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, May 15, 2026.

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

  • City Council introduced new bond and capital-finance bills to support continued borrowing for major municipal and Philadelphia Gas Works infrastructure projects.    
  • Multiple district-specific zoning proposals are moving toward final votes next session. These changes will shape development feasibility, by-right density, and ground-floor retail expectations in key corridors throughout the city.   
  • City Council advanced significant new regulations for the delivery economy, including licensing and data obligations for e-bike delivery workers, delivery platforms, and autonomous sidewalk units.    
  • On Tuesday, May 19, 2026, Philadelphia voters will have a chance to expand retirement security for hundreds of thousands of working residents. Ballot Question 1 would create the Philadelphia Retirement Savings Program, known as PhillySaves, giving roughly 200,000 workers access to a workplace retirement savings account for the first time. The Chamber is grateful to Council President Kenyatta Johnson for his leadership on this important issue and is proud to support this effort to strengthen financial security for Philadelphia's workforce.  

State

  • The General Assembly remains in recess until Monday, June 1, 2026, as many lawmakers campaign in their districts ahead of the Tuesday, May 19, 2026 primary elections. Despite the limited schedule, House and Senate leaders have expressed optimism that they will reach a bipartisan budget deal by or close to the Tuesday, June 30, 2026 deadline. 
  • The Pennsylvania Department of Revenue released its April 2026 Collections, highlighting that the state collected $6.7 billion in General Fund revenue in April, which was $519 million more than anticipated. Fiscal year-to-date General Fund collections total $41.7 billion, which is $992.8 million above estimate. 

DETAILED LEGISLATIVE UPDATE

Local: Updates from Philadelphia’s City Hall

New Bond and Capital-Finance Bills Introduced

This week, City Council introduced new bond and capital-finance bills that will enable continued borrowing for major municipal and Philadelphia Gas Works infrastructure projects, including refinancing for the police headquarters and youth facilities. 

Zoning Proposals Aim to Shape Development in Key Corridors 

Multiple district-specific zoning proposals are moving forward for new or revised overlays—especially around transit-oriented communities, density and transit bonus structures, and the new West Chestnut Street overlay—with several bills now through committee and queued for final votes next session. These changes aim to shape development, density, and ground-floor retail expectations in key corridors across the city. 

New Regulations Increase Oversight of Last-Mile Operations

City Council also advanced regulations of the delivery economy through new licensing and data obligations for e-bike delivery workers, delivery platforms, and autonomous sidewalk units.  

PhillySaves on the Ballot

On Tuesday, May 19, 2026, Philadelphia voters will have a chance to expand retirement security for hundreds of thousands of working residents. Ballot Question 1 would create the Philadelphia Retirement Savings Program, known as PhillySaves, giving roughly 200,000 workers access to a workplace retirement savings account for the first time. Right now, about one in three private-sector workers in Philadelphia has no retirement plan at work. PhillySaves would change that through a simple auto-enrollment IRA, with no cost to employers. The Chamber is grateful to Council President Kenyatta Johnson for his leadership on this important issue and is proud to support this effort to strengthen financial security for Philadelphia’s workforce.

City Council Stated Meeting: Legislation and Bill Update 

The next City Council Stated Meeting is scheduled for Thursday, May 28, 2026. 

Resolution No. 260480 (Young): A resolution supporting the proposed Sam Worley Elderly Tax Relief Act, legislation to exempt qualifying long-term elderly homeowners from school, county, and municipal property taxes on their primary residences in Pennsylvania. (STATUS: PASSED) 

Resolution No. 260481 (Bass): A resolution calling for the expansion of equitable cultural opportunities for children enrolled in childcare facilities throughout the City of Philadelphia through membership access to the Art-Reach ACCESS Program, particularly during the summer season when the city welcomes visitors from around the world. (STATUS: HELD) 

Resolution No. 250768 (Gauthier): An ordinance amending Title 17 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled “Contracts and Procurement,” to prohibit contractors providing solid waste, recycling, or composting services to the City from incinerating discarded matter, under certain terms and conditions. (STATUS: HELD) 

Resolution No. 250807 (Squilla): An ordinance authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property to acquire, on behalf of the City, fee simple title or a lesser interest, for public parks for recreational use, for certain parcels generally bounded by Vine Street, Fairmount Avenue, 8th Street, and 12th Street, and to lease the property or a portion thereof to the Center City District; all under certain terms and conditions. (STATUS: HELD) 

Resolution No. 260340 (Squilla): An ordinance authorizing various encroachments in the vicinity of 323 N. Broad St., Philadelphia, PA 19107, under certain terms and conditions. (STATUS: HELD) 

State: Updates from Harrisburg

 House and Senate Scheduled to Return in June  

 The General Assembly remains in recess for most of the month and until Monday, June 1, 2026, as many lawmakers campaign in their districts ahead of the Tuesday, May 19 primary elections. Despite the limited schedule, House and Senate leaders have expressed optimism that they will reach a bipartisan budget deal by or close to the Tuesday, June 30, 2026 deadline. Democrats and Republicans will need to overcome key differences on topline spending and leveraging the available state budget reserves. 

 Pennsylvania Revenue Tracking Almost $1 Billion Ahead of Estimates 

The Pennsylvania Department of Revenue released its April 2026 Collections, highlighting that the state collected $6.7 billion in General Fund revenue in April, which was $519 million, or 8.4 percent, more than anticipated. Fiscal year-to-date General Fund collections total $41.7 billion, which is $992.8 million, or 2.4 percent, above estimate. The Independent Fiscal Office (IFO) also released its April 2026 Monthly Revenue Update, showing similar but smaller margins. The encouraging revenue collections above estimate will no doubt play a significant role in the current deliberations for the FY26-27 state budget. 

Primary Election on Tuesday, May 19, 2026

Pennsylvania Democrat and Republican voters go to the polls on Tuesday, May 19, 2026 to vote in their respective party primaries.  Notably, Election Day will include the primaries for governor as well as the Pennsylvania House and half of the Pennsylvania Senate. Even so, only a small fraction of primaries at the state level are contested. In our region, they include:   

  • 4th Senate District: Sen. Art Haywood faces a primary challenge. 
  • 8th Senate District: Sen. Anthony Hardy Williams faces a challenge to his 28-year tenure. 
  • 185th House District: Rep. Regina Young faces a primary challenge. 
  • 195th House District: Rep. Keith Harris faces two challengers. 
  • 200th House District: Three candidates are vying for the seat currently held by Rep. Chris Rabb, who is running for Congress and not seeking re-election. 

Events

Join the Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia and the Allegheny Conference on Community Development on Monday, June 1, 2026 for the Harrisburg Reception, where we bring together business and civic leaders from across the state to honor members of the Pennsylvania General Assembly and the Shapiro Administration. This annual event has proven to be an excellent opportunity to interact and establish new relationships with elected and appointed officials and fellow business and civic leaders. Legislators, cabinet members, and key staff throughout the Commonwealth will be in attendance. Additionally, event sponsors have the exclusive opportunity to join us during a pre-reception gathering to hear from the Pennsylvania Competitiveness Caucus.

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 for more details.

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