Leadership-Backed Amendment Eliminates House Bill's Local Preemptions
Update: after a lengthy floor debate, the amendment passed just before 7:30 PM on a 110-85 vote.
A major development in the impact fee debate is underway on the House floor.
Republican Representative Matt Baker has offered an amendment eliminating HB 1950’s language “superseding and preempting” local zoning regulations. His amendment, which is backed by House Republican leadership, would mirror the language in SB 1100, which the Senate is expected to pass later this evening.
Instead of an across-the-board ban on local ordinances, the measure would
let townships and boroughs set their own drilling regulations, as long as the restrictions are in line with zoning for other types of construction and manufacturing sites.
If a driller views a municipalities’ zoning as unreasonable, it can appeal to the Attorney General. And if the AG agrees, the local government wouldn’t receive any impact fee money.
Here’s the amendment: