HB 1539 creates a new grant program to help school districts purchase electric school buses, funded through a dedicated "Electric School Bus Grant Program Fund." It directly affects public school districts seeking to replace diesel buses with electric models by providing financial assistance for vehicle purchases and related infrastructure. The bill requires the Department of Education to administer the program, including setting eligibility rules and distributing funds. The bill is currently pending in the Energy committee after being re-referred there from Education.
HB 1633 establishes regulations for shared electric low-speed scooters in Pennsylvania. It allows certain cities (second-class, second-class A, or third-class) to create programs with scooter companies, requiring safety rules like a 15 mph speed limit, mandatory nighttime lighting, and prohibitions on use on freeways or sidewalks in business districts. Companies must carry $2 million in liability insurance and provide complaint hotlines for abandoned scooters. The bill directly affects participating cities, scooter operators, and riders using these scooters.
SB 796 increases the tax on motor vehicle leases from 3% to 5% of the lease price and raises the fee for renting a motor vehicle from $2 to $6.50 per day. Revenue from these fees will fund Pennsylvania’s Public Transportation Assistance Fund, which supports public transportation services statewide. The bill affects vehicle lessees and renters, including those using carsharing services, though carsharing rentals of less than 6 hours will have lower fees (ranging from $0.25 to $1.25). The changes take effect immediately upon passage.
This resolution urges Congress to establish a National Infrastructure Bank to address infrastructure funding gaps. It references Pennsylvania's specific challenges, including lead pipes in water systems and bridge maintenance needs, as justification for federal action. The resolution requests Congress create this bank but does not create new laws or funding. It was referred to the Transportation committee for consideration.
SB 924 establishes a 35-mile-per-hour maximum speed limit for all dirt and gravel roads in Pennsylvania. This rule applies directly to all drivers traveling on such roads, setting a specific speed limit where no explicit default existed previously under state vehicle code. The bill amends Title 75 of Pennsylvania’s vehicle regulations to add this provision as a new subsection (1.3) under speed limits. It will take effect 60 days after enactment.
HB 1714 updates Pennsylvania's school transportation rules under the Public School Code. It requires school districts to provide free transportation for public school students to and from school (within 10 miles, with exceptions for career schools and field trips), and extends this same free transportation requirement to nonprofit nonpublic schools during their regular school hours. The bill also allows districts to use local funds for urban mass transit to cover school transportation costs without state reimbursement, and mandates the State Board of Education to set school bus driver qualifications. Finally, it prohibits districts from funding transportation to schools located outside Pennsylvania.
HB 1510 amends Pennsylvania's transportation laws to establish a structured framework for sustainable mobility programs, directly affecting state transportation agencies and organizations receiving state funds for projects like bike lanes, pedestrian infrastructure, or electric vehicle charging networks. Key provisions define sustainable mobility, streamline funding applications and approvals, clarify federal funding coordination, and create separate programs for asset improvements, new initiatives, and statewide projects. The bill also sets a small purchase threshold for simpler project approvals and removes outdated rules about evaluating private investment opportunities. These changes aim to standardize how the state manages and funds non-traditional transportation infrastructure.
SB 953 requires the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) to submit one or more transportation projects involving public-private partnerships to the board within 90 days of the law's effective date. It directly affects SEPTA by creating a procedural obligation for project submissions under public-private partnership frameworks. The bill amends Pennsylvania’s transportation code to establish this timeline, with the law taking effect 60 days after enactment. This is a procedural change focused on administrative requirements, not policy substance.
SB 954 amends Pennsylvania's transportation code to establish new performance standards for the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA). The bill requires the state transportation department to create minimum criteria focused on reducing fare evasion, improving public-private transportation partnerships, and optimizing bus routes. These standards will be based on SEPTA's past performance and comparisons with similar transit authorities. Failure to meet these criteria would trigger specific procedures outlined in the bill, though the exact consequences are referenced to another section. The bill directly affects SEPTA's operations but does not change funding or create new programs.
HB 340 adds a specific 2.05-mile segment of the Susquehanna Trail T-956 (formerly Legislative Route 333) in York County to Pennsylvania's state highway system. This route, running from the Manchester Township municipal line to State Route 297, will become a state-maintained highway once the bill is published in the Pennsylvania Bulletin. The change directly affects York County residents and travelers using this corridor, as it shifts responsibility for maintenance from local authorities to the state Department of Transportation.
