Legislative Updates: A Weekly Roundup of Federal, State, and Local Actions – March 31st

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, March 31, 2023.

Chamber members are invited to join weekly legislative update calls hosted by our Advocacy team to hear the latest legislative matters concerning our community.

FY24 Council Budget Hearings Testimony Call to Action
As we approach FY24 City Council Budget Hearings, we want to remind our members that through our advocacy, in partnership with the valued members of the Inclusive Growth Coalition (IGC) led by the city’s diverse chambers, business tax reductions were ultimately included and passed in the FY23 Budget.  

Public testimony on Tax Bills, including Wage and BIRT taxes (Bills 230149 and 230147), will be held virtually on Tuesday, April 18, 2023 at 3:00 pm. If you are interested in testifying, please complete the registration form or contact Ashley Miscevich, Manager, Local Government Advocacy & Engagement, the Chamber, at amiscevich@chamberphl.com. We have resources available and will ensure you are signed up to testify and/or that your written testimony is submitted. 

Join the Chamber on Tuesday, April 4, 2023 for our virtual City Hall Connectors: Superintendent Dr. Tony Watlington program.

State House and Senate Budget Hearings Continue
House and Senate Appropriations Committees continue to hold hearings on the budgets and operations of budget items. 

District 163 Special Election
This week, Democrat and Republican candidates were named to replace former Rep. Mike Zabel (D) in the Tuesday, May 16, 2023, Special Election. 

Join the Chamber  on Wednesday, April 12, 2023, for our virtual State Advocacy Update with Speaker of the House Joanna E. McClinton and on Monday, June 05, 2023 for our Pennsylvania Legislative Reception.

House and Senate Updates
Speaker McCarthy and President Biden have yet to reconvene after their first and only debt limit meeting earlier this year. On Tuesday, March 28, 2023, the Speaker sent a letter urging the President to continue these talks and offering five proposals to jumpstart negotiations, including lowering energy costs. The President's response to the Speaker's letter called for House Republicans to present to him their own budget plan before proceeding with additional meetings.   

City Council Stated Meeting
City Council approved a resolution calling on the Pennsylvania General Assembly to temporarily suspend firearm preemption for cities of the first class to allow Philadelphia to enforce measures to reduce gun violence. 

City Council approved a resolution renaming the 1700 block of West Montgomery Avenue as “Christopher Fitzgerald Way” to honor the life and sacrifice of Temple University Police Sergeant Christopher Fitzgerald, who was slain in the line of duty on Saturday, February 18, 2023. 

Editor’s Note: For the sake of brevity, this update does not report on every bill or resolution that is introduced in City Council. Most of the ordinances introduced in City Council are parking regulations, encroachments, land bank dispositions, and other routine administrative bills. For this weekly report, we include bills that may be of general interest to the City’s business and development communities. 

Upcoming City Council Meetings 

The City Council Committee of the Whole will hold hearings on the proposed budget for the following departments: 

• Streets, Licenses and Inspections, Public Property, Prisons, and Fleet Management: Monday, April 3, 2023 
• Law Department, District Attorney’s Office, Sheriff, and First Judicial District: Tuesday, April 4, 2023 

On Wednesday, April 5, 2023, the City Council Committee on Licenses and Inspections will hold a hearing to examine the impact of new regulations on the short-term rental market in Philadelphia. 

There is no City Council Stated Meeting on Thursday, April 6, 2023, in observance of the Easter holiday. The next City Council Stated Meeting will be held on Thursday, April 13, 2023.  

Odds and Ends
After some conflicting health advisories last Sunday about the safety of Philadelphia’s drinking water, on Wednesday, March 28, 2023, Mayor Jim Kenney declared that Philadelphia’s water remains safe to drink and use. No further advisory will be needed as models have shown that the potential threat from the Friday, March 24, 2023 spill along a tributary of the Delaware River in Bristol Township, Bucks County, has passed.  

2023 Primary Election – May 16, 2023
As we march towards the Tuesday, May 16, 2023, Primary Election, here is a round-up of who is currently running for Mayor and City Council.  

