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From YouTube: Apr. 30, 2015: Law & Government
Description
Apr. 30, 2015 -- The Law and Government committee met to discuss the following items:
140724
An Ordinance providing for the submission to the qualified electors of the City of Philadelphia of an amendment to The Philadelphia Home Rule Charter establishing and defining the responsibilities of the International Trade and Investment Authority; fixing the date of a special election for such purpose; prescribing the form of ballot questions to be voted on; and authorizing the appropriate officers to publish notice and to make arrangements for the special election.
150216
An Ordinance providing for the submission to the qualified electors of the City of Philadelphia of an amendment to The Philadelphia Home Rule Charter establishing and defining the responsibilities of the Office of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Affairs; fixing the date of a special election for such purpose; prescribing the form of ballot questions to be voted on; and authorizing the appropriate officers to publish notice and to make arrangements for the special election.
140735
Resolution proposing an amendment to The Philadelphia Home Rule Charter to provide for the creation, appointment, powers and duties of an International Trade and Investment Authority, with the authority to establish a fund to attract overseas investment, and providing for the submission of the amendment to the electors of Philadelphia.
150225:
Resolution proposing an amendment to The Philadelphia Home Rule Charter to provide for the creation of an Office of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Affairs, to provide for the powers and duties of such Office, and to otherwise provide for incorporation of the Office into the City government; and providing for the submission of the amendment to the electors of Philadelphia.
A
Good
afternoon,
everyone
hello,
how
are
you
this
is
the
Committee
on
law
and
government
we've
gained
a
quorum,
would
councilman
good
councilman,
O'brien
and
Councilman
henan
for
the
record
bill
number
140,
724
and
resolution
140
735
will
be
held
to
call
the
chair
at
the
request
of
the
sponsor.
That's
the
bill
dealing
with
the
international
trade
Authority,
miss
Marconi.
Will
you
please
read
the
title
of
the
bill
and
resolution
that
is
before
us
today.
Phil.
B
Number
150
216
in
ordinance
providing
for
the
submission
to
the
qualified
electors
of
the
city
of
Philadelphia,
of
an
amendment
to
the
Philadelphia
home
rule
charter,
establishing
and
defining
the
responsibilities
of
the
office
of
lesbian,
gay,
bisexual
and
transgender
Affairs
fixing
the
date
of
a
special
election
for
such
purpose.
Prescribing
the
form
of
ballot
questions
to
be
voted
on
and
authorizing
appropriate
officers
to
publish
notice
and
to
make
arrangements
for
the
special
election
in
resolution.
B
150
to
25
resolution
proposing
and
amendments
the
Philadelphia
home
rule
charter
to
provide
for
the
creation
of
an
office
of
lesbian,
gay,
bisexual
and
transgender
Affairs
to
provide
for
the
powers
and
duties
of
such
office
and
to
otherwise
provide
for
incorporation
of
the
office
into
city
government.
Providing
for
the
submission
of
an
amendment
to
the
electors
of
Philadelphia.
B
A
While
they're
approaching
just
for
the
rec
excuse
me,
there
is
a
written
testimony
submitted
by
Allen
Irving
from
the
University
of
Pennsylvania
in
support
of
this
bill
and
resolution
and,
as
you
can
say,
while
the
witnesses
are
sitting
down,
we
are
tight
a
little
tight
on
time
because
there'll
be
another
hearing
coming.
So
everybody
that
submitted
written
testimony
it
will
be
submitted
for
the
record
and
I
would
appreciate
you
summarizing
your
statements.
Yes,
I'm.
Looking
at
you,
Miss
Landow
much.
C
Afternoon,
chairman
Greenlee
and
members
of
the
committee
on
law
and
government,
I'm
rule
and
I'll
executive
director
of
the
Philadelphia
Commission
on
Human,
Relations
and
I'm
here,
to
express
support
for
bill
number
150
to
16
and
resolution
number
150
to
25,
which
seeks
to
place
on
the
November
2015
ballot,
a
measure
to
make
permanent
and
entity
expressly
focused
on
the
concerns
and
plates
of
the
lesbian,
gay,
bisexual
and
transgender
community.
