Localmedium impact · 5/10substantive070229

Philadelphia Council Tries to Certify Its Tour Guides with Stringent New Requirements Coming Soon

Official:Amending Chapter 9-200 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Commercial Activities on Streets," by adding a new section providing for the certification of tour guides; establishing requirements for such certification; and providing for penalties, all under certain terms and conditions.

Sponsor: Councilmember Reynolds Brown

Introduced: March 29, 2007

: Committee on Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs

business government procurement

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 requires tour guides operating in Philadelphia to be certified by the Department of Licenses and Inspections. To become certified, a tour guide must pass a written exam, pay a fee, and meet age requirements. This certification is meant to ensure that tour guides have adequate knowledge of the city's geography and historic sites.

What This Bill Does

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

The bill does the following

Requires tour guides operating in Philadelphia to be certified by the Department of Licenses and Inspections.
Establishes requirements for certification, including passing a written exam, paying a fee, and meeting age requirements.
Requires certified tour guides to have adequate knowledge of the city's geography and historic sites.
Provides for penalties for tour guides who operate without certification.