitzgerald’s 40 minute commute to...
SEPTA Youth Advisory Council Briefs New CEO, Showcases Milestones and Momentum in 2025
June 5, 2025 Philadelphia, PA – As SEPTA continues its critical push for funding in Harrisburg, Chair Thomas Pyle and the rest of the SEPTA YAC briefed newly appointed SEPTA CEO and General Manager Scott Sauer on their accomplishments in the first half of 2025. This...
Kids Save SEPTA
Harrisburg, PA - On June 4th, four members of the YAC traveled to Harrisburg PA to participate in Transit for All PA's rally to save public transit. Departing early in the morning from Amtrak's 30th street station, our members joined hundreds of Pennsylvanians in...
Larissa Jaffe Ward
"SEPTA is built into the fabric of our city"Larissa Jaffe Ward- Every morning, Larissa Jaffe Ward began her day on the streets of Northeast Philadelphia. From her home near Bustleton and Devereaux, she walked to Bustleton and Magee to catch the 26 bus — her lifeline...
Kayla Macrae
“Public transportation is like a mass carpool"Kayla McRae is a senior at La Salle University, majoring in Integrated Science, Business, and Technology (ISBT). She lives in North Philadelphia, near 3rd and Champlost, and SEPTA is a core part of how she gets through her...
Katherine Johnson
"Make A Plan For Delays"Katherine Johnson is an English Education major attending Haverford College. As a senior, she lives off campus and frequently relies on the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) to travel throughout the region. She has been...
YAC Participates in OTIS Vision Zero Round Tables
May 2, 2025 Philadelphia, PA - This week, YAC members Daniel Bhatti, Lucy Silverman, and Nile Ward joined members of the SEPTA Citizens Advisory Council to participate in a round table hosted by OTIS on Tuesday. Members Christian Szalwinski and Jakob Timme joined a...
Haverford President Vetoes UPass Resolution
April 23, 2025 Haverford, PA — After a contentious Spring Plenary, the President of Haverford College has officially vetoed a resolution requiring the adoption of SEPTA’s UPass Program. The resolution, introduced by YAC members Daniel Bhatti and Santiago Melendez,...
YAC Advocates Median Bus Lanes For Erie Ave
April 1, 2025 Philadelphia, PA - As SEPTA and OTIS continue to evaluate different alternatives for bus lanes along Erie Avenue in North Philly, YAC members Greyson Forster (Chair of SEPTA Affairs Committee) and Daniel Bhatti penned an open letter in support of median...