POLISCOPE
Back to bills

The civic record

Read. Follow. Verify.

Pennsylvania House Bill 817 restricts back-to-back tax exception approvals for school districts

Original title: An Act amending the act of June 27, 2006 (1st Sp.Sess., P.L.1873, No.1), known as the Taxpayer Relief Act, in taxation by school districts, further providing for public referendum requirements for increasing certain taxes.

Last action · March 5, 2025: Referred to FINANCE, March 5, 2025Sponsors: Jeanne McNeill and 8 others

Introduced
Committee
Floor Vote
Passed
Law

Track this bill to get notified when it advances a stage. One tap to stop, anytime.

Public stanceCommunity reactions are separate from the official record and reporting.

What This Bill Would Do

Pennsylvania House Bill 817 prohibits the Department of Education from approving a school district's request to exceed index tax limits if the district received an in each of the preceding two . The measure applies statewide and takes effect in 60 days.

Why it matters

School districts that rely on consecutive yearly tax s to raise property or other local taxes above state-set limits will face a mandatory two-year cooling-off period before they can apply for another exception.

Background
  • The Taxpayer Relief Act of 2006 governs taxation limits, index caps, and referendum requirements for school districts in Pennsylvania. context

Who It Would Affect

Groups the bill's text would affect if enacted, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.

Directly affected

school districts

School districts are prohibited from receiving tax exception approvals if they obtained exceptions in the preceding two fiscal years.

Directly affected

taxpayers

Residents face restrictions on consecutive yearly tax increases exceeding standard index limits implemented by their local school districts.

Key Facts

  • The Department of Education is barred from approving a school district's tax exception request if an exception was granted for the preceding two fiscal years.
  • The legislation amends Section 333(j) of the Taxpayer Relief Act.
  • The act takes effect in 60 days.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does House Bill 817 change about school district taxes?
It stops the Department of Education from approving a school district's request to raise taxes above statutory limits if that district already received an in the previous two .

What else do you want to know?

News Coverage

No news coverage found yet. Articles are indexed twice daily.

Where This Stands

Currently in committee. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Floor Vote.

Procedural history

1 action
  1. Mar 5, 2025HouseCommittee
    Referred to FINANCE, March 5, 2025

Version history

Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.

View official text →

Lobbying Activity

No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.

Full breakdown

Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.

Sponsors

Connected Entities

Taxpayer Relief Act
otherTaxpayer Relief Act“Act of June 27, 2006 being amended”Map →

Sources

Open source document

www.palegis.us

Analysis Score

0–100
  • Significance45
    How much this matters to a regular citizen
  • Controversy30
    Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
  • Entertainment5
    Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
  • Buzz20
    Current news / social attention level

Publisher tools

Share or embed this record

POLISCOPE publisher tools

Share or embed this record