Legislative Updates: A Roundup of State and Local Actions – November 17

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 Monday, November 17, 2025.

• On Wednesday, November 19, 2025, City Council will hold a hearing on the PhillySaves Auto-IRA package, making it important for businesses – especially small employers – to review the proposal's operational impacts. 

• City Council held a multi-hour hearing on the Parker Administration's first-year H.O.M.E. budget, raising major questions about income targeting, the preservation of 12,000 expiring affordable units, and the administration's refusal to codify deeply affordable housing commitments. 

• Several newly introduced bills and resolutions point to an increasingly active policy environment, with Council advancing measures related to anti-discrimination protections, community energy programs, and municipal energy financing – all of which could carry regulatory or cost implications for employers. 

• Lawmakers approved a $50.1 billion budget with no tax increases, a 4.7% spending increase, and preservation of the $7.5 billion Rainy Day fund, while reducing the General Fund balance to $200 million.
• The budget excludes proposed revenue measures like recreational marijuana legalization and skills game taxation, continues CNIT phasedown, and decouples from federal corporate tax changes to avoid a $1.1 billion revenue loss.
• Pennsylvania will withdraw from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative and expand permit reform efforts to streamline business approvals.
• Basic Education receives over $560 million in adequacy gap payments and a $105 million formula increase; higher education funding remains flat, with no changes to PHEAA grants or state-related university funding.
• A new Working Pennsylvanians Tax Credit offers up to $800 for eligible families, and a $25 million childcare workforce initiative provides bonuses to recruit and retain early childhood educators.

• On November 15, Congress ended the longest federal shutdown in U.S. history, passing continuing resolutions (CRs) that extend prior funding levels through January 30, 2026.

PhillySaves Auto-IRA Program 

The Chamber’s Policy Committee received a joint briefing from Pew Charitable Trusts and the Council President’s Office on the proposed PhillySaves program, a City of Philadelphia -facilitated Auto-IRA program for workers without access to employer-sponsored retirement plans. 

For background, the original enabling legislation (Bill #250651), introduced in June, outlines the program structure – automatic enrollment for eligible workers, a default Roth IRA with opt-out flexibility, limited employer responsibilities tied to payroll facilitation, and the creation of a Philadelphia Retirement Savings Board. Because the Board requires a voter-approved Charter change, companion legislation was introduced on October 30, including resolutions to place the question on the May 2026 ballot. A hearing on the full package is scheduled for Wednesday, November 19, 2025. 

You can review our previous full legislative report with detailed background and Pew’s research here. 

We will continue evaluating potential employer impacts as the proposal moves forward. If members have feedback, outstanding questions, or an interest in testifying at the Wednesday, November 19, 2025, hearing, please contact Ashley Miscevich immediately so we can coordinate preparation and ensure your participation. 

H.O.M.E. Initiative Year One Budget Hearing 

On Tuesday, November 12, 2025, the Committee of the Whole held a hearing on the 2025 – 2026 Housing Opportunities Made Easy (H.O.M.E.) program annual project statement and budget for the first year of the four-year, $800 million bond-funded initiative. 

The administration framed the plan as a response to a documented housing crisis, citing a shortage of roughly 17,000 units, at least 21,000 existing homes in urgent need of repair, and approximately half of renters being cost-burdened by housing costs. They emphasized that 84% of H.O.M.E. resources will be directed to scaling high-demand existing programs – such as Basic Systems Repair, adaptive modifications, Turn the Key, Philly First Home, and eviction diversion – while the balance will support new initiatives like the “One Philly” mortgage, facade and curb appeal pilots, and other proof-of-concept programs. A key theme of their testimony was a commitment to data transparency and performance tracking through PhillyStat360 and real-time economic impact analysis so that Council and the public can see who benefits from the investments.  

Much of the hearing focused on whether the plan adequately prioritizes deeply affordable housing and prevention of displacement for the lowest-income residents. Several members, especially Councilmember O’Rourke, Councilmember Gauthier, and colleagues, stressed that the most acute need lies at or below 30% of Area Median Income (AMI) and highlighted an estimated 65,000-unit gap in deeply affordable housing, as well as residents who are doubled up, in shelters, or paying unsustainably high portions of their income in rent.  

