Legislative Update

The Senate State Government Committee on Tuesday unanimously approved SB 1150, sponsored by Sen. Pat Stefano (R-Bedford/Fayette/Somerset/Westmoreland), which would narrow exceptions to the Sunshine Act’s requirement that government boards publish meeting agendas at least 24 hours in advance. It clarifies that exceptions are limited to emergencies and matters of de minimis.

Stefano’s bill seeks to address concerns raised by a state Supreme Court ruling that allows government boards to consider nearly any matter during a meeting without prior public notification. PNA supports this bill.

A similar bill, HB 2146, sponsored by Rep. Robert Freeman (D-Northampton), awaits action in the House. It includes additional exceptions for minor administrative matters where a delay would create a hardship, such as personnel actions limited to firings, leaves, investigations or disciplinary actions; time-sensitive legal filings; and purchases or bill approvals below the telephonic bidding threshold (currently $13,200) for repairs to municipal property.  PNA also supports this bill.

Rep. Donna Scheuren (R-Montgomery) plans to offer legislation that would calculate the state sales tax at the point of sale by rounding up to the nearest nickel. The bill would direct the additional revenue toward reducing school pension contributions, with a goal of lowering property tax rates.

Rep. Joe Webster (D-Montgomery) plans to introduce legislation to bar Pennsylvania corporations from making political expenditures. “This legislation will mitigate the influence that unlimited dark money has on our elections and help ensure that elected officials are accountable to their voters, rather than corporations,” he wrote in his cosponsorship memo.

Sen. Tracy Pennycuick (R-Berks/Montgomery) plans to offer a package of bills that would ensure data center development in Pennsylvania is transparent and includes protections for consumers, local communities, the electric grid and water resources. The package would require at least two publicly advertised public meetings before a zoning decision on a proposed hyperscale data center.

Sen. Katie Muth (D-Montgomery) plans to introduce legislation to prohibit data centers from obtaining public utility status. According to her cosponsorship memo, granting that status would eliminate local government’s authority to regulate the zoning and siting of data centers and on-site power generation.

Rep. Jack Rader (R-Monroe) plans to introduce legislation requiring large data centers to install a closed-loop system to recycle their water or use another method of cooling to reduce consumption. Under this proposal, a data center must certify and provide evidence to the Public Utility Commission that it is using this type of system before beginning operations.  

Rep. Joe Webster (D-Montgomery) plans to introduce legislation to bar PennDOT from disclosing documents used to obtain or renew a driver’s license or identification card, except in response to a subpoena in a criminal proceeding, a court order or a request from law enforcement to address a health or safety need. “These restrictions would safeguard the identifying information of all Pennsylvania residents while in no way inhibiting the use of that data for legitimate public safety purposes,” Webster said in his cosponsorship memo.

Rep. Brenda Pugh (R-Luzerne) intends to offer legislation that would prohibit the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission, its authorized agents, contractors, or employees from sending text messages to vehicle owners about unpaid tolls or fees, including links for electronic payment, notices of potential or actual collection actions, and enforcement measures. Pugh said given the concerns over fraudulent text messages about unpaid tolls and fines, she believes the commission’s messaging will “do more harm than good.”

Rep. MaryLouise Isaacson (D-Philadelphia) signaled in April that she intends to introduce similar legislation.

Rep. Sheryl Delozier (R-Cumberland) plans to introduce legislation that would create a board of public and nonpublic school officials in each district to collaborate on weather-related closures and delays, with decisions made by 5:30 a.m. on inclement weather days. The measure would allow nonpublic schools to decide whether to hold classes on such days without transportation services, which are provided only when the public school is in session.

Sen. Lisa Boscola (D-Lehigh/Northampton) intends to offer legislation that would prohibit AI-generated or altered video, audio, or images depicting a candidate for public office when intended to harm the candidate’s reputation or mislead voters about their conduct or position on issues. “Deepfakes threaten candidates regardless of affiliation and undermine the ability of every Pennsylvania voter to make an informed choice,” Boscola wrote in her cosponsorship memo.

