Staff Reporter





The Council Committee on Public Health and Human Services Monday passed an amended version of Bill No. 200189 out of committee with a favorable recommendation of 4-2. Councilmembers Oh, Bass, Henon, and Thomas voted in favor while Councilmembers Gym and Brooks voted against the bill.





The bill, introduced by Councilman David Oh, requires the City of Philadelphia to hold public hearings and get approval from impacted communities and Council before opening a supervised injection site. The legislation originally required 90 percent approval from residents, businesses, and institutions within a one-mile radius. The amended version lowers the approval threshold to 80 percent within a half mile and also includes amended language to cover "mobile” supervised injection sites.





The legislation was introduced two weeks ago in response to the sudden announcement by Safehouse to operate a supervised injection site in South Philadelphia without community approval or notice.





"The passage of the bill is an important step in addressing the unprecedented issue of supervised injection sites,” said Oh.





"Following the Federal Court decision that the sites are legal, and this being Safehouse’s second attempt to operate a site without consulting the community, we must ensure residents have a voice in this process.”



