HB 1789 — An Act amending the act of February 14, 2008 (P.L.6, No.3), known as the Right-to-Know Law, in preliminary provisions, further providing for definitions; and, in procedure, further providing for exceptions for public records.

PRINTER'S NO.   2199

                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                         HOUSE BILL
                         No. 1789
                                               Session of
                                                 2025

     INTRODUCED BY B. MILLER, GREINER, JAMES AND ZIMMERMAN,
        AUGUST 6, 2025

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON INTERGOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS AND
        OPERATIONS, AUGUST 10, 2025


                                    AN ACT
 1   Amending the act of February 14, 2008 (P.L.6, No.3), entitled
 2      "An act providing for access to public information, for a
 3      designated open-records officer in each Commonwealth agency,
 4      local agency, judicial agency and legislative agency, for
 5      procedure, for appeal of agency determination, for judicial
 6      review and for the Office of Open Records; imposing
 7      penalties; providing for reporting by State-related
 8      institutions; requiring the posting of certain State contract
 9      information on the Internet; and making related repeals," in
10      preliminary provisions, further providing for definitions;
11      and, in procedure, further providing for exceptions for
12      public records.
13      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
14   hereby enacts as follows:
15      Section 1.    The definition of "personal financial
16   information" in section 102 of the act of February 14, 2008
17   (P.L.6, No.3), known as the Right-to-Know Law, is amended to
18   read:
19   Section 102.    Definitions.
20      The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
21   have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
22   context clearly indicates otherwise:
 1      * * *
 2      "Personal financial information."        An individual's personal
 3   credit, charge or debit card information; bank or other
 4   financial institution account information; bank, credit or
 5   financial statements; account or PIN numbers; account passwords;
 6   IRS form W-2 or its equivalent; benefit election information
 7   other than an election to become a member of the State
 8   Employees' Retirement System, the Public School Employees'
 9   Retirement System, the Pennsylvania Municipal Retirement System
10   or other retirement plan for employees of the Commonwealth or
11   any of its political subdivisions; contributions to retirement
12   plans or other investment options; contributions toward the cost
13   of health care benefits or other benefits; contributions to
14   charitable organizations and other information relating to an
15   individual's personal finances.
16      * * *
17      Section 2.     Section 708(b)(6) and (c) of the act are amended
18   and subsection (b) is amended by adding a paragraph to read:
19   Section 708.     Exceptions for public records.
20      * * *
21      (b)   Exceptions.--Except as provided in subsections (c) and
22   (d), the following are exempt from access by a requester under
23   this act:
24            * * *
25            (6)   (i)    The following personal identification
26            information:
27                        (A)   A record containing all or part of a
28                  person's Social Security number, driver's license
29                  number, personal financial information, home,
30                  cellular or personal telephone numbers, personal e-

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 1               mail addresses, employee number or other confidential
 2               personal identification number.
 3                      (B)   A spouse's name, marital status or
 4               beneficiary or dependent information, including the
 5               number, names and ages of an employee's dependents.
 6                      (C)   The home address of a law enforcement
 7               officer or judge.
 8               (ii)    Nothing in this paragraph shall preclude the
 9        release of the name, position, salary, actual
10        compensation or other payments or expenses, employment
11        contract, employment-related contract or agreement and
12        length of service of a public official or an agency
13        employee.
14               (iii)    An agency may redact the name or other
15        identifying information relating to an individual
16        performing an undercover or covert law enforcement
17        activity from a record.
18               (iv)    Nothing in this paragraph shall prevent the
19        disclosure of employer costs or aggregated data of
20        employee costs related to retirement benefits, health
21        care benefits or other benefits or the disclosure of
22        options made available to employees regarding retirement
23        benefits, health care benefits or other benefits.
24        * * *
25        (31)    (i)     An agency's financial institution account
26        number, routing number, credit card number or PIN number.
27               (ii)    An agency shall redact to the extent necessary
28        to protect the security of the agency's account
29        information, account number, routing number, credit card
30        number or PIN number, the number from a record.

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1      (c)   Financial records.--The exceptions set forth in
2   subsection (b) shall not apply to financial records, except that
3   an agency may redact that portion of a financial record
4   protected under subsection (b)(1), (2), (3), (4), (5), (6), (16)
5   [or], (17) or (31). An agency shall not disclose the identity of
6   an individual performing an undercover or covert law enforcement
7   activity.
8      * * *
9      Section 3.   This act shall take effect in 60 days.




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