The administration responded that, based on their production and preservation projections, approximately 41% of H.O.M.E. assisted units (about 17,870 of 30,000 over four years) are expected to serve households at 0–30% of AMI, with an additional 38 percent targeted to 30–50% AMI and a comparatively small share – about 1,600 units – to 80–120% AMI. Councilmembers questioned why, if these are the stated priorities, the administration would not agree to codify a requirement that at least 40% of funds serve households at or below 30% AMI. Thurman and her team reiterated their opposition to embedding those targets in law, arguing that projections should remain programmatic rather than statutory to preserve flexibility as needs evolve, and pointing to prior experience (e.g., raising BSRP caps) where broadening eligibility did not substantially shift resources away from lower-income households.  

In addition to the administration’s hearing testimony, Mayor Parker’s earlier letter to Council included key beneficiary projections that were not repeated during the hearing but were referenced in public reporting. These included: 68% of H.O.M.E. beneficiaries expected to earn between 0–50% of AMI, 93% expected to earn under 80% of AMI, and 40% expected to fall within the deeply affordable 0–30% AMI category. These figures were presented as a rebuttal to concerns that the program would not adequately serve the lowest-income Philadelphians.

A second major thread was the looming loss of existing affordable housing due to expiring federal contracts. Councilmember O’Rourke underscored that roughly 12,000 deeply affordable units citywide are at risk of coming offline over the next decade, with specific district-level numbers potentially disappearing before the city finishes paying off the bonds – with approximately 3,000 units in Gauthier’s, 4,000 in Young’s, 1,600 in Bass’s, 1,700 in Jones’s, and 1,400 in Squilla’s. 

In response, Deputy Director Mark Dodds described an “affordable housing directory,” a web-based mapping tool that will identify where expiring properties are located, when restrictions lapse, and what local market conditions suggest about the risk of conversion to market-rate. He acknowledged that the 12,000-unit figure is “staggering,” but stated that the administration does not expect all of those units to be lost, and that the directory is intended to guide a strategic approach to targeting preservation resources. Councilmembers pressed on the absence of a more concrete, funded preservation strategy within the first-year budget and questioned why the affordable housing preservation line item was reduced between the initial transmission and the version introduced for Council approval.  

Councilmembers also probed how the plan supports renters, homelessness prevention, and specific program lines that have been priorities in prior sessions. In discussion of rental assistance, the administration noted that funds will help maintain the city’s eviction diversion program at current scale with an annual budget of roughly $30M, continue the PHL Housing Plus guaranteed income pilot with PHA, and restart the “Fresh Start” program to cover move-in costs and up to three months of assistance for qualifying families once program dollars are available.  

Cheryl Hill, Executive Director of the Office of Homeless Services, testified that a $3.8M homeless prevention line would expand a partnership with PHA to renovate larger units for families, adapting a former “shared housing” model to better meet current needs. Councilmember Katherine Gilmore Richardson welcomed the investment but stated that it is still not fully clear how H.O.M.E. aligns with and advances Council’s broader policy work on homelessness and permanent supportive housing, and she requested additional meetings and line-by-line clarification. Separately, Gilmore Richardson raised detailed questions about the Tangle Title program’s relatively modest general fund contribution (citing a prior spreadsheet showing $75,000) and emphasized the need to have updated figures and commitments “on the record,” stressing that if something is not written down it effectively “does not exist.”  

Public testimony amplified many of Council’s concerns. Advocates, including Reverend Gregory Holston of Just Nation, characterized housing as an ongoing emergency and argued that while middle-income homeownership assistance and preservation are important, the crisis “starts where the crisis is,” with the poorest residents in the city who lack stable, affordable options. They urged Council to insist that the plan be more sharply oriented toward deeply affordable housing and prevention of displacement, particularly given estimates of a 65,000-unit shortfall in deeply affordable homes. 

During the hearing, in response to Council President Johnson’s question about first-year production, the administration stated that the H.O.M.E. plan is expected to generate 2,408 new units in the first year, including 656 units through the Turn the Key program. This first-year production figure had not been previously detailed in the administration’s earlier presentations and prompted additional questions about long-term scaling and annual production expectations.

Throughout the hearing, Council President Johnson reiterated his support for addressing the housing crisis while also signaling that this session represented only “part one” of Council’s review of the H.O.M.E. budget. He encouraged the administration to provide district-level data, furnish the expiring-units report to all members, and return for a subsequent hearing to continue answering questions about income targeting, preservation, homelessness, and codification of priorities before Council takes final action on the resolution. 