In
this
great
city,
I
would
like
to
take
a
moment
to
thank
Councilwoman
blondell
Reynolds
Brown
for
advancing
this
legislation.
C
As
you
know,
the
PC
HR
is
a
city
agency
charged
with
administering
and
enforcing
the
fair
practices,
ordinance
the
city
law
that
protects
people
from
unlawful
discrimination
in
employment,
housing
and
public
accommodations.
Our
agency
also
resolves
issues
of
intergroup
conflicts
in
communities
and
neighborhoods
throughout
the
city.
C
Philadelphia
has
long
been
at
the
forefront
of
passing
laws
to
protect
members
of
the
LGBT
community
from
discrimination
since
1982
when
sexual
orientation
was
first
added
to
the
Philadelphia
fair
practices.
Ordinance
Philadelphia
has
continued
to
extend
numerous
additional
protections,
including
like
partnership
benefits
in
1998
and
protections
against
gender
identity
discrimination
in
2002.
In
2011,
the
law
was
amended
again
to
strengthen
all
of
the
LGBT
protections,
including
adding
increased
fines
and
penalties
for
violating
the
ordinance.
C
Indeed,
Philadelphia
has
made
great
progress
throughout
all
areas
of
government
on
LGBT
issues,
despite
significant
obstacles
at
the
state
and
federal
levels.
In
fact,
for
two
years
in
a
row,
Philadelphia's
gained
national
recognition
for
its
LGBT
laws
and
policies.
Earning
perfect
scores
on
the
Human
Rights
campaign's
municipal
Equality,
Index
Philadelphia
is
ranked
one
of
the
highest
scoring
big
cities
that
that's,
that
does
not
have
statewide
LGBT
protections,
while
Philadelphia
has
made
great
strides
in
areas
of
legislating,
administering
and
enforcing
laws
and
policies
that
protect
our
LGBT
residents,
workers
and
visitors.
C
There
are
many
more
ongoing
issues
that
are
of
grave
importance
to
the
community.
The
Human
Rights
Campaign
recently
reported
that
four
and
ten
youth
say
the
communities
in
which
they
live
are
not
accepting
of
LGBT
people
and
a
staggering
ninety-two
percent
of
LGBT
youth
hear
negative
comments
from
school,
the
internet
and
their
peers.
C
Philadelphia
is
working
hard
to
overcome
these
obstacles.
These
and
other
concerns
demand
ongoing
and
consistent
attention,
whether
it's
it
is
LGBT,
youth,
homelessness,
criminal
justice,
reform,
access
to
healthcare
or
a
multitude
of
transgender
specific
needs.
The
city's
office
of
LGBT
affairs
provides
essential
oversight
and
guidance
for
policy
development.
Community
outreach,
public
education
and
capacity
building
making
the
office
of
LGBT
affairs
permanent
in
the
home
rule
charter
is
essential,
as
there
is
no
guarantee
that
future
leaders
will
be
as
productive.
C
I
just
want
to
add
for
a
moment
that
to
just
take
a
pause
and
give
a
shout
out
to
our
friend
Gloria
Casarez,
who
would
is
absolutely
sitting
here
at
this
table
with
us
now
she
has
taken
this
office
and
moved
it
to
great
strides,
and
thankfully
Nellie
Fitzpatrick
was
able
to
step
in
and
continue
running
with
the
ball,
because
they've
been
doing
some
amazing
things.
Thank
you
absolutely.
A
D
D
As
a
former
District
Attorney,
current
member
of
the
Philadelphia
prisons,
board
of
trustees
and
a
civilian
trainer
for
the
Department
of
Justice
transition
initiative,
I'm
keenly
aware
of
the
enormous
amount
of
work
there
still
is
left
to
do
to
achieve
equality
for
LGBT
the
LGBT
community
here
in
Philadelphia
and
beyond.
