Moves on the Board: February 16 - 20, 2026
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♟️CITY OF PHILADELPHIA
Parker Administration
Mayor Parker announced a new partnership with Ring, owned by Amazon, that will provide 1,000 doorbell cameras to senior citizens. As part of a national initiative with US Aging, Ring partnered with the Philadelphia Corporation for Aging (PCA), providing a lifetime subscription for each camera and a $20,000 donation to support PCA's mission. The goal is to help senior citizens remain and feel safer in their homes through the adoption of new technology.
In honor of Black History Month, Mayor Parker attended the Philadelphia Tribune's annual Black History Month celebration in collaboration with the United Negro College Fund (UNCF) at the Union League. On the same day, she witnessed the restoration of the slavery exhibit at the President's House. The City had previously sued the US National Park Service for the complete reinstallation of the exhibit, vowing that the city would not allow anyone to erase history.
The Parker Administration and the Department of Public Health announced the launch of the Breathe Philly Network, which includes 76 air pollution monitors deployed across the city to track air quality and upload hourly data to the Breathe Philly website. The initiative aims to inform residents about public health conditions, alert them when to take precautions, and empower them to make better health decisions.
Philadelphia City Council
The Philadelphia City Council held a hearing to examine the School District of Philadelphia’s proposed 10-year, $2.8 billion Facilities Master Plan, which includes closing 20 school buildings, modernizing 159 facilities, and merging several schools to address aging infrastructure and underutilization across the system. District leadership cited declining enrollment, approximately 70,000 empty seats, and the need to reinvest in academic programming as key drivers of the proposal. Council members and community members, however, raised concerns about transparency, community engagement, student safety, and the broader neighborhood impacts of school closures. And, while City Council does not have ultimate authority to approve the Master Plan, Council has made very clear that it does have budgetary authority over the District.
City Council convened for its regular session this week with a relatively light legislative agenda. While there were few new bills and resolutions introduced, a couple of resolutions of note are highlighted below for additional context.
Resolutions
Resolution 260122 (Councilmember Landau) Urging the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to expand investment in Permanent Supportive Housing, an evidence-based solution to homelessness, and opposing funding cuts that would significantly harm Philadelphia residents, place additional strain on municipal services, and worsen the City’s ongoing housing crisis.
Resolution 260124 (Councilmember Brooks)Celebrating and honoring Vashti DuBois, Val Gay, Facetta Garrison-Greene, and the Black women leaders in arts and culture across the City who dedicate their lives to enriching and advancing Philadelphia’s cultural landscape, in recognition of Black History Month.
Next Week’s Moves
Coming Up:
On Monday, February 23, the Committee on Public Health and Human Services will discuss the current state of Philadelphia’s reproductive health care system, the federal landscape on reproductive policy, and how the city plans to respond to these changes and threats.
On Tuesday, February 24, the Committee on Labor and Civil Service will meet to consider Bill 251099, which would provide compensation for the Director of the Office of Prison Oversight and members of the Philadelphia Prison Community Oversight Board. The Prison Oversight Board was previously approved by voters as an amendment to the City Charter during the May 2025 election.
On Wednesday, February 25, the Committee on Public Safety will discuss mental health initiatives for first responders. Specifically, the hearing will focus on whether a first responder’s death by suicide should be considered an “in line of duty” death.
♟️COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA
Shapiro Administration
Governor Josh Shapiro has secured more than $1 billion in private funding from Johnson & Johnson to build a cancer-fighting manufacturing facility in Montgomery County. This investment is expected to bring over 500 jobs to the region over the next 12 years. Since taking office, the Governor has attracted more than $40.4 billion in private investments to the Commonwealth, supporting over 22,000 jobs.
Pennsylvania Department of Aging Secretary Jason Kavulich visited the Berks County Office of Aging to discuss the Administration’s efforts to protect older adults from abuse and neglect. The Administration has announced that the Berks, Lancaster, and Lehigh County Area Agencies on Aging will be the first in the Commonwealth to develop Multidisciplinary Teams (MDTs). These community-based groups bring together individuals from various disciplines to review cases of abuse against older adults. Secretary Kavulich also emphasized the Governor’s proposed budget for FY26-27 invests over $6 million more in the Department, and calls for an overhaul of the Older Adult Protective Services Act.
Updates from the Governor’s Newsroom
Pennsylvania General Assembly
The Pennsylvania House of Representatives and Senate were on recess this week and will return to Harrisburg for a voting session at the end of March.
Committee News:
Senate:
On Wednesday, February 18, the Senate Republican Policy Committee held a Public Hearing on housing attainability throughout the Commonwealth. Testifiers and lawmakers discussed the statewide shortage of quality, affordable housing and the impacts of rising costs and a limited supply. The hearing covered proposed solutions, including new infrastructure funding, permit reforms, expanded housing rehabilitation programs, and stronger local code enforcement.
Next Week’s Moves
The Pennsylvania House of Representatives and Senate Appropriations Committees will be in Harrisburg starting next week for hearings with select departments to review the Governor’s proposed FY26-27 budget. To see the House Appropriations schedule, click here. To see the Senate Appropriations schedule, click here.
♟️ON THE TRAIL
State Races
Pennsylvania House District 12
Republican state Representative Stephenie Scialabba has announced she will not seek reelection in 2026. Scialabba first won election to the seat in 2022 and has served for two terms. Ethan Nicholas, a Cranberry Township resident and President of the Pittsburgh Exchange, has announced his candidacy for the seat.
Pennsylvania Senate District 16
Lehigh County Controller Mark Pinsley has decided to end his bid for the Democratic nomination for the 7th Congressional District, after his Q4 fundraising did not meet that of other candidates in the race. Pinsley has instead decided to enter the Democratic primary for the Pennsylvania State Senate District 16, in hopes of ousting Republican Incumbent Senator Jarrett Coleman. This is the third time Pinsley has run for the State Senate seat in the 16th district.
Pennsylvania House District 45
Brittany Bloam, an attorney from Robinson Township, has entered the race to replace state Representative Anita Kulik, who announced she will retire at the end of her term this year. Bloam is the third candidate to declare her candidacy for the Democratic nomination, joining community volunteer Fred Coleman and Allegheny County Council President Pat Catena.
Pennsylvania House District 200
State Representative Chris Rabb has announced that he will not run for reelection for his House seat. He has decided to focus his efforts on his campaign for the Democratic nomination for Pennsylvania’s 3rd Congressional District, currently held by Congressman Dwight Evans, who is retiring at the end of this term.