Moves on the Board: Week of September 8 - 12, 2025
Denotes a Bellevue Strategies client.
♟️CITY OF PHILADELPHIA
Parker Administration
Mayor Parker kicked off the week with a hole-in-one, joining Governor Shapiro, government officials, and Tiger Woods at the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new TGR Learning Lab at Cobbs Creek Golf Course. The lab offers free programming for children up to age 18. While golf takes center stage at the learning lab, kids can also explore a music recording room, podcast studio, and other cool facilities. Later that Monday, Mayor Parker switched gears to join elected officials and gun violence prevention advocates in signing Bill No. 241057, which aims to combat straw firearm purchases by requiring licensed dealers to post signs about the illegality of purchasing firearms for someone else.
It’s time to bump the brakes on Broad Street. On Wednesday, Mayor Parker shared news about the completed installation of speed cameras and automated speed enforcement on Philly’s main thoroughfare. The cameras will go live starting September 15 with a 60-day grace period before fines kick in. Meanwhile, the Philadelphia Fire Department celebrated the graduation of 61 Fire Service EMTs after several months of intensive training. Commissioner Jeffrey Thompson joined department leadership, IAFF Local 22 officials, and the Philadelphia Police and Fire Pipes & Drums Band at the ceremony. Congratulations, graduates, and thank you for your service to our city!
Mayor Parker joined leaders of Philadelphia’s public safety community to remember the victims of the 9/11 attacks on Thursday morning. Mayor Parker capped off her public event schedule by delivering the keynote address to the Chartered Financial Analyst Society of Philadelphia's 13th Annual Conference.
Philadelphia City Council
Philadelphia City Council kicked off its fall legislative session with a spirited meeting on Thursday. Members outlined their priorities for the fall, spanning 2026 preparedness, nuisance businesses, and combating the opioid epidemic. Here are the legislative highlights from Council’s first fall meeting:
Resolutions
Resolution 250739 - Authorizing the joint committees on Public Safety and Public Health and Human Services to examine the causes and impacts of the uptick in pharmacy closures across Philadelphia.
Resolution 250729 - Authorizing the Committee on Commerce and Economic Development to hold hearings concerning the sale of unregulated substances, such as Delta-8 and Kratom, in the City of Philadelphia.
Various resolutions authorizing the Philadelphia Land Bank to dispose of properties for sale.
Ordinances
Bill 250720 - Amending The Philadelphia Code to add new prohibitions on where mobile medical service providers may operate and providing for penalties in the Sixth Councilmanic District.
Bill 250718 - Amending The Philadelphia Code to revise parking regulations administered by the Streets Department in the Center City area, bounded by Spring Garden Street, the Schuylkill River, Bainbridge Street, and the Delaware River.
Bill 250721 - Authorizing the Northeast Overlay District to include personal care homes and group living.
Bill 250709 - Amending the Philadelphia Code to provide for the continuation of nuisance business enforcement following a change in business ownership.
Bill 250707 - Amending the “Development Impact Tax” in The Philadelphia Code to clarify the exemption for rental housing projects, all under certain terms and conditions.
Various ordinances authorizing parking regulations, zoning changes, city planning, sidewalk cafes, etc.
Next Week’s Moves
Coming Up: The Special Committee on Kensington will meet on Tuesday, September 16, at 2 pm to discuss the impact of the opioid epidemic on the health and well-being of children in Philadelphia. City Council will meet for its regular legislative session on Thursday, September 18.
Far Out: The Committee on Rules & Committee on Public Health and Human Services will meet on Tuesday, September 23, at 10 am and 1 pm, respectively.
♟️COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA
Shapiro Administration
Early this week, Governor Shapiro approved SEPTA’s request to use up to $394 million in capital funds for operating expenses over the next two years. This funding will come from their current FY 2025-26 capital assistance allocation that has yet to be obligated, and will not come out of the Pennsylvania Transit Trust Fund. This investment builds on his previous securements of state and federal funding for mass transit in the Commonwealth. The Governor was in West Philadelphia earlier this week for a press conference where he announced the mass transit investment.
Governor Josh Shapiro and the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation & Natural Resources joined REI President & CEO Mary Beth Laughton and Aliner President & CEO Brett Randall to discuss the Commonwealth’s investment in the outdoor recreation economy. Since the creation of the Office of Outdoor Recreation in 2023 and the Pennsylvania Outdoor Business Alliance in 2024, Pennsylvania’s industry has become one of the largest in the country and has added $19 billion annually to the state economy.
📰 Updates from the Governor’s Newsroom
♟️PENNSYLVANIA GENERAL ASSEMBLY
The State Senate met for a legislative voting session this week, while the House Appropriations Committee met on Wednesday, September 10th, to consider SB 160. SB 160, Senator Scott Martin’s budget bill, previously failed in committee on August 12th because the bill would have kept the Commonwealth flat-funded at the previous year’s fiscal levels. On Wednesday, however, SB 160 passed with unanimous bipartisan support with the expectation that the bill would be amended with a negotiated and agreed-upon state budget. Chairman Harris stated, “The reason why we're voting [SB 160] is that it will be a vehicle, a vehicle that when it is on final passage before the full house, it will have agreed to numbers that are not the numbers that are here today. This is not the numbers that we're voting on today. This is a vehicle that will position us so that we can drop in the numbers and so that we can get a budget done.”
The House Democratic Policy Committee held three meetings across the Commonwealth this week, discussing civic education in New Hope, housing affordability in Morrisville, and electricity bills in Warminster.
The House held three non-voting sessions this week from Tuesday, September 9th, through Thursday, September 11th.
Next Week’s Moves
Coming Up: Non-voting session for the House begins on September 22, which will tee up several pieces of legislation when the House returns the following week for a voting session.
♟️On The Trail: Pennsylvania’s 2026 Elections
Federal Races
PA Congressional District 10
Dauphin County Commissioner Justin Douglas entered the Democratic primary to face Incumbent Republican Congressman Scott Perry. Elected in 2022, Douglas is a former pastor and began his tenure as Chairman in January 2025. He will face Janelle Stelson in the primary, who was narrowly defeated in the general election in 2024 against Congressman Perry.
PA Congressional District 16
Republican Congressman Mike Kelly, who has represented the 16th District since 2011, announced his reelection bid this week to continue serving constituents in Northwestern Pennsylvania.