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, November 17, 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. Please note there will be no weekly legislative call or report next week due to the Thanksgiving holiday.

KEY TAKEAWAYS FOR YOUR BUSINESS

Local

  • The city’s Office of Innovation and Technology released its Strategic Plan for 2024-2025.  
  • Due to the Thanksgiving holiday, there is no City Council Stated Meeting next week. The next Stated Meeting will be held on Thursday, November 30, 2023.  
  • On Friday, November 17, 2023, the Chamber announced that Chamber member Madeline Bell, President and Chief Executive Officer, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), will receive the 2023 William Penn Award, the highest honor bestowed upon a business executive in Greater Philadelphia. 

Join the Chamber on Wednesday, November 29, 2023, for our in-person  Harnessing Our City’s Potential: A Civic Issues Forum, on Wednesday, December 20, 2023, for our in-person State of the Economy: Harnessing Our Regional Assets event, and on Thursday, January 11, 2024, for our in-person City Council Reception.   

State

  • Despite progress in the Senate, state lawmakers still could not agree on a school code bill that would authorize funding for schools and community colleges, student-teacher stipends, student mental health programs, school safety, and libraries.   
  • Governor Josh Shapiro signed a funding bill for state-related universities, ending a months-long funding impasse. 
  • The Senate passed legislation imposing stricter felony thresholds on retail crime organizations. 
  • This week, legislation was introduced in the Senate establishing a $1,000 tax credit to an employer that hires an active member of the Pennsylvania National Guard.   
  • The House approved legislation that would provide unemployment compensation benefits to striking workers during a labor dispute.    

Join the Chamber on Monday, November 20, 2023, for our in-person Southeastern Delegation Legislative Reception.   

Market your business: sponsor one of the Chamber’s advocacy events. Gain exposure and build promising relationships with top-level business professionals, civic leaders, and elected officials. Learn more about our upcoming local, state, and federal advocacy sponsorship opportunities here or contact Tara Orio, Senior Vice President, Membership and Member Engagement, at torio@chamberphl.com.   

DETAILED LEGISLATIVE UPDATE

Local: Updates from Philadelphia’s City Hall

City Council Stated Meeting  
There are three Stated Meetings remaining in this City Council term, and any legislation introduced but not approved by City Council before December 14, 2023, will lapse.   

Councilmembers Brian O'Neill, Mark Squilla, and Quetcy Lozada were granted leave from the Thursday, November 16, 2023, City Council session. 

Councilmember Isaiah Thomas introduced a resolution calling for hearings to address the rise in moving violations and traffic-related injuries and deaths to create a safer Philadelphia for people walking, cycling, and driving.   

Councilmembers Curtis Jones and Jamie Gauthier introduced a resolution calling on the Pennsylvania General Assembly to pass legislation providing relief to improve conditions for children at the Philadelphia Juvenile Justice Services Center.   

Councilmember Kenyatta Johnson introduced an ordinance authorizing the installation of traffic calming measures in the vicinity of recreation centers.   

Councilmember Jamie Gauthier introduced a resolution recognizing November 25, 2023, as the Day of Serenity in Philadelphia for communities impacted by gun violence to have the opportunity to gather and heal.   

Upcoming City Council Hearings 
On Tuesday, November 21, 2023, the City Council Committee on Commerce and Economic Development will hold a hearing on a bill to extend the term of existence of the Philadelphia Authority for Industrial Development (PAID).    

On Tuesday, November 21, 2023, the City Council Committee on Public Health and Human Services will hold a hearing on legislation to amend requirements for tobacco retailers, end the unlawful deportation of non-citizen patients in hospitals, and explore the effects of recent pharmacy closures in Philadelphia.     

On Monday, November 27, 2023, the City Council Committee on Public Safety will hold a hearing on bills related to criminal record screening requirements, prohibition on certain gaming machines or "skill games," penalties for trespassing in retail establishments, and examining the use of "window barnacles."  

On Tuesday, November 28, 2023, the City Council Committee on Appropriations will hold a hearing on bills to authorize transfers in appropriations in the Fiscal Year 2024 budget.  

On Thursday, November 30, 2023, the City Council Committee on Education will hold a hearing on legislation to provide education and counseling to Philadelphia youth and families who are considering licensing publicity rights and to discuss the practice of "leveling" and its impact on students and teachers in the School District of Philadelphia.   

On Monday, December 4, 2023, the City Council Committee on Rules will hold a hearing on several bills to change the zoning designations of certain areas of land in the 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, and 7th Councilmanic Districts, as well as legislation defining nightclubs and private clubs.   

On Wednesday, December 6, 2023, the City Council Committee on Licenses and Inspection will hold a hearing on legislation regarding retail bag fees and amendments to the city's International Plumbing Code.     

Odds and Ends 
Last week, the Philadelphia Public Utility Commission (PUC) approved a 3.15% rate boost in Philadelphia Gas Works' (PGW) distribution rate revenue, less than a third of the 10.2% increase initially requested by the company. PGW customers can expect their bills to go up by approximately $12 by November 29, 2023.   

