A banner year for women in government moved Pennsylvania up five places for female representation in state legislative bodies.

The increase was among the biggest in all 50 states. Only four states saw a bigger percent increase in their women’s caucus, while only two, including New Hampshire and its 400-plus member legislative body, elected more new women.

Altogether, the House and Senate added 14 new women, per numbers from Rutgers University’s Center for American Women and Politics.

State female politicos greeted the news with a mix of excitement for the gains and resolve, for Pennsylvania still sat in the bottom half for female representation, moving from 39th to 34th highest.

While the House Republican majority chain of command made an orderly shift upwards, the chamber’s Democratic power base moved from west to east on Tuesday, following their 11 seat gain concentrated in the Philly suburbs.

For Republicans, in a long expected move, House Majority Whip Bryan Cutler (R-Lancaster) replaced retiring Rep. Dave Reed (R-Indiana) as the new floor leader for next session.

Then in two upsets, Rep. Jordan Harris (D-Philadelphia) beat out Rep. Mike Carroll (D-Luzerne) for Whip, while Rep. Matt Bradford (D-Montgomery) defeated Rep. Dan Frankel (D-Allegheny) for Appropriations Chair.

By a 17-9 vote, the House Health Committee advanced a bill to the House floor Monday that would ban abortion solely because of a Down Syndrome diagnosis.

The vote fell nearly along party lines except for Rep. Gerard Mullery (D-Luzerne) joining Republicans voting in the affirmative.