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, April 5, 2024.

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

KEY TAKEAWAYS FOR YOUR BUSINESS

Local

Join the Chamber on Friday, April 26, 2024, for our in-person Advancing Inclusive Strategies for Economic Growth: A Civic Issues Forum and on June 11, 2024, for our virtual City Hall Connectors: Public Safety and Clean & Green Initiatives forum.

The Civic 50 Greater Philadelphia self-assessment is now open! Measure and share your organization’s social impact for the opportunity to be ranked among the top 50 civic-oriented businesses in the region. Learn more here or contact Civic50@chamberphl.com for additional information. 

State

  • Both the Pennsylvania House and Senate were out of session this week. Legislators are scheduled to return on Monday, April 8, 2024, when they will resume debate on several issues of importance to the business community.   

Join the Chamber on Wednesday, April 17, 2024, for our in-person A Conversation with the Governor, and in Harrisburg on Monday, May 6, 2024, for our in-person Harrisburg Reception (this event was formerly called the Pennsylvania 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

The next session of City Council will be held on Thursday, April 11, 2024.  

Bills and Resolutions 
Councilmember Kendra Brooks introduced a bill to modify certain requirements of the city's eviction diversion program. Councilmembers Brooks, Jamie Gauthier, and Nicholas O'Rourke recently announced that they would seek to make the eviction diversion program permanent and commit additional funds to relief programs in the wake of Mayor Cherelle Parker's proposal to reduce rental assistance funding.  

Councilmember Nicholas O'Rourke introduced a resolution calling for hearings to examine the physical conditions of rental housing and the city's code enforcement efforts. After its introduction, Councilmember O'Rourke expressed his belief that everyone deserves safe and affordable housing and that the city must hold negligent landlords accountable.  

Councilmember Mike Driscoll introduced a bill to authorize access to legal representation for certain owners of deteriorated dwellings and provide tax forgiveness to encourage affordable housing development.  

Bill 240019 was approved at Thursday's Council session. This bill will extend the existence of the Philadelphia Authority for Industrial Development (PAID) for another fifty years.  

City Council Committee Hearings 
On March 25, 2024, Bryan Tsao, Ph.D., Manager, Life Science and Health Care Initiatives at the Chamber, testified during the City Council Committee on Commerce and Economic Development hearing on Resolution 240031. This resolution was introduced by Councilmember Gauthier and authorized the Committee to explore the city's capacity to prepare individuals of all educational backgrounds for careers in the growing life sciences industry, with a focus on the cell and gene therapy subsector.  

During his testimony, Tsao touched on the growth Philadelphia has experienced in the industry, the Chamber's efforts to address and support workforce and training programs, and opportunities to bring resources to our city to enhance these programs and further build partnerships. The Chamber was joined by many industry partners. You can watch the hearing on Philadelphia City Council's YouTube channel here.  

The Chamber works to build bridges between industry and the organizations that prepare and train the current and future workforce and provide connection points that proactively build the Greater Philadelphia region's robust talent pipeline for the high-quality jobs of today and tomorrow. The Chamber also recognizes the region's leadership in the life sciences industry and our specialized strengths in one of the fastest-growing subsectors – cell and gene therapy. We are committed to solidifying our region as a global hub and leader in life sciences innovation. Learn more about the Chamber's Life Sciences and Talent initiatives in the links provided or connect with a member of our Economic Competitiveness team.      

On Thursday, March 4, 2024, the Committee on Commerce and Economic Development held a hearing on Resolution 240088, Councilmember Jim Harrity's Contract Workers Protection bill. As we have reported over the last few months, the Chamber strongly opposes this bill as currently written. During Thursday's hearing, Regina Hairston, President and CEO of the African American Chamber of Commerce of NJ – DE – MD, Don Haas, Board Member of Building Owners Management Association, and William Carter, Esq., Vice President, Local Government Advocacy and Engagement at the Chamber, testified in opposition of this bill. Their shared message was clear – this bill is bad for business in Philadelphia.    

The Chamber, in collaboration with key stakeholders, has been actively engaging Councilmember Harrity to discuss this bill and its impact on the business community. Councilmember Harrity expressed his willingness to work together and include some of our proposed amendments, but the bill was still passed out of committee on Thursday. Until this bill is amended, which will now have to occur on the floor, we need the business community to contact members of City Council to urge your opposition. Please use this link to take action.    

FY25 Budget Update 
You can view the City Council's FY25 Budget Hearing Schedule here or visit the FY25 Budget Center website.   

On Tuesday, April 9, 2024, the City Council Committee of the Whole will hold a hearing on the proposed FY25 budget for the following departments: Managing Director's Office, Police, Prisons, Fire, and Licenses and Inspections.  

On Wednesday, April 10, 2024, the City Council Committee of the Whole will hold a hearing on the proposed FY25 budget for the following departments: Streets, Office of Clean and Green Initiatives, Fleet Management, Public Property, Philadelphia Energy Authority (PEA), Sustainability, and City Commissioners.  

As previously reported, during the Mayor's FY25 Budget Address in March, Mayor Parker announced no new taxes or increases. Still, there was also no inclusion of decreased city wage or Business Income and Receipts Tax (BIRT) rates in her proposed FY25 Budget and 5-year plan. On Wednesday, March 27, 2024, City Council Committee of the Whole held a hearing on Tax Bills for the FY25 Budget. Both Paul Levy, Board Chair of Center City District, and William Carter, Esq. Vice President, Local Government Advocacy, testified in support of lowering these business taxes. You can watch the hearing and testimonies on City Council's YouTube channel here.  

The Chamber will continue to advocate for increased reductions in the city wage and Business Income and Receipts Tax (BIRT) through our lobbying campaign, led by the Inclusive Growth Coalition (IGC), made up of the city's diverse chambers in partnership with the Chamber. Sustained investment in good-paying jobs and inclusive business growth are key to creating a robust economy that leaves no one behind. To join the Chamber in our efforts, please contact Ashley Miscevich, Manager, Local Government Advocacy and Engagement, at amiscevich@chamberphl.com. 

Upcoming Local Advocacy Events  

Advancing Inclusive Strategies for Economic Growth: A Civic Issues Forum
Friday, April 26, 2024 | 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM | University City Science Center Quorum 

City Hall Connectors: Public Safety and Clean & Green Initiatives
Tuesday, June 11, 2024 | 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM | Virtual Event

The Civic 50 Greater Philadelphia self-assessment is now open! Measure and share your organization's social impact for the opportunity to be ranked among the top 50 civic-oriented businesses in the region. Learn more here or contact Civic50@chamberphl.com for additional information. 

State: Updates from Harrisburg

PA General Assembly Reconvenes Next Week
The Pennsylvania General Assembly was out of session this week, and both chambers are scheduled to reconvene on Monday, April 8, 2024. When legislators return to session next week, they will discuss a number of issues of importance to the business community, including transit funding, basic education funding, and several economic development and business-friendliness programs and initiatives.   

Upcoming State Advocacy Events  

A Conversation with the Governor 
Wednesday, April 17, 2024 | 4:30 PM – 7:00 PM | Drexel University – Mandell Theatre    

Harrisburg Reception 
Monday, May 6, 2024 | 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM | Keystone Building – Harrisburg
This event was formerly called the Pennsylvania 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.  

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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.