HB 2177 — An Act amending Titles 8 (Boroughs and Incorporated Towns), 11 (Cities) and 16 (Counties) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in ordinances, further providing for publication; in council, further providing for publication of proposed ordinance; and, in county commissioners and chief clerks, further providing for ordinances and resolutions.

PRINTER'S NO.   2832

                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                         HOUSE BILL
                         No. 2177
                                                Session of
                                                  2026

     INTRODUCED BY FREEMAN, SAPPEY, SMITH-WADE-EL, JAMES AND
        B. MILLER, JANUARY 30, 2026

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT, JANUARY 30, 2026


                                     AN ACT
 1   Amending Titles 8 (Boroughs and Incorporated Towns), 11 (Cities)
 2      and 16 (Counties) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes,
 3      in ordinances, further providing for publication; in council,
 4      further providing for publication of proposed ordinance; and,
 5      in county commissioners and chief clerks, further providing
 6      for ordinances and resolutions.
 7      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
 8   hereby enacts as follows:
 9      Section 1.    Section 3301.2(a) and (b) heading of Title 8 of
10   the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, amended March 8, 2024
11   (P.L.2, No.2), are amended and the section is amended by adding
12   subsections to read:
13   § 3301.2.   Publication.
14      (a)   Requirements.--Except as provided under this part or
15   other law, council shall publish every proposed ordinance once
16   in one newspaper of general circulation no less than seven days
17   and no more than 60 days prior to the day when council shall
18   vote on the proposed ordinance. Publication of any proposed
19   ordinance shall include all of the following:
20            [(1)   The full text or the title of the ordinance and a
 1      brief summary prepared by the borough solicitor setting forth
 2      all the provisions in reasonable detail.]
 3          (1)   The full text of the proposed ordinance or the title
 4      and a brief summary of the proposed ordinance. The brief
 5      summary shall include a description of each of the following,
 6      as applicable:
 7                (i)    An adoption, amendment or repeal of a tax, fee,
 8          charge or assessment.
 9                (ii)    An adoption, amendment or repeal of a
10          regulation that provides for an offense or civil or
11          criminal penalty.
12                (iii)    A provision or covenant that does one or more
13          of the following:
14                       (A)   Provides for the payment or disbursement of
15                funds for goods, services or contractual obligations.
16                       (B)   Restricts funds to a specific purpose or
17                obligation.
18                       (C)   Pledges funds for a specific purpose or
19                obligation.
20          (2)   A reference to the borough office or other place
21      where [borough records are kept where] copies of the proposed
22      ordinance may be examined.
23          (3)   A reference to the publicly accessible Internet
24      website, if any, where the full text of the proposed
25      ordinance may be examined.
26      (a.1)   Legal sufficiency.--If a published summary is subject
27   to a legal challenge, a summary shall be legally sufficient if
28   the summary containing the information required under subsection
29   (a)(1) is made available for examination at the time of
30   publication in conformity with subsection (a)(2) and (3).

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 1      (a.2)     Land use ordinances.--Notwithstanding subsection (a)
 2   (1), the requirements of this section shall not supersede the
 3   publication or notification requirements of a proposed ordinance
 4   under the act of July 31, 1968 (P.L.805, No.247), known as the
 5   Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code.
 6      (b)   [Summary] Full text availability.--If the full text is
 7   not included in the publication of the proposed ordinance, the
 8   following shall apply:
 9            * * *
10      Section 2.        Section 11018.9(b)(1) of Title 11 is amended and
11   the section is amended by adding a subsection to read:
12   § 11018.9.     Publication of proposed ordinances.
13      * * *
14      (b)   Contents.--
15            (1)   Except as otherwise provided by law, the publication
16      of a proposed ordinance shall include [either:
17                  (i)    the full text; or
18                  (ii)    the title and a summary of the ordinance
19            setting forth the provisions in reasonable detail and a
20            reference to a place within the city where copies of the
21            proposed ordinance may be examined.] all of the
22            following:
23                  (i)    The full text of the proposed ordinance or the
24            title and a brief summary of the proposed ordinance. The
25            brief summary shall include a description of each of the
26            following, as applicable:
27                         (A)   An adoption, amendment or repeal of a tax,
28                  fee, charge or assessment.
29                         (B)   An adoption, amendment or repeal of a
30                  regulation that provides for an offense or civil or