Mayor: 12 Democrats and one Republican filed to run for Mayor. Democrat John Wood has since announced that he would not run for Mayor, giving Cherelle Parker the top Mayoral ballot position and bringing the number of Democrats in the race down to 11. Amen Brown is still in the race despite a challenge to his candidacy. 

Democratic Candidates: 

• Warren Bloom, Sr. 
• Amen Brown 
• Jeff Brown 
• James DeLeon 
• Allan Domb 
• Delscia Gray 
• Derek Green 
• Helen Gym 
• Cherelle Parker 
• Maria Quiñones Sánchez 
• Rebecca Rhynhart 

Republican Candidate: 

• David Oh 

City Council At-Large: 29 Democrats and six Republicans filed to run for City Council At-Large. Since filing, Clayton Prince was removed from the ballot and Max Tuttleman dropped out of the race, bringing the number of Democratic candidates running for At-Large down to 27. (Please note that Pennsylvania has closed primary elections, so third-party candidates, including Working Families Party candidate Councilmember Kendra Brooks, will file and run in the November General Election.) 

Democratic Candidates: 

• Nina Ahmad 
• Jalon Alexander 
• Erika Almirón 
• Christopher Gladstone Booth 
• Sherrie Cohen 
• Luz Colón 
• Wayne Dorsey 
• Abu Edwards 
• Katherine Gilmore Richardson 
• Naderah Griffin 
• Ogbonna “Paul” Hagins 
• Jim Harrity 
• Job Itzkowitz 
• John B. Kelly, III
• Rue Landau 
• Amanda McIllMurray 
• Michelle Prettyman 
• Charles Reyes 
• Melissa Robbins 
• Eryn Santamoor 
• Curtis Segers, III 
• Derwood Selby 
• Qiana Shedrick 
• George Stevenson 
• Isaiah Thomas 
• Donavan West 
• Deshawnda Williams 

Republican Candidates: 

•  Frank Cristinzio 
• Gary Grisafi 
• James Hasher 
• Mary Jane Kelly 
• Drew Murray 
• Sam Oropeza 

City Council Districts: After successful challenges to their opponents’ nominating petitions, Councilmembers Kenyatta Johnson (2), Jamie Gauthier (3), Curtis Jones, Jr. (4), will now run unopposed in the May Primary. They will join fellow Councilmembers Mark Squilla (1) and Mike Driscoll (6), neither of which had opponents file to run. 

In an interesting turn of events, only one candidate survived petitions challenges to run for the 5th Councilmanic District to replace Council President Darrell Clarke. Jeffery “Jay” Young will run unopposed in the May Primary election. As you may remember, Council President Clarke, in announcing his retirement, endorsed Curtis Wilkerson as his successor. Wilkerson was removed from the ballot last week. 

Councilmembers Quetcy Lozada (7), Cindy Bass (8), and Anthony Phillips (9) will all have opponents in May Primary, and Councilmember Brian O’Neill (10) will face a Democratic challenger in the November General Election. 

The Chamber is committed to ensuring our message of citywide business and job growth is spread throughout Philadelphia and actively advocating for pro-growth policies and priorities as the City of Philadelphia prepares for a new era of leadership in 2024. 

We are excited to share our inaugural Election Hub, a resource created for you at electionhub.chamberphl.com. 

The 2023 Election Hub is a comprehensive tool with dedicated profiles, relevant legislative history, notable press mentions, a  Candidate Engagement Guide, and other resources related to the City of Philadelphia’s Mayoral and City Council candidates. 

We encourage our members to stay informed and engaged ahead of the municipal election. Our future leaders must understand that the more people working in family-sustaining jobs or running successful businesses, the better Philadelphia’s overall quality of life will be for its residents and visitors. Further, building our tax base this way allows for more resources to combat crime, violence, and blight in our city.

Upcoming Local Advocacy Events 

City Hall Connectors: Superintendent Dr. Tony Watlington 
Tuesday, April 4, 2023 | 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM | Virtual 

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

State House and Senate Budget Hearings Continue
This week, the Senate Appropriations Committee examined the budgets and operations of the Department of Labor and Industry, Department of Agriculture, Department of Education, Department of State, State Police, State-Related Universities, and State System of Higher Education. 

