🎉Inaugural City Hall Roll Call: March 25, 2021

Session Recap:

Today’s City Council session was marked by a parade of friends and colleagues that testified in support of Councilmember Parker’s resolution honoring the life of Dr. Emma C. Chappell, who recently passed away. Among her many accomplishments, Dr. Chappell was the first Black woman to found a bank, United Bank of Philadelphia, since 1903. She was also the first Black woman to charter a commercial bank in the country.

While most of today’s legislative introductions were ceremonial resolutions, Councilmember Brooks introduced a proposed ordinance that would expand domestic violence protections to those suffering from “coercive control.” Councilmember Brooks introduced this bill in honor of her cousin, who lost her life to domestic violence.

City Council also voted to authorize hearings on the City’s plan for the $1B+ in federal stimulus money it will receive as part of the American Rescue Plan. The Mayor is expected to present his budget address to Council on Thursday, April 15th.

The federal stimulus funding will loom large in this years budget, with Councilman Domb warning that “careful planning will be needed to make the most of this influx of federal dollars. [We] need to make significant investments in programs and policies that set Philadelphia in a new trajectory.”

Next Council Stated Meeting: Thursday, April 8th, 2021 - 10:00 a.m.

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.

🏗️ Zoning and Construction

• Bill amending the zoning maps for an area bounded by (I95-Richmond Street-Castor Avenue-Lewis Street) (Henon)

🚔 Public Safety

• Bill amending various chapters of the Philadelphia Code to provide protections for persons affected by coercive control (domestic violence), including in the context of employment discrimination, employment leave, and housing protections. (Brooks)

🚦 Streets

• Bill establishing “No Truck Parking” regulation in the 10th District. (O’Neill)

🖋️ Land Acquisition / Disposition

• Resolution authorizing transfer of City-owned land located in the 1st District to the Land Bank. (Administration / Squilla)

• Resolution authorizing transfer of City-owned land located in the 2nd District to the Land Bank. (Administration / Johnson)

• Resolution authorizing disposition of City-owned by the Land Bank located in the 7th District. (Administration / Quiñones-Sánchez)

• Resolution authorizing transfer of City-owned land located in the 8th District to the Land Bank. (Administration / Bass)

⚖️ Privileged Resolutions (Authorizing Hearings)

• Resolution authorizing Committee on Fiscal Stability and Intergovernmental Cooperation to hold hearings on the City’s plan to implement and spend federal stimulus dollars. (Domb)

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)

• Resolution authorizing transfer of City-owned land located in the 1st District to the Land Bank.

Councilmember Kenyatta Johnson (D-2nd)

• Resolution authorizing transfer of City-owned land located in the 2nd District to the Land Bank.

• Bill authorizing the City to enter into lease agreement with 1930 S. Broad.

Councilmember Jamie Gauthier (D-3rd)

Councilmember Curtis Jones, Jr. (D-4th)

Council President Darrell Clarke (D-5th)

• Resolution authorizing transfer of City-owned land located in the 5th District to the Land Bank.

Councilmember Bobby Henon (D-6th)

• Bill amending the zoning maps for an area bounded by I95-Richmond Street-Castor Avenue-Lewis Streets.

Councilmember Maria Quiñones-Sánchez (D-7th)

• Resolution authorizing disposition of City-owned by the Land Bank located in the 7th District.

Councilmember Cindy Bass (D-8th)

• Resolution authorizing transfer of City-owned land located in the 8th District to the Land Bank.

Councilmember Cherelle Parker (D-9th)

Councilmember Brian O’Neill (R-10th)

• Bill establishing “No Truck Parking” regulation in the 10th District.

Councilmember Kendra Brooks (I-AL)

• Bill amending various chapters of the Philadelphia Code to provide protections for persons affected by coercive control, including in the context of employment discrimination, employment leave, and housing protections.

Councilmember Allan Domb (D-AL)

• Resolution authorizing Committee on Fiscal Stability and Intergovernmental Cooperation to hold hearings on the City’s plan to implement and spend federal stimulus dollars.

