Pennsylvania 2025-2026 Regular Session Status: In Committee Bipartisan · 9 R · 3 D cosponsors

HB 977 — An Act amending the act of July 31, 1968 (P.L.805, No.247), known as the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code, in general provisions, further providing for definitions; and, in zoning hearing board and other administrative proceedings, further providing for hearings.

Last action — Laid on the table

  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. 2
    In Committee
  3. 3
    Passed House
  4. 4
    Passed Senate
  5. 5
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill is in committee in the House. Introduced March 19, 2025. It must pass committee before a floor vote.

Next likely step: a committee vote, then a floor vote in the House.

Odds of enactment

Low chance

Based on the sponsor, cosponsors, and committee posture, this bill has a low chance of becoming law.

Upgrade to see the exact probability and what's driving it.

A statistical estimate from our own model of past outcomes — an insight, not a guarantee. Policymaking is volatile.

Prognosis

Likely to advance 62% · high confidence
  • In Committee

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 12 sponsors

    1 primary, 11 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Bipartisan support

    Sponsored across 2 parties (9 R · 3 D) — cross-party backing.

  • Cleared a recorded vote

    Passed 2 recorded votes so far.

Based on stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes, and cross-state momentum — a description of the observable signals, not a prediction.

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

51 added · 35 removed

Plain-language change summary

The latest amendment to Bill HB 977 introduces a new definition for "recording device" to include various forms of photography and audio recording in the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code. Additionally, it simplifies the language around hearings conducted by zoning boards by focusing on the procedures without unnecessary legal jargon. These changes help clarify how hearings are documented and ensure that all parties involved have access to accurate records, making the process more transparent and efficient. This is important for residents who want to understand and engage in local government decisions.

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PRINTER'S NO.
PRIOR PRINTER'S NO.
1060 THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA HOUSE BILL Session of 2025 No.
1060 PRINTER'S NO.
INTRODUCED BY KUZMA, VENKAT, MAJOR, COOPER, ARMANINI, HOGAN, MIHALEK, KAIL AND SCHEUREN, MARCH 19, 2025 REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT, MARCH 19, 2025 AN ACT Amending the act of July 31, 1968 (P.L.805, No.247), entitled "An act to empower cities of the second class A, and third class, boroughs, incorporated towns, townships of the first and second classes including those within a county of the second class and counties of the second through eighth classes, individually or jointly, to plan their development and to govern the same by zoning, subdivision and land development ordinances, planned residential development and other ordinances, by official maps, by the reservation of certain land for future public purpose and by the acquisition of such land;
1650 THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA HOUSE BILL Session of No.
to promote the conservation of energy through utilization of renewable energy sources;
977 2025 INTMIHALEK, KAIL, SCHEUREN, KULIK, GREEN AND ROWE,NI, HOGAN, MARCH 19, 2025 AS REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, AS AMENDED, MAY 7, 2025 AN ACT Amending the act of July 31, 1968 (P.L.805, No.247), entitled "An act to empower cities of the second class A, and third and second classes including those within a county of thest second class and counties of the second through eighth classes, individually or jointly, to plan their development and to govern the same by zoning, subdivision and land development ordinances, planned residential development and other ordinances, by official maps, by the reservation of certain land for future public purpose and by the acquisition of such land;
to promote the conservation of energy through the use of planning practices and to promote the effective utilization of renewable energy sources;
providing for appropriations, appeals to courts and penalties for violations;
providing for appropriations, appeals to parts of acts," IN GENERAL PROVISIONS, FURTHER PROVIDING FOR <-- DEFINITIONS;
and repealing acts and parts of acts," in zoning hearing board and other administrative proceedings, further providing for hearings.
AND, in zoning hearing board and other administrative proceedings, further providing for hearings.
Section 908(7) of the act of July 31, 1968 (P.L.805, No.247), known as the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code, is amended to read:
Section 908(7) of the act of July 31, 1968 <-- (P.L.805, No.247), known as the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code, is amended to read:
SECTION 1.
SECTION 107(A) OF THE ACT OF JULY 31, 1968 <-- (P.L.805, NO.247), KNOWN AS THE PENNSYLVANIA MUNICIPALITIES PLANNING CODE, IS AMENDED BY ADDING A DEFINITION TO READ:
SECTION 107.
DEFINITIONS.--(A) THE FOLLOWING WORDS AND PHRASES WHEN USED IN THIS ACT SHALL HAVE THE MEANINGS GIVEN TO THEM IN THIS SUBSECTION UNLESS THE CONTEXT CLEARLY INDICATES OTHERWISE:
* * * "RECORDING DEVICE," A PHOTOGRAPHIC OR VIDEO CAMERA, AUDIO OR VIDEO RECORDER OR OTHER DEVICE NOW EXISTING OR LATER DEVELOPED THAT MAY BE USED FOR RECORDING OR TRANSFERRING IMAGES, AUDIO, VIDEO OR ANY COMBINATION THEREOF.
* * * SECTION 2.
SECTION 908(7) OF THE ACT IS AMENDED TO READ:
* * * (7) The board or the hearing officer, as the case may be, shall either keep a stenographic record of the proceedings or an audio recording of sufficient quality to ensure accurate transcription if needed for appeal.
* * * (7) The board or the hearing officer, as the case may be, shall either keep a stenographic record of the proceedings or an audio recording A RECORDING FROM A <-- RECORDING DEVICE of sufficient quality to ensure accurate transcription if needed for appeal.
The appearance fee for a stenographer or the cost of producing an audio recording shall be shared equally by the applicant and the board.
The appearance fee for a stenographer or the cost of producing an audio A recording <-- shall be shared equally by the applicant and the board.
In other cases the party requesting the original transcript shall bear the cost thereof.
In other cases the party 20250HB0977PN1650 - 2 - requesting the original transcript shall bear the cost thereof.
* * * Section 2.
* * * Section 2 3.
20250HB0977PN1060 - 2 -
<-- 20250HB0977PN1650 - 3 -
View plain text versions (2)