Currently
the
office
of
LGBT
Affairs
serves
to
provide
services
and
information
to
the
LGBT
people
of
our
city
through
outreach
and
public
education.
D
The
office
advises
the
mayor
and
philadelphia
city
government
on
the
needs
of
LGBT
residents
and
supports
policy
development
and
implementation
throughout
the
city.
This
office
strives
to
create
open
dialogue
and
access
between
the
community
and
the
government
that
serves
them
for
the
continued
education
collaboration
and
presence.
On
january
twentieth
of
this
year,
Mayor
Nutter
appointed
me
as
the
director
of
mayor
of
the
mayor's
office
of
LGBT
affairs.
To
give
you
all
a
sense
of
what
my
office
does.
Here's
a
sample
list
of
projects
that
the
office
of
LGBT
affairs
is
currently
engaged
in.
D
The
list
goes
on
and
on
I
could
easily
spend
hours
and
perhaps
days
here
in
room
400
discussing
the
work
we
need
to
do
to
create
a
more
equitable
city
and
society.
However,
there
are
two
particular
populations.
I
would
like
to
highlight.
With
this
limited
time,
I
have
to
speak
in
order
to
give
you
a
sense
of
the
tremendous
work
we
have
ahead
today,
our
LGBT
youth
face
a
new
world.
There
have
been
significant
advancements,
particularly
in
popular
representations
of
LGBT
individuals.
D
Lgbt
youth
see
themselves
reflected
in
LGBT
characters
on
television
shows
like
glee
and
modern
family.
They
read
about
actors
like
Neil,
Patrick
Harris
and
his
husband
becoming
fathers
and
witness
Laverne
Cox,
a
transgender
woman
declared
one
of
this
year's
most
beautiful
women
by
People
magazine.
However,
too
often
our
LGBT
youth
are
not
met
with
the
same
level
of
celebration,
respect,
opportunity
or
safety
that
is
seen
on
TV.
The
tragic
rates
of
suicide
and
homelessness
are
truly
numbing.
D
Our
nation's
LGBT
youth
compromise,
five
to
eight
percent
of
the
overall
youth
population.
A
statistic
that
you
will
continue
to
hear
over
and
over
is
that
our
LGBT
youth
make
up
forty
percent
of
our
homeless
youth
population
and
have
been
subjected
to
homelessness
for
simply
coming
out
as
who
they
are.
Each
year.
In
Philadelphia,
we
have
over
2500
kids
age
at
a
DHS
in
search
of
homes,
jobs,
acceptance
and
opportunity.
We
must
seek
to
protect
and
ensure
opportunities
for
LGBT
youth.
D
We
must
work
to
create
and
implement
policy
in
our
schools
and
our
systems
that
give
all
of
our
children,
including
our
LGBT
children,
opportunities
to
succeed
as
it
a
city
we
must
guide
and
support
our
communities
and
our
neighborhoods
to
embrace
these
children
and
not
cast
them
away
in
rejection.
We
need
to
ensure
that
our
government
leaders,
officials,
representatives,
policymakers
and
employees
work
towards
creating
a
safe
city
that
are
you
thrive
in
and
see
themselves
reflected
in
to
compound
upon
these
concerns,
our
transgender
communities
trail
behind
our
LGBT
communities
and
their
push
towards
equality.
D
It
has
taken
us
far
too
many
years
to
get
to
the
point
of
seeing
that
we
must
work
to
bring
the
tea
into
the
LGBT
civil
rights
movement,
facing
terrifying
rates
of
homicide,
victimization
homelessness
and
discrimination.
Our
transgender
citizens,
especially
our
transgender
women
of
color,
must
be
the
focus
of
collaborative
efforts
to
protect
and
empower
them.
Our
city
saw
an
outpouring
of
support
when
two
young
white
gay
men
were
assaulted
in
Center
City
last
year
from
public
officials
to
national
media
outlets.
D
The
story
of
that
horrific
attack
was
known
by
all
in
our
city
and
beyond.