A full breakdown of the above allocations is available in our previous legislative report here. As the H.O.M.E. Initiative advances from approval to implementation, we will continue to track this budget and accompanying legislation to ensure members remain informed as this historic housing initiative moves forward. 

City Council Stated Meeting 

There were many bills and resolutions introduced and passed during City Council Stated Meetings on Thursday, November 13, 2025. For an update on prior activity, you can read our Friday, November 7, 2025, Legislative Update here. You can watch Philadelphia City Council public hearings and Stated Meetings here or access City Council’s Legislative Information Center here. Council’s next Stated Meeting is scheduled for Thursday, November 20, 2025.  

• Bill #250988 (Young): Amending Chapter 9-600 of The Philadelphia Code (entitled “Service and Other Businesses”) to add business hour restrictions in designated areas of the Fifth Councilmanic District, prohibiting businesses from being open to the public between 11:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. on specified segments of West Girard Avenue and West Fairmount Avenue. The bill continues a growing trend of Council-imposed overnight curfews in certain neighborhoods. Gas stations, businesses with liquor licenses, and establishments with drive-thrus are exempt. (Status: INTRODUCED 11/13) 

• Bill #250990 (Ahmad): Amends Chapter 9-1100 (“Fair Practices Ordinance”) of the Philadelphia Code to prohibit unlawful discrimination against victims of human trafficking. The bill expands existing civil rights protections and aligns local standards with broader victim-support and anti-trafficking frameworks. (Status: INTRODUCED 11/13) 

• Bill #250849 (Ahmad): Amends Chapter 9-1100 (“Fair Practices Ordinance”) to explicitly include protections related to menstruation, perimenopause, and menopause. The legislation would require updates to employment policies, accommodations, and related HR practices to ensure compliance. (Status: PASSED OUT OF COMMITTEE 11/13) 

• Bill #250981 (Johnson): Authorizes the execution of a Service Agreement between the City of Philadelphia and the Philadelphia Energy Authority to finance energy conservation improvements including construction, installation, and related measures to reduce energy, water, wastewater, and other operating costs at specified City-owned or City-operated properties. The bill also approves the Authority’s issuance of bonds or other indebtedness to fund the project and authorizes the City’s obligation to make required payments under the agreement. (Status: INTRODUCED 11/13) 

• Resolution #250992 (Gauthier): Calls on the Pennsylvania State Senate to approve House Bill 504, the Community Energy Act, and urges the General Assembly to enact legislation enabling the creation of community energy programs in Pennsylvania. The resolution highlights the economic, consumer, and resiliency benefits of community solar and other community energy facilities and aligns with the Governor’s Lightning Plan. (Status: INTRODUCED 11/13) 

• Bill #250888 (Thomas): Amends Title 9 of The Philadelphia Code to create a new chapter regulating third-party restaurant reservation services by prohibiting unauthorized listings or reservation activity and establishing definitions, prohibited acts, penalties, and enforcement authority. (Status: AMENDED & PASSED OUT OF COMMITTEE 11/13). Amended version adopted 11/5 includes the following key changes: 

• Revised Prohibited Acts: Narrows and clarifies this provision, prohibiting third-party services from charging, collecting, or receiving a fee for reservations without written authorization.  

• Definition Adjustments: Slightly broadens the term to include an entity or person engaged in offering, listing, or arranging such services.  

• Enforcement Language Clarified: Retains the same structure but clarifies the Department’s authority to “investigate complaints” and issue citations.  

 Upcoming City Council Committee Hearings 

There are several committee hearings scheduled in the coming weeks. This calendar does not capture every hearing before City Council, it highlights those most relevant to the business community and the Chamber’s advocacy priorities. You can access City Council’s Calendar here. 

On Tuesday, November 18, 2025, at 10:00 am the Committee of the Whole will hold a hearing, authorized by Resolution #250895, to examine the condition of Philadelphia’s public school facilities, how the School District evaluates those buildings, and the District’s short- and long-term infrastructure needs.  

On Wednesday, November 19, 2025, at 1:00 pm the Committee on Law and Government will hold a hearing on the proposed PhillySaves Auto-IRA legislative package. 

