Your Chamber advocacy team is working to share legislative updates and continue to advocate for your business in Washington, D.C., Harrisburg, and Philadelphia. We’ve created a round-up of recent activity including Key Takeaways for Your Business and a Detailed Legislative Update. This represents our best knowledge of the situation as of 9:00 a.m. on Friday, August 20, 2021.

Chamber members are invited to join weekly legislative update calls hosted by our Advocacy team to hear the latest on COVID-19 relief and recovery efforts at the federal, state, and local level as well as other legislative matters concerning our community.

To learn more about how our region is preparing for recovery, visit our Recharge & Recover PHL Information Hub:

Visit the Recharge & Recover PHL Information Hub

KEY TAKEAWAYS FOR YOUR BUSINESS

Local

  • The most important news coming out of City Hall this week was that Philadelphia would begin to award grants to small and medium sized community based non-profits as part of a plan to reduce the surge in gun violence that has pushed the city’s murder rate to new highs.
  • Largely as a result of the Chamber’s advocacy, the Mayor and Council President announced the creation of a high-level working group that will study Philadelphia’s tax structure, with the goal of creating an action plan that supports an equitable, inclusive economic recovery of Philadelphia.
  • City Council and Mayor Kenney announced the creation of a Violence Prevention and Opportunity Monitoring Group, to provide guidance and support to community organizations applying for city funding to help reduce gun violence in their neighborhoods.
  • Philadelphia’s new mask mandate went into effect on Thursday, August 12. In Philadelphia, businesses and institutions that require vaccination for all employees and patrons are exempted from having a mask requirement. Indoor dining will be allowed to continue in restaurants. Masks will be required at all non-seated outdoor events in Philadelphia with more than 1,000 attendees.
  • Learn more about Philadelphia’s new mask mandate.
  • The City is now accepting applications for Anti-Violence Community Expansion Grants. The Anti-Violence Community Expansion Grant Program will directly fund and support organizations that are focused on reducing violence through trauma-informed healing and restorative practices and safe havens and mentorship.
  • The application will be open for four weeks and will close on September 3, 2021.
  • Wednesday, September 22, 2021 at 10am – City Hall Connectors with Jim Engler, Chief of Staff, Office of the Mayor

State

  • Speaker of the House Bryan Cutler (R-Lancaster) ordered a special election to coincide with Pennsylvania’s municipal general election on Nov. 2, to fill the vacant seat in the 164th Legislative District in Delaware County. 
  • Rep. Natalie Mihalek (R-Allegheny/Washington) and Rep. Jesse Topper (R- Bedford/Franklin/Fulton) announced the scheduling of a joint hearing by the House Appropriations Committee Subcommittee on Education to review higher education funding in Pennsylvania.
  • On Wednesday, the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee voted to disapprove of the Wolf Administration’s RGGI regulation. 
  • Senate President Pro Tempore Jake Corman (R-Bellefonte) announced an initiative to make all Senate expenses available to the public online beginning on September 1. 
  • The Pennsylvania House of Representatives will next be in session on September 27 at 12:00 p.m.
  • The Pennsylvania Senate is scheduled to be in session on September 20 at 1:00 p.m.

Federal

  • Congress currently stands in recess following the Senate’s passage of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, bipartisan legislation authorizing $550 billion in new investments in infrastructure, including roads and bridges, rail, transit, ports, airports, the electric grid, and broadband.  
  • Senate Democrats acted swiftly to set in motion a separate spending package that would include the remaining components of the President’s economic growth agenda that were omitted from the bipartisan infrastructure bill, including provisions addressing climate change, innovation, family leave, child care, education, housing, and health care. 
  • The House is scheduled to return early from its summer recess at the beginning of next week.  
  • The Chamber’s Senior Vice President of Economic Competitiveness, Claire Greenwood, joined executives from the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce on August 19 to show wide support from the business community for the bipartisan infrastructure proposal that awaits consideration in the House.