The
same
focus
and
response
was
not
there
when
diamond
Williams,
a
transgender
woman
of
color
was
murdered,
nor
was
it
there
for
Kyra,
Cordova
or
Stacey
blahnik,
or
the
countless
other
transgender
victims
of
violence.
In
our
city
alone,
we
have
so
much
work
to
do
to
create
housing,
employment
and
representation
opportunities
for
our
transgender
communities.
As
a
nation,
we
have
so
much
work
left
to
do
in
order
to
combat
the
stunning
statistics
of
violence
against
our
transgender
citizens.
D
We
know
that
we
can
write
and
implement
the
appropriate
policies
and
start
the
work
of
training,
our
first
responders,
our
city
employees,
appropriate
school
staff,
prison
staff,
hospital
staff
and
transportation
employees.
As
we
move
forward.
We
can
continue
the
process
of
holding
those
accountable
who
discriminate
against
one
of
our
citizens
because
of
who
they
love
or
who
they
are.
We
must
work
to
have
our
city
lead
by
example,
in
creating
safe
and
equitable
communities
and
neighborhoods
and
expand
opportunities
for
our
diverse
citizens
to
thrive.
We
are
the
birthplace
of
our
great
nation.
D
At
the
very
steps
of
Independence
Hall
40
individuals
took
up
signs
asking
for
equal
rights
and
visibility
for
our
communities
almost
50
years
ago,
in
50
years,
we
have
made
wonderful
progress
for
some,
but
not
all
over
the
next.
Fifty
hundred
150
years,
through
the
continued
efforts
and
dedication
of
our
city
government,
we
will
look
back
and
celebrate
where
we
came
from
and
the
city
of
true
equality
that
we
have
become.
Thank
you
for
your
time
and
I'm
happy
to
answer
any
and
all
questions
that
you
may
have.
Okay,.
E
E
And
so
it
comes
from
my
own
personal
experience,
which
oftentimes
is
no
different
than
being
an
African
American
and
being
a
woman.
The
challenges
in
many
ways
are
all
the
same,
and
so
this
move
this
action
seeks
to
try
to
level
the
plane
feel
a
little
bit
more,
where
government
can
have
an
active
role
and
trying
to
level
the
playing
field.
So
we
know
that
philadelphia
is
an
international,
has
an
international
reputation
as
a
city
that
both
celebrates
diversity
and
has
no
tolerance
for
intolerance.
E
This
bill
offers
the
LGBT
community
a
permanent
seat
and
voice
at
the
table,
my
favorite
adage,
if
you're
not
at
the
table,
but
you
may
be
on
the
menu
and,
if
you're
on
the
menu.
It's
probably
not
your
best
interest
to
a
community
who
too
often
faces
discrimination.
Much
like
people
of
color
and
women.
It
is
imperative
that
we
have
it
that
you
that
we
have
a
direct
line
to
the
mayor's
office
and
to
City
Council.
E
It's
my
view
and
it's
our
view
that
making
this
office
permanent
will
send
the
message
that,
while
we
have
a
lot
of
work
to
do
were
absolutely
up
to
the
challenge.
So
I
want
to
acknowledge
my
staff
of
another
administration,
howa
Fitzpatrick
and,
of
course,
we
ran
down
and
all
of
the
advocates
who
worked
with
us
to
bring
this
to
this
milestone
this
afternoon,
Thank
You
mr.
chairman,
Thank,.
A
F
Afternoon,
I'm
Chris
Bartlett
executive,
director
of
the
Wayne
way
community
center,
Thank,
You
city
councilman,
and
thank
you,
councilman
Reynolds
Brown
for
your
leadership
on
this
issue.
I'm
going
to
skip
over
my
introduction,
except
to
say
that
I've
served
on
the
mayor's
LGBT
advisory
boards
for
15
years,
both
under
Mayor
Street
and
now
mayor,
nutter
and
I've.
F
Seen
the
impact
of
leadership
folks,
who
have
the
year
of
the
mayor
and
the
year
of
the
City
Council,
and
that
advisory
board
of
bringing
about
incredible
achievements
over
those
15
years
and
today,
I
want
to
focus
on
two
key
points.
