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PRINTER'S NO. 2218
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No. 1804
Session of
2025
INTRODUCED BY BIZZARRO, CEPHAS, HILL-EVANS, PIELLI, GUZMAN,
HOHENSTEIN, GIRAL, WAXMAN, SCHLOSSBERG, PROBST, SANCHEZ,
DONAHUE, ABNEY, BRIGGS, D. WILLIAMS, CEPEDA-FREYTIZ, FRANKEL,
BOYD AND FRIEL, AUGUST 14, 2025
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON INTERGOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS AND
OPERATIONS, AUGUST 15, 2025
AN ACT
Providing for the withholding of Commonwealth payments to the
Federal Government; perfecting liens on Federal property;
establishing a civil cause of action; and prohibiting the
Commonwealth from sharing data with the Federal Government
that contains personally identifiable information.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Chapter 1. Preliminary Provisions
Section 101. Short title.
Section 102. Definitions.
Chapter 3. Federal Money Withholding and Appropriation
Section 301. Report of treasurer.
Section 302. Withholding of Federal money.
Section 303. Amount of withholding.
Chapter 5. Liens on Federal Property
Section 501. Duty of treasurer.
Section 502. Duty of Attorney General.
Chapter 7. Data Protection
Section 701. Prohibited data sharing.
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Section 702. Actions for violations.
Chapter 9. Miscellaneous Provisions
Section 901. Private right of action.
Section 902. Applicability.
Section 903. Effective date.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
CHAPTER 1
PRELIMINARY PROVISIONS
Section 101. Short title.
This act shall be known and may be cited as the Protect
Pennsylvanians Act.
Section 102. Definitions.
The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Agency." An association, authority, board, department,
commission, independent agency, institution, office or other
body in State government created or authorized to be created by
the Constitution or any law, including the General Assembly and
the courts.
"Personally identifiable information." Information that can
be associated with a particular individual through one or more
identifiers or other information or circumstances.
"Treasurer." The State Treasurer of the Commonwealth.
CHAPTER 3
FEDERAL MONEY WITHHOLDING AND APPROPRIATION
Section 301. Report of treasurer.
(a) Duty of treasurer.--The treasurer shall create a report
and submit the report to the Governor, the Chief Clerk of the
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Senate and the Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives for
distribution to the members of the legislature no more than 60
days after the effective date of this subsection. The report
shall include:
(1) Federal money owed to the Commonwealth when the
Federal Government's nonpayment is in contravention of a
court decision.
(2) Money the treasurer projects will be due to be paid
by the Commonwealth to the Federal Government during the
succeeding 12 months, including Federal taxes owed by the
Commonwealth as an employer, Federal employment taxes
withheld by the Commonwealth on behalf of the
Federal Government, offsets for Federal debts, backup
withholding of Federal taxes and Federal grant repayments.
(b) Update to report.--The treasurer shall update the report
compiled under subsection (a) monthly.
Section 302. Withholding Federal money.
Following issuance of a report under section 301, if there is
Federal money owed to the Commonwealth in contravention of a
court decision, the Governor, the treasurer and the Secretary of
the Budget, acting jointly and unanimously, may direct the
Secretary of Revenue to withhold payments to
the Federal Government. The total amount withheld shall not
exceed the amount of Federal money owed to the Commonwealth in
contravention of a court decision as described in the report
under section 301.
Section 303. Amount of withholding.
Money held pursuant to section 302 shall be made available
for appropriation as State money. The appropriations under this
section may not exceed the amount of Federal money owed to the
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Commonwealth in contravention of a court decision as described
under section 301(a)(2).
CHAPTER 5
LIENS ON FEDERAL PROPERTY
Section 501. Duty of treasurer.
If the treasurer determines that Federal money was authorized
under an act of Congress and is being withheld under an
executive order of the President of the United States or in
contravention of a court order, the treasurer shall:
(1) Determine the approximate amount of Federal money
the Commonwealth is being or is expected to be deprived of as
the result of the executive order or contravention of the
court order.
(2) Not later than 60 days after the date of the
executive order or court order, submit to the Governor and to
the Chief Clerk of the Senate and the Chief Clerk of the
House of Representatives a report that:
(i) Describes in detail the amount of Federal money
the Commonwealth is being or is expected to be deprived
of as the result of the executive order or contravention
of the court order, as determined under this section.
(ii) Identifies properties located in this
Commonwealth that are owned by the Federal Government.
(3) Submit a notice requesting that the Attorney General
obtain a lien on one or more properties identified under
paragraph (2)(ii) in a total amount not to exceed the
approximate amount of Federal money the Commonwealth is being
or is expected to be deprived of as the result of the
executive order or contravention of the court order.
Section 502. Duty of Attorney General.
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The Attorney General shall obtain a lien on the Federal
property identified under section 501 in the Attorney General's
official capacity.
CHAPTER 7
DATA PROTECTION
Section 701. Prohibited data sharing.
(a) General rule.--Except as provided under subsection (b),
an agency may not share with any Federal official or agency data
containing personally identifiable information unless the data
is first masked or otherwise anonymized.
(b) Exceptions.--
(1) An agency may share personally identifiable
information with a Federal official or agency to the extent
necessary to comply with Federal or State law or to carry out
the administration of a Federal or State program.
(2) A member of the General Assembly may share
personally identifiable information with a Federal official
or agency to the extent necessary to carry out constituent
relations or the member's official duties.
(3) A court may share personally identifiable
information with a Federal official or agency to the extent
necessary to carry out the court's official duties.
Section 702. Actions for violations.
A person who negligently violates section 701 shall be liable
to any person injured as a result of the violation for actual
damages to that person, exemplary damages of not more than
$1,000 and costs and reasonable actual attorney fees.
CHAPTER 9
MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS
Section 901. Private right of action.
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(a) Cause of action.--An individual who has been deprived of
any due process or equal protection rights, privileges or
immunities secured by the Constitution of the United States or
Federal law, or any rights, privileges or immunities secured by
the Constitution of Pennsylvania or the laws of this
Commonwealth, by a person acting under the color of law, or
whose exercise or enjoyment of those rights, privileges or
immunities has been interfered with or attempted to be
interfered with, by threats, intimidation or coercion by a
person acting under the color of law, may bring a cause of
action or suit against another person, including the
Commonwealth or agency, for damages and for injunctive or other
appropriate relief.
(b) Attorney fees.--In addition to any damages or injunctive
or other appropriate relief awarded to a prevailing plaintiff in
an action under this section, the court shall award the
prevailing plaintiff reasonable attorney fees and costs.
(c) Statute of limitations.--An action under this section
must be commenced within six years after the alleged violation
of this act.
Section 902. Applicability.
This act shall apply to causes of action accruing on or after
the effective date of this section.
Section 903. Effective date.
This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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