Joint Committee: License and Consumer Protection; Workforce Development meeting, September 15, 2026

• When: Tue, Sep 15, 2026, 1:00 PM (Chicago time)
• Where: City Council Chamber, 2nd Floor, City Hall, 121 North LaSalle Street - Chicago, IL 60602
• Status: Adjourned
• Video: https://vimeo.com/showcase/8928494?video=1227026378
• Transcript: full text (21,588 words, automatic captions)

Video chapters

• 19:31 Public comment
• 45:09 Subject matter hearing on ordinance amending Titles 4 and 6 regarding regulation of last mile warehouses and…
• 47:15 Julia M. Ramirez: Said the ordinance would close an accountability gap in the last mile retail industry and…
• 48:40 Julia M. Ramirez: Cited investigative journalism and a 2024 U.S. Senate oversight inquiry into Amazon's…
• 49:55 Julia M. Ramirez: Said the 12th Ward has seen over a 500% increase in delivery vehicle crashes over ten…
• 1:09:00 Monique L. Scott: Asked a driver about turnover and what safety training and protections drivers lack.
• 1:09:17 Monique L. Scott: Said she worked for UPS for over 13 years and is familiar with delivery operations.
• 1:12:30 Michael D. Rodriguez: Said the chairs would have one panelist from each side answer questions so the…
• 1:15:56 Monique L. Scott: Asked whether the city studied how many small businesses and other carriers using the…
• 1:24:23 David H. Moore: Asked for a yes or no answer on whether the ordinance would affect DHL and UPS.
• 1:26:34 Anthony J. Quezada: Expressed support for the Delivery Protection Act, saying city streets are now…
• 1:27:38 Anthony J. Quezada: Asked drivers what is needed to improve conditions and who sets package counts and pace.
• 1:30:00 Anthony J. Quezada: Asked the Teamsters representative how UPS drivers report excessive volume and how the…
• 1:32:25 Jeylú B. Gutiérrez: Said a new Amazon last mile facility in the 14th Ward will bring about 400 drivers near…
• 1:34:05 Jeylú B. Gutiérrez: Asked whether delivery companies based outside Chicago are licensed to operate in the…
• 1:35:08 Jeylú B. Gutiérrez: Asked drivers about reporting vehicle defects, who controls the workday and costs for…
• 1:37:17 David H. Moore: Asked how many delivery service partners Amazon uses in Chicago and how many workers lost…
• 1:38:08 David H. Moore: Asked whether delivery service partner employees are allowed to unionize.
• 1:41:51 Nicholas Sposato: Said he worked at UPS for 16 years and described its training and the demands of the job.
• 1:42:48 Nicholas Sposato: Shared a defensive driving method he learned as a driver.
• 1:44:14 Nicholas Sposato: Asked whether Amazon or the delivery service partners determine routes and workloads.
• 1:49:48 Andre Vasquez Jr.: Said workers covered by collective bargaining are exempt and the ordinance addresses…
• 1:50:53 Andre Vasquez Jr.: Said Amazon prioritizes its bottom line over driver safety and should answer questions…
• 1:51:38 Michael D. Rodriguez: Said the chairs asked the business community opponents to choose three representatives…
• 1:52:51 Andre Vasquez Jr.: Requested data through the chair on delivery stops, subcontractors and unsafe-stop…
• 1:59:23 Felix Cardona Jr.: Asked whether delivery service partners have delivery targets and what happens when a…
• 2:01:10 Felix Cardona Jr.: Said his son worked for Amazon over the summer and described difficult conditions.
• 2:01:37 Felix Cardona Jr.: Asked what a standardized minimum safety training would look like and whether one exists…
• 2:05:16 William E. Hall: Asked drivers what conditions they face and what they would change.
• 2:06:10 William E. Hall: Asked what happens to drivers who do not meet Amazon's efficiency expectations.
• 2:07:19 William E. Hall: Asked the business coalition how it responds to the conditions described and what it would…
• 2:11:33 Peter Chico: Asked about transparency around delivery vehicle maintenance.
• 2:13:11 Peter Chico: Asked what happens when a driver reports a vehicle problem to a supervisor.
• 2:13:37 Peter Chico: Asked how often drivers need roadside assistance and how breakdowns affect their pay.
• 2:14:49 Brendan Reilly: Said he could not yet tell whether Amazon or the delivery partners should be held more…
• 2:16:09 Brendan Reilly: Said drivers learning on arrival that they have no shift would violate the city's Fair…
• 2:16:56 Brendan Reilly: Said he was frustrated that Amazon executives did not attend to answer questions directly.
• 2:23:37 Stephanie D. Coleman: Thanked delivery drivers and said they deliver prescriptions in communities where…
• 2:24:28 Michael D. Rodriguez: Thanked co-chair Silverstein and sponsor Ramirez for their work on the process.

Meeting notes

AI-written from the transcript. Speakers are inferred from cues in the recording, so treat names as estimates and check the video at the linked time.

The joint Committees on License and Consumer Protection and Workforce Development held a subject matter hearing on SO2025-0018778, an ordinance to regulate last mile warehouses and e-commerce fulfillment centers, also called the Delivery Protection Act. No vote was taken. During public comment, Amazon delivery drivers spoke in support, while delivery service partner owners and the Illinois Manufacturers Association opposed it. Chief sponsor Alderperson Julia M. Ramirez presented the ordinance, which would create a license for urban delivery centers, required safety training, worker protections and enforcement by BACP. Panelists from the Teamsters and two drivers and organizers spoke in favor, and representatives of the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce, the Illinois Retail Merchants Association and the Supply Chain Federation said it was overly broad. Members asked about driver training, delivery quotas, vehicle maintenance, unionization, enforcement and which companies would be covered, and several said Amazon should have sent a representative. The meeting adjourned after the questions.

