HB 1741 — An Act amending the act of April 9, 1929 (P.L.343, No.176), known as The Fiscal Code, in Agriculture Conservation Assistance Program, further providing for definitions and for powers, duties and administration.

PRINTER'S NO.   2143

                  THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                      HOUSE BILL
                      No. 1741
                                             Session of
                                               2025

     INTRODUCED BY MIHALEK, BENHAM AND METZGAR, JULY 15, 2025

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE AND RURAL AFFAIRS,
        JULY 16, 2025


                                  AN ACT
 1   Amending the act of April 9, 1929 (P.L.343, No.176), entitled
 2      "An act relating to the finances of the State government;
 3      providing for cancer control, prevention and research, for
 4      ambulatory surgical center data collection, for the Joint
 5      Underwriting Association, for entertainment business
 6      financial management firms, for private dam financial
 7      assurance and for reinstatement of item vetoes; providing for
 8      the settlement, assessment, collection, and lien of taxes,
 9      bonus, and all other accounts due the Commonwealth, the
10      collection and recovery of fees and other money or property
11      due or belonging to the Commonwealth, or any agency thereof,
12      including escheated property and the proceeds of its sale,
13      the custody and disbursement or other disposition of funds
14      and securities belonging to or in the possession of the
15      Commonwealth, and the settlement of claims against the
16      Commonwealth, the resettlement of accounts and appeals to the
17      courts, refunds of moneys erroneously paid to the
18      Commonwealth, auditing the accounts of the Commonwealth and
19      all agencies thereof, of all public officers collecting
20      moneys payable to the Commonwealth, or any agency thereof,
21      and all receipts of appropriations from the Commonwealth,
22      authorizing the Commonwealth to issue tax anticipation notes
23      to defray current expenses, implementing the provisions of
24      section 7(a) of Article VIII of the Constitution of
25      Pennsylvania authorizing and restricting the incurring of
26      certain debt and imposing penalties; affecting every
27      department, board, commission, and officer of the State
28      government, every political subdivision of the State, and
29      certain officers of such subdivisions, every person,
30      association, and corporation required to pay, assess, or
31      collect taxes, or to make returns or reports under the laws
32      imposing taxes for State purposes, or to pay license fees or
33      other moneys to the Commonwealth, or any agency thereof,
34      every State depository and every debtor or creditor of the
 1      Commonwealth," in Agriculture Conservation Assistance
 2      Program, further providing for definitions and for powers,
 3      duties and administration.
 4      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
 5   hereby enacts as follows:
 6      Section 1.     The definition of "best management practice" or
 7   "BMP" in section 1601-R of the act of April 9, 1929 (P.L.343,
 8   No.176), known as The Fiscal Code, is amended and the section is
 9   amended by adding definitions to read:
10   Section 1601-R.    Definitions.
11      The following words and phrases when used in this article
12   shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
13   context clearly indicates otherwise:
14      * * *
15      "Best management practice" or "BMP."     A practice or
16   combination of practices determined by the commission or United
17   States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation
18   Service to be effective and practical, considering
19   technological, economic and institutional factors, to manage
20   nutrients and sediment to protect surface water and groundwater.
21   The term includes the use of cover crops.
22      * * *
23      "Cover crop."    A crop grown primarily for the purpose of
24   controlling erosion, suppressing weeds, reducing soil
25   compaction, increasing moisture and nutrient content of soil,
26   improving yield potential, attracting pollinators or providing
27   habitat for beneficial insects and wildlife as well as
28   supplemental food for animals, including certain grasses, small
29   grains and legumes.
30      "Cover crop project."    A best management practice in which
31   cover crops are used.


20250HB1741PN2143                      - 2 -
 1      * * *
 2      Section 2.     Section 1604-R(e) of the act is amended by adding
 3   a paragraph to read:
 4   Section 1604-R.      Powers, duties and administration.
 5      * * *
 6      (e)   Powers and duties of participating conservation
 7   districts.--The following shall apply:
 8            * * *
 9            (2.1)   (i)    Except as provided under subparagraph (ii),
10            no less than 15% of the amount apportioned to each
11            conservation district shall be awarded for cover crop
12            projects.
13                (ii)      If a conservation district receives complete
14            applications for cover crop projects in amounts less than
15            the amount under subparagraph (i), the conservation
16            district may allocate the remaining amount to other best
17            management practices.
18            * * *
19      Section 3.     This act shall take effect in 60 days.




20250HB1741PN2143                       - 3 -