HB 1738 — An Act amending Titles 8 (Boroughs and Incorporated Towns), 11 (Cities) and 16 (Counties) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in corporate power relating to boroughs, further providing for specific powers; in veterans' affairs relating to boroughs, further providing for care and erection of memorials; in corporate powers relating to third class cities, providing for control, maintenance and repair of memorials; in veterans' affairs relating to third class cities, further providing for care of memorials; in grounds and buildings, further providing for monuments, memorials and memorial halls to war veterans and for preservation, maintenance, repair and completion of public monuments; and making an editorial change.

PRINTER'S NO.   2140

                       THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                           HOUSE BILL
                           No. 1738
                                                 Session of
                                                   2025

     INTRODUCED BY FREEMAN, SAPPEY, SMITH-WADE-EL, JAMES AND
        B. MILLER, JULY 15, 2025

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT, JULY 16, 2025


                                      AN ACT
 1   Amending Titles 8 (Boroughs and Incorporated Towns) and 11
 2      (Cities) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in
 3      corporate power relating to boroughs, further providing for
 4      specific powers; in veterans' affairs relating to boroughs,
 5      further providing for care and erection of memorials; in
 6      corporate powers relating to third class cities, providing
 7      for control, maintenance and repair of memorials; and, in
 8      veterans' affairs relating to third class cities, further
 9      providing for care of memorials.
10      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
11   hereby enacts as follows:
12      Section 1.      Section 1202 of Title 8 of the Pennsylvania
13   Consolidated Statutes is amended by adding a paragraph to read:
14   § 1202.    Specific powers.
15      The powers of the borough shall be vested in the council. In
16   the exercise of any specific powers involving the enactment of
17   an ordinance or the making of any regulation, restriction or
18   prohibition, the borough may provide for enforcement and
19   penalties for violations. The specific powers of the borough
20   shall include the following:
21             * * *
 1            (66)    To maintain, repair, establish or contribute to the
 2      maintenance, repair or establishment of any memorial and may
 3      receive funds from persons or organizations for those
 4      purposes. For purposes of this paragraph, the term "memorial"
 5      shall mean any monument or memorial erected or existing
 6      within the borough and commemorating or honoring first
 7      responders, including firefighters, emergency medical
 8      technicians, paramedics, emergency vehicle drivers and
 9      borough police officers.
10      Section 2.     Section 29A14(a) introductory paragraph of Title
11   8 is amended and the section is amended by adding a subsection
12   to read:
13   § 29A14.    Care and erection of memorials.
14      (a)     Authority.--The council may control and maintain a
15   [soldier's] memorial which is:
16            * * *
17      (d)     Definition.--For purposes of this section, the term
18   "memorial" shall mean a monument, gun or carriage, memorial or
19   memorial hall erected or existing within the borough and
20   commemorating or honoring the services of any individual who has
21   served in the Pennsylvania National Guard or any of the armed
22   forces of the United States or their reserve components.
23      Section 3.     Title 11 is amended by adding a section to read:
24   § 12449.    Control, maintenance and repair of memorials.
25      (a)     Authority.--Council may maintain, repair, establish or
26   contribute to the maintenance, repair or establishment of any
27   memorial and may receive funds from persons or organizations for
28   those purposes.
29      (b)     Definition.--For purposes of this section, the term
30   "memorial" shall mean any monument or memorial erected or

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 1   existing within the township and commemorating or honoring first
 2   responders, including firefighters, emergency medical
 3   technicians, paramedics, emergency vehicle drivers and city
 4   police officers.
 5      Section 4.     Section 144A22(a) introductory paragraph of Title
 6   11 is amended and the section is amended by adding a subsection
 7   to read:
 8   § 144A22.    Care of memorials.
 9      (a)     Council authority.--Council may take charge of, care
10   for, maintain and keep in good order and repair, at the expense
11   of the city, any [soldier's monument, gun or carriage or
12   similar] memorial, if the memorial:
13            * * *
14      (c)     Definitions.--For purposes of this section, the term
15   "memorial" shall mean a monument, gun or carriage, memorial or
16   memorial hall erected or existing within the city and
17   commemorating or honoring the services of any individual who has
18   served in the Pennsylvania National Guard or any of the armed
19   forces of the United States or their reserve components.
20      Section 5.     This act shall take effect in 60 days.




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