Topics: last mile delivery regulation, Delivery Protection Act, Amazon delivery service partners, driver safety training, delivery quotas, vehicle maintenance, worker protections, business licensing, small business impact

Agenda items discussed

• 18:57 Motion for Rule 59 participation by non-members: passed
• 19:31 Public comment: discussed
• 17:15 Subject matter hearing on an ordinance amending Titles 4 and 6 regarding regulation of last mile warehouses and e-commerce fulfillment centers (SO2025-0018778): discussed
• 2:25:14 Motion to adjourn: passed

Alderpersons who spoke

• Michael D. Rodriguez (chair): Said the chairs would have one panelist from each side answer questions so the committee hears both perspectives. (1:12:30); Said the chairs asked the business community opponents to choose three representatives to testify. (1:51:38); Thanked co-chair Silverstein and sponsor Ramirez for their work on the process. (2:24:28)
• Julia M. Ramirez (alderperson): Said the ordinance would close an accountability gap in the last mile retail industry and improve safety on city streets. (47:15); Cited investigative journalism and a 2024 U.S. Senate oversight inquiry into Amazon's delivery service partner model. (48:40); Said the 12th Ward has seen over a 500% increase in delivery vehicle crashes over ten years and described illegal stopping by delivery vehicles. (49:55)
• Monique L. Scott (alderperson): Asked a driver about turnover and what safety training and protections drivers lack. (1:09:00); Said she worked for UPS for over 13 years and is familiar with delivery operations. (1:09:17); Asked whether the city studied how many small businesses and other carriers using the delivery partner model would be affected. (1:15:56)
• David H. Moore (alderperson): Asked for a yes or no answer on whether the ordinance would affect DHL and UPS. (1:24:23); Asked how many delivery service partners Amazon uses in Chicago and how many workers lost jobs when two were terminated. (1:37:17); Asked whether delivery service partner employees are allowed to unionize. (1:38:08)
• Anthony J. Quezada (alderperson): Expressed support for the Delivery Protection Act, saying city streets are now workplaces and companies should be accountable for unsafe quotas. (1:26:34); Asked drivers what is needed to improve conditions and who sets package counts and pace. (1:27:38); Asked the Teamsters representative how UPS drivers report excessive volume and how the company responds. (1:30:00)
• Jeylú B. Gutiérrez (alderperson): Said a new Amazon last mile facility in the 14th Ward will bring about 400 drivers near four schools and raised training concerns. (1:32:25); Asked whether delivery companies based outside Chicago are licensed to operate in the city. (1:34:05); Asked drivers about reporting vehicle defects, who controls the workday and costs for drivers using personal vehicles. (1:35:08)
• Nicholas Sposato (alderperson): Said he worked at UPS for 16 years and described its training and the demands of the job. (1:41:51); Shared a defensive driving method he learned as a driver. (1:42:48); Asked whether Amazon or the delivery service partners determine routes and workloads. (1:44:14)
• Andre Vasquez Jr. (alderperson): Said workers covered by collective bargaining are exempt and the ordinance addresses drivers without those protections. (1:49:48); Said Amazon prioritizes its bottom line over driver safety and should answer questions itself. (1:50:53); Requested data through the chair on delivery stops, subcontractors and unsafe-stop violations by companies using delivery partners. (1:52:51)
• Felix Cardona Jr. (alderperson): Asked whether delivery service partners have delivery targets and what happens when a driver falls behind. (1:59:23); Said his son worked for Amazon over the summer and described difficult conditions. (2:01:10); Asked what a standardized minimum safety training would look like and whether one exists for delivery partners. (2:01:37)
• William E. Hall (alderperson): Asked drivers what conditions they face and what they would change. (2:05:16); Asked what happens to drivers who do not meet Amazon's efficiency expectations. (2:06:10); Asked the business coalition how it responds to the conditions described and what it would propose instead. (2:07:19)
• Peter Chico (alderperson): Asked about transparency around delivery vehicle maintenance. (2:11:33); Asked what happens when a driver reports a vehicle problem to a supervisor. (2:13:11); Asked how often drivers need roadside assistance and how breakdowns affect their pay. (2:13:37)
• Brendan Reilly (alderperson): Said he could not yet tell whether Amazon or the delivery partners should be held more accountable. (2:14:49); Said drivers learning on arrival that they have no shift would violate the city's Fair Workweek ordinance and the partners should be held responsible. (2:16:09); Said he was frustrated that Amazon executives did not attend to answer questions directly. (2:16:56)
• Stephanie D. Coleman (alderperson): Thanked delivery drivers and said they deliver prescriptions in communities where pharmacies have closed. (2:23:37)

Exchanges between members

• 1:36:33 Alderperson Jeylú B. Gutiérrez thanked Alderperson Julia M. Ramirez for bringing the ordinance forward.
• 1:41:51 Alderperson Nicholas Sposato noted that his colleague from the 24th Ward was not the only member who had worked at UPS.
• 1:48:50 Alderperson Andre Vasquez Jr. asked Alderperson Nicholas Sposato whether his UPS benefits came from being a union member.
• 1:50:15 Alderperson Andre Vasquez Jr. said he supports Alderperson Julia M. Ramirez in pushing the legislation forward.
• 2:14:38 Alderperson Brendan Reilly said that like Alderperson Nicholas Sposato he was still piecing the issue together.
• 2:24:28 Chair Michael D. Rodriguez thanked co-chair Silverstein for working together on the hearing.
• 2:24:44 Chair Michael D. Rodriguez thanked Alderperson Julia M. Ramirez for her leadership on the ordinance.

Documents

• Notice
• Agenda
• Summary

Sources and methods: how we get and count this data · report an error