Pennsylvania 2025-2026 Regular Session Status: Passed Senate 7 R cosponsors

SB 1281 — An Act amending the act of July 31, 1968 (P.L.805, No.247), known as the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code, in planned residential development, providing for expedited high density housing approval.

Last action — Referred to Housing & Community Development

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

This bill has passed the Senate. Introduced April 14, 2026. It now moves to the second chamber.

Next likely step: consideration and a floor vote in the House.

Odds of enactment

Moderate chance

Based on the sponsor, cosponsors, and committee posture, this bill has a moderate 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

Advancing 58% · moderate confidence
  • Passed Senate

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 7 sponsors

    1 primary, 6 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Single-party support

    Sponsorship is currently within one party (7 R).

  • Cleared a recorded vote

    Passed 4 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.

In plain language

The bill allows faster approval for high-density housing developments in Pennsylvania.

This legislation amends the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code to expedite the approval process for planned residential developments with high density. It aims to facilitate quicker construction of housing to address housing needs.

What this means for you
  • Workers: An increase in housing could provide more living options for workers in urban areas.
  • Families: This bill may lead to more housing options becoming available in quicker timeframes.
  • Small Business: Developers may experience a more efficient approval process, potentially increasing investment in residential projects.

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

80 added · 73 removed

Plain-language change summary

The revised version of Bill SB 1281 includes changes that clarify the conditions under which certain types of residential development can be approved. Specifically, it ensures that any new developments still comply with existing comprehensive plans and land use regulations. This matters because it balances the need for additional housing with respect for community planning goals, helping to prevent potential conflicts between new projects and established zoning rules.

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PRINTER'S NO.
PRIOR PRINTER'S NO.
1589 THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA SENATE BILL Session of 2026 No.
1589 PRINTER'S NO.
INTRODUCED BY ROTHMAN, PICOZZI, STEFANO, LAUGHLIN, PHILLIPS- HILL, DUSH AND VOGEL, APRIL 14, 2026 REFERRED TO URBAN AFFAIRS AND HOUSING, APRIL 14, 2026 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;
1760 THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA SENATE BILL Session of 2026 No.
INTRODUCED BY ROTHMAN, PICOZZI, STEFANO, LAUGHLIN, PHILLIPS- HILL, DUSH AND VOGEL, APRIL 14, 2026 AS AMENDED ON THIRD CONSIDERATION, JUNE 2, 2026 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;
Expedited High Density Housing Approval.--(a) No later than one year after the effective date of this subsection, the board shall adopt rules requiring the governing body of a municipality to issue a land use decision, notwithstanding any comprehensive plan or land use regulations or Statewide land use planning goals, approving the development of specified residential development types on certain lots or parcels under specified conditions under this section.
Expedited High Density Housing Approval.--(a) No later than one year after the effective date of this subsection, the board shall adopt rules requiring the governing body of a municipality to issue a land use decision, notwithstanding any comprehensive plan or land use regulations <-- or Statewide land use planning goals IN COMPLIANCE WITH EXISTING <-- COMPREHENSIVE PLANS OR MUNICIPAL LAND USE REGULATIONS OR STATEWIDE LAND USE PLANNING GOALS, approving the development of specified residential development types on certain lots or parcels under specified conditions under this section.
(d) The board may specify for the approved residential development types allowed under this section:
(d) The board may specify for the approved residential 20260SB1281PN1760 - 2 - development types allowed under this section:
(1) Processes that the municipalities may apply to the 20260SB1281PN1589 - 2 - development, except for public facilities or traffic impact analysis processes, which the municipality may establish and implement.
(1) Processes that the municipalities may apply to the development, except for public facilities or traffic impact analysis processes, which the municipality may establish and implement.
Plans and specifications submitted under this paragraph shall remain proprietary unless the submitter requests otherwise.
Plans and specifications submitted under this 20260SB1281PN1760 - 3 - paragraph shall remain proprietary unless the submitter requests otherwise.
20260SB1281PN1589 - 3 - (g) As used in this section, the following words and phrases shall have the meanings given to them in this subsection unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:
(g) As used in this section, the following words and phrases shall have the meanings given to them in this subsection unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:
Section 2.
SECTION 2.
NOTHING IN THIS ACT SHALL BE CONSTRUED TO <-- AUTHORIZE APPROVAL OF A RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT TYPE UNDER THE ADDITION OF SECTION 707.1 OF THE ACT UNLESS THE DEVELOPMENT COMPLIES WITH THE APPLICABLE ZONING ORDINANCE OR LAND USE REGULATION OF THE MUNICIPALITY.
Section 2 3.
20260SB1281PN1589 - 4 -
<-- 20260SB1281PN1760 - 4 -
View plain text versions (2)

