HR 527 — A Resolution directing the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee to conduct a comprehensive study of the operating revenues, expenditures and balance sheet for service years 2023 and 2024 of all municipal authorities and municipalities which operate municipal separate storm sewer system facilities in this Commonwealth.

PRINTER'S NO.    3412

                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



              HOUSE RESOLUTION
                 No. 527
                                                 Session of
                                                   2026

     INTRODUCED BY COOPER, KUZMA, PUGH, BOROWSKI, ROWE, GILLEN AND
        T. JONES, MAY 14, 2026

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT, MAY 14, 2026


                                  A RESOLUTION
 1   Directing the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee to
 2      conduct a comprehensive study of the operating revenues,
 3      expenditures and balance sheet for service years 2023 and
 4      2024 of all municipal authorities and municipalities which
 5      operate municipal separate storm sewer system facilities in
 6      this Commonwealth.
 7         WHEREAS, Federal Law requires that municipalities and other
 8   entities such as universities and prisons that meet certain
 9   criteria must obtain National Pollutant Discharge Elimination
10   System permit coverage for discharges of storm water from their
11   municipal separate storm sewer systems (MS4s); and
12         WHEREAS, These mandates have resulted in fees to cover the
13   costs of implementation, which vary across this Commonwealth;
14   and
15         WHEREAS, Fees are a financial hardship for many residents and
16   businesses across this Commonwealth; and
17         WHEREAS, The General Assembly urgently needs reliable and
18   complete information on the operations and finances of Municipal
19   Separate Storm Water System facilities in this Commonwealth to
20   enable such facilities to be financed under State law on an
 1   appropriate, fair and predictable basis; therefore be it
 2      RESOLVED, That the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee
 3   issue a report based on a comprehensive and independent survey
 4   and analysis of the operating revenues, expenditures and balance
 5   sheet for service years 2023 and 2024 of all municipal
 6   authorities and municipalities which operate municipal separate
 7   storm sewer system facilities in this Commonwealth; and be it
 8   further
 9      RESOLVED, That the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee
10   issue the report based on a survey and analysis conducted by a
11   professor of economics and public policy who is also a fellow of
12   the National Academy of Public Administration, has a Ph.D. in
13   economics, is employed by a university in a county of the second
14   class and is selected by the Legislative Budget and Finance
15   Committee; and be it further
16      RESOLVED, That the survey examine the following:
17             (1)   The method of accounting used by regulated MS4s.
18             (2)   The total number of full-time and part-time
19      employees for each regulated MS4.
20             (3)   Revenues and composition of the regulated MS4s.
21             (4)   Expenses and composition of the regulated MS4s.
22             (5)   The amount of outstanding debt of the regulated
23      MS4s, including the term of the debt, repayment provisions
24      and any guarantees provided to the lender.
25             (6)   The amounts of intergovernmental transfers of MS4
26      facilities, including a characterization of intergovernmental
27      transfers by source to MS4 operations from parent identified
28      organizations, including public authorities, municipalities
29      or consortium of municipalities and transfers of real estate
30      taxes and other money to finance MS4s.

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 1          (7)   The current mechanisms of financing in terms of
 2      classes of MS4 payees, fee schedules and amounts collected
 3      from each class;
 4   and be it further
 5      RESOLVED, That the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee
 6   issue a report with findings and recommendations based on the
 7   survey to the chairperson and minority chairperson of the Local
 8   Government Committee of the House of Representatives and post
 9   the report on the committee's publicly accessible Internet
10   website within one year of the adoption of this resolution.




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