Action History

  1. Laid on the table

  2. First consideration

  3. Reported as amended

  4. Referred to Local Government

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 11 co-sponsors · 241 not signed on · 1 voted No

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (11)

Not signed on (241)

241 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 241 →

"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Votes

Passed 26 Yea · 0 Nay
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Democratic 14000
Republican 12000
Total 26000
% of votes cast 100%0%0%0%
How each member voted (26)
Member Party Vote
Abigail Salisbury Democratic Yea
Brian Munroe Democratic Yea
Carol Kazeem Democratic Yea
Christina D. Sappey Democratic Yea
Dave Madsen Democratic Yea
Ismail Smith-Wade-El Democratic Yea
Jim Haddock Democratic Yea
Jim Prokopiak Democratic Yea
Justin C. Fleming Democratic Yea
Kyle Donahue Democratic Yea
Lisa A. Borowski Democratic Yea
Liz Hanbidge Democratic Yea
Robert Freeman Democratic Yea
Tarah Probst Democratic Yea
Alec J. Ryncavage Republican Yea
Andrew Kuzma Republican Yea
Brett R. Miller Republican Yea
Chad G. Reichard Republican Yea
Dane Watro Republican Yea
Eric J. Weaknecht Republican Yea
Jacob D. Banta Republican Yea
Jill N. Cooper Republican Yea
Parke Wentling Republican Yea
Roman Kozak Republican Yea
Tom Jones Republican Yea
Wendy Fink Republican Yea

Official roll call →

Passed 25 Yea · 1 Nay
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Democratic 14000
Republican 11100
Total 25100
% of votes cast 96%4%0%0%
How each member voted (26)
Member Party Vote
Abigail Salisbury Democratic Yea
Brian Munroe Democratic Yea
Carol Kazeem Democratic Yea
Christina D. Sappey Democratic Yea
Dave Madsen Democratic Yea
Ismail Smith-Wade-El Democratic Yea
Jim Haddock Democratic Yea
Jim Prokopiak Democratic Yea
Justin C. Fleming Democratic Yea
Kyle Donahue Democratic Yea
Lisa A. Borowski Democratic Yea
Liz Hanbidge Democratic Yea
Robert Freeman Democratic Yea
Tarah Probst Democratic Yea
Alec J. Ryncavage Republican Yea
Andrew Kuzma Republican Yea
Brett R. Miller Republican Yea
Chad G. Reichard Republican Yea
Dane Watro Republican Yea
Eric J. Weaknecht Republican Yea
Jacob D. Banta Republican Yea
Jill N. Cooper Republican Yea
Parke Wentling Republican Yea
Roman Kozak Republican Yea
Tom Jones Republican Yea
Wendy Fink Republican Nay

Official roll call →

Subjects

Cross-referencing the record. Reading this bill against every other bill in the corpus by meaning, not keywords. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Matching · Ranking · Engrossing

Frequently asked questions

Who sponsors HB 977?
HB 977 is sponsored by Andrew Kuzma (Republican), Arvind Venkat (Democratic), Abby Major (Republican), Jill N. Cooper (Republican), Mike Armanini (Republican), Joe Hogan (Republican), Natalie Mihalek (Republican), Joshua D. Kail (Republican), Donna Scheuren (Republican), Anita Astorino Kulik (Democratic), G. Roni Green (Democratic), and David H. Rowe (Republican).
What is the current status of HB 977?
This bill is in committee in the House. Introduced March 19, 2025. It must pass committee before a floor vote.
Where can I track HB 977?
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Last checked for changes 3 months ago · updated continuously

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