Philadelphia City Council will not conduct a full legislative session on Thursday, February 23 due to a long-standing practice of not holding meetings the week of a federal holiday, even if the holiday – like President's Day, which took place on Monday, February 20 – does not fall on Thursday, the day Council typically meets. New City Council President Darrell Clarke says he is working to change the practice, and said the absence of a Council meeting this week is the result of an oversight by his office.
Read More
Philadelphia City Council will not hold a full legislative session this week on Thursday in recognition of President’s Day on Monday, February 20. City Council will hold its next full legislative session on Thursday, March 1 at 10:00 a.m. in Room 400 City Hall. The Rules Committee will hold a Public Hearing on Wednesday, February 22, 2012, at 10:00 A.M., to hear testimony four bills which address local zoning and planning matters. Read More
A new report from Pew Charitable Trusts finds voter registration systems across the United States to be antiquated, costly, inefficient and in need of major repair. 1 in 8 active voter registrations – 24 million total – are inaccurate or no longer valid, the report finds, including 1.8 million deceased persons still on voter registration rolls.
Read More
Philadelphia City Council will hold a full meeting on Thursday, February 16 at 10:00 a.m. in Room 400 City Hall. The Commerce and Economic Development Committee will hold a Public Hearing on Wednesday, February 15, 2012, at 10:00 a.m., on job creation. Read More
The Philadelphia City Commissioners, the three-member elected panel that oversees city elections, announced they will end the practice of poll workers earning multiple salaries for working more than one job in polling places on election day. Read More
A federal District Court judge threw out a lawsuit filed by Republican Sen. Dominic Pileggi to block the use of 2001 district maps in this year’s elections for the Pennsylvania General Assembly. Pileggi argued that using the 2001 maps of PA’s 50 Senate districts and 203 House districts would be unconstitutional due to shifts in population over the past 10 years that were reported in the 2010 census. Read More
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court issued the opinion on its 4-3 ruling to invalidate state Senate and House redistricting maps on the eve of the 2012 elections. An order issued January 25 by the Court said current district lines adopted in 2001 will remain in effect until a new plan “having the force of law” is approved.
Read More
A public survey on integrity in government – the first of its kind – commissioned by Democracy Rising PA reveals widespread support to reform Pennsylvania’s campaign finance rules. Read More
Philadelphia City Council will hold a full meeting on Thursday, February 9 at 10:00 a.m. in Room 400 City Hall. Several resolutions, but no bills, are on the calendar for final passage. The Commerce and Economic Development Committee will hold a Public Hearing on Wednesday, February 15, 2012, at 10:00 a.m. Read the complete update here. Read More
Michael Schwartz, a member of Board of Directors of the Committee of Seventy and co-chair of the Ethics Subcommittee, delivered testimony on February 2 before the Senate Democratic Policy Committee urging Pennsylvania to adopt limits on campaign contributions from individuals and political action committees. Read More