City of Philadelphia Board of Ethics

Bill Number

Provision Affected

Summary

Current Status

Special Effective Date Provisions

040769
(See Resolution No. 040817)

Charter, various §§

Adds creation of Board of Ethics to Charter; budget; duties

Signed 12/15/05; Resolution adopted 12/1/05; approved by voters at 5/16/06 election

Became effective 6/5/06 immediately upon certification of the 5/16/06 election results by City Commissioners

040771-A
(See Resolution No. 050428)

Charter; Amending §§2-309, 8-200, and 8-201

Council may by ordinance regulate contracts by requiring disclosure of campaign contributions and banning contracts with certain contributors. See companion bill no. 040772-AA

Signed 6/9/05 Approved by voters 11/8/05

Since voters approved ballot question at Nov. 8 election, Charter amendments are effective as of date election results were certified, 11/28/05 (But see Bill No. 040772-AA for effective date of that bill.)

040772-AA

Code: adds new Chapter 17-1400 (renumbered from 17-1200 by Code editor)

Open & Public process for no-bid contracts; disclosure of campaign contributions; certain contributors barred from City contracts

Signed 6/9/05 Voters approved companion ballot question 11/8/05

Bill 040771-A ballot question was approved by voters (see entry just above), so this bill became effective 2/1/06, but only as to contracts where the RFP & the contract are dated after that.

050613

Code: Amends Ch. 17-1400

No City financial assistance to certain campaign contributors

Signed 12/15/05

Effective 7/1/06

060854

Code: Amends Ch. 17-1400

Adds “rich man” provision—doubling dollar threshold on campaign contributions if any candidate contributes personal funds of $250,000

Signed 12/26/06.

Effective immediately, but prior contributions count.

030562

Code: Adds new Ch. 20-1000

Campaign Finance

Enacted 12/18/03

Effective 1/1/04

050301-A

Amending Ch. 20-1000 (Campaign Finance)

Increases threshold amounts for contributions; adds row office elected officials

Signed 6/9/05

060629

Code: Amend Code Ch. 20-1000

Defines “candidate;” adds prohibitions on accepting contributions and spending; provides for enforcement by Board of Ethics

Signed 11/16/06

Took effect 12/16/06 (30 days after enactment)

050014

Code: Amending Ch. 20-1000 (not 20-800 as in some bills)

File reports with Board of Ethics

Signed 12/15/05

Effective immediately; some provisions effective upon voter approval of Charter amendment (see entry for Bill No. 040769)

051024

Code: Amending Ethics Code (Ch. 20-600) by amending Section 20-606 and 20-612 and adding a new Section 20-613; also amending Section 20-304

Providing for powers of Board of Ethics and increased ethics penalties

Signed 12/15/05; voters approved companion ballot question at 5/16/06 election (see entry for Bill No. 040769)

This ordinance became effective on 06/05/06 (the date election results were certified)

NOTES:

1. Changes to the City Charter require voter approval and both an ordinance and a resolution. The ordinance contains the exact wording of the ballot question, while the resolution contains the exact wording of the proposed amendment to the Charter.
2. Prior to 2003, the last amendment to the Ethics Code (Ch. 20-600 of the City Code) was in 1995, amending the penalties section.
3. Prior to 2004, the last Mayor’s Executive Order relating to ethics was Executive Order No. 16-92 in 1992, relating to gifts.
4. The last State law amending the State Ethics Act was a recodification of the Act in 1998.
5. There have been no changes to the provisions in the Home Rule Charter that relate to the conduct of officers and employees since 1952.

Legislation Pending or Defeated in Current Council Term (2008-2011):

Bill Number
Provision Affected

Summary

Current Status

Special Effective Date Provisions

Archive: Legislation Considered in Council Term 2004-2007:
(Note: All pending bills die at the end of a 4-year Council Term.)

Bill Number

Provision Affected

Summary

Current Status

Special Effective Date Provisions

060617 (See Resolution No. 060638)

Charter §10-107

Repeals “resign to run” provision of “political activity” provision, so City officers/employees need not resign to run for elected office

Signed 11/16/06; resolution adopted 10/26/06. Ballot question failed at May 2007 election.

Would have been Effective Jan. 1, 2008, if approved by voters at May 2007 primary election.

040267
(See Resolution No. 040286)

Charter

Adds creation of Board of Ethics to Charter; budget; duties

Introduced by Councilman Nutter 3/04; in Law & Govt. com. (probably replaced by Bill 040769)

040268 (See Resolution No. 040284)

Charter §2-309

Adds to types of contracts that must be approved by ordinance

Introduced by Councilman Nutter 3/04; in Law & Govt. committee

040762
(See Resolution No. 040792)

Charter, various §§

Adds creation of Board of Ethics to Charter; powers & duties

Introduced by Councilwoman Blackwell 9/04; in Law & Govt. committee

Effective Jan. 1 or July 1 after voter approval, whichever is first

050422
(See Resolution No. 040286)

Adds Charter §8-200.1

Open & Public process for no-bid contracts

Introduced 5/05 by Councilman Clarke; in committee of the whole

050460
(See Resolution No. 050478)

