Driscoll's $2,000 boat speaker fine gets its first reading and could pass Nov. 12

The bill that would fine people $2,000 for blasting speakers from boats on Philadelphia's waters took its next step Thursday. Bill 260702, from 6th District Councilmember Mike Driscoll, was on the agenda for Council's Oct. 29 stated meeting. Our records now list it as "In Council – Second Reading," which means it has had its first reading and can come up for a final vote at the next session.

If you live near the Delaware or the Schuylkill, or spend time on the water in city parks, this would set the rule for amplified sound there next boating season.

How it got here this fast

• Sept. 17: Driscoll introduced the bill alone. No other member has signed on as a co-sponsor.
• Oct. 28: The Committee on Licenses and Inspections heard it as the only item on its agenda and reported it favorably with a request to suspend the rules (committee meeting). Our story on that hearing.
• Oct. 29: The suspension let the bill be read the next morning instead of waiting for a later session.

From introduction to first reading took 42 days. Philadelphia bills need a first reading at one session and a final vote at a later one, so the earliest it can pass is the Nov. 12 session. Our records list Nov. 12 as the next stated meeting, after the Nov. 3 election.

What the bill would do

According to the bill text:

• No one swimming, floating or running a boat on a public body of water in the city could use a speaker, public address system, bullhorn or megaphone that is plainly audible more than 100 feet away.
• "Plainly audible" means a person can hear it without a hearing aid or other device.
• Covered waters include ponds, lakes, creeks and rivers legally open to the public.
• Emergency, safety and law enforcement uses are exempt.
• The fine is $2,000 per occurrence, and the law would take effect right away.

The 100-foot rule and $2,000 fine copy Driscoll's 2023 "nuisance vehicle" law aimed at late-night car meetups along the riverfront, the Inquirer reported at the time. In 2024, after New Jersey officials complained about noise from the Philadelphia side, Driscoll said that law's problem was enforcement, 6abc reported.

What our records add

• One sponsor, one committee hearing, one day to the floor. The committee's "suspension" request is a routine tool. Council used it the same way this month for the Love Park Saucer deal, which passed Thursday (Bill 260799).
• Enforcement is still an open question. The bill text does not name the agency that would patrol the water and write tickets. We first raised that in our preview. Video and transcripts of the Oct. 28 hearing and the Oct. 29 session were not yet posted on our site when this was published, so we can't report what was said about it. We will add timestamped links when they are.
• No roll call yet. A first reading is not a vote, so there is no member-by-member record on this bill so far.

What's next

The Nov. 12 agenda had not been posted when this was published. If Council calls the bill up and passes it, it goes to Mayor Cherelle L. Parker, who can sign it, veto it or let it become law without her signature. Votes will appear on the bill's page after the session.