DETAILED LEGISLATIVE UPDATE

Local: Updates from Philadelphia’s City Hall

Partnership for Inclusive Recovery – Update

The most important news coming out of City Hall this week was that Philadelphia would begin to award grants to small and medium sized community-based non-profits as part of a plan to reduce the surge in gun violence that has pushed the city’s murder rate to new highs.

This new program is based on other cities’ successful programs that have seen a reduction in violence when efforts are led by locally known and trusted groups. These new grants are part of the unprecedented funding for anti-violence efforts included in this year’s budget.

The Chamber of Commerce fully supports this approach.  While it is clear that the root causes of the violence that plagues our neighborhoods are many, and no single program will solve this crisis, it is critical that quality organizations take the lead and that the city’s funding be used as effectively as possible.

The Chamber of Commerce is also committed to being part of the solution to Philadelphia’s interconnected jobs and violence crises.  That’s why, as part of its Recharge and Recover PHL program, Chamber members have committed to retrain and reskill Philadelphians for industries more in need of workers. This Skills Forward initiative has set an ambitious goal of helping 5,000 people find work.  Additionally, Chamber members are continuing their ongoing mentorship and internship programs that help city students secure in demand jobs.

We are all in together, and we must work together to make every community safe.

City Council 

Largely as a result of the Chamber’s advocacy, the Mayor and Council President announced the creation of a high-level working group that will study Philadelphia’s tax structure, with the goal of creating an action plan that supports an equitable, inclusive economic recovery of Philadelphia. 

The Philadelphia Tax Reform Working Group will examine and propose changes to the city’s tax code to support an equitable recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic for every Philadelphia resident and business in the city. The action plan developed by this Working Group will inform and influence the creation of the FY 2023 Budget and Five-Year Plan. Appointments are expected to be announced in the coming weeks.

Violence Prevention and Opportunity Monitoring Group

City Council and Mayor Kenney announced the creation of a Violence Prevention and Opportunity Monitoring Group, to provide guidance and support to community organizations applying for city funding to help reduce gun violence in their neighborhoods.

 City Council appropriated $20 million last month during the budget process to be used by community groups to help reduce gun violence, which is plaguing many Philadelphia neighborhoods. The Kenney administration agreed to the appropriation, and is adding $2 million to provide administrative support to the community violence prevention group process. The overall amount available will be $22 million.

 The community violence prevention funding is part of an overall unprecedented total of $155 million agreed to by City Council and Mayor Kenney to be spent in the fiscal year that began July 1 on gun violence prevention programming. $68 million of that is new funding; the community violence prevention work is part of that funding stream.

In early August, the Managing Director’s Office is expected to issue a Request for Proposal (RFP) for community organizations to apply for funding for gun violence prevention programs. Once selected through the city’s regular contract award process, these community groups will receive ongoing support and guidance from the Violence Prevention and Opportunity Monitoring Group.

The Council President announced the following appointments from Council to the Violence Prevention and Opportunity Monitoring Group: 

  • Councilmember Curtis Jones Jr. (4th District), chair of Council’s Public Safety Committee
  • Councilmember Kenyatta Johnson (2nd District), chair of Council’s Special Committee on Gun Violence Prevention
  • Councilmember Cherelle Parker (9th District), Council’s Majority Leader
  • Councilmember Jamie Gauthier (3rd District)
  • Councilmember Cindy Bass (8th District)

The Kenney administration will staff the Monitoring Group with appointments from the following city departments:  Managing Director’s Office, Office of Policy and Strategic Initiatives for Criminal Justice and Public Safety, Department of Public Health, Commerce, Office of Children and Families, Dept. of Human Services, and Dept. of Behavioral Health & Disability Services.

City Mask Mandate 

Philadelphia’s new mask mandate went into effect on Thursday, August 12.

Indoors – businesses and institutions

In Philadelphia businesses and institutions that require vaccination for all employees and patrons are exempted from having a mask requirement. Masks will be required indoors at all Philadelphia businesses and institutions that do not require vaccination for employees and patrons. That means that for businesses and institutions that do not require everyone who enters to be vaccinated, everyone on site will be required to wear a mask.

Indoor dining

Indoor dining will be allowed to continue in restaurants.  In restaurants that require proof of vaccination for everyone (staff and patrons), masks will not need to be worn. If vaccine is not required for everyone that enters a restaurant, masks are to be worn by all patrons and staff the entire time while not seated and eating or drinking.

Non-seated outdoor events

Masks will be required at all non-seated outdoor events in Philadelphia with more than 1,000 attendees.

Learn more about Philadelphia’s new mask mandate.

Anti-Violence Community Expansion Grants

The City is now accepting applications: Anti-Violence Community Expansion Grants

The Anti-Violence Community Expansion Grant Program will directly fund and support organizations that are focused on reducing violence through trauma-informed healing and restorative practices and safe havens and mentorship.

The City will provide grants ranging from $100,000 to $1,000,000 to community-based organizations that have annual operating budgets below $15,000,000 and a proven track record working in neighborhoods vulnerable to gun violence. By targeting funding towards proven community-based organizations, the City is putting this money in the hands of organizations with a proven track record of delivering quality, culturally relevant services while making sure those applying already have the infrastructure in place to be successful.

The application will be open for four weeks and will close on September 3, 2021.

Because there is an urgency to get these applications vetted and to provide resources to organizations as swiftly as possible, applications will be considered on a rolling basis beginning on August 20, 2021. Learn more and apply to the Anti-Violence Community Expansion Grant program.

COVID-19 Resources:

Upcoming Events

Questions? Contact William Carter (wcarter@chamberphl.com) for more information about local legislative affairs.

State: Updates from Harrisburg

Special Election for Delaware County House Seat

Speaker of the House Bryan Cutler (R-Lancaster) ordered a special election to coincide with Pennsylvania’s municipal general election on November 2, to fill the vacant seat in the 164th Legislative District in Delaware County. The seat was vacated when Margo Davidson (D-Delaware) resigned after charges of theft and election code violations were filed against her. House rules state the speaker shall issue a writ for a special election to be held on a date which shall occur on or before the date of the first municipal election which occurs not less than 60 days after the issuance of the writ. Candidates for the office will be selected by a process designated by their respective political parties, and the winner of the special election will take office after the results are confirmed.

PA House to Examine Higher Ed Funding

Rep. Natalie Mihalek (R-Allegheny/Washington) and Rep. Jesse Topper (R- Bedford/Franklin/Fulton) announced the scheduling of a joint hearing by the House Appropriations Committee Subcommittee on Education, chaired by Mihalek, and the House Education Committee Subcommittee on Higher Education, chaired by Topper, to review higher education funding in Pennsylvania.

Pennsylvania’s enacted FY 2021-22 budget allocates over $1.86 billion to support higher education, including funding for the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE); state-related institutions of Penn State University, the University of Pittsburgh, Temple University, Lincoln University, and Penn Veterinary School; community colleges; and grants for students through the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA). The hearing will take place on Monday, October 4, at 9 a.m. in Room 140, Main Capitol Building.

PA Senate Committee Disapproves of RGGI Regulation

On Wednesday, the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee voted to disapprove of the Wolf Administration’s RGGI regulation. On July 28, the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee voted to adopt a letter sent to the Independent Regulatory Review Commission (IRRC) indicating the committee disapproves of the RGGI regulation (Environmental Quality Board Regulation 7-559). The state’s Environmental Quality Board on July 13 approved the Wolf administration regulation, advancing the rulemaking to the next step of the regulatory process: the IRRC. 

State Senate Announces New Transparency Initiative for Senate Expenses

Senate President Pro Tempore Jake Corman (R-Bellefonte) announced an initiative to make all Senate expenses available to the public online beginning on September 1. This includes all office leases, per diems, reimbursements for meals and lodging, supplies, mileage, office maintenance and much more. The information will be available on a new webpage, which will be updated monthly by the Chief Clerk and will apply to all Senate offices — Republican, Democrat, Independent and institutional.

