Signed by Governor Josh Shapiro

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to amend and pass a bill that extends the Pennsylvania One Call Law permanently and includes amendments to enhance safety protocols across the state.

Highlights:

• Defines terms related to damage related to excavation in Pennsylvania (Sec. 1).

• Specifies that a facility owner may not be required to locate lines or facilities installed before April 30, 2018, unless the facility owner has existing maps of the lines or facilities and the facility owner's existing maps meet the specifications of the One Call System's Member Mapping Solutions (Sec. 2). 

• Specifies that facility owners shall make reasonable efforts during the excavation phase to locate or notify excavators of the existence of any known lines and abandoned lines (Sec. 2).

• Requires communications between a facility owner and the excavator to ensure that the excavator is aware of a facility owner's inability to locate its facilities (Sec. 2).  

• Requires compliance with all requests for information by the commission relating to the commission's enforcement authority under this act within 30 days of receipt of the request (Sec. 2).  

• Amends various provisions of the PA One Call Law including transferring oversight to the Public Utility Commission (PUC), mapping of unconventional gas lines in rural areas, and creating a Damage Prevention Committee within the PUC to address safety violations (Sec. 2).

• Requires continued protection of state workers who maintain essential underground utilities such as gas, water, telecommunications, and more (Sec. 2).

• Extends the PA One Call Law permanently and enhances safety protocols including communication improvements between excavators, facility owners, and the PUC, as well as better documentation of underground utility lines by repealing the previously established sunset clause indefinitely (Sec. 2).

• Authorizes new safety measures for excavators and expanded timelines for filing violation reports to prevent dangerous situations, and additional consequences for non-compliance, as a strong deterrent against unsafe digging practices (Sec. 2).

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that extends the Pennsylvania One Call Law permanently and includes amendments to enhance safety protocols across the state.

Highlights:

• Defines terms related to damage related to excavation in Pennsylvania (Sec. 1).

• Specifies that a facility owner may not be required to locate lines or facilities installed before April 30, 2018, unless the facility owner has existing maps of the lines or facilities and the facility owner's existing maps meet the specifications of the One Call System's Member Mapping Solutions (Sec. 2). 

• Specifies that facility owners shall make reasonable efforts during the excavation phase to locate or notify excavators of the existence of any known lines and abandoned lines (Sec. 2).

• Requires communications between a facility owner and the excavator to ensure that the excavator is aware of a facility owner's inability to locate its facilities (Sec. 2).  

• Requires compliance with all requests for information by the commission relating to the commission's enforcement authority under this act within 30 days of receipt of the request (Sec. 2).  

• Amends various provisions of the PA One Call Law including transferring oversight to the Public Utility Commission (PUC), mapping of unconventional gas lines in rural areas, and creating a Damage Prevention Committee within the PUC to address safety violations (Sec. 2).

• Requires continued protection of state workers who maintain essential underground utilities such as gas, water, telecommunications, and more (Sec. 2).

• Extends the PA One Call Law permanently and enhances safety protocols including communication improvements between excavators, facility owners, and the PUC, as well as better documentation of underground utility lines by repealing the previously established sunset clause indefinitely (Sec. 2).

• Authorizes new safety measures for excavators and expanded timelines for filing violation reports to prevent dangerous situations, and additional consequences for non-compliance, as a strong deterrent against unsafe digging practices (Sec. 2).

Full Bill Text