Bill
Bill > HB680
summary
Introduced
02/20/2025
02/20/2025
In Committee
02/20/2025
02/20/2025
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead
Introduced Session
2025-2026 Regular Session
Bill Summary
Amending the act of June 22, 1937 (P.L.1987, No.394), entitled "An act to preserve and improve the purity of the waters of the Commonwealth for the protection of public health, animal and aquatic life, and for industrial consumption, and recreation; empowering and directing the creation of indebtedness or the issuing of non-debt revenue bonds by political subdivisions to provide works to abate pollution; providing protection of water supply and water quality; providing for the jurisdiction of courts in the enforcement thereof; providing additional remedies for abating pollution of waters; imposing certain penalties; repealing certain acts; regulating discharges of sewage and industrial wastes; regulating the operation of mines and regulating the impact of mining upon water quality, supply and quantity; placing responsibilities upon landowners and land occupiers and to maintain primary jurisdiction over surface coal mining in Pennsylvania," in procedure and enforcement, further providing for summary proceedings.
AI Summary
This bill amends The Clean Streams Law to modify the procedures for summary legal proceedings related to pollution and water quality violations. Specifically, the bill expands the authority to initiate summary proceedings, allowing both the Office of Attorney General and district justices to commence legal actions for environmental violations. The bill removes language about jurisdictional conferral and explicitly adds that the Office of Attorney General can initiate these proceedings under the Commonwealth Attorneys Act. In cases of appeals from summary convictions, the bill clarifies that either the Attorney General's office or the district attorney will represent the Commonwealth's interests. The changes aim to provide more flexibility and clarity in how environmental pollution cases can be brought and prosecuted at the local level. The bill will take effect 60 days after its enactment, giving local authorities and legal entities time to prepare for the updated procedural guidelines.
Committee Categories
Agriculture and Natural Resources
Sponsors (11)
Kristine Howard (D)*,
Tim Brennan (D),
Johanny Cepeda-Freytiz (D),
Mary Jo Daley (D),
Roni Green (D),
Jim Haddock (D),
Carol Hill-Evans (D),
Danielle Otten (D),
Chris Pielli (D),
Ben Sanchez (D),
Mike Schlossberg (D),
Last Action
Referred to Environmental & Natural Resource Protection (on 02/20/2025)
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