Rep. William F. Adolph, Jr. was first elected to represent Delaware County’s 165th Legislative District in 1988, and is now serving his 11th term. The district includes parts of the townships of Marple, Radnor and Springfield and all of the Borough of Morton.    

Adolph is a public accountant who has operated his own firm since 1971. He is a former president of the Springfield Township board of commissioners. He draws on both his business and local government experience in his deliberations as a member of the House.

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Adolph currently serves as the Majority Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee. He was first elected by his colleagues to serve in this role in January 2010 and was reelected as Majority Chairman in November 2010. In this leadership role, Adolph serves as a primary budget negotiator for the House Republican Caucus. 

Prior to joining House leadership, Adolph served as chairman of the House Professional Licensure Committee and a member of the House Consumer Affairs Committee. He previously chaired the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee. He is also currently chairman of the board of the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA).

His legislative agenda has focused on the environment, economic development and job creation issues. He has played a key role in improving the state’s business climate by cutting taxes and increasing competitiveness through regulatory reforms, such as revisions to the workers’ compensation law. In 1998, he was the prime sponsor of a law eliminating the personal income tax on the profit from the sale of a home. In 2002, his legislation assisting no-impact home-based businesses was signed into law, allowing businesses that operate in the home to do so with a minimum of local ordinances, yet still preserving the look and feel of the neighborhoods in which they operate.

Adolph also was the prime sponsor of a groundbreaking telecommunications law, which addresses regulations for broadband availability for businesses and schools, as well as makes telephone service available to Pennsylvania’s lower income families at reduced rates. In addition, he authored the Guaranteed Energy Savings Act, which provides Pennsylvania’s school districts and local governments with energy savings through cost-containment contracts with third-party vendors.

He has been a leading advocate in medical malpractice liability reform, sponsoring a 1996 law and co-sponsoring the bill that culminated in the enactment of legislation that reformed the Medical CAT Fund, addressed patient safety concerns and made significant strides in lawsuit reform. He continued to push for further changes which culminated in the enactment of joint and several liability reforms.

Adolph was a leading advocate in the successful fight to scrap a statewide, centralized auto emissions plan and is pushing for the approval of new testing methods using onboard diagnostic computers, which he hopes will eventually replace tailpipe tests for emissions. 

Adolph was the prime sponsor of a law, which expanded the property tax/rent rebate program to include more senior citizens and permanently disabled persons by exempting half of all Social Security and railroad pension income from the definition of income. He advocated reform to unemployment compensation laws as prime sponsor of legislation to end the unfair penalties that prevent senior citizens who are collecting Social Security and other pension income from receiving full unemployment benefits.

Another highlight of Adolph’s legislative career came in 1996 when his Taxpayers’ Bill of Rights legislation was signed into law. This law was so well received that it became a permanent part of state law when it was reauthorized and strengthened in 2001. The law protects taxpayers and improves service by establishing uniform rules and regulations for the state Department of Revenue to follow to ensure fair and equitable administration of state tax laws.

Adolph has received a number of awards for his support of the business community. He is an eight-time recipient of both the Legislator of the Year award and the Spirit of Free Enterprise award presented by the Delaware County Chamber of Commerce.

Adolph is a former Springfield Athletic Association board member. He was a youth football coach for the Springfield Youth Club and head coach of St. Francis CYO. He is a graduate of Cardinal O’Hara High School and also a member of the school’s Hall of Fame. Adolph graduated from Christian Brothers University.

He resides in Springfield with his wife, Debbie. Together they have raised three sons, Bill, Sam and Ryne. They also have five grandchildren.

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