Localmedium impact · 5/10substantive060401

City Council Bill Seeks Tax Break for Smoke-Free Bars in Bid to Reduce Secondhand Exposure

Official:Amending Chapter 19-2600 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Business Privilege Taxes," by excluding from the definition of receipts certain of the receipts of certain establishments licensed to sell alcoholic beverages for consumption on the premises if such an establishment agrees to provide a completely smoke-free environment, and providing certain consequences if an establishment fails to provide a completely smoke-free environment after agreeing to do so, including penalties and loss of the exclusion of receipts, all under certain terms and conditions.

Sponsor: Councilmember Kelly

Introduced: May 11, 2006

: Committee on Finance

business government public health

No one voted on this bill

This bill was introduced in the 2004–2007 Council term and when that term ran out. The public record shows no committee vote and no floor vote at any stage, so no member of Council ever went on record for or against it.

That is not unusual here. Of the 8,465 bills introduced between 2000 and 2025, 1,624 lapsed without a single recorded vote. Ninety percent of bills that became law carry a roll call. Three percent of lapsed bills do. How this works.

Plain-Language Summary

This bill proposes to exempt certain businesses from paying business privilege taxes if they agree to become completely smoke-free environments and follow specific requirements.

What This Bill Does

AI-written. Every figure is checked against the bill text.

Exempts establishments licensed to sell alcoholic beverages for consumption on the premises from paying business privilege taxes if they agree to provide a completely smoke-free environment.
Requires establishments to meet certain conditions to be eligible for the exemption, including executing an agreement to provide a completely smoke-free environment.
Imposes penalties and loss of the exemption for establishments that fail to provide a completely smoke-free environment after agreeing to do so.
Applies the exemption and penalties to tax year 2007 and later.