Meet our local representatives and learn how they help our neighborhood

The functions of City Council influence a wide range of public affairs in Philadelphia and directly impact the quality of life for its citizens.

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As a whole, City Council drafts, debates, and enacts legislation that adds to or amends the body of law governing the city of Philadelphia, known as the City Code. These local laws, called “ordinances,” work in conjunction with state and federal law and with the Philadelphia Home Rule Charter to govern the everyday lives of Philadelphia residents and taxpayers.

 

Proposals brought before City Council to create new laws and amend old ones are called "bills." However, much of the work that is required to transform a bill into law happens long before a bill is introduced in City Council. Council members may spend months - sometimes years - drafting proposals, meeting with constituents (us, the community) and other interested parties, and making alliances with other Council members to gather support.

 

The actual legislative process – which means the steps that must take place between the time a bill is introduced in Council and when it actually becomes part of the City Code – is often more difficult than it sounds. It requires approval by City Council and action by the mayor.

 

The process for adding provisions to, or amending, the Philadelphia Home Rule Charter requires an additional step: approval by the voters (us, again). Proposed Charter additions or amendments are submitted in the form of ballot questions at a primary or general election. If approved by a majority of the voters who cast their vote on a specific ballot question, the addition or amendment becomes a permanent part of the Home Rule Charter

 

For more information and specific details on the functions of the process, visit the links below to key resources available from the City of Philadelphia and The Committee of Seventy.   

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