civus
BillENACTED

Bill 210671-A

Amending Title 9 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled “Regulation of Businesses, Trades and Professions”, by adding a new Chapter requiring certain businesses or professions provide disclosures regarding tangled titles; all under certain terms and conditions.

Introduced Sep 17, 2021Committee on Commerce & Economic DevelopmentOfficial record: City of Philadelphia via Legistar

Introduced by

Councilmember Gilmore RichardsonCouncilmember Gilmore RichardsonCouncilmember Gilmore Richardson

How members voted

  1. Vote on Dec 2, 2021 · CITY COUNCIL

    Aye (17)

    Councilmember DombCouncilmember GreenCouncilmember GymCouncilmember OhCouncilmember SquillaCouncilmember JohnsonCouncilmember JonesCouncil President ClarkeCouncilmember HenonCouncilmember Quiñones SánchezCouncilmember BassCouncilmember ParkerCouncilmember O'NeillCouncilmember BrooksCouncilmember GauthierCouncilmember Gilmore RichardsonCouncilmember Thomas

From the floor

Passages in the official transcripts that cite this file number. Every quote links to its exact place in the record.

  1. “Very good. Thank you, Council President. My name is Michael Froehlich. I'm the Managing Attorney of the Homeownership and Consumer Rights Unit at Community Legal Services, and on behalf of our low-income clients, I am very pleased to testify in support of Bill No. 210671-A. This is Councilmember Gilmore Richardson's bill requiring funeral homes to share information about probating estates and avoiding tangled titles.…”

    Mr. Froehlich · Stated Meeting, December 2, 2021 · Dec 2, 2021 · official transcript, this passage

  2. “Ervina White Beauford. Good morning to the President and members of City Council. I'm Ervina White Beauford, a licensed funeral director in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and owner of Ervina White Beauford Services in Philadelphia and Pottstown, Pennsylvania. Thank you for this brief opportunity to publicly voice my support of Bill 210671-A. When making funeral arrangements, I often spend so much time 7893a6bb-fd33…”

    Ms. Beauford · Stated Meeting, December 2, 2021 · Dec 2, 2021 · official transcript, this passage

  3. “Thank you, Council President. My name is Kelly Gasley. I'm a Managing Attorney at Philadelphia VIP, and I appreciate the opportunity to testify today in support of Bill No. 210671-A. Thank you to Councilmember 7893a6bb-fd33-4fa1-8567-f80345645e35 Gilmore Richardson for introducing this bill, which would require funeral service providers to provide vital information on tangled title issues to families on the death of…”

    Ms. Gasley · Stated Meeting, December 2, 2021 · Dec 2, 2021 · official transcript, this passage

  4. “Bill No. 210671-A, entitled "An ordinance amending Title 9 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled 'Regulation of Businesses, Trades and Professions,' by adding a new Chapter requiring certain businesses or professions provide disclosures regarding tangled titles"; and Bill No. 210808, entitled "An ordinance to amend the Philadelphia 7893a6bb-fd33-4fa1-8567-f80345645e35 by changing the zoning designations of certain areas…”

    Chief Clerk · Stated Meeting, December 2, 2021 · Dec 2, 2021 · official transcript, this passage

  5. “Thank you. Thank you so much, Council President. And I just wanted to quickly thank you, Council President, and all of my colleagues on Philadelphia City Council for your support and all those who provided public comment in public testimony in support of Bill No. 210671-A, which will require that families receive certain information regarding how to probate an estate and prevent a tangled title here in the City of Ph…”

    Councilwoman Richardson · Stated Meeting, December 2, 2021 · Dec 2, 2021 · official transcript, this passage