On Friday, November 3, 2023, the last of the University City Townhomes (UCTH) residents moved out of the former affordable housing apartment complex owned by IBID Associates, slating demolition to begin before the end of 2023. The UCTH has been a source of contention between the City of Philadelphia and IBID Associates.   

On Thursday, November 16, 2023, the City's Office of Innovation and Technology released its Strategic Plan for 2024-2025. The plan outlines five pillars for the department over the next 18 months: Security and Data Protection, Digital Equity and Resident Services, Modernization and Efficiency, Foundational Infrastructure and Processes, and Technology Community Partnerships and Communication. The strategic plan document supports each pillar with strategies and action items classified into two potential time frames – near-term and longer-term. 

On Friday, November 17, 2023, the Chamber announced that Chamber member Madeline Bell, President and Chief Executive Officer, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), will receive the 2023 William Penn Award, the highest honor bestowed upon a business executive in Greater Philadelphia.  

Upcoming Local Advocacy Events  
Harnessing Our City's Potential: A Civic Issues Forum
Wednesday, November 29, 2023 | 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM | World Cafe Live    

State of the Economy: Harnessing Our Regional Assets
Wednesday, December 20, 2023 | 8:30 AM – 11:00 AM | Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts    

City Council Reception
Thursday, January 11, 2024 | 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM | Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts 

State: Updates from Harrisburg

Senate Approves Additional Budget Implementation Language
The Senate approved budget implementation language, or amendments, to the school code, which provide funding to schools and community colleges, stipends and grants to student teachers, and state aid for student mental health programs, school safety, and libraries. According to Senate Republican leadership, HB 301 would allocate funding for several critical priorities that were included in the 2023-24 state budget, including: 

  • $100 million for K-12 mental health programs for schools; 
  • An additional $150 million for education tax credits to provide scholarships to students through the existing Education Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) and Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit (OSTC) programs; 
  • $295 million for Ready-to-Learn Block Grants;
  • More than $261 million for community colleges;
  • More than $76 million in Special Education funding for Intermediate Units;
  • $10 million to create a new Educator Pipeline Support Grant Program to provide grants to student teachers;
  • $46.5 million in reimbursements to school entities that participate in the National School Lunch and School Breakfast programs;
  • More than $70 million in state aid to public libraries;
  • $14.5 million in funding for career and technical schools; and
  • $7 million to assist distressed schools. 

Upon consideration of the Senate-approved school code bill, House Democrats opted to remove the $150 million in tax credits for EITC and OSTC before voting along party lines to send the bill back to the Senate. With the General Assembly in recess until Monday, December 11, 2023, the amendments to the school code will remain unresolved until the House and Senate return to Harrisburg for the last three remaining session days in the calendar year. 

Governor Shapiro Signs Funding Bill for State-Related Universities
The Senate approved legislation that would provide level funding for Penn State University, the University of Pittsburgh, and Temple University and funding increases for Lincoln University and Penn College of Technology. The Senate also voted for increased transparency and reporting requirements backed earlier by the House but removed a House amendment that would freeze tuition levels for the next academic year. The House later voted to concur with the Senate version, sending the bill to the Governor’s desk and ending a months-long funding impasse. HB 1461 was signed into law on Thursday, November 16, 2023.   

Senate Approves Retail Theft Legislation
In strong bipartisan numbers, the Senate approved SB 596, which would establish a Deputy Attorney General within the Attorney General’s Office to oversee a team of prosecutors geographically placed throughout Pennsylvania to prosecute retail theft. The legislation also lowers the current monetary thresholds for retail thefts regarding felonies committed in the first, second, and third degrees. The Chamber supports this legislation, which would address the increase in coordinated, systematic thefts being carried out by criminal organizations for the purpose of reselling what they take for profit. The bill now awaits consideration in the House. 

National Guard Employer Tax Credit Introduced
This week, legislation was introduced in the Senate, establishing the Pennsylvania National Guard Employer Tax Credit Program. SB 985 provides a $1,000 tax credit to offset income or corporate net income tax (CNIT) liabilities if a business hires an active member of the Pennsylvania National Guard. The Credit would also be available if a current employee enlists or re-enlists in the Pennsylvania National Guard. Five million dollars in total credits would be made available under the bill. 

Labor Bill Approved in the House
The House approved a bill that would amend Pennsylvania’s Unemployment Compensation Law to provide unemployment compensation benefits to striking workers during a labor dispute. HB 1481 now heads to the state Senate for consideration. 

Upcoming State Advocacy Event
Southeastern Delegation Legislative Reception 
Monday, November 20, 2023 | 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM | Springfield Country Club     

Market your business: sponsor one of the Chamber’s advocacy events. Gain exposure and build promising relationships with top-level business professionals, civic leaders, and elected officials. Learn more about our upcoming local, state, and federal advocacy sponsorship opportunities here or contact Tara Orio, Senior Vice President, Membership and Member Engagement, at torio@chamberphl.com.      

  

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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 legislative matters concerning our community. Please note there will be no weekly legislative call next week due to the Thanksgiving holiday.