Pennsylvania 2025 2025-2026 Regular Session

Pennsylvania House Bill HB977 Introduced / Bill

                     
PRINTER'S NO. 1060 
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL 
No.977 
Session of 
2025 
INTRODUCED BY KUZMA, VENKAT, MAJOR, COOPER, ARMANINI, HOGAN, 
MIHALEK, KAIL AND SCHEUREN, MARCH 19, 2025 
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT, MARCH 19, 2025 
AN ACT
Amending the act of July 31, 1968 (P.L.805, No.247), entitled 
"An act to empower cities of the second class A, and third 
class, boroughs, incorporated towns, townships of the first 
and second classes including those within a county of the 
second class and counties of the second through eighth 
classes, individually or jointly, to plan their development 
and to govern the same by zoning, subdivision and land 
development ordinances, planned residential development and 
other ordinances, by official maps, by the reservation of 
certain land for future public purpose and by the acquisition 
of such land; to promote the conservation of energy through 
the use of planning practices and to promote the effective 
utilization of renewable energy sources; providing for the 
establishment of planning commissions, planning departments, 
planning committees and zoning hearing boards, authorizing 
them to charge fees, make inspections and hold public 
hearings; providing for mediation; providing for transferable 
development rights; providing for appropriations, appeals to 
courts and penalties for violations; and repealing acts and 
parts of acts," in zoning hearing board and other 
administrative proceedings, further providing for hearings.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania 
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1.  Section 908(7) of the act of July 31, 1968 
(P.L.805, No.247), known as the Pennsylvania Municipalities 
Planning Code, is amended to read:
Section 908.  Hearings.--The board shall conduct hearings and 
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27 make decisions in accordance with the following requirements:
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(7)  The board or the hearing officer, as the case may 
be, shall either keep a stenographic record of the 
proceedings or an audio recording of sufficient quality to 
ensure accurate transcription if needed for appeal . The 
appearance fee for a stenographer or the cost of producing an 
audio recording shall be shared equally by the applicant and 
the board. The cost of the original transcript shall be paid 
by the board if the transcript is ordered by the board or 
hearing officer or shall be paid by the person appealing from 
the decision of the board if such appeal is made, and in 
either event the cost of additional copies shall be paid by 
the person requesting such copy or copies. In other cases the 
party requesting the original transcript shall bear the cost 
thereof.
* * *
Section 2.  This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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