Status timeline

  1. Sep 17, 2021Introduced and Referred · CITY COUNCIL
  2. Oct 25, 2021HEARING NOTICES SENT · Committee on Commerce & Economic Development
  3. Oct 25, 2021HEARING HELD · Committee on Commerce & Economic Development
  4. Oct 25, 2021AMENDED · Committee on Commerce & Economic Development
  5. Oct 25, 2021REPORTED FAVORABLY, RULE SUSPENSION REQUESTED · Committee on Commerce & Economic Development
  6. Oct 28, 2021SUSPEND THE RULES OF THE COUNCIL · CITY COUNCIL
  7. Oct 28, 2021ORDERED PLACED ON THIS DAY`S FIRST READING CALENDAR · CITY COUNCIL
  8. Oct 28, 2021READ AND ORDERED PLACED ON NEXT WEEK'S SECOND READING CALENDAR · CITY COUNCIL
  9. Nov 18, 2021READ · CITY COUNCIL
  10. Nov 18, 2021AMENDED · CITY COUNCIL
  11. Nov 18, 2021ORDERED PLACED ON FINAL PASSAGE CALENDAR FOR NEXT MEETING. · CITY COUNCIL
  12. Dec 2, 2021READ AND PASSED · CITY COUNCIL
  13. Dec 15, 2021SIGNED · MAYOR

Official documents

Documents open on the City of Philadelphia’s legislative site.

Full text

Read the full text as published

..Title Amending Title 9 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Regulation of Businesses, Trades and Professions", by adding a new Chapter requiring certain businesses or professions provide disclosures regarding tangled titles; all under certain terms and conditions. ..Body THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA HEREBY ORDAINS: SECTION 1. Title 9 of The Philadelphia Code is amended to read as follows: * * * CHAPTER 9-5600. TANGLED TITLE DISCLOSURE � 9-5601. Definitions. The following definitions shall apply in this Chapter: (1) Funeral Service Provider. Any entity required by the Pennsylvania Vital Statistics Law, 35 P.S. � 450.501 et seq., to file a death certificate in the provision of funeral services, including, but not limited to, a funeral home, funeral parlor, mortuary, cemetery, or crematorium. (2) Tangled Title Information Sheet. An informational sheet or packet provided by the Department of Records detailing steps necessary for an heir or heirs, after the death of a title property owner, to legally transfer the property to avoid a tangled title. (3) Funeral Services. Funereal, burial, crematory or other services for the disposition of the dead in their final resting place. (4) Survivor of the Deceased. A close relation or companion of the deceased with whom funeral services are arranged. (5) Death Certificate. A certificate of death or fetal death that must be filed with Pennsylvania Department of Health pursuant to the Vital Statistics Law, 35 P.S. � 450.501 et seq., prior to the interment, cremation or other removal of the dead. � 9-5602. Tangled Title Information Sheet. (1) It is Council's intent that the Department of Records make available and easily accessible a tangled title information sheet. (a) It is Council's intent the Department of Records collaborate with the Philadelphia Register of Wills in the creation of the tangled title information sheet. (2) It is Council's intent that the Department of Records make the tangled title information sheet available and easily accessible within six (6) months of the effective date of this Chapter. � 9-5603. Funeral Service Provider Disclosure Requirement. (1) ) No later than five (5) days after final disposition of the deceased, a funeral service provider shall provide an standard death certificate, as issued by the Pennsylvania Department of Health, and the tangled title information sheet made available by the Department of Records to survivors of the deceased. (a) Requirements for provision of the death certificate may be satisfied by arranging for mail delivery of such document at the last known address of each survivor of the deceased. (b) Requirements for provision of the tangled title information sheet may be satisfied by providing an electronic version of such document via electronic communication to each survivor of the deceased. � 9-5604. Penalties. (1) Any funeral service provider in violation of Section 9-5603 shall be subject to a civil penalty not to exceed $300 for each offense. SECTION 2. This Ordinance shall take effect immediately, with the exception of Section 9-5603 of the Code, which shall take effect immediately upon the Commissioner of the Department of Records certifying to the Chief Clerk of City Council that the tangled title information sheet authorized under Section 1 of this Ordinance is publicly available on the Department of Records' website. ___________________________ Explanation: Italics indicate new matter added. ..End