HB 539 — An Act amending Title 66 (Public Utilities) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in railroads, providing for train length; and imposing penalties.

PRINTER'S NO.    535

                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                         HOUSE BILL
                         No. 539
                                               Session of
                                                 2025

     INTRODUCED BY SCHMITT AND METZGAR, FEBRUARY 10, 2025

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON CONSUMER PROTECTION, TECHNOLOGY AND
        UTILITIES, FEBRUARY 10, 2025


                                    AN ACT
 1   Amending Title 66 (Public Utilities) of the Pennsylvania
 2      Consolidated Statutes, in railroads, providing for train
 3      length; and imposing penalties.
 4      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
 5   hereby enacts as follows:
 6      Section 1.    Title 66 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
 7   Statutes is amended by adding a section to read:
 8   § 2710.   Train length.
 9      (a)    Total length.--Except as provided in subsection (b), a
10   railroad may not operate a freight train in this Commonwealth
11   with a total length that exceeds 8,500 feet.
12      (b)    Consistency with Federal law and regulations.--The
13   commission may promulgate rules and regulations providing an
14   exception to subsection (a), if the exception is required by
15   Federal law or regulation and the commission's rule or
16   regulation is consistent with the Federal law or regulation.
17      (c)    Penalties.--A railroad that violates subsection (a)
18   shall be assessed a civil penalty in the following amounts:
 1            (1)   A fine of not less than $5,000 nor more than $10,000
 2      for a first offense.
 3            (2)   A fine of not less than $10,000 nor more than
 4      $15,000 for a second offense committed within three years of
 5      the first offense.
 6            (3)   A fine of not less than $15,000 nor more than
 7      $20,000 for a third offense and subsequent offenses committed
 8      within three years of the first offense.
 9      (d)   Deposit of penalties.--Notwithstanding section 3315
10   (relating to disposition of fines and penalties), a penalty
11   collected under this section shall be deposited into the General
12   Fund, deemed an augmentation to any appropriation to the
13   commission and used to administer and enforce this chapter.
14      (e)   Definitions.--As used in this section, the following
15   words and phrases shall have the meanings given to them in this
16   subsection unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:
17      "Freight locomotive."    A railroad locomotive used exclusively
18   for the conveyance of property, regardless of whether coupled
19   with or without a rail car.
20      "Freight train."    One or more freight locomotives coupled to
21   rail cars.
22      Section 2.    This act shall take effect in 60 days.




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