First,
why
is
there
a
need
for
a
specific
permanent
office
for
LGBT
affairs
and
second,
the
major
difference
that
has
been
made
by
such
an
office
during
the
administration
of
Mayor
Nutter?
F
This
includes
the
mark
need
for
services
for
LGBT
homeless,
youth
over
forty
percent
of
homeless
youth,
identify
as
LGBT
an
incredible
need
for
HIV
prevention
and
treatment
services
among
LGBT
people
in
general,
and
especially
people
of
color,
a
need
for
ongoing
and
training
and
recruitment
within
the
police
department
and
partnership
with
the
city's
Department
of
Behavioral
Health
to
ensure
services
for
the
unique
needs
of
the
LGBT
population.
The
office
of
LGBT
affairs
serves
as
the
focal
point
of
all
those
needs,
coordinating
how
various
city
departments
figure
into
the
big
picture.
F
This
office
also
has
had
a
large
impact
on
the
success
and
growth
of
the
LGBT
sector
of
our
economy,
reflected
by
the
significant
growth
of
the
city's
LGBT
Chamber
of
Commerce,
the
independence,
business
alliance
and
the
growth
of
LGBT
employee
resource
groups
at
the
major
fortune.
500
companies
based
in
the
city
as
LGBT
affairs
director
Gloria
Casarez,
was
a
key
person
whom
LGBT
business
people
went
to
to
address
their
needs
and
concerns.
F
Focused
attention
on
the
needs
of
this
population
benefit
the
LGBT
communities
of
the
city
absolutely,
but
they
also
benefit
the
city
as
a
whole.
Cities
that
invest
in
equal
services
for
the
LGBT
population
helped
to
create
economies
that
attract
the
best
and
the
brightest
employees
and
citizens
to
their
cities.
Sociologists,
Richard
Florida
has
said
that
the
cities
that
invest
in
their
LGBT
populations
do
better
at
attracting
not
only
individual
and
employees,
but
also
corporations.
F
And
if
we
were
to
compare
the
achievements
of
the
city
under
the
Streeter
and
nutr
administrations
to
earlier
administrations.
Much
of
the
successes
derived
I
would
argue
from
the
focused
effort
that
results
from
an
office
that
is
tasked
with
keeping
its
eye
on
the
prize
of
LGBT
equality
and
subsequently
benefits
the
entire
city.
A
short
list
of
the
impact
influence
of
the
LGBT
office
would
include
many
great
achievements,
often
shepherded
and
supported
by
this
city
council.
F
It's
unlikely
that
they
all
would
have
happened
with
such
fine
coordination
with
such
powerful
impact
for
the
entire
city
and
all
its
citizens.
I've
made
the
case
that
investment
in
the
city's
LGBT
community
has
benefits
for
all
making
permanent
the
office
of
LGBT
affairs
in
the
city
of
Philadelphia
is
such
an
investment
and
will
lead
to
Philadelphia's
continued
leadership
as
a
city
of
inclusion,
equality
and
growth.
Thank
you.
A
G
My
name
is
Marie
shine
and
I
am
the
CEO
of
mazzoni
center
I'm
happy
to
be
here
today
and
to
support
the
bill
that
would
propose
the
amendment
to
the
Philadelphia
home
rule
charter
to
establish
and
define
the
functions
of
the
office
of
LGBT
affairs
on
a
permanent
basis
and
I
want
to
thank
Councilwoman
blundell,
rennert's
Brown,
for
bringing
this
legislation
and
for
all
the
work
that
you
have
been
doing
on
behalf
of
the
LGBT
community
and
every
philadelphian.
Thank
you.
G
Mazzoni
center
is
a
community-based
nonprofit
organization
that
provides
a
range
of
healthcare,
legal
and
social
services
for
the
LGBT
individuals.
Here
in
Philadelphia,
we've
been
serving
this
community
for
35
years,
I'd
like
to
talk
about
the
importance
of
the
office
of
LGBT
affairs.
