HB2638 • 2025

An Act amending Title 66 (Public Utilities) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in alternative form of regulation of telecommunications services, providing for telecommunications line repair and tree limb removal.

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: RADER
Last action: 2026-06-15
Official status: Referred to CONSUMER PROTECTION, TECHNOLOGY AND UTILITIES, June 15, 2026
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

An Act amending Title 66 (Public Utilities) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in alternative form of regulation of telecommunications services, providing for telecommunications line repair and tree limb removal.

What This Bill Does

An Act amending Title 66 (Public Utilities) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in alternative form of regulation of telecommunications services, providing for telecommunications line repair and tree limb removal.

Limits and Unknowns

This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

2026-06-15 CONSUMER PROTECTION, TECHNOLOGY AND UTILITIES
Referred to CONSUMER PROTECTION, TECHNOLOGY AND UTILITIES, June 15, 2026

Official Summary Text

An Act amending Title 66 (Public Utilities) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in alternative form of regulation of telecommunications services, providing for telecommunications line repair and tree limb removal.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

PRINTER'S NO. 3603
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No. 2638
Session of
2026
INTRODUCED BY RADER, STAATS, OLSOMMER, KAUFFMAN, VEROBISH, PUGH,
PICKETT, STAMBAUGH, M. MACKENZIE AND KUZMA, JUNE 15, 2026
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON CONSUMER PROTECTION, TECHNOLOGY AND
UTILITIES, JUNE 15, 2026
AN ACT
Amending Title 66 (Public Utilities) of the Pennsylvania
Consolidated Statutes, in alternative form of regulation of
telecommunications services, providing for telecommunications
line repair and tree limb removal.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Title 66 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
Statutes is amended by adding a section to read:
§ 3020. Telecommunications line repair and tree limb removal.
(a) Duty.--Upon receiving notice from a municipality or
Commonwealth agency that a telecommunications line has been
damaged, broken, cut or is in direct contact with a tree limb
and the condition interferes with or endangers vehicle or
pedestrian traffic, a telecommunications carrier shall, as soon
as practicable based on the severity of the condition, take any
of the following actions as applicable:
(1) Remove the tree limb.
(2) Remediate or repair the telecommunications line.
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(b) Cost recovery.--A telecommunications carrier may not
recover the cost of removal, remediation or repair under
subsection (a) from a customer or rate class that does not
utilize the specific type of infrastructure that necessitated
the removal, remediation or repair.
(c) Enforcement.--A telecommunications carrier that violates
this section shall be subject to Chapter 33 (relating to
violations and penalties).
(d) Regulations.--The commission shall adopt regulations as
necessary to implement and enforce this section.
Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
20260HB2638PN3603 - 2 -
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