Pennsylvania FY2025-26 Budget Agreement 

On Thursday, November 13, 2025, lawmakers reached an agreement on a $50.1 billion state budget for FY2025-26 that includes no tax increases. The budget represents a $2.27 billion spending increase over the current year – a 4.7% growth rate – and maintains Pennsylvania’s nearly $7.5 billion Rainy Day fund without drawing from reserves. However, to address flat revenue projections, the spending plan draws down the General Fund to a $200 million fiscal-year end balance. 

Revenue Provisions 

The final agreement excludes several revenue-generating proposals put forward by the Governor, including legalization of recreational marijuana, implementation of combined reporting, and taxation and regulation of the skills game industry. The budget preserves the scheduled phasedown of the Corporate Net Income Tax (CNIT) and protects planned increases to Net Operating Loss deduction carryforward limits. 

In a significant departure from federal tax policy, Pennsylvania will decouple from corporate tax changes enacted by Congress this year under the “One Big, Beautiful Bill.” Pennsylvania companies will continue to amortize research and experimentation (R&E) expenditures over five years rather than expense them immediately as now permitted under federal law. The state will also maintain its own rules for qualified production property expensing and the deduction for business interest expenses, including depreciation and amortization. By decoupling from these provisions of federal tax code, the Commonwealth is able to maintain the current tax environment prior to the federal changes, preventing the Commonwealth from losing over $1.1 billion in FY 2025-26, according to Senate Fiscal Note. 

Policy Changes 

The budget agreement includes Pennsylvania’s withdrawal from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), a multi-state carbon emissions cap program. The governor had appealed a Commonwealth Court ruling that declared Pennsylvania’s participation through executive order was unconstitutional.  

Building on last year’s permit reforms, the budget includes additional and expanded changes designed to reduce permit approval times and increase predictability for businesses.  

Education Funding 

The agreement provides a second installment of more than $560 million in basic education adequacy gap payments, following recommendations from the majority report of the Basic Education Funding Commission. Basic Education formula funding receives a $105 million increase, representing 1.3% growth. 

Higher education funding remains largely flat. The budget maintains the PHEAA maximum state grant at $5,750 and provides level funding for PASSHE institutions, community colleges, and the state-related universities—Penn State, University of Pittsburgh, and Temple University. 

New Workforce-Related Programs  

A major element of the deal was the creation of a Working Pennsylvanians Tax Credit, a refundable state earned income tax credit that is equal to 10% of the federal credit. Working families with dependents could receive up to $800 from the tax credit. 

The budget establishes a $25 million childcare staff recruitment and retention program to address workforce challenges in the early childhood education sector. The program provides funding to qualified childcare providers, who must distribute payments of at least $450 to eligible staff members. Providers may use these funds either as hiring bonuses for newly employed staff or as retention bonuses for current employees. 

The Chamber invites you to Fair Chance Hiring: Leading with Policy, a conversation about the implementation of Philadelphia’s Fair Chance Hiring legislation, on Friday, November 21, 2025. The legislation enhances employment protections for individuals with criminal histories and updates employer requirements when considering conviction records during hiring. Register now. 

Forge new relationships, strengthen existing ties, and engage with Philadelphia’s City Council president and members of City Council at our City Council Reception on January 22, 2026. Register now.

Join us at our annual Mayoral Luncheon as Mayor Cherelle Parker embarks on her third year in office. From economic mobility and inclusive growth to business attraction and quality of life, hear how her administration is working to make Philadelphia the “safest, cleanest, and greenest big city in the nation,” providing access to economic opportunity for all. Don’t miss this important occasion as Mayor Parker addresses our regional business community and lays out her vision to make One Philly, a United City! Register now.

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 Laura Williams, Manager, Member and Investor Relations, at lwilliams@chamberphl.com to learn more.

ChamberPHL Political Action Committee
Help us advance the business community’s agenda by contributing to support state and local candidates in key elections who share our commitment to a healthier business climate.

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

• Shannon Williams, Senior Vice President, Advocacy – swilliams@chamberphl.com
• Renee Androckitis, Federal and State Affairs – randrockitis@chamberphl.com
• Anselm Sauter, State Affairs – asauter@chamberphl.com
• Ashley Miscevich, Local Affairs – amiscevich@chamberphl.com

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