Charter, various §§

Adds creation of Board of Ethics to Charter; powers & duties; budget

Introduced by Councilman Cohen 5/05; in Law & Govt. committee

Effective Jan. 1 or July 1 after voter approval, whichever is first

050577
(See Resolution No. 050588)

Charter; adds new §8-303

Mandates ethics training for candidates to elective office

Introduced by Councilman Cohen 6/05; in Law & Govt. committee

070070
(See Resolution No. 070071)

Charter; amending various §§

Mandates public financing of campaigns through appropriations to Board of Ethics; amends related budget provisions

Introduced by Councilman Kenney 2/07; in Law & Govt. committee; hearing 2/14/07

070001

Code: amends Ch. 17-1400

Replaces “disclosure” with “certification”

Introduced 1/07 by Councilwoman Blackwell; in Committee on Law & Government

051023

Code: adds new Chapter 17-1300 (will be renumbered if and when added to Code since a Chapter 17-1300 already exists)

Imposes many of the requirements of Ch. 17-1400 (no-bid contracts, see entry for Bill 040771-A) to competitively bid contracts

Vote failed in Council 8-8 on December 1, 2005.

Since the ballot question on Bill 040771-A was approved by voters, this bill would have been effective 2/1/06 if passed, but only as to contracts where the RFP and the contract are dated after 2/1/06.

050187

Code: amends Ch. 17-1100

Restricts use of stadium suites to highest bidder

Introduced 3/05 by Councilman Kenney; in Committee on Public Prop.

Includes severability clause

050500

Code: amends Ch. 17-1100

Stadium suites: same as Bill 050187; except no severability clause

Introduced 5/05 by Councilman Kenney; in Committee on Public Prop.

030710

Code: Amending Ethics Code

Limit on campaign contribs; no contracts to contributors

Failed by Council vote 12/4/03

040002

Code: Amending Ethics Code

Limit on campaign contribs & on no-bid City contracts; disclosure

Introduced by Councilman Kenney 1/04; in Law & Gov’t committee

040115

Code: Amending Ethics Code

Adding anti-nepotism provisions only

Introduced by Councilman Nutter 2/04; in Law & Gov’t committee

040428

Code: New Ethics Code

Superseded by later bill

Introduced by Councilman Nutter 4/04; in Law & Gov’t committee

040761

Code: New Ethics Code

Administration Bill: expands list of relatives; includes gifts, nepotism, political activity, conflicted outside employment

Introduced by Councilwoman Blackwell 9/04; in Law & Gov’t committee

040770

Code: New Ethics Code

Similar to 040761, no “outside employment” provision

Introduced by Councilman Nutter 9/04; in Law & Gov’t committee

050415

Code: Amending Ethics Code

Adds post-employment provision to include Gaming Task Force

Introduced by Councilman Kenney 5/04; in Law & Gov’t committee

Post-employment provision not effective if the official resigns

070271

Code:Amends Section 20-606

Requires Ethics Board to provide training on financial disclosure duties of candidates.

Introduced by Councilwoman Campbell 4/07.

050057

Code: Repeal Code Ch. 20-1000

Introduced by Councilwoman Blackwell 2/05; in Law & Gov’t committee

050168

Code: Amend Code Ch. 20-1000

Adds Dist. Atty and City Controller

Introduced by Councilman O’Neill 2/05; in Law & Gov’t committee

070044

Code: amends Ch. 20-1000

Removes contribution limits if any candidate for Mayor contributes $2 million of his/her own money

Introduced 2/07 by Councilman Kenney; in Committee on Law & Government; hearing 2/14/07

070068

Code: amends Ch. 20-1000

Increases contribution limits if any candidate for Mayor contributes at least $2 million of his/her own money

Introduced 2/07 by Councilman Kenney; in Committee on Law & Government; hearing 2/14/07

070069

Code: amends Ch. 20-1000

Establishes system for public financing of campaigns; amending spending limitations

Introduced 2/07 by Councilman Kenney; in Committee on Law & Government; hearing 2/14/07

050461

Code: Adds Ch. 20-1100

Regulates lobbying and requires disclosures

Introduced by Councilman Cohen 5/05; in Law & Gov/t Committee

070172

Code:Adds new Ch. 20-1100

Regulates lobbying and requires disclosures

Introduced by Councilman Rizzo 3/07; in Law & Gov’t committee; Hearing 11/13/07.

To take effect 60 days after enactment.

070705

Code: Amending Ethics Code

Adds anti-nepotism provisions

Introduced by Councilman Rizzo 9/07; in Law & Gov’t committee; Hearing 11/13/07

070795

Code: Amending Ethics Code

Adds restrictions on City officers & employees having certain outside employment or business interests

Introduced by Councilman Rizzo 9/07; in Law & Gov’t committee; Hearing 11/13/07

070828

Code: Amending Ethics Code

Amends Section 20-604, relating to gifts, to further restrict gifts to City personnel.

Introduced by Councilman Rizzo 10/07; in Law & Gov’t committee; Hearing 11/13/07