Moves on the Board: February 9 - 13, 2026

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♟️CITY OF PHILADELPHIA

Parker Administration

This week saw relatively quiet activity at City Hall, though Mayor Parker unveiled a major executive order streamlining development approvals and signed legislation protecting homeowners from deed fraud.

Early in the week, Mayor Parker, joined by Councilmember Majority Leader Katherine Gilmore Richardson, signed legislation protecting homeowners from deed fraud, an issue the mayor has called a personal priority. The legislation allows victims who obtain a court order voiding a fraudulent deed to receive refunds of realty transfer taxes paid in connection with the fraudulent property transfer. The mayor said the city should not profit from such crimes and residents' misfortunes.

On Wednesday, Mayor Parker delivered a keynote address at the Chamber of Commerce Luncheon, where she signed an executive order launching PHL PRIME (Project Review and Infrastructure Made Easy), a centralized expedited system designed to streamline major economic development projects. A key component of the initiative is the “Tiger Team,” which brings together intergovernmental leaders to reduce regulatory capture, all with an eye toward improving the city's competitiveness. The order does not eliminate regulatory safeguards; rather, it expedites the approval process. The Chamber Luncheon provided an apt venue for the announcement, with the room filled with business leaders.

Philadelphia City Council

This week, the Committee on Law and Government met to discuss a bill that would amend the Home Rule Charter to create the Office of the Youth Ombudsperson and a resolution to examine the current process of resolving tangled titles.

City Council met this week and introduced a variety of ceremonial resolutions. A few resolutions of note are listed below.

Resolutions

• Resolution 260101 (Councilmember Lozada) Authorizing the Committee on Housing, Neighborhood Development, and the Homeless to hold hearings on a review of property assessments and their impact on residents.

• Resolution 260102 (Councilmember Lozada) Authorizing a joint hearing of Public Safety and Parks & Rec to discuss gun safety measures.

Next Week’s Moves

Coming Up: 

• On Tuesday, February 17, the Committee of the Whole will meet to discuss Resolution 250895 regarding the School District’s recently released school facilities plan. 

• On Wednesday, February 18, the Committee on Public Safety will meet to discuss Resolution 250781, during which they will receive testimony on the potential establishment of an Office of Freedmen Affairs in the City.

♟️COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA

Shapiro Administration

Governor Josh Shapiro unveiled the Commonwealth’s first Housing Action Plan, which aims to create more affordable housing and protect homeowners and renters. This plan stems from Executive Order 2024-03, signed by the Governor in 2024, and establishes strategies to position Pennsylvania as a national leader in housing by 2035. Through extensive research and community engagement, the Administration has outlined a full strategy based on the core pillars of building and preserving housing stock, expanding housing opportunities, providing pathways to housing stabilization and sustainability, modernizing housing development regulation, and improving coordination and accountability. To view the complete Housing Action Plan, click here. 

Following a recent fire at Lehigh Valley Hospital-Dickson City, Governor Shapiro and State Fire Commissioner Thomas Cook met with first responders in the area to praise them for their swift and effective response, ensuring patients were safely evacuated. The Governor highlighted the over $200 million his Administration has invested in fire and EMS so far, and announced $37 million in new funding. He also reiterated his call for $30 million in competitive grant programs from his FY26-27 budget proposal. 

Lt. Governor Austin Davis joined elected officials and United Way Pittsburgh to highlight the proposed investments to 211 in Governor Shapiro’s FY26-27 budget proposal. PA 211 provides 24/7 free and confidential referrals to community services for low-income families and individuals through a call center. The Administration has proposed a 33% increase in state funding to PA 211 to ensure Pennsylvanians have access to services such as housing, food, and utilities. 

Updates from the Governor’s Newsroom

• Governor Shapiro Unveils Pennsylvania’s First-Ever Housing Action Plan to Build More Housing, Reduce Costs, and Create Opportunity for Every Pennsylvanian

• Governor Shapiro Continues Effort to Lower Pennsylvanians’ Electricity Prices, Pressing PJM Leadership to Protect Consumers

• Governor Shapiro Signs Six Bills into Law

• At Dickson City Fire Department, Governor Shapiro and Fire Commissioner Cook Highlight Investments in Fire Departments, Thank First Responders After Lehigh Valley Hospital Fire

• The Great American Getaway 400 Returns to Pocono Raceway for Third Consecutive Year, Bringing Hundreds of Thousands of NASCAR Fans to Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania General Assembly

The Pennsylvania House of Representatives and the Senate were in recess this week, but held a few Policy Committee hearings on education and healthcare. The Governor also signed several bills into law following last week’s session. 

Legislative Movement:

• Signed By Governor:

• Governor Josh Shapiro signed six pieces of legislation into law this week, including mandating cursive handwriting curricula and amending the Commonwealth Attorneys Act.

• HB17 (Mandates Cursive Handwriting Curriculum)

• HB710 (Vehicle Insurance Verification)

• HB1934 (Amendment to Commonwealth Attorneys Act)

• SB327 (Fort Indiantown Gap Police Act 120 Certification)

• SB467 (Authorizes Release of Project 70 Restrictions)

• SB1036 (Amendment to First Class Township Code)

Committee News:

• House: 

• House Democratic Policy Committee

• On Monday, February 9, the House Democratic Policy Committee met for a public hearing on Cyber Charter School Reform. Representatives from Abington Heights School District and the Wyoming Area School District Board of Education provided testimony. The committee members discussed the lack of transparency within the cyber charter school system. This lack of transparency often obscured how the cyber charter schools could be both overcosting the Commonwealth and underperforming performance benchmarks. Members anecdotally pointed to expensive construction projects that do not align with the typical structure of a cyber charter school, ballooning advertising budgets in recent years, and students who have left the cyber charter school system only to demonstrate a remedial understanding of their curriculum. 

• On Wednesday, February 11, the House Democratic Policy Committee held a public hearing on access to healthcare in Pennsylvania. The hearing primarily focused on federal and state impacts that have led to hospital closures, severe staffing shortages, reimbursement disparities, and Medicaid cuts. There was also discussion of threats to maternal and child health care access, particularly in rural parts of the Commonwealth. Committee members discussed solutions to these issues, including the need for sustainable funding, expanded access to maternal health care, improved recruitment and retention programs, and greater community influence to hold leaders accountable. 

Next Week’s Moves

The Pennsylvania House of Representatives and Senate are on recess until the end of March, while the Appropriations Committee meets to hold hearings with State Departments on Governor Shapiro’s FY26-27 budget proposal. To see the House Appropriations schedule, click here. To see the Senate Appropriations schedule, click here. 

♟️ON THE TRAIL

State Races

• Pennsylvania House District 121

• State Representative Eddie Day Pashinski has announced that he will retire at the end of his term this year. Representative Pashinski was first elected to the State House in 2006, representing parts of Luzerne County, and currently serves as the Majority Chair of the House Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee. He has endorsed Wilkes-Barre City Council Chairwoman Jessica McClay, who has announced she will run to fill his seat.