From
the
perspective
of
the
thousands
of
individuals
we
serve,
many
of
whom
are
among
the
most
vulnerable
in
this
community.
Our
primary
care
medical
facility
sees
over
17,000
patient
visits
each
year
and
our
policy
has
always
been
to
welcome
patients
and
clients,
regardless
of
their
insurance
status
or
income
level.
G
We
work
with
young
people,
who've
been
bullied
in
their
schools
and
we
see
over
500
LGBT
youth
every
year
through
our
weekly
adolescent
drop-in
program
and
most
of
these
young
people
have
been
or
are
homeless.
We
provide
legal
services
to
LGBT
individuals,
many
of
whom
are
struggling
with
access
to
legal
identity
documents,
affordable
housing,
employment,
protecting
the
children
and
families
and
more
nearly
all
of
our
services
are
provided
at
no
charge
to
low-income
individuals.
I
say
this
because
so
many
of
the
people
we
serve
have
been
marginalized
and
discriminated
against.
G
Many
have
also
felt
voiceless
within
an
invisible
to
the
traditional
structures
of
power
and
government.
They
lead
busy,
complicated
lives,
and
most
of
them
would
not
have
the
time
to
track
much
less
weigh
in
on
every
activity
of
city
government
that
affects
them.
Since
2008,
when
the
office
of
LGBT
Affairs
was
created,
these
people
have
had
a
voice
in
City
Hall,
thanks
to
Mayor
Nutter
to
the
late
Gloria
Casarez,
and
thanks
now
to
Nellie
Fitzpatrick.
G
Our
clients
and
fellow
citizens
have
had
a
resource
and
an
advocate
in
City
Hall
a
place
to
turn
to
a
resource
for
information.
A
link
to
vital
services,
a
strong
ally
when
it
was
called
for
over
the
past
few
years,
it's
fair
to
say
that
all
of
our
departments,
at
Mazzoni,
from
mental
health
counseling
to
HIV
care
to
legal
services,
have
had
the
occasion
to
call
on
the
office
of
LGBT
affairs
for
resources
or
an
introduction.
On
behalf
of
our
clients.
G
The
existence
of
this
office
also
sends
a
powerful
message
about
the
city
of
Philadelphia
and
the
values
we
embrace.
It
helps
to
situate
us
not
merely
as
an
LGBT
friendly
City,
but
as
a
leader
in
civil
rights,
I've
lived
in
Philadelphia
since
1995
and
I've
seen
the
progress
we
have
made.
It
gives
me
and
many
others
a
feeling
of
tremendous
pride
to
see
our
city
named
the
most
LGBT
friendly
city
in
America,
but
it
also
carries
a
real
life,
meaning
for
the
LGBT
citizens
who
live
and
work
here.
G
Every
day,
I
give
credit
to
the
office
of
LGBT
affairs
for
its
contributions
to
the
existing
LGBT
advocacy
network
and
for
helping
us
to
earn
this
distinction.
By
voting
to
amend
the
city
charter
to
make
this
office
permanent
one,
you
will
ensure
that
LGBT
Philadelphians
continue
to
have
access
to
this
critically
important
resource
resource.
The
community
will
maintain
a
conduit
to
its
government,
continued
to
feel
represented
and
protected
and
to
be
fully
and
truly
engaged
in
the
life
of
the
city.
Thank
you
for
all
the
time
and
for
consideration
of
this
matter.
Thank.
A
E
Just
across
the
hall
listening
to
the
exciting
developments
that
continue
to
happen
at
chop
and
one
new
initiative
they
are
looking
closely
at
is
bullying
and
so
I
put
that
I
share
that
with
you,
because
I
think
there's
great
opportunity
for
what
you
do
on
behalf
of
young
people
and
what
chocolates
unveiling
dealing
with
bullying
in
a
very
21st
century
way
with
high
technology
and
the
right.
And
it's
just
useful
and
helpful
to
know
where
you.
We
have
health
care
institutions
making
inroads
dealing
with
the
issue
that
is
faced
by
all
children.