Action History

  1. Referred to Housing & Community Development

  2. Third consideration and final passage

  3. Amended on third consideration

  4. Re-reported as committed

  5. Re-referred to Appropriations

  6. Second consideration

  7. First consideration

  8. Reported as committed

  9. Referred to Urban Affairs & Housing

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

Export CSV (upgrade) →

1 sponsors · 6 co-sponsors · 246 not signed on · 2 voted No

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (6)

Not signed on (246)

246 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 246 →

"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

FINAL PASSAGE

Passed 50 Yea · 0 Nay
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Republican 27000
Democratic 23000
Total 50000
% of votes cast 100%0%0%0%
How each member voted (50)
Member Party Vote
Amanda M. Cappelletti Democratic Yea
Anthony H. Williams Democratic Yea
Art Haywood Democratic Yea
Carolyn T. Comitta Democratic Yea
Christine M. Tartaglione Democratic Yea
James Andrew Malone Democratic Yea
Jay Costa Democratic Yea
John I. Kane Democratic Yea
Judith L. Schwank Democratic Yea
Katie J. Muth Democratic Yea
Lindsey M. Williams Democratic Yea
Lisa M. Boscola Democratic Yea
Maria Collett Democratic Yea
Marty Flynn Democratic Yea
Nick Miller Democratic Yea
Nick Pisciottano Democratic Yea
Nikil Saval Democratic Yea
Patty Kim Democratic Yea
Sharif Street Democratic Yea
Steven J. Santarsiero Democratic Yea
Timothy P. Kearney Democratic Yea
Vincent J. Hughes Democratic Yea
Wayne D. Fontana Democratic Yea
Camera Bartolotta Republican Yea
Chris Gebhard Republican Yea
Cris Dush Republican Yea
Daniel Laughlin Republican Yea
David G. Argall Republican Yea
Dawn W. Keefer Republican Yea
Devlin J. Robinson Republican Yea
Doug Mastriano Republican Yea
Elder A. Vogel Republican Yea
Frank A. Farry Republican Yea
Gene Yaw Republican Yea
Greg Rothman Republican Yea
Jarrett Coleman Republican Yea
Joe Picozzi Republican Yea
Joe Pittman Republican Yea
Judy Ward Republican Yea
Kim L. Ward Republican Yea
Kristin Phillips-Hill Republican Yea
Lisa Baker Republican Yea
Lynda Schlegel Culver Republican Yea
Michele Brooks Republican Yea
Patrick J. Stefano Republican Yea
Rosemary M. Brown Republican Yea
Scott E. Hutchinson Republican Yea
Scott Martin Republican Yea
Tracy Pennycuick Republican Yea
Wayne Langerholc Republican Yea

