Moves on the Board: Week of September 29 - October 3, 2025
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♟️CITY OF PHILADELPHIA
Parker Administration
Mayor Parker balances celebration with policy action as her administration launches a live music pilot program at Market East and advances how she wants to spend the first $400 million of her landmark housing investment.
Over the weekend, Mayor Parker attended a gala at the Bellevue Hotel to celebrate The Links, Incorporated's 50th anniversary, a nonprofit volunteer service organization established in 1946 that works to enrich, sustain, and ensure the cultural and economic viability of African Americans and people of African ancestry. Mayor Parker concluded the weekend at the annual Concilio Puerto Rican Day Parade on the Ben Franklin Parkway to celebrate Puerto Rican culture and heritage.
On Tuesday, the Parker administration launched Tuesday Nights Live to commemorate the Market East entrance reopening. The pilot program will feature live music in hotel lobbies from September 30, 2025, through January 20, 2026, reflecting the mayor's vision of celebrating the city's talent and vibrancy.
Also on Tuesday, Parker signed an executive order to strengthen Project Labor Agreements (PLAs) for city-funded construction projects. PLAs are contracts between the city and contractors that establish terms and conditions such as timelines, labor standards, and worker safety for particular projects. The order aims to protect workers' rights, ensure fair wages, and accelerate project delivery, reflecting the administration's commitment to fair labor standards and economic opportunity.
On Wednesday, the city issued $170 million in bonds through the Philadelphia Authority for Industrial Development (PAID) to fund the Rebuild program, which improves parks, recreation centers, and libraries throughout the city. The city also saved taxpayers $3.5 million by refunding old bonds that had been issued at higher interest rates, replacing them with new bonds at lower rates.
As reported by the Inquirer, the Parker administration drafted a budget resolution outlining how it intends to spend money secured from an $800 million bond issuance. The administration plans to spend the first tranche of $400 million this year and the remaining $400 million next year. The resolution allocates $195 million this year across 26 programs under the H.O.M.E. initiative.
On Thursday, the Office of Innovation and Technology launched the SPARK Innovation Academy to support nonprofits with digital skills and tools to better serve Philadelphia residents. The initiative, in partnership with Jefferson University, focuses on artificial intelligence, data visualization tools, and digital collaboration. Chief Information Officer Melissa Scott announced full-ride scholarships for 20 nonprofit professionals.
Mayor Parker joined Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel to discuss the Police Department's five-year strategy for public safety. Parker emphasized that the plan builds on the commissioner's 100-day report, which declared a public safety emergency in the city. The plan still requires public input, demonstrating the administration's collaborative approach.
Philadelphia City Council
The Committee on Streets and Services met on Monday, September 29. The Committee heard testimony on a number of bills, including Bill 250649. This legislation would add a bicycle lane around City Hall while also removing one travel lane. After a committee hearing that stretched nearly five hours, this bill was eventually held in the committee. Councilmember Jeffery Young Jr., the Chair of the Committee and sponsor of this bill, indicated that he would like to see the bike lane installed first and then make any necessary adjustments to the legislation afterwards. Cycling advocates worry that without the required legislation, the bike lane around City Hall is at risk of not becoming permanent.
On September 30, City Council’s Health and Human Services Committee, chaired by Councilmember Nina Ahmad, held a hearing focused on the Department of Human Services (DHS) and Community Umbrella Agencies (CUAs). DHS Commissioner Kim Ali and Laura DeRiggi (CBH/DBHIDS/DHS) provided testimony from the administration, highlighting that DHS has reduced the number of children placed in care by 60% since 2017.
The committee also heard from private citizens, including a mother whose family was wrongfully impacted by a child abuse allegation in 2002 and a 19-year-old man who shared his horrific experiences in the DHS system since the age of four. Chairwoman Ahmad emphasized that the committee will continue to focus on these critical issues, as well as sex trafficking, an issue she is deeply committed to addressing.
Council did not hold session this week due to Yom Kippur. They will resume their weekly session next Thursday, October 9.
Next Week’s Moves
Coming Up:
Monday, October 6, the Committee on Licenses and Inspections will discuss bill 250774, which would require landlords to provide voter registration information for tenants.
Tuesday, October 7, the Committee on Rules will meet to discuss four zoning-related bills.
Tuesday, October 7, the Committee on People with Disabilities and Special Needs will meet on bill 250753 regarding accessible accommodations for the 2026 festivities in Philadelphia.
