City Hall Roll Call: February 8th, 2024
Council Reintroduces Protections for Contract Workers
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Welcome to City Hall Roll Call, a summary of City Council’s weekly Stated Meeting. Reminder, the information provided below is not an official or complete record. City Council’s official legislative database can be accessed through Legistar.
For a full play-by-play of the Council session, including speeches and public comment, be sure to follow me on Twitter.
Session Recap:
Today’s Council session saw only a few substantive introductions but was instead dominated by public testimony on a number of resolutions. Legislatively, Councilmember Jim Harrity (D-AL) reintroduced his bill aimed at protecting displaced contract workers. The bill would extend displacement protections to certain types of workers in large buildings throughout the city, such as building maintenance, door attendants, hotel and concierge service. Council passed the original bill towards the end of last year, but it was pocket vetoed by former Mayor Jim Kenney (D) at the expiration of his term. Councilmember Rue Landau (D-AL) introduced a bill that would place additional requirements on tax preparation business throughout the City aiming to improve transparency in their dealings with clients. Lastly, Councilmember Mike Driscoll (D-6th) introduced legislation hiking the penalty for those who use license plate flipping devices to avoid red light camera or other automated traffic law enforcement mechanisms.
As previously noted, the vast majority of Council’s time today was dedicated to public comment on the various resolutions considered by the body. The first was the remembrance of architect and professor Emmanuel Kelly who passed suddenly last month. WHYY detailed the life and legacy of Kelly, founder of one of the city’s first Black-owned architectural firms:
During his long career, his firm Kelly Maiello worked on some of the city’s most prominent public buildings, including City Hall, the Pennsylvania Convention Center and the Criminal Justice Center. In 2007, the firm was selected to design and build the President’s House at Independence National Historical Park.
Councilman Isaiah Thomas also introduced a resolution calling attention to the state’s expanded Clean Slate program. Signed into law by Governor Josh Shapiro in December, under the new bill:
less serious drug felonies will be eligible to be sealed by automation after 10 years without a subsequent misdemeanor or felony conviction. Other property-related felonies, such as thefts, will be eligible for sealing after 10 years upon granting of a court petition. It will also shorten waiting periods for sealing convictions of misdemeanor to 7 years and summary convictions to five years.
An attorney and a paralegal from Community Legal Services (CLS), which advocated for the original and expanded legislation, spoke in support of the resolution. Neshea Jackson shared her story of being haunted by a decades old drug conviction in her attempts to find employment. Now a paralegal at CLS, Ms. Jackson celebrated the expansion of the Clean Slate law, saying the new legislation means “that felons are now allowed to achieve their employment goals, and their mistakes will no longer define them.”
To find out if you, or someone you know qualifies for record sealing, visit My Clean Slate PA to learn more.
Chambers were also filled with supporters of the Kensington Caucus - a “united legislative front in addressing the crisis in the Kensington area.” Spearheaded by Councilmember Quetcy Lozada (D-7th), the Kensington Caucus consists of the individual District Councilmembers representing the area, as well as Councilmember Jim Harrity, a Kensington resident. Numerous residents shared their support of the resolution, as well as their daily struggles living in epicenter of the city’s addiction crisis. Upon passage, chambers erupted in loud cheers.
City Council stands adjourned until Thursday, February 15th, 2024 at 10 AM.
Bills and Resolutions Introduced Today (By Subject Matter)
Due to the volume, ceremonial resolutions introduced by Councilmembers that honor or memorialize individuals or organizations will not be listed below, but can be found on Legistar.
🗺️ Land Disposition / Acquisition
Resolution authorizing Land Bank dispositions for properties located in the 1st Councilmanic District. (Squilla)
💼 Business Regulation
Bill amending 9-600 to add requirements related to tax preparation providers. (Landau)
Bill amending 9-2300 protection of displaced contract workers to provide protections for certain service employees. (Harrity)
🚦Streets
Bill amending Sections 1 and 2 of Bill No. 170086, revision of lines and grades. (Gauthier)
Bill amending Title 12, providing prohibitions and penalties for license plate flipping devices. (Driscoll)
Bill establishing parking regulations in the 8th Councilmanic District. (Bass)
⚖️ Privileged Resolutions (Authorizing Hearings / Urging Action)
Resolution authorizing the Committee on Public Safety to hold hearings regarding witness relocation policies in city of Philadelphia. (Jones)
Bills and Resolutions Introduced Today (By Member)
Due to the volume, ceremonial resolutions introduced by Councilmembers that honor or memorialize individuals or organizations will not be listed below, but can be found on Legistar.
Councilmember Mark Squilla (D-1st)
R: Authorizing Land Bank dispositions for properties located in the 1st Councilmanic District.
Councilmember Jamie Gauthier (D-3rd)
B: Amending Sections 1 and 2 of Bill No. 170086, revision of lines and grades.
Councilmember Curtis Jones, Jr. (D-4th)
R: Authorizing the Committee on Public Safety to hold hearings regarding witness relocation policies in city of Philadelphia.
Councilmember Mike Driscoll (D-6th)
B: Amending Title 12, providing prohibitions and penalties for license plate flipping devices.
Councilmember Cindy Bass (D-8th)
B: Establishing parking regulations in the 8th Councilmanic District.
Councilmember Jim Harrity (D-AL)
B: Amending 9-2300 protection of displaced contract workers to provide protections for certain service employees.
Councilmember Rue Landau (D-AL)
B: Amending 9-600 to add requirements related to tax preparation providers.
Bills and Resolutions Passed by City Council at Today’s Session
Resolutions:
🏆 240073 (Jones): Naming the 1200 Block of North 58th Street “Waverly B. Woodson, Jr. Way” in honor of war hero Waverly Bernard Woodson, Jr., for his courageous and selfless service during World War II.
⚖️ 240074 (Lozada): Establishing the Kensington Caucus to represent a united legislative front in addressing the crisis in the Kensington area.
🏆 240081 (Bass): Recognizing the nonprofit Half A Million Kids to bring awareness to children living in the Foster Care system and ways Philadelphia can work collaboratively to help find permanent homes for foster kids.
🏆 240### (Gauthier): Honoring the life and legacy of architect and professor Emmanuel Kelly
🏆 240### (Thomas): Recognizing and honoring Champion of the Week, 5th Grader Emily Enscore for her work raising money for Project Home.
🏆 240### (Thomas): Recognizing the impact of PA's Clean Slate law and celebrating its recent expansion.
⚖️ 240### (Jones): Authorizing the Committee on Public Safety to hold hearings regarding witness relocation policies in city of Philadelphia.
📆 Upcoming City Council Public Hearings
(Click on the Committee listing to download the full agenda of bills and resolutions for the meeting.)
Tuesday, February 27th
Committee on Rules, 10:00 AM - the committee will hear testimony on five bills amending the Zoning Code, including Bill No. 240020 which would mandate for the 8th and 9th Councilmanic Districts that RCO leadership be a full time permanent resident of the geographic area of concern.