Official roll call →

Passed 50 Yea · 0 Nay
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Republican 27000
Democratic 23000
Total 50000
% of votes cast 100%0%0%0%
How each member voted (50)
Member Party Vote
Amanda M. Cappelletti Democratic Yea
Anthony H. Williams Democratic Yea
Art Haywood Democratic Yea
Carolyn T. Comitta Democratic Yea
Christine M. Tartaglione Democratic Yea
James Andrew Malone Democratic Yea
Jay Costa Democratic Yea
John I. Kane Democratic Yea
Judith L. Schwank Democratic Yea
Katie J. Muth Democratic Yea
Lindsey M. Williams Democratic Yea
Lisa M. Boscola Democratic Yea
Maria Collett Democratic Yea
Marty Flynn Democratic Yea
Nick Miller Democratic Yea
Nick Pisciottano Democratic Yea
Nikil Saval Democratic Yea
Patty Kim Democratic Yea
Sharif Street Democratic Yea
Steven J. Santarsiero Democratic Yea
Timothy P. Kearney Democratic Yea
Vincent J. Hughes Democratic Yea
Wayne D. Fontana Democratic Yea
Camera Bartolotta Republican Yea
Chris Gebhard Republican Yea
Cris Dush Republican Yea
Daniel Laughlin Republican Yea
David G. Argall Republican Yea
Dawn W. Keefer Republican Yea
Devlin J. Robinson Republican Yea
Doug Mastriano Republican Yea
Elder A. Vogel Republican Yea
Frank A. Farry Republican Yea
Gene Yaw Republican Yea
Greg Rothman Republican Yea
Jarrett Coleman Republican Yea
Joe Picozzi Republican Yea
Joe Pittman Republican Yea
Judy Ward Republican Yea
Kim L. Ward Republican Yea
Kristin Phillips-Hill Republican Yea
Lisa Baker Republican Yea
Lynda Schlegel Culver Republican Yea
Michele Brooks Republican Yea
Patrick J. Stefano Republican Yea
Rosemary M. Brown Republican Yea
Scott E. Hutchinson Republican Yea
Scott Martin Republican Yea
Tracy Pennycuick Republican Yea
Wayne Langerholc Republican Yea

Official roll call →

Passed 21 Yea · 1 Nay
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Republican 13100
Democratic 8000
Total 21100
% of votes cast 95%5%0%0%
How each member voted (22)
Member Party Vote
Amanda M. Cappelletti Democratic Yea
Art Haywood Democratic Yea
Jay Costa Democratic Yea
Judith L. Schwank Democratic Yea
Patty Kim Democratic Yea
Sharif Street Democratic Yea
Timothy P. Kearney Democratic Yea
Vincent J. Hughes Democratic Yea
Cris Dush Republican Yea
Daniel Laughlin Republican Yea
Devlin J. Robinson Republican Yea
Elder A. Vogel Republican Yea
Jarrett Coleman Republican Yea
Joe Picozzi Republican Yea
Joe Pittman Republican Yea
Kim L. Ward Republican Yea
Kristin Phillips-Hill Republican Yea
Lynda Schlegel Culver Republican Yea
Rosemary M. Brown Republican Yea
Scott Martin Republican Yea
Tracy Pennycuick Republican Yea
Wayne Langerholc Republican Nay

Official roll call →

Passed 10 Yea · 1 Nay
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Republican 7000
Democratic 3100
Total 10100
% of votes cast 91%9%0%0%
How each member voted (11)
Member Party Vote
Nick Miller Democratic Nay
Nikil Saval Democratic Yea
Sharif Street Democratic Yea
Wayne D. Fontana Democratic Yea
David G. Argall Republican Yea
Dawn W. Keefer Republican Yea
Elder A. Vogel Republican Yea
Frank A. Farry Republican Yea
Jarrett Coleman Republican Yea
Joe Picozzi Republican Yea
Kim L. Ward Republican Yea

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 SB 1281?
SB 1281 is sponsored by Greg Rothman (Republican), Joe Picozzi (Republican), Patrick J. Stefano (Republican), Daniel Laughlin (Republican), Kristin Phillips-Hill (Republican), Cris Dush (Republican), and Elder A. Vogel (Republican).
What is the current status of SB 1281?
This bill has passed the Senate. Introduced April 14, 2026. It now moves to the second chamber.
Where can I track SB 1281?
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