HB491 – Expanding the Use of Mechanical Insulation in Energy Efficiency Programs (Young)
This bill would prohibit the Public Utility Commission from disapproving an energy efficiency and conservation plan due to the inclusion of mechanical insulation. This would allow electric distribution companies to continue work and prevent unnecessary waiting periods on energy efficiency projects. 

HB949 – Prevailing Wage for Green Energy Projects (Fiedler)
This bill would mandate a prevailing wage on green energy projects that receive federal or state tax credits. Prevailing wage is already required on “construction,” but this bill would ensure prevailing wage is applied to projects like solar fields or electric vehicle charging infrastructure.

HB1032 – Solar for Pennsylvania Schools (Fiedler)
This bill would create a grant program withing DCED to help schools build solar arrays on their grounds. Up to 50% of the cost of construction would be covered by the bill, and schools would be eligible for a 30-50% reimbursement of the project costs through the federal Inflation Reduction Act.

HB1607 – Electronic Waste Recycling Program (Borowski)
This legislation would allow all counties within the state to participate in an e-waste recycling collection program. Residents would have access to convenient collection sites at no cost to themselves or their municipalities.

HB1615 – Appliance Energy Efficiency Standards (O’Mara)
This bill sets energy efficiency and water conservation standards for commercial and residential appliances sold in the Commonwealth. Adopting energy efficiency standards for appliances can help Pennsylvania tackle climate change, reduce air pollution, conserve water, and save consumers and businesses money on their utility bills.

HB1842 – Community Solar Legislation (Schweyer)
This bill creates a framework so that solar energy is more accessible and affordable for people throughout Pennsylvania. Under the bill, customers would be allowed to subscribe to a portion of a community solar facility with guaranteed savings.

HB1862, HB1863, HB1864, & HB1865 – Reforming Act 12 (Matzie, Borowski, Hanbidge, Kazeem, Krueger, O’Mara & Sappey)
This package of bills would put much-needed guardrails on public water and wastewater system acquisitions. The bills would limit acquisitions of healthy systems, ease the immediate burden on ratepayers by spreading out any costs incurred, provide the PUC with ample time to review sales, and place stringent notification requirements on both buyers and sellers from the formal inception of a sale. 

Funding for Mass Transit
House Democrats and Governor Shapiro have proposed increasing the share of state sales tax collections devoted to public transit agencies from 4.4% of receipts to 6.15%. That would translate to an estimated increase of $283 million in the 2024-25 fiscal year on top of the $1.3 billion going to transit agencies this year.