♟️COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA
Shapiro Administration
Governor Josh Shapiro signed Executive Order 2025-02 this week to protect children and seniors’ access to safe vaccines. The order directs the Pennsylvania Department of Health to create a state-based safety net for vaccines, requires state agencies to use medical experts when creating policies, and establishes an online portal to strengthen communication with the public. Additionally, it ensures continued coverage for recommended vaccines through Medicaid and private insurance, and requires the Department of Aging and the Department of Education to educate older adults and students when following vaccine guidelines. In part of this effort, Lt. Governor Austin Davis was joined by Pennsylvania Department of Health Secretary Dr. Debra Bogen and Insurance Commissioner Michael Humphreys in visiting River Valley Health to remind Pennsylvanians about getting their annual flu vaccine.
Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding joined Delaware Valley University President Dr. Benjamin E. Rusiloski to discuss the Shapiro Administration’s efforts to advance career development opportunities in the sector. The Governor has continued to find ways to highlight his prioritization of building the agriculture workforce, specifically through the new Center for Plant Excellence.
First Lady Lori Shapiro visited PA Humanities’ Rain Poetry Harrisburg Reveal this week. The event featured live poetry and the unveiling of a new installation that makes students’ poetry appear on the sidewalk when it rains. PA Humanities also announced a new grant opportunity to expand the program throughout the Commonwealth.
Governor Shapiro joined Pennsylvania Department of Education Secretary Dr. Carrie Rowe to demonstrate PDE’s efforts to keep kids safe online through their digital literacy toolkit. This toolkit provides resources to teach students how to use the internet responsibly and understand the difference between credible information and misinformation.
Pennsylvania Department of Aging Secretary Jason Kavulich announced the PA CareKit, a new resource to help unpaid caregivers, including spouses, adult children, and grandparents. The toolkit provides resources and tips in order for these caregivers to be successful in their role.
📰 Updates from the Governor’s Newsroom
♟️PENNSYLVANIA GENERAL ASSEMBLY
Legislation
The House held a session this week from Monday, September 29, to Wednesday, October 1. A number of bills were slated for third consideration, with a focus on firearm safety legislation. HB 1593, sponsored by Rep. Warren, which closes the long gun loophole by expanding background checks, passed by a bipartisan vote of 104–99.
Despite this passage, the three subsequent firearm safety bills failed on third consideration:
HB 1099 (Rep. Cephas) to ban ghost guns and prohibit undetectable firearms.
HB 1859 (Rep. O’Mara) to implement an Extreme Risk Protection Order (ERPO) in the Commonwealth.
HB 1866 (Rep. Steele) to ban firearm modifications known as “glock switches.”
Each failed by a narrow vote of 101–102. However, motions to reconsider were filed for all three bills, indicating they may be brought forward for another vote at a later time.
In addition to the Judiciary bills, HB 722 (Rep. Daley), which permits alkaline hydrolysis cremation in the Commonwealth, passed the House by a vote of 152–51.
Committee News
House:
The House Aging and Older Adult Services Committee met on Monday, September 29th to discuss the newly developed PA Carekit website. The PA Carekit is a collection of resources for caregivers in Pennsylvania.
The House Democratic Policy Committee met on Tuesday, September 30, to address claims linking acetaminophen use to autism.
Senate:
No Senate committees met this week.
Next Week’s Moves
Both the House and Senate will be in voting session next week Monday - Wednesday.
♟️On The Trail: Pennsylvania’s 2026 Elections
Federal Races
Pennsylvania Congressional District 3
Ala Stanford, a pediatric surgeon from Philadelphia, has announced she is running in the Democratic primary to replace Congressman Dwight Evans, who announced his plan to retire. Stanford played a pivotal role in helping Philadelphia respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, and was appointed by President Joe Biden to be the Regional Director of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in the Mid-Atlantic. While Stanford is joining a crowded race in the primary, she has received the endorsement of Congressman Evans.
Pennsylvania Congressional District 9
Rachel Wallace, a former chief of staff in the Office of Management and Budget, announced she will run for the Democratic nomination to face off against Republican Congressman Dan Meuser in the general election. Wallace was born and raised in Pottsville and has an extensive career in public service, including jobs in the U.S. Senate, U.S. State Department, and, most recently, in the Office of Management and Budget. Wallace has become the third person to enter the Democratic primary, joined by Daniel Byron and Jenn Brothers.