Rep. Jason Ortitay (R-Allegheny) introduced HB 2542, which would set a deadline for the secretary of state to certify presidential election following the county canvass and notify the General Assembly if that deadline will be missed. The bill also would set deadlines for courts to rule in election cases.

Sen. Tracy Pennycuick (R-Berks/Montgomery) intends to introduce legislation prohibiting state and local government agencies from entering into nondisclosure agreements for data center developments in response to a growing practice by developers requiring such agreements from local governments. “Community residents deserve to have a voice, and entering into nondisclosure agreements will prohibit dialogue about this important issue,” she wrote in her cosponsorship memo. Pennycuick’s proposal is similar to HB 2359 sponsored by Rep. Joe Ciresi (D-Montgomery) in the House.

Rep. Jamie Walsh (R-Luzerne) plans to offer a two-bill package to address concerns raised by residents and municipal officials about data center development in Pennsylvania, including potential impacts on power grids and water systems, as well as the lack of transparency and community input.

Sen. Gene Yaw (R-Lycoming) plans to offer legislation requiring a majority of township supervisors to be physically present to conduct township business. “While remote participation technology can provide flexibility in limited circumstances, local government decisions are best made through in-person deliberation that ensures transparency, accountability and public confidence in the decision-making process,” he wrote in his cosponsorship memo.

Sen. Nikil Saval (D-Philadelphia) signaled his intention to introduce legislation to protect voters from unlawful intimidation at polling places. His bill would clarify that on-duty law enforcement officers at all levels of government are prohibited from being present at voting locations. 

Rep. Nathan Davidson (D-Dauphin) plans to introduce legislation banning the use of dynamic pricing through electronic price tags in retail settings. While electronic price tags can improve inventory management and allow real-time price adjustment, his cosponsorship memo says they also make it easier for retailers to exploit consumers by raising prices based on such factors as time of day or the weather.

Rep. Brenda Pugh (R-Luzerne) intends to offer legislation requiring the Public Utility Commission to include in its annual Rate Comparison Report each utility’s recent rate increase history, along with comparable information for electric generation suppliers, natural gas suppliers and publicly regulated water and sewer utilities not currently in that report. Pugh said the measure would provide “a clearer understanding of the cumulative burden that repeated utility rate increases place on Pennsylvania households and businesses.”

Rep. MaryLouise Isaacson (D-Philadelphia) plans to introduce legislation that would bar the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission and all state agencies from using text messaging to notify residents about unpaid fines, fees, or tolls. “Pennsylvanians need clear guidance that if they receive any text messages claiming to be from a commonwealth agency about an unpaid fine, fee, or toll that it is 100% fake with no room for confusion,” she wrote in her cosponsorship memo.

Rep. Melissa Shusterman (D-Chester) intends to offer legislation requiring courts to automate the expungement of DNA records when a conviction or adjudication has been overturned, a person has been pardoned, or genetic material was mistakenly entered into the State DNA Data Bank. Currently, individuals must initiate the expungement process themselves.

Rep. Abigail Salisbury (D-Allegheny) plans to introduce legislation to create a statewide whistleblower office with a 24/7 hotline and an online reporting system for allegations of fraud, waste and abuse. The office would operate independent of any state department or executive branch whistleblower office. “We have to create a more transparent and accessible infrastructure for doing so to encourage Pennsylvanians to speak up when they see something wrong,” Salisbury wrote in her cosponsorship memo.

Rep. Jamie Walsh (R-Luzerne) intends to offer legislation to impose a moratorium on data center development and repeal the data center tax break. Sen. Jarrett Coleman (R-Bucks/Lehigh) is proposing similar legislation in the Senate.

Sen. Kristin Phillips-Hill (R-York) intends to introduce a two-bill package that would change the role of the executive director of the state Human Relations Commission. One proposal would require Senate confirmation of the executive director, while the other would bar the executive director from participating in adjudication of cases before the commission.