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 1               criminal penalty.
 2                      (C)   A provision or covenant that does one or
 3               more of the following:
 4                            (I)    Provides for the payment or disbursement
 5                      of funds for goods, services or contractual
 6                      obligations.
 7                            (II)    Restricts funds to a specific purpose
 8                      or obligation.
 9                            (III)   Pledges funds for a specific purpose
10                      or obligation.
11               (ii)    A reference to the city office or other place
12          where copies of the proposed ordinance may be examined.
13               (iii)    A reference to the publicly accessible
14          Internet website, if any, where the full text of the
15          proposed ordinances may be examined.
16          * * *
17      (b.1)   Legal sufficiency.--If a published summary is subject
18   to a legal challenge, a summary shall be legally sufficient if
19   the summary containing the information required under subsection
20   (b)(1)(i) is made available for examination at the time of
21   publication in conformity with subsection (b)(1)(ii) and (iii).
22      (b.2)   Land use ordinances.--Notwithstanding subsection (b)
23   (1)(i), the requirements of this section shall not supersede the
24   publication or notification requirements of a proposed ordinance
25   under the act of July 31, 1968 (P.L.805, No.247), known as the
26   Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code.
27      * * *
28      Section 3.   Section 12509(b)(2) of Title 16, added May 8,
29   2024 (P.L.50, No.14), is amended and the section is amended by
30   adding subsections to read:

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 1   § 12509.    Ordinances and resolutions.
 2      * * *
 3      (b)     Publication.--
 4            * * *
 5            (2)   A public notice of a proposed ordinance shall
 6      include [the full text of the proposed ordinance or the title
 7      and a brief summary of the proposed ordinance prepared by the
 8      county solicitor setting forth all the provisions in
 9      reasonable detail and a reference to a location within the
10      county in which copies of the proposed ordinance may be
11      examined.] all of the following:
12                  (i)    The full text of the proposed ordinance or the
13            title and a brief summary of the proposed ordinance. The
14            brief summary shall include a description of each of the
15            following, as applicable:
16                         (A)   An adoption, amendment or repeal of a tax,
17                  fee, charge or assessment.
18                         (B)   An adoption, amendment or repeal of a
19                  regulation that provides for an offense or civil or
20                  criminal penalty.
21                         (C)   A provision or covenant that does one or
22                  more of the following:
23                               (I)    Provides for the payment or disbursement
24                         of funds for goods, services or contractual
25                         obligations.
26                               (II)    Restricts funds to a specific purpose
27                         or obligation.
28                               (III)   Pledges funds for a specific purpose
29                         or obligation.
30                  (ii)    A reference to the county office or other place

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 1          where copies of the proposed ordinance may be examined.
 2               (iii)   A reference to the publicly accessible
 3          Internet website, if any, where the full text of the
 4          proposed ordinances may be examined.
 5          * * *
 6      (b.1)   Legal sufficiency.--If a published summary is subject
 7   to a legal challenge, a summary shall be legally sufficient if
 8   the summary containing the information required under subsection
 9   (b)(2)(i) is made available for examination at the time of
10   publication in conformity with subsection (b)(2)(ii) and (iii).
11      (b.2)   Land use ordinances.--Notwithstanding subsection (b)
12   (2)(i), the requirements of this section shall not supersede the
13   publication or notification requirements of a proposed ordinance
14   under the act of July 31, 1968 (P.L.805, No.247), known as the
15   Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code.
16      * * *
17      Section 4.   The publication requirements under this act shall
18   apply to any provision of an ordinance that is advertised on or
19   after the effective date of this section.
20      Section 5.   This act shall take effect in 60 days.




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