General Assembly Resumes in September

The Pennsylvania House of Representatives will next be in session on September 27 at noon.

The Pennsylvania Senate is scheduled to be in session on September 20 at 1:00 p.m.

Questions? Contact Liz Ferry (lferry@chamberphl.com) for more information about state legislative affairs.

Federal: Updates from Washington D.C.

Congress currently stands in recess following the Senate’s passage of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, bipartisan legislation authorizing $550 billion in new investments in infrastructure, including roads and bridges, rail, transit, ports, airports, the electric grid, and broadband.  The legislation also reauthorizes spending on existing surface transportation programs set to expire at the end of September.

Shortly, following the significant bipartisan achievement, Senate Democrats acted swiftly to set in motion a separate spending package that would include the remaining components of the President’s economic growth agenda that were omitted from the bipartisan infrastructure bill, including provisions addressing climate change, innovation, family leave, child care, education, housing, and health care. To fulfill this agenda laid out by the Biden Administration earlier this year, Congressional Democrats have proposed a $3.5 trillion package paid for with significant tax increases on corporations, wealthy individuals, and large inheritances.  Democrats are also committed to finding a path forward on “Member Designated Projects,” otherwise known as transportation earmarks. The House has identified 1,475 earmark projects that were not advanced through the bipartisan Senate version.

Republicans are unanimously opposed to the $3.5 trillion partisan proposal, meaning Democrats will have little to no margin for error to achieve passage through a legislative maneuver called “Budget Reconciliation,” which requires only a simple majority to pass spending provisions and thereby circumvents the traditional 60-vote threshold in the Senate.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi has previously said that the House will not call a vote on the Senate-passed Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act until the broader $3.5 trillion Budget Reconciliation bill is also brought to the floor.  This statement was meant to appeal to members of the House Progressive Caucus that have warned for weeks that they will not vote to pass the bipartisan infrastructure bill unless the House also acts on a partisan bill.   Speaker Pelosi provided more details this week in her Dear Colleague letter, which indicated that she is exploring the possibility of a rule that advances the Budget Resolution – which would allow Democrats to move forward with their $3.5 trillion proposal – and the bipartisan infrastructure package as well as a voting rights bill.  

In response to the Speaker, nine moderate House members issued a joint statement calling for a vote on the Senate-backed Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act before considering the Budget Resolution. In effect, the small group is signaling that it will vote against any effort to move forward with a partisan spending package unless the Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is brought to the floor without delay.  Democrats can afford to lose only three votes on the House floor and still pass the budget resolution.

The House is scheduled to return early from its summer recess at the beginning of next week.  House leadership had hoped to vote Monday night on a rule that would move the budget resolution, the bipartisan infrastructure package, and voting rights legislation together. Then, the Budget Resolution would come to a vote on Tuesday. Next week’s timing will change significantly as long as moderate Democrats are not satisfied with the approach.

The Chamber’s Senior Vice President of Economic Competitiveness, Claire Greenwood, joined executives from the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce on August 19th to show wide support from the business community for the bipartisan infrastructure proposal that awaits consideration in the House. For media coverage, click here.

Questions? Contact Anselm Sauter (asauter@chamberphl.com) for more information about federal legislative affairs.

WE’RE HERE FOR YOU, YOUR TEAM, AND YOUR BUSINESS

The constantly changing nature of this public health crisis requires continued engagement with public policy developments. We invite you to reach out to our advocacy team directly with your questions: 

Chamber members are invited to join weekly legislative update calls hosted by our Advocacy team to hear the latest on COVID-19 relief and recovery efforts at the federal, state, and local level as well as other legislative matters concerning our community.

To learn more about how our region is preparing for recovery, visit our Recharge & Recover PHL Information Hub:

Visit the Recharge & Recover PHL Information Hub