Sen. Dan Laughlin (R-Erie) plans to offer legislation that would create a new process for redrawing legislative district maps modeled after the NFL draft. Under the proposal, the parties would flip a coin, with the winner choosing the first district to redraw. The other party would then select a different district to redraw and the parties would alternate until the map is complete. “This legislation offers a new approach, one grounded in transparency, balance, and competition,” he wrote in his cosponsorship memo.

Sen. Jarrett Coleman (R-Bucks/Lehigh) plans to offer legislation to create a bipartisan Executive Protection Oversight Board to review and approve expenditures for emergency executive protection activities at the Governor’s Residence, and on private property when the official residence is temporarily uninhabitable.

Rep. R. Lee James (R-Crawford/Venango) intends to introduce legislation to exempt volunteer fire and emergency medical service agencies from Right-to-Know Law requirements, except for funds and resources obtained from municipalities under the County Code. Sen. Judy Schwank (D-Berks) introduced a companion bill, SB 923, which is awaiting action in the Senate.

Two bills passed the state House by 197-3 votes to amend municipal codes to establish parameters for the information that must be included in a public notice advertisement to be considered legally sufficient. The legislation also requires advertisements for proposed ordinances to include references to the government office or website where copies of the ordinance may be reviewed. HB 2177, sponsored by Rep. Robert Freeman (D-Northampton), applies to boroughs, cities and counties, and HB 2179, sponsored by Rep. Christina Sappey (D-Chester), applies to townships.

The Senate Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee on Tuesday voted 7-3 to approve SB 923, sponsored by  Sen. Judy Schwank (D-Berks), which would exempt volunteer fire and emergency medical services companies from the state’s Right-to-Know Law.

“I feel it’s our duty as legislators to provide our first responders with the tools necessary to focus on doing the most critical aspect of their jobs, saving lives, not copying papers,” Schwank told the committee. She said the borough and township codes require first responders to account for public funds to local governments, and those records are accessible through the RTKL requests filed with the local government.

Sen. Katie Muth (D-Montgomery) was among those voting against the bill. She said the Pennsylvania State Association of Boroughs reported difficulty obtaining financial records from some volunteer companies. “If public funds are used, they should be publicly accessible and subject to the Right-to-Know Law,” Muth said.

Schwank said she is hopeful amendments can be offered on the Senate floor to ensure the records are provided to local governments. The bill now advances  to the full Senate for consideration.

Sen. Jarrett Coleman (R-Bucks/Lehigh) is proposing two bills aimed at curbing the growth of data center development in Pennsylvania.

One proposal would repeal a tax incentive enacted under a 2021 law to encourage data center construction and redirect the resulting revenue toward lowering the cost of gasoline and diesel fuel.

A second proposal would authorize municipalities to impose a moratorium on data center developments, giving local officials the time to revise zoning ordinances and establish policies addressing concerns about power supply, water use, noise and building setbacks.

Rep. Keith Greiner (R-Lancaster) plans to introduce legislation that would increase the jurisdictional limit for cases heard by magisterial district judges from $12,000 to $20,000. “This legislation would modernize the minor judicial system by allowing MDJs to hear a broader range of everyday civil disputes,” he wrote in his cosponsorship memorandum.

Sen. Doug Mastriano (R-Adams/Franklin) signaled his intention to offer legislation that would exempt some elderly homeowners from paying school, county and municipal property taxes. To qualify, homeowners would need to be at least 75 years old, have lived in the same Pennsylvania residence for at least 10 years, and continue to occupy that home.

The state House on Tuesday voted 107-94 with five Republicans joining the 102 Democrats in support of HB 2400, which contained Gov. Josh Shapiro’s $56.8 billion budget proposal. That represents a $2.5 billion increase over this year’s spending level. House Majority Appropriations Chairman Jordan Harris (D-Philadelphia) called the vote “an important step in moving the general appropriations bill process forward and keeping us on track to deliver an on-time budget for the people of Pennsylvania.”

