HB 2179 — An Act amending the act of May 1, 1933 (P.L.103, No.69), known as The Second Class Township Code, in ordinances, further providing for ordinances.

PRINTER'S NO.   2833

                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                         HOUSE BILL
                         No. 2179
                                                 Session of
                                                   2026

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

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT, JANUARY 30, 2026


                                    AN ACT
 1   Amending the act of May 1, 1933 (P.L.103, No.69), entitled "An
 2      act concerning townships of the second class; and amending,
 3      revising, consolidating and changing the law relating
 4      thereto," in ordinances, further providing for ordinances.
 5      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
 6   hereby enacts as follows:
 7      Section 1.    Section 1601(a) of the act of May 1, 1933
 8   (P.L.103, No.69), known as The Second Class Township Code, is
 9   amended and the section is amended by adding subsections to
10   read:
11      Section 1601.    Ordinances.--(a)    The board of supervisors may
12   adopt ordinances in which general or specific powers of the
13   township may be exercised, and, by the enactment of subsequent
14   ordinances, the board of supervisors may amend, repeal or revise
15   existing ordinances. All proposed ordinances, whether original,
16   amended, repealed, revised, consolidated or codified, shall be
17   published not more than sixty days nor less than seven days
18   before passage at least once in one newspaper circulating
19   generally in the township. [Public notices shall include either
 1   the full text or a brief summary of the proposed ordinance which
 2   lists the provisions in reasonable detail and a reference to a
 3   place within the township where copies of the proposed ordinance
 4   may be examined.] Publication of a proposed ordinance shall
 5   include the following:
 6      (1)     The full text of the proposed ordinance or the title and
 7   a brief summary of the proposed ordinance. A brief summary shall
 8   include, as applicable, a description of any:
 9      (i)     adoption, amendment or repeal of any tax, fee, charge or
10   assessment;
11      (ii)     adoption, amendment or repeal of a regulation that
12   provides for an offense or civil or criminal penalty; and
13      (iii)     provision or covenant that:
14      (A)     provides for the payment or disbursement of funds for
15   goods, services or contractual obligations;
16      (B)     restricts funds for a specific purpose or obligation; or
17      (C)     pledges funds for a specific purpose or obligation.
18      (2)     A reference to a place within the township where a copy
19   of the proposed ordinance may be examined.
20      (3)     A reference to the publicly accessible Internet website,
21   if any, where the full text of the proposed ordinance may be
22   examined.
23      * * *
24      (a.2)     If a brief summary published under subsection (a) is
25   the subject of a legal challenge, the summary shall be legally
26   sufficient if the summary:
27      (1)     contains the information required under subsection (a)
28   (1); and
29      (2)     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.3)   Notwithstanding subsection (a)(1), the requirements of
 2   this section shall not supersede the publication or notification
 3   requirements of a proposed ordinance under the act of July 31,
 4   1968 (P.L.805, No.247), known as the "Pennsylvania
 5   Municipalities Planning Code."
 6      * * *
 7      Section 2.   The publication requirements under this act shall
 8   apply to the advertisement of an ordinance occurring after the
 9   effective date of this section.
10      Section 3.   This act shall take effect in 60 days.




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