Legislation to reform short-term rentals introduced in state House
Comes after second shooting at a short-term rental in Rep. Powell’s district
Rep. Lindsay Powell March 19, 2026 | 8:58 AM
HARRISBURG, March 19 -- State Reps. Lindsay Powell, Jennifer M. O’Mara and Mary Jo Daley today introduced legislation to establish a statewide regulatory framework for short-term rentals across Pennsylvania.
The legislation, H.B. 2303, is based on recommendations from a nonpartisan, independent study conducted by the Joint State Government Commission, which was directed by a 2024 House Resolution sponsored by Powell and O’Mara. The bill aims to create consistent, baseline standards for short-term rental properties while preserving flexibility for local communities.
“On New Year’s Eve, a member of our community was seriously injured in a violent incident at a short-term rental in my district. This was the second such event in the same neighborhood in recent years – the prior taking the lives of two teenagers,” said Powell, D-Allegheny. “That is why, two years ago, Rep. O’Mara and I led passage of a resolution directing the Joint State Government Commission to conduct a comprehensive study of the short-term rental industry and develop recommendations for a statewide framework.
“Today, we are proud to introduce legislation that turns those recommendations into action. This bill strikes a necessary balance of protecting public safety, supporting responsible operators, and ensuring transparency for local officials and law enforcement. As short-term rentals continue to grow across Pennsylvania, we have a responsibility to put common-sense safeguards in place to protect our communities.”
“Thoughtful guidelines for short-term rentals help protect homeowners, hosts and guests, protect the character and safety of our neighborhoods and ensure that tourism from all of it can grow responsibly,” said Daley, D-Montgomery, chair of the House Tourism, Recreation & Economic Development Committee. “These rules aren’t about hampering visits – they’re about balancing economic opportunity with accountability, fairness and quality of life for the people who live here year-round.”
“The short-term rental market has been surging in recent years due to online booking sites,” said O’Mara, D-Delaware. “It’s time we have consistent statewide standards that protect visitors and support responsible hosts. I’m grateful to the Joint State Government Commission for the work they did to help us achieve these goals for both visitors and hosts in Pennsylvania.”
Among other provisions, the legislation would establish countywide registries of short-term rental properties, require the designation of a 24/7 “person in charge” for each property, create distinct regulatory categories for homestay operators, vacation rental operators and corporate operators, and implement baseline safety standards across all properties with enhanced requirements for larger-scale operators.
The House Tourism, Recreation & Economic Development Committee will hold a public hearing on the legislation from 9:30-11 a.m. on Wednesday, March 25 in Room 140 of the Main Capitol. Testifiers will include representatives from the Joint State Government Commission, short-term rental operators and industry trade associations.