HB 306 — An Act amending the act of November 29, 2006 (P.L.1435, No.156), known as the Public Utility Confidential Security Information Disclosure Protection Act, further providing for definitions, for prohibition and for penalties.

PRINTER'S NO.   259

                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                          HOUSE BILL
                          No. 306
                                                 Session of
                                                   2025

     INTRODUCED BY CEPEDA-FREYTIZ, GIRAL, SANCHEZ, McANDREW, CIRESI,
        HOHENSTEIN, KHAN, DONAHUE, FREEMAN, HILL-EVANS, OTTEN,
        KENYATTA, BURGOS, GREEN, PIELLI, KAZEEM AND STEELE,
        JANUARY 23, 2025

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON CONSUMER PROTECTION, TECHNOLOGY AND
        UTILITIES, JANUARY 23, 2025


                                      AN ACT
 1   Amending the act of November 29, 2006 (P.L.1435, No.156),
 2      entitled "An act relating to confidential security
 3      information of public utilities; and imposing penalties,"
 4      further providing for procedures for submitting, challenging
 5      and protecting confidential security information.
 6      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
 7   hereby enacts as follows:
 8      Section 1.     Section 3 of the act of November 29, 2006
 9   (P.L.1435, No.156), known as the Public Utility Confidential
10   Security Information Disclosure Protection Act, is amended by
11   adding a subsection to read:
12   Section 3.     Procedures for submitting, challenging and
13                  protecting confidential security information.
14      * * *
15      (f)   Exception for governmental agency.--
16            (1)   A public utility shall make available a public
17      utility record or emergency response under 66 Pa.C.S. § 1512
18      (relating to emergency response plans), regardless of whether
 1    the record or emergency response contains confidential
 2    security information if:
 3              (i)    requested by a Federal or State agency or
 4        governmental body, including the National Transportation
 5        Safety Board; and
 6              (ii)    there are reasonable grounds to believe that a
 7        public utility facility may cause or has resulted in a
 8        safety risk, including harm to any person or mass
 9        destruction.
10        (2)   A Federal or State agency or governmental body,
11    including the National Transportation Safety Board, acquiring
12    a public utility record or emergency response is not subject
13    to subsection (a), (b), (c), (d) or (e). Release or
14    disclosure of all or a portion of the utility record or
15    emergency response does not:
16              (i)    constitute prohibited disclosure under section
17        5(a); and
18              (ii)    cause the public utility record or emergency
19        response to become a public record subject to inspection
20        and duplication under the act of February 14, 2008
21        (P.L.6, No.3), known as the Right-to-Know Law.
22    Section 2.      This act shall take effect in 60 days.




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