Council is the legislative arm of Philadelphia municipal government. Ten Councilmembers are elected by district and seven from the City-at-large, for a total of seventeen members. Under the rules of Council, regular public sessions of Council are held weekly, usually on Thursday morning at 10:00 AM., in Room 400, City Hall.

Every proposed ordinance is in the form of a bill introduced by a Councilmember. Before a bill can be enacted by Council, it must be:

Referred by the President of Council to an appropriate standing committee of Council,
Considered at a public hearing and public meeting, reported out by the committee,
Printed as reported by the committee,
Distributed to the members of Council,
And made available to the public.

Passage of a bill requires the favorable vote of a majority of all members of Council. A bill becomes law upon the approval of the Mayor. If the Mayor vetoes a bill, Council may override the veto by a two-thirds vote.

The functions of City Council influence a wide range of public affairs in Philadelphia and directly impact the quality of life for its citizenry.