civus
BillENACTED

Bill 250709

Amending Section 9-4403 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled “Enforcement,” to provide for the continuation of nuisance business enforcement following a change in business, under certain terms and conditions.

Introduced Sep 11, 2025Committee on Licenses and InspectionsOfficial record: City of Philadelphia via Legistar

Introduced by

Councilmember Gilmore RichardsonCouncilmember Gilmore RichardsonCouncilmember PhillipsCouncilmember PhillipsCouncilmember O'NeillCouncilmember O'NeillCouncilmember BassCouncilmember Bass

How members voted

  1. Vote on Dec 4, 2025 · CITY COUNCIL

    Aye (16)

    Councilmember BassCouncilmember BrooksCouncilmember DriscollCouncilmember GauthierCouncilmember Gilmore RichardsonCouncilmember HarrityCouncilmember JonesCouncilmember LozadaCouncilmember O'NeillCouncilmember PhillipsCouncilmember SquillaCouncilmember AhmadCouncilmember LandauCouncilmember O'RourkeCouncilmember YoungCouncil President Johnson

From the floor

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

  1. “Aye. The ayes are 16. The nays are zero. Majority of all members having voted in the affirmative. The bill passes. Will the clerk please read the title of Bill Number 250709?”

    Council President Johnson · Stated Meeting, December 4, 2025 · Dec 4, 2025 · official transcript, this passage

  2. “Good morning, Council President and members of City Council. I'm here or we're here regarding Bill Nos. 250708, 709, 834, 707 and 831. Somewhere along the way, Philadelphia has become a place where businesses or what we in the community now call the new nuisance business culture, operate as if they can do whatever they want unchecked and without accountability to the communities they impact. So we would like to begin…”

    Ms. Cummings · Stated Meeting, November 20, 2025 · Nov 20, 2025 · official transcript, this passage

  3. “The Committee on Licenses and Inspections, to which were referred the following bills: Bill No. 250708, an ordinance amending Subcode A, the Philadelphia Administrative Code of Title 4 of the Philadelphia Code, the Building, Construction, and Occupancy Code, to revise penalties associated with stop work and cease operations orders under certain terms and conditions. Bill No. 250709, an ordinance amending Section 9-44…”

    Chief Clerk · Stated Meeting, October 23, 2025 · Oct 23, 2025 · official transcript, this passage

Status timeline

  1. Sep 11, 2025Introduced and Referred · CITY COUNCIL
  2. Oct 20, 2025HEARING NOTICES SENT · Committee on Licenses and Inspections
  3. Oct 20, 2025HEARING HELD · Committee on Licenses and Inspections
  4. Oct 20, 2025REPORTED FAVORABLY, RULE SUSPENSION REQUESTED · Committee on Licenses and Inspections
  5. Oct 20, 2025AMENDED · Committee on Licenses and Inspections
  6. Oct 23, 2025SUSPEND THE RULES OF THE COUNCIL · CITY COUNCIL
  7. Oct 23, 2025ORDERED PLACED ON THIS DAY`S FIRST READING CALENDAR · CITY COUNCIL
  8. Oct 23, 2025READ AND ORDERED PLACED ON NEXT WEEK'S SECOND READING CALENDAR · CITY COUNCIL
  9. Dec 4, 2025READ AND PASSED · CITY COUNCIL
  10. Jan 7, 2026SIGNED · MAYOR

Official documents

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

Full text

Read the full text as published

..Title Amending Section 9-4403 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Enforcement," to provide for the continuation of nuisance business enforcement following a change in business, under certain terms and conditions. ..Body THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA HEREBY ORDAINS: SECTION 1. Section 9-4403 of The Philadelphia Code is hereby amended to read as follows: TITLE 9. REGULATION OF BUSINESSES, TRADES AND PROFESSIONS * * * CHAPTER 9-4400. RESPONSIBLE BUSINESS OPERATIONS * * * � 9-4403. Enforcement. * * * (6) [Transfer of business ownership shall not terminate any Notice of Intent to Cease Operations, Cease Operations Order or nuisance abatement plan in effect with respect to a nuisance business. The acquiring business owner shall be responsible for compliance with any enforcement action pending against the nuisance business and prior business owner.] Change in the name, ownership or structure of a business subject to enforcement under this Section shall not relieve a successor business from liability if such successor business is merely a continuation of the prior business, conducts the same operations as the prior business in essentially an unchanged manner, or was established to escape liability under this Chapter. Such successor business shall be responsible for compliance with any notices and orders issued to, and any nuisance abatement plans executed by, the prior business. * * * ___________________________________ Explanation: [Brackets] indicate matter deleted. Italics indicate new matter added. ..End