Summary of Legislation | December 2020 

The following bills and co-sponsorship memos for bills were acted on by the General Assembly in December. The 2021/22 Legislature was sworn in on January 5, 2021.

Bidding / Contracting 

• HCO 77 (Owlett) –  Campground Cabin Construction Excludes pre-engineered, manufactured cabins, that arrive already assembled from the requirements of the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act (Act 45 of 1999). Filed, 12/1/2020
• SCO 152 (DiSanto) – Flexibility for Local Government Advertising and Notice Requirements Provides a flexible menu of options for local governments to use in complying with current requirements to advertise and provide public notice in physically printed newspapers. Filed, 12/3/2020 
• SCO 204 (Martin) – Prohibiting Discriminatory Project Labor Agreements Prohibits discriminatory project labor agreements (PLAs). Filed, 12/3/2020
• SCO 342 (Bartolotta) –  Elevating DEP’s Erosion and Sediment Control Permits Provides increased certainty in the oil and gas permitting process while ensuring strong and consistent standards that protect the environment and natural resources. Filed, 12/11/2020
• SCO 421 (Stefano) –  Streamlining the Steel Products Procurement Act Reduces bureaucratic red tape by reducing the amount of paperwork required by the Steel Products Procurement Act. Filed, 12/22/2020

COVID-19 Related Legislation

• HCO 63 (Kenyatta) – Urging Congress to Help the Self-Employed, Independent Contractors, and “Gig” Economy Workers During the COVID-19 Crisis  A Resolution urging Congress to add unemployment benefits and protections for independent contractors and others who normally don’t qualify for benefits in any new COVID-19 legislative aid package. Filed, 12/1/2020 

Environmental Building Standards

• HCO 304 (Warren) –  Water Bottle Filling Stations Requires newly-constructed state buildings, as well as existing state buildings undergoing renovations to their water and pipe infrastructure to install water bottle filling stations. Filed, 12/8/2020

Liability 

• SCO 15 (Laughlin) – Reducing the Statute of Repose of Construction Projects Reduces the statute of repose for construction projects from twelve to six years. Filed, 12/1/2020 
• SCO 96 (Baker) – Pandemic Liability Protections Provides for limited, temporary and targeted COVID-19-related liability for those who have attempted to comply with state and federal COVID guidelines. Filed, 12/2/2020

 Local/State Government/Regulations

• HCO 147 (Grove) – Reinventing Government Merges multiple state agencies into four new state agencies. Filed, 12/2/2020
• HCO 292 (Owlett) –  Legislation to Amend the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act (Former House Bill 832) Amends the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act requiring that decisions rendered by a local Uniform Construction Code board of appeals are honored by any subsequent code administrators that might take jurisdiction over a project. Filed, 12/7/2020
• SCO 238 (J. Ward) –  Agritainment: Exempting Agriculture Buildings from the Uniform Construction Code Exempts agriculture buildings from Uniform Construction Code requirements. Filed, 12/4/2020 
• SCO 320 (Tartaglione) – Protecting Workplace Safety Establishes the Pennsylvania Occupational Safety and Health Review Board within the Department of Labor and Industry. Filed, 12/9/2020

Local/Property Tax Reform 

• SCO 30 (Laughlin) –  Expanding Tax Credits for New Jobs in Pennsylvania’s Opportunity Zones Requires the commonwealth to prioritize CRIZ designations in Pennsylvania’s Opportunity Zones as well as give priority and support to the physical infrastructure of Opportunity Zones. Filed, 12/1/2020

Professional Licensure 

• HCO 206 (Rothman) – State Board Licensing Reform (Former HB2127) Requires a defendant/respondent to appear in person for any scheduled hearing that is being held before a licensing board, commission or hearing examiner. Filed, 12/3/2020

School Construction 

• HCO 599 (DeLuca) –  School District Financial Reform Package Provides for certain restrictions on school districts when borrowing funds and implementing construction plans. Filed, 12/21/2020 
• SCO 44 (Langerholc) –  School Mandate Waiver Program Allows public schools in the commonwealth to apply to the Department of Education for a waiver of many state-imposed mandates. Filed, 12/1/2020 

Copies of all bills of interest can be accessed via the Internet at: http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/home/session.cfm

 Upcoming Meetings of Interest

• House Committee Meetings and Session can be Viewed Online
• Senate Committee Meetings and Session can be Streamed  

2021 Senate Session Schedule

• January          5, 25, 26, 27
• February         1, 2, 3
• March             15, 16, 17, 22, 23, 24
• April                12, 13, 14, 19, 20, 21
• May                10, 11, 12, 24, 25, 26
• June                7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 21, 22, 23, 28, 29, 30

 2021 House Session Schedule

• January          5, 11, 12, 13, 25, 26, 27
• February         1, 2, 3
• March             15, 16, 17, 22, 23, 24
• April                5, 6, 7, 19, 20, 21, 26, 27, 28
• May                3, 4, 5, 24, 25, 26
• June                7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 28, 29, 30
• September      13, 14, 15, 27, 28, 29
• October          4, 5, 6, 25, 26, 27
• November       8, 9, 10, 15, 16, 17
• December       13, 14, 15

State Registration Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors and Geologists Meeting Schedule 

• January 8
• March 23
• May 17
• July 14
• September 29
• November 5

All Board meetings are open to the public and will be held remotely via Webex until further notice. https://www.dos.pa.gov/ProfessionalLicensing/BoardsCommissions/EngineersLandSurveyorsandGeologists/Pages/General-Board-Information.aspx#.VHNkfFZOk5s

 State Geospatial Coordinating Board Meeting Schedule

• March 15
• June 14
• August 23
• November 15
• Meeting Location: 1 Technology Park, Commonwealth Technology Center (CTC), Harrisburg, PA 17110
• Time: 1:30 PM – 3:00 PM

https://www.oa.pa.gov/Programs/Information%20Technology/Pages/geoboard.aspx