HB 824 — An Act amending the act of June 28, 1995 (P.L.89, No.18), known as the Conservation and Natural Resources Act, in Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, further providing for community recreation and heritage conservation.

PRINTER'S NO.   851

                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                         HOUSE BILL
                         No. 824
                                               Session of
                                                 2025

     INTRODUCED BY KHAN, FLICK, CERRATO, HANBIDGE, HILL-EVANS,
        WAXMAN, MADDEN, MAYES, McNEILL, SANCHEZ, KENYATTA, D. MILLER,
        HOHENSTEIN, MALAGARI, PASHINSKI, PROBST, CEPEDA-FREYTIZ,
        BOROWSKI, BRENNAN, DOUGHERTY AND RIVERA, MARCH 6, 2025

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON TOURISM, RECREATION AND ECONOMIC
        DEVELOPMENT, MARCH 6, 2025


                                    AN ACT
 1   Amending the act of June 28, 1995 (P.L.89, No.18), entitled "An
 2      act creating the Department of Conservation and Natural
 3      Resources consisting of certain functions of the Department
 4      of Environmental Resources and the Department of Community
 5      Affairs; renaming the Department of Environmental Resources
 6      as the Department of Environmental Protection; defining the
 7      role of the Environmental Quality Board in the Department of
 8      Environmental Protection; making changes to responsibilities
 9      of the State Conservation Commission and the Department of
10      Agriculture; transferring certain powers and duties to the
11      Department of Health; and repealing inconsistent acts," in
12      Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, further
13      providing for community recreation and heritage conservation.
14      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
15   hereby enacts as follows:
16      Section 1.    Section 306 of the act of June 28, 1995 (P.L.89,
17   No.18), known as the Conservation and Natural Resources Act, is
18   amended by adding a subsection to read:
19   Section 306.    Community recreation and heritage conservation.
20      * * *
21      (a.1)   Grant priority.--In considering applications for
22   grants under this act specifically related to playgrounds,
 1   playground equipment and associated recreation areas, the
 2   department shall give priority to projects that correct
 3   accessibility deficiencies for individuals with a disability,
 4   including accessible playground equipment, such as ramped,
 5   ground-level play features, accessible swings, wheelchair
 6   accessible tables, adjustable equipment, universally accessible
 7   swings, transfer platforms, sensory play equipment and
 8   adaptations for blind and visually impaired individuals. The
 9   department shall prioritize projects that create a recreation
10   area universally designed to meet the needs of all individuals
11   and where all equipment, and the recreation area itself, is
12   accessible for individuals with a disability over projects that
13   would create a recreation area where only some equipment, or
14   only the recreation area itself, is accessible for individuals
15   with a disability.
16      * * *
17      Section 2.   This act shall take effect in 60 days.




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