Governing Body
County Council · Allegheny County, PA
County Council
Council also amended its 2021 Paid Sick Leave Act. Employers with 15 or more employees must provide one hour of paid sick time off for every 30 hours worked for up to 72 paid hours per year. Employers with fewer than 15 employees are required to provide the same with a cap at 48 paid hours per year.
County Council
Forty-nine people spoke during public comment with 43 being in favor of paid leave. Many cited the need for birth mothers to physically heal and for both parents to bond with the baby. Some of those who spoke in favor recalled painful experiences during and after childbirth. Opponents cited financial concerns for small businesses.
County Council
Allegheny County Council voted 11-4 in favor of implementing paid parental leave. All businesses with 15 or more employees must provide 12 weeks’ paid parental leave following the birth, adoption, foster care placement or stillbirth of a child. Businesses have 180 days to implement the policy with a potential 180-day extension to account for differences in fiscal calendars.
County Council
Opioid settlement money set aside for emergency medical services providers has sat unspent since last December. On Sept. 22, county council approved changes that widen how the $1 million can be used and simplify applications. Payments can begin as soon as the county executive signs the legislation. So far, the county has spent almost half of its overall opioid settlement funds.
County Council
Allegheny County hasn't reassessed property values since 2012. In August, a judge ordered the county to start reassessing by July 2027 and finish by 2032. On Sept. 14, a council committee heard the door-to-door work could cost $50 million and bring a wave of appeals. For now, it's holding a bill for regular reassessments until other lawsuits end.
County Council
Allegheny County's employee pension fund is nearly $1.5 billion short. A Sept. 3 court opinion said the governor and state lawmakers will likely need to give the county more funding tools. Then on Sept. 22, county council voted to ask the court to let its lawyer join the case as a neutral party. Next, the court will hold a hearing on that request.
County Council
Medical emergencies at the Allegheny County Jail are climbing, and the jail is short on staff. On Sept. 8, three county council members proposed letting sheriff's deputies use leg shackles during medical transport and care. That would soften a 2021 ban on shackling people held at the jail. For now, the proposal sits with council's public safety committee.
County Council
AI-made material is getting harder to tell from reality, a proposed county law says. On Sept. 8, county council introduced the bill, which would require disclosures on AI-made campaign materials for county office. Skipping one could bring a fine of up to $300, a 30-day jail sentence, or both. If passed, it would take effect Jan. 1, 2027.
County Council
Allegheny County employees no longer get paper paystubs, and the switch saved $100,000 in the past year. On July 15, the sustainability director told a council committee it's part of the county's zero-carbon goal. Her other priorities include more efficient county buildings, park trees, greener employee commutes, and sustainable purchasing. Still, she said the work will need upfront funding.
County Council
Residents keep reporting unsafe, even deplorable, conditions in some of Allegheny County's federally assisted housing for seniors and disabled people. Now, a county council member has called for a public hearing on Sept. 24. He said county council can't fix it alone, and it will take city, county, state, and federal resources. Written testimony will be accepted through Oct. 1.
County Council
Most Allegheny County Council members don't want data centers on county-owned land. Legislation introduced Aug. 25 would ban them there, as members cite worries about soaring water and electricity use. However, it would cover only county property, since state law leaves zoning to municipalities. For now, the proposal sits with council's sustainability committee.
County Council
Allegheny County Jail Warden Trevor Wingard leaves at the end of July after 18 months. Now, it's up to the county executive and the Jail Oversight Board to find his replacement. The county executive will name an interim warden before he leaves. A search for a permanent warden begins within a few months, a council member said.
County Council
Allegheny County has been awarded $2.15 million in state money for alternatives to incarceration. On July 9, a council committee voted to move forward with accepting it. The grant would pay for two probation officers, a hearing officer, staff training, and equipment. Council's final vote is set for July 14.
County Council
Paying taxes, buying pool passes, and requesting public records each take a separate login in Allegheny County. On July 9, a council committee advanced a non-binding resolution calling for a study of one online system for county services. If council passes it on July 14, three county departments would have 180 days to report back.
County Council
Allegheny County employers of all sizes could have to provide 18 weeks of paid parental leave. In May, the county board of health advanced the measure. On June 25, four community members spoke to a council committee about paid leave, or the lack of it. A council member said the board could vote in September at the earliest, and approval would send it to council.
County Council
Almost 900 nurses and advanced practitioners at Magee-Womens Hospital have bargained for their first union contract since January. On June 23, ten county council members introduced a resolution backing them. It says the county's relationship with UPMC depends on UPMC being a fair employer. Union members planned to vote on legal action if there was no contract by July 4.
County Council
Allegheny County Council doesn't vet appointees to county boards and authorities, one council member said. On June 23, some members said council needs more than its three shared staff members. Council then voted 9-6 to ask voters in November to remove its budget cap. Still, another member said staff told him nothing needed doing that wasn't being done.
County Council
Allegheny County Council members pay into the pension fund but can't draw one. On June 9, a council committee voted to move forward with two charter amendments for the November ballot. One would add pensions, health and life insurance, and staffed district offices, while the other would lift council's budget cap. A final vote is set for council's June 23 meeting.
County Council
Allegheny County has about $7.5 million in unassigned interest from its capital bonds. On June 4, the budget director asked council to put $5 million of it toward buying the medical examiner's Strip District building. The county has rented that building for 20 years. Council approved the purchase on June 9, and the county manager said owning it will save money each year.
County Council
For 26 years, Allegheny County's executive has had sole authority over county contracts that don't involve property. On May 26, a council member introduced legislation to put a question about changing that on the Nov. 3 ballot. Voters would decide whether council must approve contracts over $30,000, except in emergencies. For now, council has referred the proposal to its government reform committee.