Rep. Jeff Olsommer (R-Pike/Wayne) intends to introduce legislation that would extend the initial deadline for government agencies to respond to Right-to-Know Law requests from five business days to 10. He said the change would assist smaller agencies better manage requests.  “Such a change can only allow better adherence to the law and ensure its ultimate goal: transparency,” he wrote in his cosponsorship memo.

Rep. Melissa Shusterman (D-Chester) and Rep. Brian Rasel (R-Westmoreland)  are proposing legislation aimed at providing a contingency plan in the event of a future state budget impasse.

Shusterman intends to offer legislation that would require the General Assembly to remain in session every weekday after June 30 if a budget is not passed by then. She also proposes to amend the constitution to require the governor to call a special session when a state budget is not enacted by that date.

Rasel’s proposal would create the Temporary Budget Continuity Act, which would grant the state Treasury authority to continue state government operations during a budget impasse at 85% of the prior fiscal year’s appropriations. Payments would be limited to programs funded in the previous year’s budget, with those amounts deducted once a final budget is enacted.

Rep. Valerie Gaydos (R-Allegheny) plans to introduce legislation that would require individuals circulating nomination petitions for a candidate to be residents of the political district the candidate seeks to represent. “The purpose of the petition process is to demonstrate support from within the community in which a candidate will be running; the practice of bringing in circulators from outside of a district undermines that purpose entirely,” she wrote in her cosponsorship memo.

Sen. Camera Bartolotta (R-Beaver/Greene/Washington) plans to introduce legislation that would limit membership in the Public School Employees’ Retirement System to school employees. Her proposal would allow nongovernmental employees who are already enrolled in the system to retain their membership until their employment ends.

Rep. Robert Leadbeter (R-Columbia) signaled his intention to offer legislation that would require utility companies to clearly state, in plain language, any reduction in customers’ utility bills resulting from agreements with local data centers.

Rep. Paul Friel (D-Chester) intends to offer legislation that would allow municipalities to impose a 180-day moratorium on data center applications, which would give local officials time for research, consideration, and decision-making.

Rep. Joe McAndrew (D-Allegheny) plans to introduce legislation that would require ATMs to display a fee notification before a transaction begins, rather than at its conclusion. “People deserve to know these fees at the start of ATM transactions to (withdraw) their own money,” his cosponsorship memo states.

Effective April 20, 2026, the Pennsylvania Office of Open Records will no longer accept appeals or related filings submitted by email. All electronic appeals must be filed through the agency’s online appeal portal, and any documents emailed to the OOR, other than records submitted for in camera review at OOR direction, will not be accepted, docketed, or added to an existing case. Parties should use the portal for all electronic communications related to an appeal. Paper filings may still be submitted by U.S. mail in accordance with the OOR’s procedural guidelines.

Learn more here.

Rep. Barbara Gleim (R-Cumberland) intends to offer legislation to provide guidance to K-12 schools on protecting free speech and applying district policies in a way that ensures fair treatment of students across the political spectrum. The proposal, she labelled Safeguarding Personal Expression in K-12 Schools, or SPEAKS Act, is aimed at preventing unfair bias in the state’s education system, according to her cosponsorship memo.

Sen. Carolyn Comitta (D-Chester) is proposing legislation for Pennsylvania to participate in the global Plastic Free July movement by promoting plastic-free alternatives and reducing reliance on single-use plastics.

Rep. Joe Ciresi (D-Montgomery) plans to introduce legislation that would prohibit state and local governments from entering into nondisclosure agreements related to data center development. In his cosponsorship memo, he stated this proposal would “make sure that key decisions about the future of local communities are made with transparency and the ability for the public to fully participate.”

Sen. Marty Flynn (D-Lackawanna/Luzerne) plans to introduce legislation that would establish clear guardrails on how consumer data collected through loyalty programs may be used or sold to third parties, while preserving businesses’ ability to offer such programs. This legislation would require businesses to disclose how data is collected and used, ensure participation is voluntary through an opt-in consent; prohibit penalties for consumers who decline to share their data, and bar the sale of personal data without explicit consent, among other provisions.