HB 1951 — An Act imposing requirements when lands containing certain State correctional institutions are offered for sale; and imposing duties on the Department of Corrections and the Office of Attorney General.

PRINTER'S NO.   2459

                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                         HOUSE BILL
                         No. 1951
                                               Session of
                                                 2025

     INTRODUCED BY CONKLIN, KEPHART, HILL-EVANS, NEILSON, ARMANINI
        AND CIRESI, OCTOBER 15, 2025

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT, OCTOBER 16, 2025


                                    AN ACT
 1   Imposing requirements when lands containing certain State
 2      correctional institutions are offered for sale; and imposing
 3      duties on the Department of Corrections and the Office of
 4      Attorney General.
 5      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
 6   hereby enacts as follows:
 7   Section 1.   Short title.
 8      This act shall be known and may be cited as the State
 9   Correctional Institution Land Sale Transparency Act.
10   Section 2.   Definitions.
11      The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
12   have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
13   context clearly indicates otherwise:
14      "Approval certificate."    A certificate issued by the Office
15   of Attorney General that indicates the acceptance of a bid to
16   purchase real estate and certifies the Office of Attorney
17   General has adhered to the requirements of this act.
18      "Department."    The Department of Corrections of the
19   Commonwealth.
 1      "State correctional institution."   A State correctional
 2   institution as defined in 61 Pa.C.S. § 102 (relating to
 3   definitions) that is permanently closing at the direction of the
 4   department according to the act of October 24, 2018 (P.L.813,
 5   No.133), known as the Public Safety Facilities Act.
 6   Section 3.   Sale of real estate of State correctional
 7                institution.
 8      In addition to any other requirement under law, if real
 9   estate that was formerly a State correctional institution is
10   offered for sale:
11          (1)   The department shall transmit a notice of intention
12      to sell real estate of the State correctional institution to
13      the Legislative Reference Bureau for publication in the next
14      available issue of the Pennsylvania Bulletin. The notice
15      shall include a description of the real estate and
16      information on how to submit bids to the Attorney General for
17      purchase of the real estate.
18          (2)   Bids for the purchase of the real estate under this
19      act shall be accepted by the Attorney General for 30 days.
20          (3)   The Attorney General shall review bids within seven
21      days after closure of the bidding process. The Attorney
22      General shall approve the sale of the real estate to the
23      highest responsible bidder with acceptable conditions.
24          (4)   The department, in consultation with the Attorney
25      General, may establish a reserve amount of money that must be
26      met prior to acceptance of an offer under paragraph (3).
27          (5)   The Attorney General shall submit the names of all
28      bidders and bid amounts to the Legislative Reference Bureau
29      for publication in the next available issue of the
30      Pennsylvania Bulletin after the bidding process is complete.

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 1          (6)   The Attorney General shall transmit the name and bid
 2      amount accepted by the Attorney General to the Legislative
 3      Reference Bureau for publication in the next available issue
 4      of the Pennsylvania Bulletin.
 5          (7)   The deed conveying the real estate to the highest
 6      responsible bidder shall be filed with the office of the
 7      recorder of deeds located in the county where the real estate
 8      is situate and must be accompanied by an approval
 9      certificate.
10   Section 4.   Application.
11      This act shall apply to the sale of real estate on which a
12   State correctional institution is located if the sale occurs on
13   or after the effective date of this section.
14   Section 5.   Effective date.
15      This act shall take effect in 60 days.




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