Bill > HB909

This bill modifies the Pennsylvania Election Code to enhance transparency and information disclosure for ballot questions, particularly those involving debt issuance. It requires the Secretary of the Commonwealth to certify fiscal notes from the Office of the Budget to county election boards for statewide ballot questions involving debt. For statewide debt-related ballot questions, the Office of the Budget must prepare a fiscal note in plain English that details the proposed project, total project costs, anticipated interest costs, and potential future expenses. Similarly, for local debt-related ballot questions, the relevant local government unit must create a fiscal note with comparable financial information. The bill mandates that these fiscal notes be posted on county election board websites, published in election notices, and displayed in voting rooms. Additionally, when constitutional amendments or other ballot questions are printed on official ballots, these fiscal notes may be included below the candidate lists, with brief descriptions determined by the Secretary of the Commonwealth or county boards. The changes will apply to elections occurring at least 60 days after the bill's effective date, which is 60 days after its passage, with the aim of providing voters with clearer, more accessible financial information about proposed ballot measures.

Government Affairs

https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billinfo/bill_history.cfm?syear=2025&sind=0&body=H&type=B&bn=909