HB 2151 Pennsylvania House · 2025-2026 Regular Session

An Act amending Title 53 (Municipalities Generally) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, providing for data center ordinance assistance.

HB 2151 requires Pennsylvania's Center for Local Government Services to create a model zoning ordinance for data centers within six months. The model must include specific rules like building size limits, minimum distances from residential areas, landscape buffers, noise restrictions, and requirements for water/energy use. This helps local governments (townships, boroughs, cities) regulate data center development to address community concerns. Municipalities can request the Center's assistance when updating zoning rules for data centers, and the model must be updated annually.

Issues: ✓ Environment

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2026

Committee Review

Apr 2026

House Passage

Apr 2026

Senate Passage

Governor

Introduced Jan 20, 2026 Last action Apr 23, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

Printer's No. PN3030 → Printer's No. PN3174 · 6 edits

MODERATE

The bill was re-reported by the Appropriations Committee with significant substantive changes. The most critical addition is a new requirement for data centers to conduct water feasibility studies and obtain permits, ensuring they do not harm local water supplies. The bill also expanded the list of bill sponsors and updated the timeline for creating the model zoning ordinance from six months to nine months. Additionally, the bill now explicitly requires community benefits agreements to promote local workforce participation in data center construction.

Scope change

The bill's scope was expanded to include specific mandates for water resource protection and local workforce development through community benefits agreements.

REQUIREMENT

Added a mandatory requirement for data centers to conduct water feasibility studies and obtain water supply permits to protect groundwater and surface waters.

Added a new requirement for Community Benefits Agreements to ensure local workforce participation and the use of apprenticeship programs during data center construction.

TIMELINE

Extended the deadline for the Center for Local Government Services to develop the model zoning ordinance from six months to nine months after the effective date.

DEFINITION

Updated the definition of 'Center for Local Government Services' to explicitly state it is located within the Department of Community and Economic Development.

TECHNICAL

Added a new subsection requiring the Center to solicit feedback from specific stakeholder groups, including the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.

ELIGIBILITY

Added 'home rule municipality' to the list of entities eligible to be considered a 'municipality' under the new chapter.

Floor votes · House Apr 13, 2026

How they voted

124–77

Passed

Total votes 201

Apr 13, 2026

D Democratic102

102 Yea

100% Yea

R Republican99

22 Yea 77 Nay

77% Nay

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Apr 23, 2026

Committee

Referred to Local Government

upper

Apr 13, 2026

Lower · Passed

Third consideration and final passage

lower

Apr 13, 2026

Lower · Passed

Re-reported as amended

lower

Mar 25, 2026

Committee

Re-committed to Appropriations

lower

Mar 19, 2026

Lower · Passed

Reported as amended

lower

Jan 20, 2026

Committee

Referred to Energy

lower

1 primary · 29 co-sponsors