Senate Republicans released a statement calling Governor Josh Shapiro’s budget proposal the largest Basic Education Funding increase in Pennsylvania history with its $567 million increase(7.8%). Republicans accused the Governor of not following through on his promise to fund Lifeline Scholarships or provide additional funding for Earned Income Tax Credit programs that help students who are struggling in their current learning environment. 

In the State Senate’s Department of Labor and Industry hearing, questions were raised about the number and type of jobs in the state that are currently paying the minimum wage.  Governor Shapiro’s budget proposed a $15 an hour minimum wage in 2024. 

District 163 Special Election
Democrat and Republican parties in Delaware County have selected their respective candidates in the Tuesday, May 16, 2023, Special Election to replace former Rep. Mike Zabel (D), who resigned amid allegations of sexual harassment, was selected by Democrats selected Heather Boyd,  who currently serves in the office of U.S. Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon. Republicans selected Katie Ford.  Ford is an Army veteran and special education therapist. District 163 is one of two special elections on May 16 that will decide the balance of power in the State House, which Democrats currently control at 101-100. 

Upcoming State Advocacy Event

State Advocacy Update with Speaker of the House Joanna E. McClinton
Wednesday, April 12, 2023 | 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM | Virtual 

Pennsylvania Legislative Reception
Monday, June 05, 2023 | 4:00 PM – 7:00 PM | Keystone Building, Hearing Room 1, Harrisburg

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

House and Senate Updates
Both the House and Senate were in session this week before departing for a 2-week spring recess. Members of Congress are set to return on Monday, April 17, 2023. 

The Lower Energy Costs Act (H.R. 1) passed the Republican-led House this week, but Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has already dubbed the package a "nonstarter" for the upper chamber. Additionally, White House representatives said President Biden would veto the bill in the unlikely event it reaches his desk, calling it a "thinly veiled license to pollute." 

Though the package itself will not become law given these oppositions, some provisions included within H.R. 1 may become critical pieces of impending debt limit conversations. As Speaker McCarthy and President Biden have yet to reconvene after their first and only debt limit meeting earlier this year, the Speaker sent a letter on Tuesday, March 28, 2023, urging the President to continue these talks and offering five proposals to jumpstart negotiations, including two that may be possibilities for bipartisan consideration: reclaiming unspent Covid money and lowering energy costs.  

The inclusion of the latter is an effort from Republican House members to loop in some of the policy items included in H.R. 1 that may have broader support – namely, energy permitting reform – to ensure their passage, even in the absence of advancing the full energy package.  

The President's response to the Speaker's letter called for House Republicans to present to him their own budget plan so that the two can have "an in-depth conversation… on the Congress' basic obligation to pay the Nation's bills and avoid economic catastrophe."  

Odds and Ends:
After a stay at Walter Reed Medical Military Hospital to address issues related to clinical depression, Senator John Fetterman (PA) is set to return to the Senate on Monday, April 17, 2023, at the conclusion of the 2-week recess.  

Senator Chris Coons (DE) joined a bipartisan list of 20 total cosponsors for S. 866, "a bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to enhance tax benefits for research activities." The measure would allow companies to write off research expenses immediately instead of the current requirements for companies to do so over at least five years. 

Representative Dwight Evans (PA-3) cosigned a letter to lead Labor-HHS-Education appropriators asking for increased support for Basic Needs Grants. With current funding amounts, the number of approved grants – which provide resources to colleges and universities to improve students' access to food, housing, childcare, health services, technology, and transportation – are too limited in light of the "substantial demand" for funds.   

The Small Business Administration (SBA) intends to allocate additional resources for women-owned small businesses and will open 15 new Women's Business Centers by September. These additions will bring the network of business centers to a grand total of 160 centers operating in all 50 states in support of their goal to help female entrepreneurs address the obstacles they face in starting and growing their small businesses.  

Questions? Contact Renee Androckitis (randrockitis@chamberphl.com) for more information about federal legislative affairs.

We invite you to reach out to our advocacy team directly with your questions:

• Renee Androckitis, Federal Affairs – randrockitis@chamberphl.com
• Anselm Sauter, State Affairs – asauter@chamberphl.com
• William Carter, Local Affairs – wcarter@chamberphl.com

Chamber members are invited to join weekly legislative update calls hosted by our Advocacy team.