HB 822 — An Act amending the act of May 28, 1937 (P.L.955, No.265), referred to as the Housing Authorities Law, further providing for powers of an authority.

PRINTER'S NO.   856

                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                         HOUSE BILL
                         No. 822
                                               Session of
                                                 2025

     INTRODUCED BY FREEMAN, DONAHUE, HILL-EVANS, PIELLI, GIRAL,
        SANCHEZ, HANBIDGE, NEILSON, STEELE, CEPEDA-FREYTIZ, KENYATTA,
        DALEY AND HARKINS, MARCH 6, 2025

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT, MARCH 6, 2025


                                    AN ACT
 1   Amending the act of May 28, 1937 (P.L.955, No.265), entitled "An
 2      act to promote public health, safety, morals, and welfare by
 3      declaring the necessity of creating public bodies, corporate
 4      and politic, to be known as housing authorities to engage in
 5      slum clearance, and to undertake projects, to provide
 6      dwelling accommodations for persons of low income; providing
 7      for the organization of such housing authorities; defining
 8      their powers and duties; providing for the exercise of such
 9      powers, including the acquisition of property by purchase,
10      gift or eminent domain, the renting and selling of property,
11      and including borrowing money, issuing bonds, and other
12      obligations, and giving security therefor; prescribing the
13      remedies of obligees of housing authorities; authorizing
14      housing authorities to enter into agreements, including
15      agreements with the United States, the Commonwealth, and
16      political subdivisions and municipalities thereof; defining
17      the application of zoning, sanitary, and building laws and
18      regulations to projects built or maintained by such housing
19      authorities; exempting the property and securities of such
20      housing authorities from taxation; and imposing duties and
21      conferring powers upon the State Planning Board, and certain
22      other State officers and departments," further providing for
23      powers of an authority.
24      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
25   hereby enacts as follows:
26      Section 1.    Section 10(ee) of the act of May 28, 1937
27   (P.L.955, No.265), referred to as the Housing Authorities Law,
28   is amended to read:
 1      Section 10.    Powers of an Authority.--An Authority shall
 2   constitute a public body, corporate and politic, exercising
 3   public powers of the Commonwealth as an agency thereof, which
 4   powers shall include all powers necessary or appropriate to
 5   carry out and effectuate the purpose and provisions of this act,
 6   including the following powers, in addition to others herein
 7   granted:
 8      * * *
 9      (ee)    In a county of the second class [and], city of the
10   second class, city of the second class A and city of the third
11   class, to appoint police officers who shall exercise the same
12   powers that may be exercised under authority of law or ordinance
13   by the police of the municipalities wherein the Authority is
14   located, including, but not limited to, those powers conferred
15   pursuant to 42 Pa.C.S. Ch. 89 Subch. D (relating to municipal
16   police jurisdiction) with respect to the property and enforcing
17   order on and adjacent to the grounds and buildings of the
18   Authority: Provided, That said police officers complete the same
19   course of instruction as is required for municipal police
20   officers by 53 Pa.C.S. Ch. 21 Subch. D (relating to municipal
21   police education and training) and receive certification by the
22   Municipal Police Officers' Education and Training Commission as
23   having completed the instruction. Said police officers shall
24   maintain the certification as a condition of employment as
25   police officers for the Authority.
26      * * *
27      Section 2.    This act shall take effect in 60 days.




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