Councilmember Derek Green (D-AL)

Councilmember Helen Gym (D-AL)

Councilmember Katherine Gilmore-Richardson (D-AL)

Councilmember David Oh (R-AL)

Councilmember Isaiah Thomas (D-AL)

Bills and Resolutions Passed by City Council at Today’s Session

Resolutions:

• 🏆 210230 (Clarke): naming the 1600 block of West York Street “Margaret Wells Way” to honor her impact on the North Philadelphia recovery community. (Adopted)

• 🏆 210231 (Gilmore-Richardson): honoring Vice-President Kamala Harris for her distinguished career and accomplishments, on the occasion of Women’s History Month. (Adopted)

• 🏆 210232 (Gym): recognizing the week of March 21 as “National Safe Place Week” in the City of Philadelphia, and calling for a citywide effort to create havens for young people. (Adopted)

• 🏆 210234 (Jones): supporting the "Live and Let Live" Campaign for the City of Philadelphia, to coordinate, engage, and promote activities to help eradicate the culture of gun violence. (Adopted)

• 🏆 210236 (Brooks): honoring the advocacy of Bill Krebs in affirming the rights of all people with disabilities. (Adopted)

• 🏆 210237 (Brooks): honoring and congratulating Camae Ayewa and Rasheedah Phillips for their cultural and artistic contributions to Philadelphia and for winning the 2021 Collide residency award from Arts at CERN on behalf of their collective, Black Quantum Futurism. (Adopted)

• 🏆 210238 (Thomas): honoring and congratulating the Drexel University Women and Men’s basketball teams for winning their respective Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) title games and qualifying for the Women and Men’s 2021 NCAA basketball tournament. (Adopted)

• 🏆 210239 (Bass): recognizing March 2021 as Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month to understand the symptoms of colorectal cancer and the importance of regular screenings; and increase access to screenings in underserved communities. (Adopted)

• 🏆 210241 (Oh):recognizing Cohen Thompson, founder of Skate University, for his outstanding contributions and ongoing service to disadvantaged youth in his native West Philadelphia community. (Adopted)

• 🏆 210### Resolution (Parker): honoring life of Emma C. Chappell, founder of the United Bank of Philadelphia. (Adopted)

• 🗣️ 210### Resolution (Domb): authorizing Committee on Fiscal Stability and Intergovernmental Cooperation to hold hearings on the City’s plan to implement and spend federal stimulus dollars.

Bills:

No bills were voted on at today’s City Council Session.

📆 Upcoming City Council Public Hearings

(Click on the Committee listing to download the full agenda of bills and resolutions for the meeting.)

Tuesday, March 23rd

• Committee on Public Safety, 9:30 a.m. - A public hearing to examine more equitable solutions to crime scene cleanup policies that place the logistical and financial burden on the families of homicide victims. (Resolution 210090)

• Committee on Streets and Services, 1:00 p.m. - The Streets committee will hear a variety of bills including a proposed ordinance to allow restaurants applying for a sidewalk café permit outdoor entertainment. (Bill 210135)

Wednesday, March 24th

• Committee on Public Property and Public Works, 10:00 a.m. - The committee will consider three bills related to: the acquisition of an easement, the conveyance of land for stormwater infrastructure and the authorization of a lease for PGW.

• Committee on Intergenerational Affairs & Aging, 2:00 p.m. - The committee will examine solutions to the ongoing housing crisis impacting senior Philadelphians.

Thursday, March 25th

• City Council Stated Meeting, 10:00 a.m.

• Committee on Commerce & Economic Development, 2:00 p.m. - the committee will examine best practices for safely reopening Philadelphia’s workspaces and will consider changes to the City’s contracting process designed to ensure vendors adhere to minority participation goals and standards.

Tuesday, March 30th

• Special Committee on Gun Violence Prevention, 10:00 a.m. - The committee will reconvene a public hearing to facilitate coordination among stakeholders and formulating a comprehensive gun violence prevention strategy.

Wednesday, March 31st

• Committee on Fiscal Stability and Intergovernmental Cooperation, 9:00 a.m. - This is the committee’s quarterly hearings to discuss the fiscal position and overarching social impact goals of the City.

Monday, April 5th

• Committee on Labor and Civil Service, 1:00 p.m. - The committee will consider a bill that would prohibit employers from requiring prospective employees to undergo testing for the presence of marijuana as a condition of employment, under certain terms and conditions.

Thursday, April 8th

• City Council Stated Meeting, 10:00 a.m.

Tuesday, April 13th

• Committee on Licenses and Inspections, 9:30 a.m. - The committee will hear two bills that would amend standards for contractor licenses related to insurance (Bill 210003) and amend the law regulating Bouncers and the types of establishments covered by the law (Bill 210117).